MEMBERSHIP INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT by and among LIBERATED SYNDICATION, INC. ADVERTISECAST, LLC, THE MEMBERS OF ADVERTISECAST, LLC, Dave Hanley, and Trevr Smithlin, as Member Representative March 29, 2021
Execution Version
______________________________________________________________________________
by and
among
LIBERATED SYNDICATION, INC.
ADVERTISECAST, LLC,
THE
MEMBERS OF ADVERTISECAST, LLC,
Xxxx Xxxxxx,
and
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, as Member Representative
March
29, 2021
______________________________________________________________________________
THIS DOCUMENT IS INTENDED SOLELY TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS AMONG
THE PARTIES IDENTIFIED HEREIN. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO CREATE, AND IT
WILL NOT BE DEEMED TO CREATE, A LEGALLY BINDING OR ENFORCEABLE
OFFER OR AGREEMENT OF ANY TYPE OR NATURE PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL
EXECUTION OF THIS DOCUMENT BY ALL SUCH PARTIES AND THE DELIVERY OF
AN EXECUTED COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT BY ALL SUCH PARTIES TO ALL OTHER
PARTIES. THIS DOCUMENT SHALL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL WITH RESPECT TO
THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1. PURCHASE AND SALE
|
1
|
|
1.1
|
Purchase and Sale of Purchased Interests.
|
1
|
1.2
|
Purchase Price.
|
2
|
1.3
|
Post-Closing Purchase Price Adjustment.
|
3
|
1.4
|
Matters as to Buyer Stock.
|
4
|
1.5
|
Earn-Out.
|
5
|
1.6
|
Withholding Tax.
|
6
|
ARTICLE 2. CLOSING; CONDITIONS TO CLOSING; CLOSING
DELIVERIES
|
7
|
|
2.1
|
Closing.
|
7
|
2.2
|
Conditions to Closing.
|
7
|
2.3
|
Closing Deliveries.
|
9
|
ARTICLE 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE MEMBER
PARTIES
|
10
|
|
3.1
|
Organization and Authority.
|
11
|
3.2
|
Absence of Conflicts.
|
11
|
3.3
|
Ownership of Membership Interests.
|
11
|
3.4
|
Member Parties’ Brokers.
|
12
|
3.5
|
Litigation.
|
12
|
3.6
|
Investor Representations.
|
12
|
3.7
|
No Investment, Tax or Legal Advice.
|
13
|
3.8
|
Additional Acknowledgement.
|
13
|
3.9
|
Limited Ownership.
|
13
|
3.10
|
No Short Position.
|
13
|
ARTICLE 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES REGARDING THE
COMPANY
|
14
|
|
4.1
|
Organization and Power.
|
14
|
4.2
|
Authorization.
|
14
|
4.3
|
Capitalization; Subsidiaries.
|
14
|
4.4
|
Absence of Conflicts.
|
15
|
4.5
|
Financial Statements and Other Financial Matters.
|
15
|
4.6
|
Certain Developments.
|
16
|
4.7
|
Real Property.
|
16
|
4.8
|
Tax Matters.
|
17
|
4.9
|
Contracts and Commitments.
|
18
|
4.10
|
Intellectual Property.
|
20
|
4.11
|
Governmental Licenses and Permits.
|
22
|
4.12
|
Employees.
|
23
|
4.13
|
Employee Benefit Plans.
|
24
|
4.14
|
Affiliate Transactions.
|
27
|
i
4.15
|
Compliance with Laws.
|
27
|
4.16
|
Environmental and Safety Matters.
|
27
|
4.17
|
Tangible Assets.
|
27
|
4.18
|
Undisclosed Liabilities.
|
28
|
4.19
|
Notes and Accounts Receivable.
|
28
|
4.20
|
Accounts Payable.
|
28
|
4.21
|
Insurance.
|
28
|
4.22
|
Customers and Suppliers.
|
29
|
4.23
|
Books and Records.
|
29
|
4.24
|
Bank Accounts.
|
29
|
4.25
|
Litigation.
|
29
|
4.26
|
Company Broker.
|
30
|
ARTICLE 5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
|
30
|
|
5.1
|
Organization and Power.
|
30
|
5.2
|
Authorization.
|
30
|
5.3
|
Absence of Conflicts.
|
30
|
5.4
|
Financial Ability.
|
30
|
5.5
|
Buyer’s Broker.
|
31
|
5.6
|
Solvency.
|
31
|
ARTICLE 6. PRE-CLOSING COVENANTS
|
31
|
|
6.1
|
General.
|
31
|
6.2
|
Consents.
|
31
|
6.3
|
Access.
|
32
|
6.4
|
Conduct of Business.
|
32
|
6.5
|
Notice of Developments.
|
33
|
6.6
|
Employment Matters.
|
33
|
6.7
|
Exclusivity.
|
33
|
6.8
|
R&W Policy.
|
34
|
ARTICLE 7. POST-CLOSING COVENANTS
|
34
|
|
7.1
|
Press Releases and Announcements.
|
34
|
7.2
|
Further Transfers.
|
34
|
7.3
|
Confidentiality.
|
35
|
7.4
|
Cooperation and Proceedings.
|
35
|
7.5
|
Release.
|
35
|
7.6
|
Covenant Not to Use Name.
|
36
|
7.7
|
Employment Matters.
|
36
|
7.8
|
Record Retention.
|
37
|
7.9
|
Employment Agreement.
|
37
|
7.10
|
Up-listing to National Exchange.
|
38
|
ii
ARTICLE
8.
|
38
|
|
8.1
|
Appointment and Powers.
|
38
|
8.2
|
Limitation of Liability.
|
38
|
8.3
|
Reliance.
|
38
|
8.4
|
Replacement of the Member Representative.
|
39
|
ARTICLE 9. TAX MATTERS
|
39
|
|
9.1
|
Tax Matters.
|
39
|
ARTICLE 10. INDEMNIFICATION
|
42
|
|
10.1
|
Survival.
|
42
|
10.2
|
Indemnification by Member Parties.
|
42
|
10.3
|
Indemnification by Buyer.
|
43
|
10.4
|
Time Limitations.
|
44
|
10.5
|
Indemnification Procedures for Third-Party Claims.
|
44
|
10.6
|
Indemnification Procedures for Non-Third-Party Claims.
|
46
|
10.7
|
Contingent Claims.
|
47
|
10.8
|
Effect of Investigation; Waiver.
|
47
|
10.9
|
Treatment of Indemnification Payments.
|
47
|
10.10
|
Materiality.
|
47
|
10.11
|
Other Rights and Remedies Not Affected.
|
47
|
10.12
|
Overlap.
|
48
|
10.13
|
Release of Claims Amounts and Indemnification Escrow
Amount.
|
48
|
10.14
|
Exclusive Remedy.
|
48
|
ARTICLE 11. TERMINATION; EFFECT OF TERMINATION
|
49
|
|
11.1
|
Termination.
|
49
|
11.2
|
Effective of Termination.
|
50
|
ARTICLE 12. MISCELLANEOUS
|
50
|
|
12.1
|
Amendment and Waiver.
|
50
|
12.2
|
Notices.
|
50
|
12.3
|
Expenses.
|
51
|
12.4
|
Assignment and Successors.
|
51
|
12.5
|
No Waiver.
|
52
|
12.6
|
Severability.
|
52
|
12.7
|
Further Assurances.
|
52
|
12.8
|
Entire Agreement.
|
52
|
12.9
|
Remedies Cumulative.
|
53
|
12.10
|
Counterparts; Electronic Signatures.
|
53
|
12.11
|
Governing Law.
|
53
|
12.12
|
Consent to Jurisdiction.
|
53
|
12.13
|
No Third-Party Beneficiaries.
|
54
|
12.14
|
Schedules.
|
54
|
12.15
|
Interpretation.
|
54
|
Definitions
|
A-1
|
iii
SCHEDULES
Schedule
A
Percentage
Interests
Schedule
B
Target Working
Capital Schedule
Schedule
1.4(f)
Anti-Dilution
Provisions
Schedule
3.4
Members’
Brokers
Schedule
4.1
Organization and
Power
Schedule
4.4
Absence of
Conflicts
Schedule
4.5
Financial
Statements and Other Financial Matters
Schedule
4.6
Certain
Developments
Schedule
4.7(a)
Leased Real
Property
Schedule
4.8
Tax
Matters
Schedule
4.8(c)
Tax Returns and
Audits
Schedule
4.9(a)
Contracts and
Commitments
Schedule
4.10(a)
Intellectual
Property Rights
Schedule
4.10(b)
Intellectual
Property Matters
Schedule
4.10(d)
Software
Schedule
4.10(g)
Data Protection
Laws
Schedule
4.10(h)
Public Privacy
Notices
Schedule
4.10(j)
Risk
Assessments
Schedule
4.11
Governmental
Licenses and Permits
Schedule
4.12(b)
Employment
Contracts
Schedule
4.12(c)
Employment
Matters
Schedule
4.12(d)
Employment
Obligations
Schedule
4.12(e)
Employees
Schedule
4.12(f)
Employee
Proceedings
Schedule
4.13
Employee Benefit
Plans
Schedule
4.14
Affiliate
Transactions
Schedule
4.18
Undisclosed
Liabilities
Schedule
4.21
Insurance
Schedule
4.22
Customers and
Suppliers
Schedule
4.24
Bank
Accounts
Schedule
4.25
Litigation
Schedule
4.26
Company
Broker
Schedule
6.4
Conduct of
Business
APPENDICES
Appendix
A
|
-
|
Definitions
|
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A
|
-
|
Escrow
Agreement
|
Exhibit
B
|
-
|
Forms
of Employment Agreements
|
Exhibit
C
|
-
|
Form of
Registration Rights Agreement
|
Exhibit
D
|
-
|
Form of
R&W Policy
|
iv
This
Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered
into as of March 29, 2021, by and among Liberated Syndication,
Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Buyer”), AdvertiseCast,
LLC, a Wisconsin limited liability company (the “Company”), Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
and Techwhale, LLC, a South Carolina limited liability company
(each a “Member,” and
collectively, the “Members”), Xxxx Xxxxxx,
sole member of Techwhale, LLC (“Xxxxxx” and together with
the Members, each a “Member Party” and
collectively, the “Member Parties”) and
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx in his capacity as Member Representative. Buyer, the
Company, the Member Parties, and the Member Representative are
sometimes referred to collectively as the “Parties,” and
individually as a “Party.” Capitalized terms
used and not otherwise defined in this Agreement have the meanings
set forth in Appendix
A.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, as of the
date hereof, the Members own all of the issued and outstanding
equity interests of the Company (the “Membership Interests”) in
the respective amounts and of the respective type set forth
opposite such Member’s name on Schedule A hereto (the
“Percentage
Interests”) and Xxxxxx owns all of the issued and
outstanding equity interests of Techwhale, LLC.
WHEREAS, the
Members wish to sell, transfer and assign all of their right, title
and interest in the Membership Interests to Buyer, and Buyer wishes
to purchase the Membership Interests from the Members, for the
consideration set forth in and subject to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement.
WHEREAS, the
respective boards of managers or directors or other governing
bodies, as applicable, of the Member Parties, the Company and Buyer
have approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein; and
WHEREAS, a portion
of the purchase price payable by Buyer to the Members shall be
placed in escrow by Buyer, the release of which shall be contingent
upon certain events and conditions, all as set forth in this
Agreement and the Escrow Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, representations and
warranties and mutual covenants contained herein and for other good
and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which
are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto, intending to be
legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1.
PURCHASE AND SALE
1.1
Purchase and Sale of Purchased Interests.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and in reliance upon
the representations, warranties and covenants contained in this
Agreement, at the Closing, Buyer or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of
Buyer shall purchase all of the Membership Interests (the
“Purchased
Interests”), from the Members, and the Members shall
sell, transfer, and convey the Purchased Interests to Buyer or a
wholly-owned Subsidiary of Buyer, free and clear of any
Liens.
1.2
Purchase Price.
(a) In consideration
for the sale of the Purchased Interests, Buyer or a wholly-owned
Subsidiary of Buyer shall pay to the Members an amount equal to the
following: (i) the Closing Cash Consideration, minus
(ii) Closing Indebtedness, minus (iii) the Members’
Expenses, minus (iv) the Indemnity Escrow Amount, plus (or minus,
as the case may be) (v) the amount, if any, of the Working
Capital Adjustment (collectively, the sum of items (i) through (v)
above is referred to herein as the “Closing Cash Purchase
Price”), plus Cash on Hand:
(i) No later than five
(5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Member
Representative shall deliver to the Buyer a statement (the
“Estimated Closing
Statement”) setting forth in reasonable detail the
Member Representative’s good-faith written estimate of: (A)
the Cash on Hand as of the Closing; (B) Closing Indebtedness; (C)
Members’ Expenses as of Closing; (D) the Working Capital
Adjustment, prepared consistently with the Target Working Capital
Schedule; and (E) the estimated Closing Cash Purchase Price based
on such Estimated Closing Statement (with such amount being
referred to herein as the “Estimated Closing Cash Purchase
Price”), and a certificate delivered by the Company
that the Estimated Closing Cash Purchase Price was prepared in
accordance with GAAP applied using the same accounting methods,
practices, principles, policies and procedures, with consistent
classification, judgments and valuation and methodologies that were
used in the preparation of the Financial Statements. The Parties
shall utilize such Estimated Closing Cash Purchase Price set forth
in the Estimated Closing Statement for purposes of making the
payment at the Closing contemplated by Section 1.2(a)(i) , and without
limiting this Section
1.2(a)(i), the Member Representative shall ensure the
Estimated Closing Statement includes a
complete and correct statement setting forth the recipients of
consideration payable pursuant to this Agreement, the amounts
payable to each such recipient hereunder, and the wire transfer
instructions of each such recipient.
(ii) The
Estimated Closing Cash Purchase Price shall be paid by Buyer or a
wholly-owned Subsidiary of Buyer at the Closing in accordance with
Section
2.3(a).
(b) In consideration
for the sale of the Purchased Interests and subject to Section 1.4, Buyer shall pay
and deliver to the Members the Buyer Stock at the Closing in
accordance with Section
2.2(a).
(c) In consideration
for the sale of the Purchased Interests and subject to Section 1.5, to the extent the
Earn-Out Payment is earned and due and payable hereunder, such
Earn-Out Payment shall be paid by Buyer or a wholly-owned
Subsidiary of Buyer in accordance with Section 1.3.
(d) The Members hereby
authorize Buyer or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Buyer to deposit
with the Escrow Agent at the Closing the sum of $280,000
(the “Indemnity
Escrow Amount”) into an escrow account (the
“Indemnity Escrow
Account”) established pursuant to the terms of the
Escrow Agreement, to support the Member Parties’
indemnification obligations under ARTICLE 10.
2
1.3
Post-Closing Purchase Price Adjustment.
(a) Within sixty (60)
days following the Closing Date, Buyer shall prepare and deliver to
the Member Representative a statement (the “Closing Date Statement”)
of the (i) Cash on Hand, (ii) Closing Indebtedness, (iii)
Members’ Expenses, and (iv) Working Capital Adjustment,
subject to the definitions of Current Assets, Current Liabilities
and Closing Date Net Working Capital, prepared consistently with
the Target Working Capital Schedule; together with Buyer’s
calculation of the resulting Closing Cash Purchase Price (the
“Final Closing Cash
Purchase Price”). The Member Representative shall have
a period (the “Review Period”) of thirty
(30) days from the delivery of the Closing Date Statement to review
such statement. During the Review Period, Buyer shall upon
reasonable advance notice permit Member Representative and Member
Representative’s advisors to have reasonable access to the
books, records and other documents of the Company pertaining to or
used in connection with the preparation of the Closing Date
Statement and calculation of the Final Closing Cash Purchase Price
and provide Member Representative with copies thereof (as
reasonably requested by Member Representative). If, as a result of
such review, the Member Representative disagrees with the Closing
Date Statement, the Member Representative shall deliver to Buyer a
written notice of disagreement (a “Dispute Notice”) prior to
the expiration of the Review Period setting forth in reasonable
detail the basis for such dispute, the specific items and amounts
in dispute, and the Member Representative’s alternative
calculation of the Closing Date Statement (including the
alternative calculations of each disputed line item). For purposes
of this Agreement and subject to Section 1.3(d) and Section 1.3(e) below, the term
“Final Adjustment
Amount” shall mean an amount that would otherwise need
to be paid by Buyer or refunded by the Members so that the total
Closing Cash Purchase Price paid equals the Final Closing Cash
Purchase Price.
(b) If the Member
Representative either (i) fails to deliver a Dispute Notice to
Buyer prior to the expiration of the Review Period or (ii) delivers
a written notice to Buyer accepting the Closing Date Statement,
then, in either case, the amount of the Closing Cash Purchase Price
reflected by or contained in the Closing Date Statement shall be
the Final Closing Cash Purchase Price and shall be final, binding
and conclusive upon the Parties hereto.
(c) If the Member
Representative delivers a Dispute Notice to Buyer in a timely
manner, then the Member Representative and Buyer shall attempt in
good faith to resolve such dispute within thirty (30) days from the
date of such Dispute Notice. If the Member Representative and Buyer
cannot reach agreement within such thirty (30)-day period, then the
dispute shall be promptly referred to BDO USA LLP (the
“Neutral
Accountant”). The Neutral Accountant shall only
resolve such contested items that were properly included by the
Member Representative in a timely Dispute Notice and will resolve
such items as promptly as may be reasonably practicable consistent
with the terms of this Agreement, including making the calculations
in accordance with the definitions of Current Assets, Current
Liabilities and Closing Date Net Working Capital. Following such
review, the Neutral Accountant shall deliver a written opinion
setting forth its final determination of the Final Closing Cash
Purchase Price, which shall be final, binding and conclusive on the
Member Representative and Buyer and shall be used in computing the
amount of any adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.3. All fees and
expenses of the Neutral Accountant shall be borne (A) by the Buyer
in the proportion that the aggregate dollar amount of the disputed
items that are successfully disputed by the Member Representative
(as finally determined by the Neutral Accountant) bears to the
aggregate dollar amount of all disputed items and (B) by Member
Representative in the proportion that the aggregate dollar amount
of the disputed items that are unsuccessfully disputed by Member
Representative (as finally determined by the Neutral Accountant)
bears to the aggregate dollar amount of all disputed items. Except
with respect to the fees and expenses of the Neutral Accountant,
the Parties shall bear their respective fees and expenses
(including those of their respective advisors) in preparing,
auditing or reviewing, as the case may be, the Closing Date
Statement and Dispute Notice, as applicable.
3
(d) If the Final
Adjustment Amount is in favor of the Members, then Buyer shall,
within five (5) Business Days of the determination date, pay (or
cause to be paid) to the Members such difference by wire transfer
of immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated
by the Members in writing (or in the absence of any such
designation, by corporate check mailed to the
Members).
(e) If the Final
Adjustment Amount is in favor of Buyer, subject to the following
clause (f), then the Members shall, within five (5) Business Days
of the determination date, pay Buyer such difference by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by
Buyer in writing (or in the absence of any such designation, by
corporate check mailed to Buyer).
(f) Any payments made
pursuant to this Section
1.3 shall be treated as an adjustment to the Purchase Price
by the Parties for Tax purposes, unless otherwise required by
Law.
1.4
Matters as to Buyer
Stock.
(a) In the event that
the price per share of the Buyer Stock is below $4.80, Buyer shall
have the option to substitute cash payment in lieu of issuing
additional Buyer Stock in excess of two million eighty three
thousand three hundred thirty-three and 33/100 (2,083,333.33)
shares of Buyer Stock.
(b) In the event that
the price per share of the Buyer Stock is above $5.20, Buyer shall
reduce the amount of shares of Buyer Stock issued to the Members by
an amount of shares of Buyer Stock equivalent to twenty thousand
dollars ($20,000) for every $0.01 above $5.20.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, in order to effectively
transfer the Business associated with the Company and the Purchased
Interests, Buyer shall have the right to claw-back a portion of the
Buyer Stock issued pursuant to Section 1.2(b) from a Member if
(i) such Member is terminated by Buyer for Cause (as such term is
defined in the Member’s Employment Agreement) or, in the case
of any leased employee agreement with Techwhale, LLC, is terminated
by Buyer due to a breach of such agreement by Techwhale, LLC, or
(ii) such Member terminates his employment with Buyer without Good
Reason (as such term is defined in the Member’s Employment
Agreement) as follows:
(i) One hundred percent
(100%) of the Buyer Stock issued to such Member if that Member
terminates his employment with or is terminated by the Company
prior to the first (1st) anniversary of the
Closing in accordance with this Section 1.4(c);
(ii) Sixty-six
and 67/100 percent (66.67%) of the Buyer Stock issued to such
Member if that Member terminates his employment with or is
terminated by the Company prior to the second (2nd) anniversary of the
Closing in accordance with this Section 1.4(c);
and
(iii) Thirty-three
and 33/100 percent (33.33%) of the Buyer Stock issued to such
Member if that Member terminates his employment with or is
terminated by the Company prior the third (3rd) anniversary of the
Closing in accordance with this Section 1.4(c).
(d) It is the intention
of the Parties that the Buyer Stock shall be part of the Purchase
Price hereunder for all purposes, and the Parties agree to report
it consistently with said intent for tax and accounting
purposes.
(e) With respect to the
Buyer Stock received by the Members, each Member shall be entitled
to certain registration rights related to the sale of their shares
of Buyer Stock, pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement
substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto.
4
(f) With respect to the
Buyer Stock received by each Member pursuant to this Section 1.4, each Member shall
be entitled to receive any cash or stock dividends issued to
Buyer’s stockholders. In the event that Buyer initiates a
rights offering within one (1) year of the Closing, the Buyer Stock
received by each Member shall be entitled to the anti-dilution
rights outlined in Schedule 1.4(f).
(g) In the event of a
Change of Control of Buyer, any right of Buyer to claw-back any of
the Buyer Stock issued to each Member pursuant to Section 1.4(c) shall
immediately terminate and be of no further force or
effect.
1.5
Earn-Out.
(a) As additional
Purchase Price consideration for the Purchased Interests, if the
Earn-Out Target is attained, then Buyer shall, at its discretion
and at such time as provided in Section 1.5(e),
pay:
(i) to the Members one
million six hundred sixty thousand dollars ($1,660,000) in cash or
an equivalent amount of shares of Buyer’s common stock equal
to one million six hundred sixty thousand dollars ($1,660,000)
divided by the price per share which shall be determined by the
volume-weighted average price per share of Buyer’s stock over
the twenty (20)-day trading period ending at the end of the
Earn-Out Period (the “Members’ Earn-Out
Payment”); and
(ii) to
the Company Employee Trust three hundred forty thousand dollars
($340,000) in cash or an equivalent amount of shares of
Buyer’s common stock equal to three hundred forty thousand
dollars ($340,000) divided by the price per share which shall be
determined by the volume-weighted average price per share of
Buyer’s stock over the twenty (20)-day trading period ending
at the end of the Earn-Out Period (the “Company Employee
Trust Earn-Out Payment” and together with the Members’
Earn-Out Payment, the “Earn-Out Payment”).
(b) Within sixty (60)
days after the end of the Earn-Out Period, Buyer agrees to furnish
a reasonably detailed written report to the Member Representative
setting forth the amount of the Earn-Out Target for the Earn-Out
Period, together with copies of financial statements and any and
all documents which evidence the amounts shown as being true,
correct and complete (the “Earn-Out Target
Statement”). The Member Representative shall have a
period (the “EO
Review Period”) of thirty (30) days respectively from
the delivery of the Earn-Out Target Statement to review such
statement. If as a result of such review, the Member Representative
disagrees with the Earn-Out Target Statement, the Member
Representative shall deliver to Buyer a Dispute Notice (each an
“Earn-Out Dispute
Notice”) prior to the expiration of the applicable EO
Review Period setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for such
dispute, the specific items and amounts in dispute, and the Member
Representative’s alternative calculation or determination of
the applicable figures contained in the statement (including the
alternative calculations of each disputed line item).
(c) If the Member
Representative either (i) fails to deliver a Earn-Out Dispute
Notice to Buyer prior to the expiration of the applicable EO Review
Period or (ii) delivers a written notice to Buyer accepting the
Earn-Out Target Statement, then, in either case, the calculations
of the amounts reflected by or contained in the applicable earn-out
statement shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Parties
hereto.
5
(d) If the Member
Representative delivers an Earn-Out Dispute Notice to Buyer in a
timely manner, then the Member Representative and Buyer shall
attempt in good faith to resolve such dispute within thirty (30)
days from the date of such Earn-Out Dispute Notice. If the Member
Representative and Buyer cannot reach agreement within such thirty
(30)-day period, then the dispute shall be promptly referred to the
Neutral Accountant. The Neutral Accountant shall only resolve such
contested items that were properly included by the Member
Representative in a timely Earn-Out Dispute Notice and will resolve
such items as promptly as may be reasonably practicable consistent
with the terms of this Agreement, including making the calculations
in accordance with the definitions of Earn-Out Period and Earn-Out
Target. Following such review, the Neutral Accountant shall deliver
a written opinion setting forth its final determination of the
applicable revenue target, which shall be final, binding and
conclusive on the Member Representative and Buyer and shall be used
in computing the amount of any payment pursuant to this
Section 1.5. All
fees and expenses of the Neutral Accountant shall be borne (A) by
the Buyer in the proportion that the aggregate dollar amount of the
disputed items that are successfully disputed by the Member
Representative (as finally determined by the Neutral Accountant)
bears to the aggregate dollar amount of all disputed items and (B)
by Member Representative in the proportion that the aggregate
dollar amount of the disputed items that are unsuccessfully
disputed by Member Representative (as finally determined by the
Neutral Accountant) bears to the aggregate dollar amount of all
disputed items. Except with respect to the fees and expenses of the
Neutral Accountant, the Parties shall bear their respective fees
and expenses (including those of their respective advisors) in
preparing, auditing or reviewing, as the case may be, the Earn-Out
Target Statement and Earn-Out Dispute Notice, as
applicable.
(e) In the event Buyer
is required to pay the Earn-Out Payment pursuant to Section 1.5(a), the Earn-Out
Payment shall be paid in full no later than the end of
Buyer’s following fiscal quarter and upon determination by
the Parties that the Earn-Out Target Statement is final, binding
and conclusive upon the Parties pursuant to Section 1.5(c).
(f) Prior to the end of
the Earn-Out Period, Buyer shall ensure there is sufficient
authorized and unissued Buyer Stock available to issue the maximum
number of shares of Buyer Stock issuable hereunder and/or cash
sufficient to fully satisfy the Earn-Out Payment.
(g) After Closing Buyer
shall have sole discretion with regard to all matters relating to
the operation of the Company; provided, that Buyer shall not,
directly or indirectly, take any actions in bad faith that would
have the purpose of avoiding or reducing the Earn-out Payment. If
Buyer takes any such actions, the Earn-Out Payment shall be deemed
earned in full.
(h) In the event of a
Change of Control of Buyer during the Earn-Out Period, if the
Earn-Out Target has not yet been attained, such Earn-Out Target
shall be deemed attained upon the closing of such Change of Control
and Buyer shall immediately pay the applicable portion of the
Earn-Out Payment to the Members and the Company Employee Trust,
respectively, upon the closing of such Change of
Control.
(i) Any payments made
pursuant to this Section
1.5 shall be treated as an adjustment to the Purchase Price
by the Parties for Tax purposes, unless otherwise required by
Law.
1.6
Withholding Tax.
Buyer
shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Purchase Price
all Taxes that Buyer may be required to deduct and withhold under
any provision of Tax Law. All such withheld amounts shall be
treated as delivered to the Members hereunder.
6
ARTICLE 2.
CLOSING; CONDITIONS TO CLOSING; CLOSING
DELIVERIES
2.1
Closing.
The
closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the
“Closing”) shall take
place at the offices of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, located at 000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx (or via the electronic exchange
of execution versions of the Transaction Documents and the
signature pages thereto via email by .pdf) at 10:00 a.m. local time
on the Closing Date or on such later date as is mutually agreeable
to Buyer and the Member Parties, provided that the Closing will
occur remotely via the electronic exchange of documents, signature
pages and required deliverables upon mutual agreement of the Buyer
and the Member Representative. The effective time of the Closing
for accounting and tax purposes will be 11:59 p.m. on the Closing Date. Unless the
parties otherwise agree in writing, the Closing is to occur upon
the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted under applicable Law,
waiver of the last of the conditions to Closing set forth in this
ARTICLE 2 (other
than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at
the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those and
all other such conditions at the Closing) and is referred to herein
as the “Closing
Date.”
2.2
Conditions to Closing.
(a) Condition of Buyer’s
Obligations. Buyer’s obligations to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the
fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of each of the following
conditions precedent, unless waived in writing by
Buyer:
(i) Each of the Member
Parties’ and the Company’s Fundamental Representations
shall be true and correct in all respects when made and as of the
Closing Date (except for those representations that speak as of an
earlier date, which shall be true in all respects as of such
earlier date); and (ii) each of the representations and warranties
made by the Company and the Member Parties in this Agreement and
any other Transaction Document (other than the Fundamental
Representations) shall be true and correct in all material respects
when made and as of the Closing Date (except for those
representations that speak as of an earlier date, which shall be
true in all material respects as of such earlier
date).
(ii) Covenants.
The Company and the Member Parties shall have performed and
complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements
and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed and
complied with by them prior to or as of the Closing
Date.
(iii) No
Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of this Agreement,
there shall not have been any change, event, or occurrence that has
had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, individually or in the aggregate, with or without the lapse
of time.
(iv) Approvals;
Absence of Certain Legal Proceedings. The Parties shall have received all
approvals, authorizations, and consents of all Governmental
Entities required in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No suit or other legal
Proceeding shall be pending or shall have been commenced that seeks
to restrict or prohibit the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(v) Consents. All third-party consents and approvals
necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and listed on Schedule 4.4 of the Disclosure
Schedules, shall have been obtained, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Buyer.
7
(vi) Estimated
Closing Statement. The
Member Parties shall have delivered the Estimated Closing Statement
to Buyer in compliance with Section 1.2(a)(i).
(vii) Member
and Company Deliverables. All deliverables of the Member Parties
and the Company under Section 2.3(b) shall have been
delivered to Buyer.
(viii) Financial
Audit. The Company
shall have completed the Financial Audit and Buyer shall consummate
the transactions contemplated in this Agreement within seven (7)
days of receipt of the completed Financial Audit, provided that (a)
the other conditions of this Section 2.2(a) have been met,
and (b) the Financial Audit shows that (i) the Company’s
revenue for fiscal year ending 2020 is not less than $11,533,420,
(ii) the Company’s EBITDA for fiscal year ending 2020
(excluding Member compensation) is not less than $1,139,412, and
(iii) the Financial Audit does not indicate that the financial
numbers previously presented by the Company are materially
inaccurate.
(ix) R&W
Policy. Buyer shall have entered into a binding obligation
for issuance of the R&W Policy in substantially the form and on
the terms and conditions set forth on Exhibit D hereto.
(x) No Material Change to Top Advertising
Customer. No material change shall have occurred in the
revenues received from the top advertising customer of the Company
in the past year preceding the date of this Agreement (by dollar
volume received from such customer).
(xi) Cash
on Hand. Cash on Hand is not less than
$200,000.
(b) Conditions of the Member Parties and
the Company. The
Members Parties’ and the Company’s obligations to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are
subject to fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of each of the
following conditions precedent, unless waived in writing by the
Member Parties and the Company:
(i) (i) Each of
Buyer’s Fundamental Representations shall be true and correct
in all respects when made and as of the Closing Date (except for
those representations that speak as of an earlier date, which shall
be true in all respects as of such earlier date); and (ii) each of
the representations and warranties made by Buyer in this Agreement
(other than the Buyer Fundamental Representations) shall be true
and correct in all material respects when made and as of the
Closing Date (except for those representations that speak as of an
earlier date, which shall be true in all material respects as of
such earlier date.
(ii) Covenants.
Buyer shall have performed and
complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements
and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed and
complied with by Buyer prior to or as of the Closing
Date.
(iii) No
Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of this Agreement,
there shall not have been any change, event, or occurrence that has
had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, individually or in the aggregate, with or without the lapse
of time.
(iv) Approvals;
Absence of Certain Legal Proceedings. The Parties shall have received all
approvals, authorizations, and consents of all Governmental
Entities required in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No suit or other legal
Proceeding shall be pending, threatened, anticipated, or shall have
been commenced that seeks to restrict or prohibit the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
8
(v) Buyer Deliverables. All deliverables of the Buyer under
Section 2.3(a)
shall have been delivered to the Member Parties.
2.3
Closing Deliveries.
(a) Buyer’s Deliveries. At
the Closing, Buyer shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) to the
Members, Member Parties, the Company or the Escrow Agent (as
appropriate) the following:
(i) The Estimated
Closing Cash Purchase Price, by wire transfer of immediately
available funds, to the Members, in accordance with the Percentage
Interests set forth on Schedule A hereto (to an
account or accounts designated in writing by the Members prior to
the Closing);
(ii) The
Buyer Stock to the Members;
(iii) The
Indemnity Escrow Amount, by wire transfer of immediately available
funds, to the account designated by the Escrow Agent;
(iv) Counterparts
of the Escrow Agreement, duly executed by Buyer;
(v) Counterparts of
each of the Employment Agreements for Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx
and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (or any entity controlled by such individual),
duly executed by Buyer;
(vi) Certificate
of good standing showing that Buyer is duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing in its state of
organization;
(vii) Executed
certificates of the Secretary (or other authorized officer) of
Buyer certifying the names and signatures of the officers of Buyer
authorized to sign this Agreement and the other Transaction
Documents;
(viii) Copies
of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Buyer certified
as true and correct by the Secretary (or other authorized officer)
of Buyer; and
(b) Member Parties and Company
Deliveries. Prior to or at the Closing, the Company and the
Member Parties shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) to Buyer
the following items:
(i) All certificates
representing the Purchased Interests, if certificated, duly
endorsed in blank or with duly executed assignments
attached;
(ii) Counterparts
of the Escrow Agreement, duly executed by the Member
Representative;
(iii) Counterparts
of each of the Employment Agreements for Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx
Xxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (or any entity controlled by such
individual), duly executed by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, respectively;
(iv) Payoff
letters in forms satisfactory to Buyer from each payee with respect
to any Closing Indebtedness and releases of all Liens on all of the
assets and properties of the Company, including, without
limitation, all required UCC-3 termination statements or other
evidences of discharge satisfactory to Buyer;
9
(v) Payoff letters or
invoices (or other statements satisfactory to the Buyer) from each
payee with respect to Members’ Expenses;
(vi) Executed
resignations for each manager and each officer of the Company for
whom Buyer has requested resignations, in each case, effective as
of the Closing Date;
(vii) An
executed certificate of the Company and the Member Parties, signed
under penalty of perjury and in form and substance as required
under the Treasury Regulations issued pursuant to Code Section
1445, stating that the Company and the Member Parties each are not
a “Foreign Person” as defined in Code Sections 1445 and
1446(f), along with a properly completed IRS Form W-9 of the Member
Parties and the Company;
(viii) Certificates
of good standing showing that the Company and Techwhale, LLC, are
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing in their
respective states of organization;
(ix) Executed
certificates of the Secretary (or other authorized officer) of the
Members, as applicable, and the Company certifying (A) the names
and signatures of the officers of such parties authorized to sign
this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, (B) copies of
the articles of organization and operating agreement of the
Company, and (C) resolutions of the board of managers and/or
Members of the Company approving the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and all other Transaction
Documents;
(x) Executed
certificates of the Secretary (or other authorized officer) of the
Members, as applicable, and the Company, certifying to the matters
set forth in Section
2.2(a)(i);
(xi) All
third-party consents and approvals that are reasonably required by
Buyer or required in order to prevent a breach of or default under,
a termination or modification of, or acceleration of the terms of,
any Contract or agreement of the Company and all governmental and
regulatory consents and approvals that are necessary for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the
operation of the Business following the Closing, in each case on
terms satisfactory to Buyer and without conditions or modifications
adverse to Buyer;
(xii) All
original minute books, records, equity interest ledgers, corporate
seals and other materials of the Company, if any;
(xiii) Executed
landlord estoppels, landlord waivers, and landlord consents with
respect to the Company’s leased properties, in each case in
such form and substance as reasonably acceptable to Buyer;
and
(xiv) Such
other documents as Buyer may reasonably request, in form and
substance satisfactory to Buyer, and if necessary, executed by each
Member Party and the Company for the purpose of evidencing the
accuracy of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement or the satisfaction of the conditions and covenants set
forth herein.
ARTICLE 3.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE MEMBER
PARTIES
Except
as set forth in the Schedules attached hereto, as a material
inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate
the transactions contemplated hereunder, each Member Party,
severally and not jointly, hereby makes the representations and
warranties set forth in this ARTICLE 3 as of the date hereof
and as of the Closing Date with the intention that Buyer rely on
such representations and warranties.
10
3.1
Organization and Authority.
Each
Member Party has full organizational or individual power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction
Documents, to carry out his, her or its obligations hereunder and
thereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby. If a Member Party is an entity, the execution and
delivery by such Member Party of this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents, the performance by such Member Party of its
obligations hereunder and thereunder, and the consummation by such
Member Party of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
has been duly authorized by all requisite organizational action on
the part of such Member Party. This Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered by each
Member Party and, assuming the due execution of this Agreement and
the other Transaction Documents by Buyer, constitute legal, valid
and binding obligations of each Member Party enforceable against
such Member Party in accordance with its or their terms, except as
enforceability hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or
other Laws affecting creditor’s rights generally and
limitations on the availability of equitable remedies.
3.2
Absence of Conflicts.
The
execution, delivery and performance by the Member Parties of the
Transaction Documents does not conflict with, violate or result in
the breach of, or create any lien or other encumbrance on any of
the assets of the Member Parties pursuant to, any agreement,
instrument, order, judgment, decree, law or governmental regulation
to which the Member Parties are a party or is subject or by which
any of the Member Parties’ assets are bound. If a Member
Party is an entity, none of (x) the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document by
such Member Party, nor (y) the consummation by such Member Party of
the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby:
(a) does or will (i)
conflict with or result in any breach of any of the provisions of,
(ii) constitute a default under, (iii) result in a violation
of, (iv) give any third-party the right to terminate or to
accelerate any obligation under, or (v) result in the creation of
any Lien upon any assets of the Member Party, the Membership
Interests, or the Company (including, without limitation, upon or
with respect to the Membership Interests), in each case under the
provisions of (A) any certificate of formation, articles of
organization, operating agreement (or similar governing documents)
or resolutions of the Member Party, or (B) any indenture, mortgage,
loan agreement or other Contract, Permit, or any Law by which the
Member Party or the Company or their respective assets are affected
or to which the Member Party or the Company or its respective
assets is subject; or
(b) without limiting
clause (a) above, require any consent, approval, or authorization
or exemption of or other action by or notice to or filing with any
Governmental Entity or any other Person.
3.3
Ownership of Membership Interests.
As of
immediately prior to the Closing, all of the Membership Interests
are owned beneficially
and of record by the Members, free and clear of all Liens, in the
respective amounts and of the respective type set forth opposite
such Member’s name on Schedule A hereto. All of the
membership interests of Techwhale, LLC are owned beneficially and
of record by Xxxxxx, free and clear of all Liens. No Member Party
is a party to any option, warrant, purchase right or other Contract
that could require such Member Party to sell, transfer, or
otherwise, directly or indirectly, dispose of any equity interests
of the Company (including, without limitation, the Membership
Interests). Upon Closing, Buyer shall own all of the Membership
Interests, free and clear of all Liens.
11
3.4
Member Parties’ Brokers.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.4, neither of the Member Parties nor any of such Members
Parties’ Representatives or Affiliates has incurred any
obligation or Liability for any brokerage or finder’s fee or
agent’s commission or other similar payment in connection
with this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents or the
transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder.
3.5
Litigation.
There
are no Actions or other Proceedings pending or threatened against
the Member Parties, at law or in equity, or before or by any
Governmental Entity, which if determined adversely to such Member
Party would adversely affect such Member Party’s performance
under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or the
consummation by such Member Party of the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby.
3.6
Investor Representations.
In
connection with the issuance by Buyer of the Buyer Stock to the
Member Parties, each Member Party:
(a) is
acquiring the Buyer Stock for its own account, not as nominee or
agent, and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with,
any distribution or public offering thereof within the meaning of
the Securities Act;
(b) understands
that (i) Buyer Stock has not been registered under the Securities
Act; (ii) the Buyer Stock is being issued pursuant to an exemption
from registration, based in part upon the Buyer’s reliance
upon the statements and representations made by the Member Parties
in this Agreement, and that the Buyer Stock must be held by such
Member Party indefinitely, and that the Member Party must,
therefore, bear the economic risk of such investment indefinitely,
unless a subsequent disposition thereof is registered under the
Securities Act or is exempt from such registration; (iii) each
Certificate representing the Buyer Stock will be endorsed with the
following legend until the earlier of (1) the Buyer Stock has been
registered for resale by such Member Party or (2) the date the
Buyer Stock is eligible for sale under Rule 144 under the
Securities Act:
THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR UNDER THE
SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATES. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE
TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION
OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM. UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, THE ISSUER OF
THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND
SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY
PROPOSED TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES
ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
(iv)
the Buyer will instruct any transfer agent not to register the
transfer of the Buyer Stock (or any portion thereof) until the
applicable date set forth in clause (iii) above unless the
conditions specified in the foregoing legends are satisfied, or
other satisfactory assurances of such nature are given to the
Buyer;
12
(c) has
such knowledge and experience in financial or business matters that
it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the investment
in connection with the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.
Such Member Party has, in connection with its decision to acquire
the Buyer Stock, relied only upon the representations and
warranties contained herein and the information contained in each
report, registration statement and definitive proxy statement filed
by the Buyer with the SEC (the “Buyer SEC Documents”).
Further, such Member Party has had such opportunity to obtain
additional information and to ask questions of, and receive answers
from, the Buyer, concerning the terms and conditions of the
investment and the business and affairs of the Buyer, as such
Member Party considers necessary in order to form an investment
decision;
(d) is
an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in
Rule 501(a) of the rules and regulations promulgated under the
Securities Act;
(e) is
not acquiring the Buyer Stock as a result of any advertisement,
article, notice or other communication regarding the Buyer Stock
published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast
over the television or radio or presented at any seminar or any
other general solicitation or general advertisement.
3.7
No Investment, Tax or Legal Advice.
Each
Member Party understands that nothing in the Buyer SEC Documents,
this Agreement, or any other materials presented to such Member
Party in connection with its acquisition of the Buyer Stock
constitutes legal, tax or investment advice. Each Member Party has
consulted such legal, tax and investment advisors as it, in its
sole discretion, has deemed necessary or appropriate in connection
with its acquisition of Buyer Stock.
3.8
Additional Acknowledgement.
Each
Member Party acknowledges that it has independently evaluated the
merits of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, that it
has independently determined to enter into the transactions
contemplated hereby, that it is not relying on any advice from or
evaluation by any other person. Each Member Party acknowledges that
it has not taken any actions that would deem the Member Parties to
be members of a “group” for purposes of Section 13(d)
of the Exchange Act.
3.9
Limited Ownership.
The
acquisition of the Buyer Stock issuable to each Member Party at the
Closing will not result in such Member Party (individually or
together with any other person or entity with whom such Member
Party has identified, or will have identified, itself as part of a
“group” in a public filing made with the SEC involving
Buyer’s securities) acquiring, or obtaining the right to
acquire, in excess of 19.999% of the outstanding shares of common
stock or voting power of the Buyer on a post-transaction basis that
assumes that the Closing shall have occurred. Such Member Party
does not presently intend to, along or together with others, make a
public filing with the SEC to disclose that it has (or that it
together with such other persons or entities have) acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, as a result of the Closing (when
added to any other securities of the Buyer that it or they then own
or have the right to acquire), in excess of 19.999% of the
outstanding shares of common stock or the voting power of the Buyer
on a post-transaction basis that assumes that the Closing shall
have occurred.
3.10
No Short Position.
As of
the date hereof, and as of the Closing Date, each Member Party
acknowledges and agrees that it does not and will not (between the
date hereof and the Closing Date) engage in any short sale of the
Buyer’s voting stock or any other type of hedging transaction
involving the Buyer’s securities (including, without
limitation, depositing shares of the Buyer’s securities with
a brokerage firm where such securities are made available by the
broker to other customers of the firm for purposes of hedging or
short selling the Buyer’s securities).
13
ARTICLE 4.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES REGARDING THE
COMPANY
Except
as set forth in the Schedules attached hereto, as a material
inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate
the transactions contemplated under this Agreement, each Member
Party, jointly and severally, hereby makes the representations and
warranties set forth in this ARTICLE 4 as of the date hereof
and as of the Closing Date with the intention that Buyer rely on
such representations and warranties.
4.1
Organization and Power.
The
Company is a limited liability company, duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of
Wisconsin and is qualified to do business in every jurisdiction
(which are set forth on Schedule 4.1) in which the
nature of its Business or the ownership of its property requires it
to be qualified, except where a failure to be qualified would not,
individually, have or reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company has full limited
liability company power and authority to own and operate its
respective properties and carry on the Business as now
conducted.
4.2
Authorization.
The
Company has full limited liability company power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement and all other Transaction
Documents to which it is a party and to perform its obligations
hereunder and thereunder. The Company has duly approved this
Agreement and all other Transaction Documents to which it is a
party and has duly authorized its execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and such other Transaction Documents
and the performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder. No
other Proceeding or action on the part of the Company is necessary
to approve and authorize the Company’s execution and delivery
of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which the
Company is a party or the performance of its obligations hereunder
or thereunder. Assuming the due execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by Buyer, this
Agreement constitutes, and each of the other Transaction Documents
to which the Company is a party will, when executed and delivered,
constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with their respective terms and
conditions, except as enforceability hereof or thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other Laws affecting
creditor’s rights generally and limitations on the
availability of equitable remedies.
4.3
Capitalization; Subsidiaries.
(a) As of the time
immediately prior to the Closing, all of the Membership Interests
are owned beneficially
and of record by the Members, free and clear of all Liens, in the
respective amounts and of the respective type set forth opposite
such Member’s name on Schedule A hereto. All of the
Membership Interests have been validly issued and are fully paid
and non-assessable. Other than the Membership Interests, there are
no (i) outstanding equity interests of the Company, or (ii)
Contracts, including, without limitation, options, warrants or
scripts by which the Company is or may become bound to issue any
equity interests of the Company. The Company is not a party to any
option, warrant, convertible securities, purchase right or other
Contract that could require the Company or the Members to sell,
transfer, restrict, or otherwise dispose of any equity interests of
the Company (other than this Agreement). There are no voting
trusts, proxies or other Contracts with respect to the voting of
any equity interests of the Company. The Company does not control,
directly or indirectly, or have any direct or indirect equity
participation in any Person. As of the Closing Date, all equity
interests of the Company are owned beneficially by the Members,
free and clear of all restrictions on transfer, Taxes, Liens,
options, warrants, purchase rights, other Contracts, equities,
claims and demands. Immediately following the Closing Date, Buyer
shall own, free and clear of any Liens (other than Liens created by
Buyer or any Affiliate of Buyer), all of the Membership Interests,
which shall be owned, free and clear of any Liens.
14
(b) There are no
Subsidiaries of the Company, and the Company does not own or have
any right to acquire, directly or indirectly, any outstanding
capital stock of, or other equity interests in, any
Person.
4.4
Absence of Conflicts.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
4.4, neither (x) the execution, delivery or performance of
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document by the Company,
nor (y) the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby:
(a) does or will (i)
conflict with or result in any breach of any of the provisions of,
(ii) constitute a default under, (iii) result in a violation
of, (iv) give any third-party the right to terminate or to
accelerate any obligation under, (v) result in the creation of any
Lien upon any assets of the Company (including, without limitation,
upon or with respect to the Membership Interests), in each case
under the provisions of (A) any certificate of formation, articles
of organization, operating agreement (or similar governing
documents) or resolutions of the Company, or (B) any indenture,
mortgage, loan agreement or other Contract, Permit, or any Law by
which the Company, its respective assets, or the Business is
affected or to which the Company, its respective assets, or the
Business is subject; or
(b) without limiting
clause (a) above, require any consent, approval, or authorization
or exemption of or other action by or notice to or filing with any
Governmental Entity or any other Person.
4.5
Financial Statements and Other Financial Matters.
Attached as
Schedule 4.5 are
true and complete copies of the following (collectively, the
“Financial
Statements”): (i) the unaudited balance sheet of the
Company as of the last day of, and the related statements of
income, for, its fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018, (ii) the
unaudited balance sheet of the Company as of the last day of, and
the related unaudited statements of income, for, its fiscal year
ended on December 31, 2019, (iii) the unaudited balance sheet of
the Company as of the last day of, and the related unaudited
statements of income, for, its fiscal year ended on December 31,
2020 (the “Balance
Sheet Date” and collectively, the “Year-End Financial
Statements”), and (iv) the unaudited balance
sheets of the Company, dated as of January 31, 2021, and the
related statements of income for the one (1) month period ended on
January 31, 2021, respectively (collectively, the
“Interim Financial
Statements”). The Financial Statements have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis
throughout the period involved, subject, in the case of the Interim
Financial Statements, to normal and recurring year-end adjustments
(the effect of which will not be materially adverse) and the
absence of notes (that, if presented, would not differ materially
from those presented in the Year-End Financial Statements). Each
such Financial Statement is based on the books and records of the
Company (which, in turn, are accurate and complete in all respects)
and fairly and accurately presents in all respects the financial
condition and operating results of the Company as of the date of
each balance sheet and for the periods then ended. Except as set
forth in Schedule 4.5, there has been no change in the accounting
methods or practices of the Company since the earliest date covered
by the Financial Statements. No financial statements of any Person
other than the Company are required by GAAP to be included or
reflected in the Year-End Financial Statements. Except as set forth
on Schedule 4.5,
the Company maintains a standard system of accounting established
and administered in accordance with GAAP.
15
4.6
Certain Developments.
Since
the Balance Sheet Date, the Company has conducted its Business in
the ordinary course of business and there has occurred no fact,
event, development or circumstance which, individually or in the
aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.6, since the
Balance Sheet Date, the Company has not: (i) sold, leased,
assigned, licensed, transferred or other disposed of any of its
property or assets or portion thereof (other than sales of
inventory and collection of accounts receivable in the ordinary
course of business) or subjected them to any additional Liens; (ii)
purchased, leased, or otherwise acquired of the right to own, use
or lease any property or assets for an amount in excess of $50,000,
individually or in the aggregate; (iii) suffered any theft, damage,
destruction or casualty loss exceeding $50,000 in the aggregate,
whether or not covered by insurance; (iv) declared, set aside or
paid any distribution of property or assets other than Cash on Hand
to any Member with respect to its equity; (v) amended, restated or
amended and restated, or authorized any of the foregoing to, its
articles of organization, operating agreement, or any other
organizational document; (vi) issued, sold or transferred any of
its equity interests, securities convertible into its equity
interests, or warrants, options or other rights to convert into,
exchange or acquire its equity interests; (vii) split, combined or
reclassified any equity interests; (viii) sold, assigned,
transferred, or permitted to lapse any material interest in any
Intellectual Property of the Company; (ix) abandoned, allowed a
lapse, or failed to maintain in full force and effect any
Intellectual Property of the Company; (x) created any Lien on any
equity interests; (xi) other than in the ordinary course of
business and the Company’s standard employee review process,
made or granted any bonus or any material wage or salary increase
to any employee or group of employees, entered into any employment,
sale bonus, stay bonus or severance Contract with any officer or
employee of the Company, or made or granted any increase in any
Employee Benefit Plans, amended, modified or terminated any
Employee Benefit Plans or adopted any Employee Benefit Plans; (xii)
hired or promoted any person as or to an officer position; (xiii)
adopted any profit sharing, bonus, deferred compensation,
retirement agreement or plan or other Employee Benefit Plan for or
with any current or former employee, officer or consultant of the
Company; (xiv) changed any of its accounting (financial or Tax)
policies, practices or procedures; (xv) entered into, accelerated,
materially modified, terminated, or received written notice of
termination of any Material Contract or Contract or transaction (or
series of related Contracts or transactions) involving a total
remaining commitment by or to the Company of at least $50,000;
(xvi) incurred, assumed or guaranteed any Indebtedness except
unsecured current obligations and Liabilities incurred in the
ordinary course of business; (xvii) entered into any settlement,
conciliation or similar Contract, released any claims possessed by
it, canceled any Indebtedness owed to it or waived any rights of
value, in each case, involving amounts in excess of $50,000;
(xviii) made any capital expenditures or commitments for capital
expenditures that aggregate in excess of $50,000 or entered into
any lease of capital equipment or real property; (xix) entered into
any transaction with the Members, officers of the Company, or
Affiliates thereof; (xx) conducted its cash management customs and
practices other than in the ordinary course of business and in
compliance with applicable Law; (xxi) entered into any Contracts
containing any restrictive business covenants; (xxii) adopted any
plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or
dissolution or filing of a petition in bankruptcy under any
provisions of federal or state bankruptcy Law or consent to the
filing of any bankruptcy petition against it under any similar Law;
(xxiii) acquired by merger or consolidation with, or by purchase of
a substantial portion of the assets, stock or other equity of, or
by any other manner, any business or any Person or any division
thereof; or (xxiv) committed or agreed to do any of the
foregoing.
4.7
Real Property.
(a) Leased Properties. Schedule 4.7(a) sets forth
the address of each parcel of Leased Real Property, and a true and
complete list of all Leases for each such Leased Real Property
(including the date and name of the parties to such Lease
document). The Company has delivered to Buyer a true and complete
copy of each such Lease document, and in the case of any oral
Lease, a written summary of the material terms of such Lease.
Except as set forth in Schedule 4.7(a), with
respect to each of the Leases:
16
(i) such Lease is
legal, valid and binding upon the parties thereto, enforceable and
in full force and effect;
(ii) the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the other Transaction
Documents, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereunder and thereunder do not require the consent of any other
party to such Lease, will not result in a breach of or default
under such Lease, and will not otherwise cause such Lease to cease
to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and
effect on identical terms following the Closing; and
(iii) neither
the Company nor any other party to any Lease is in breach or
default under such Lease, and no event has occurred or circumstance
exists which, with the delivery of notice, the passage of time or
both, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit the
termination, modification or acceleration of rent under such
Lease.
(b) Other Real Property. Other than
the Leased Real Property, the Company does not own, use or occupy
or have any obligation or Liability with respect to any land,
building, structures, improvements, fixtures or other interest in
real property. Except for the Leased Real Property, the Company has
never owned, leased or occupied any real property.
4.8
Tax Matters.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
4.8:
(a) The Company has
duly and timely filed all Tax Returns that it was required to file.
All such Tax Returns are true, complete and correct in all material
respects. All Taxes owed and payable by the Company (whether or not
shown on any Tax Return) have been paid. The Company is not the
beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax
Return. No claim has ever been made by a Taxing Authority in a
jurisdiction where the Company does not file Tax Returns that the
Company is or may be subject to taxation in or by that jurisdiction
and there is no basis for any such claim. There are no Liens on any
of the assets of the Company or of the Members that arose in
connection with any failure (or alleged failure) to pay any
Tax.
(b) The Company has
collected and timely withheld and paid to the appropriate Taxing
Authority all Taxes required by Law to have been withheld and paid
to such Taxing Authority in connection with amounts paid or owing
to any Person, or transaction with any Person, including, without
limitation, all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in
connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, former
employee, member, partner, independent contractor, creditor,
Affiliate, customer, supplier or other Person, and all Forms W-2
and 1099 (or other Tax Return) required with respect thereto have
been completed and timely filed.
(c) The Company has not
received notice of any dispute or claim concerning any Tax
Liability of the Company claimed or raised by any Taxing Authority
and none is threatened. Schedule 4.8(c) lists all
United States federal, state, local and non-United States income
Tax Returns filed by or with respect to the Company for any taxable
periods ended on or after December 31, 2017, indicates whether
those Tax Returns have been audited and indicates whether those Tax
Returns currently are the subject of audit. The Members have
delivered or made available to Buyer correct and complete copies of
all income, franchise, sales and use, employment and other material
Tax Returns filed by, and all examination reports and statements of
deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by, the Company since
December 31, 2017. There are no outstanding requests, agreements,
consents or waivers to extend the statutory period of limitation
applicable to the assessment of any Taxes against the Company.
There are no pending or threatened audits or Proceedings for or
relating to any Liability in respect of Taxes of the Company. The
Company has not received, from any jurisdiction in which the
Company has not filed Tax Returns, any written inquiry as to
whether, or written notice to the effect that, the Company is or
may be required to file Tax Returns (or that the Company is or may
otherwise be subject to Tax) in that jurisdiction and there is no
basis for any such claim.
17
(d) The Company is not
a party to any Tax allocation, Tax sharing, Tax indemnity or other
similar agreement.
(e) The Company has not
agreed, and the Company is not required, to make any adjustment
under Section 481(a) of the Code by reason of a change in
accounting method or otherwise, and the Company has not made any
similar election, and the Company is not required to apply any
similar rules, under any comparable state, local or foreign Tax
provision.
(f) The Company is not
a party to any plan or arrangement described in Section 6111(d) or
Section 6662(d)(2)(C)(ii)(III) of the Code, and the Company has not
“participated” in a “reportable
transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation
section 1.6011-4.
(g) The Company has
been, at all times during its existence, and will be on the Closing
Date, taxable as a partnership.
(h) The Company has not
purchased any goodwill or going concern value which is currently
non-amortizable in the hands of the Company due to the
anti-churning rules of Section 197(f)(9) of the Code.
(i) The amount of the
Company’s Liability for unpaid Taxes for all periods ending
on or before the date of the balance sheet included in the Interim
Financial Statements does not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount
of accruals for Taxes (excluding reserves for deferred Taxes)
reflected on the Interim Financial Statements. The amount of the
Company’s Liability for unpaid Taxes for all periods
following the end of the period covered by the Interim Financial
Statements shall not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount of
accruals for Taxes (excluding reserves for deferred Taxes) as
adjusted for the passage of time in accordance with the past
customs and practices of the Company (and which accruals shall not
exceed comparable amounts incurred in similar periods in prior
years).
(j) Company not has
deferred the withholding, payment or deposit of any payroll Taxes
pursuant to the CARES Act, the FCRA or “Memorandum on
Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations in Light of the Ongoing COVID-19
Disaster” issued by the President of the United States on
August 8, 2020, or for any other reason or pursuant to other
applicable Laws.
(k) The Company is not,
or has never been, party to or the beneficiary of any Tax
exemption, Tax holiday, or other Tax reduction Contract or
order.
(l) The Company does
not have a permanent establishment (within the meaning of an
applicable Tax treaty) in a country other than the country in which
it is organized.
(m) The Company has not
elected for the early application of the partnership audit
procedures of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (or any similar
state or local provisions) for any taxable period prior to
2018.
4.9
Contracts and Commitments.
(a) Material Contracts.
Schedule 4.9(a)
lists the following Contracts and other agreements to which the
Company is a party (collectively, and together with any Contracts
concerning IP and disclosed in Schedule 4.10(a), the
“Material
Contracts”):
18
(i) any Contract (or
group of related Contracts) for the license or lease of any
products, Software or other personal property to or from any Person
providing for license or lease payments in excess of $50,000 per
annum;
(ii) any
Contract (or group of related Contracts) for the purchase,
distribution, license or sale of commodities, supplies, products,
Software or other personal property, or for the furnishing or
receipt of goods or services (or any related Intellectual
Property), (A) the performance of which may extend over a period of
more than one (1) year, or (B) (C) involve consideration in
excess of $50,000 per annum;
(iii) any
Contract relating to the formation or operation of a partnership or
joint venture by the Company and such other party;
(iv) any
Contract (or group of related Contracts) under which it has
created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed any Indebtedness, under
which it has imposed a Lien on any of its assets, tangible or
intangible (or any related Intellectual Property), or under which
it has agreed to indemnify any other Person;
(v) (A) any Contract
with any employee, independent contractor, consultant or agent of
the Company with restrictions on the Company concerning
exclusivity, confidentiality, non-solicitation or non-competition
and (B) any Contract restricting the Company from conducting any
type of business in any location;
(vi) any
Contract with any Affiliate of the Company, any Member or any
Affiliate thereof;
(vii) any
Benefit Plan, including, but not limited to, any bonus, profit
sharing, incentive, stock option, equity purchase, equity
appreciation, deferred compensation, retention, severance or other
plan or other Contract for the benefit of its current or former
directors, officers and employees;
(viii) any
labor or collective bargaining agreement;
(ix) any
Contract for the employment of any individual on a full-time,
part-time, consulting or other basis that (i) is for a fixed period
of time, (ii) is not terminable on thirty (30 days’ notice or
less by the Company without liability for any material penalty, or
(c) provides for severance benefits;
(x) any Contract under
which it has advanced or loaned any amount to any Person
(including, without limitation, any of the Company’s
directors, officers or employees);
(xi) any
other Contract (or group of related Contracts) the performance of
which involves consideration in excess of $50,000 per
annum;
(xii) any
Contract which cannot be cancelled or terminated by the Company
without penalty or without more than thirty (30) days’
notice;
(xiii) any
Contract with any customer or supplier listed in Schedule 4.22;
(xiv) any
Contract or other instrument providing for indemnification of any
Person with respect to Liabilities relating to any current or
former business of the Company or any predecessor Person, other
than (A) the organizational documents of the Company or
(B) marketing agreements, property leases and other commercial
agreements entered into in the ordinary course;
19
(xv) any
Contract that requires the Company to use any supplier or
third-party for all or substantially all of the Company’s
requirements or needs or requires the Company to provide to other
parties “most favored nation” pricing;
(xvi) any
Contract related to the acquisition or disposition of any business,
a material amount of equity or assets of any other Person or any
real property (whether by merger, sale of stock or other equity
interests, sale of assets or otherwise);
(xvii) any
Contract for broker, distributor, dealer, manufacturer’s
representative, franchise, agency, sales promotion, market
research, marketing consulting and advertising
services;
(xviii) any
Contract with any Governmental Entity; and
(xix) any
Contract with any customer or supplier providing for the payment or
receipt by the Company of any rebate, discount, allowance or the
like, other than as set forth in a customer contract or service
order or incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s
business.
(b) Absence of Breach, etc. Each of
the Material Contracts is in full force and effect and will be in
full force and effect immediately following the Closing Date. No
Material Contract has been breached, canceled or repudiated by the
Company or by any other party thereto, and no such other party has
indicated in writing to the Company or to any Member that it will
stop or decrease the rate of business done with the Company, or
that it desires to renegotiate its arrangements with the Company.
No event or circumstance has occurred that, with notice or lapse of
time or both, would constitute an event of default under any
Material Contract or result in a termination thereof or would cause
or permit the acceleration or other changes of any right or
obligation or the loss of any benefit thereunder. The Company has
performed in all material respects all obligations required to be
performed by it in connection with the Material Contracts and is
not in receipt of any written claim of default under any Material
Contracts. The Company does not have any present expectation or
intention of not fully performing prior to the Closing Date in any
material respect any obligation pursuant to any Material
Contracts.
(c) Copies. The Company has
furnished to Buyer a true and correct copy or representative form
of all Material Contracts, in each case together with all
amendments, waivers or other changes thereto. Schedule 4.9(a) contains an
accurate and complete description of all material terms of all oral
Contracts and other oral items that are described or required to be
described thereon.
4.10
Intellectual Property.
(a) Generally. Schedule 4.10(a) sets forth a
complete and correct list of: (i) all registered and all
unregistered Intellectual Property, including, without limitation,
all pending applications for registration of Intellectual Property
owned, filed or used by the Company that are material to the
Business (other than Off the Shelf Software), identifying the
Intellectual Property and whether such Intellectual Property is
owned Intellectual Property or licensed Intellectual Property;
(ii) all other inbound and outbound license agreements,
sublicenses, agreements, permissions, consents or other similar
Contracts, whether written or oral that are material to the
Business, identifying for each: (v) the parties thereunder,
(w) the date thereof; (x) the type of license (including,
without limitation, the term thereof), (y) the Intellectual
Property licensed thereunder, and (z) whether the Company is
granting or receiving Intellectual Property thereunder; and (iii)
all domain names and telephone numbers owned by, allocated or
issued to the Company. The Intellectual Property identified on
Schedule 4.10(a)
constitute all of the Intellectual Property owned, licensed or used
by the Company that are necessary for the Business as currently
conducted or presently proposed to be conducted, and no Member nor
does any third-party Person own or have any rights with respect to
such Intellectual Property (except for lessors of such Intellectual
Property). Except as set forth on Schedule 4.10(a), no Member nor
the Company has agreed to indemnify any Person with respect to any
Intellectual Property (other than for breach by the Company of any
provision in any agreement in respect to Intellectual Property for
the benefit of a third-party (e.g., a licensor of software). The
Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule 4.10(a) are
subsisting, valid, and enforceable.
20
(b) Ownership; Infringement. Except
as set forth on Schedule
4.10(b), (i) the Company, solely and exclusively, owns
and possesses all right, title and interest in and to, or in the
alternative as described as such on Schedule 4.10(b), has a valid
and enforceable right to use the Intellectual Property described or
required to be described on Schedule 4.10(a), free and
clear of all Liens, and no claim by any third-party Person
contesting the validity, enforceability, use or ownership of any of
the foregoing has been made in writing of any Member or the
Company, is currently outstanding or threatened, (ii) no loss,
expiration or claim challenging the validity or enforceability of
any Intellectual Property is pending or threatened, (iii) the
Company has not received any written notice of, and neither the
Company nor any Member is aware of any facts which indicate a
likelihood of any infringement, violation, dilution or
misappropriation by, or any conflict with, any third-party Person
with respect to any Intellectual Property, including any demand or
request that the Company license rights from a third-party Person,
(iv) the practice of any patents or methods comprising the
Intellectual Property owned by the Company do not infringe, dilute,
violate or misappropriate the Intellectual Property of any
third-party Person in the jurisdiction where the Business is
presently conducted, (v) the Company has not infringed,
violated, diluted, misappropriated or otherwise violated, the
Company is not presently infringing, violating, diluting,
misappropriating or otherwise violating, any Intellectual Property
of any third-party Person, no infringement, misappropriation,
violation or dilution which will occur as a result of the continued
operation of the Business, anticipated operation of the Business or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
and the other Transaction Documents, and (vi) except as set
forth on Schedule
4.4, all of the Company’s rights in and to such owned
Intellectual Property are freely assignable by the Company,
including, without limitation, the right to create derivative
works. Neither the execution, delivery, nor performance of this
Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereunder, will result in the loss or impairment of, or payment of
any additional amounts with respect to, or require the consent of
any other Person in respect of, the Company’s right to own or
use any Intellectual Property.
(c) (i) All
registrations for Intellectual Property identified on Schedule 4.10(a) are valid
and in force; (ii) (A) any applications to register any
unregistered Intellectual Property so identified are pending and in
good standing, and (B) are not subject to any challenge of any
kind; and (iii) the Company has the right to bring Actions for
infringement or unauthorized use of the Intellectual Property owned
by the Company.
(d) Schedule 4.10(d) sets forth a
complete and accurate list of (i) all Software owned exclusively by
the Company that is material to the operation of the Business of
the Company as currently conducted (“Company Software”) and
(ii) all other Software used in the Business of the Company that is
not exclusively owned by the Company and that is material to the
operation of the Business of the Company as currently conducted,
excluding Off-the-Shelf Software. No government funding and no
facilities of a university, college, other educational institution
or research center, were used in the development of any Company
Software.
(e) No Open Source
Software is or has been included, incorporated or embedded in,
linked to, combined or distributed with or used in the development,
maintenance, operation, delivery or provision of any Company
Software in such a manner that would, under the terms of the
applicable Open Source Software license, (i) require the Company to
disclose, license, or distribute any proprietary source code for
any such software product, (ii) limit the ability to make, use or
sell any such software product, or (iii) diminish or transfer the
rights of ownership in any Intellectual Property or Software of the
Company to a third-party.
(f) The Company owns or
has a valid right to access and use all Company IT Systems. The
Company IT Systems are (i) adequate for, and operate and perform in
all material respects as required in connection with, the current
operation of the Business, and (ii) do not contain any viruses,
worms, Trojan horses, bugs, faults or other devices, errors,
contaminants or effects that (A) materially disrupt or adversely
affect the functionality of any Company IT Systems, or (B) enable
or assist any Person to access without authorization any Company IT
Systems. The Company has taken commercially reasonable and
necessary measures to maintain the performance and security of the
Company IT Systems and the Company IT Systems have not suffered any
material failures within the past three (3) years. In the last
three (3) years there have not been at any time any Data Compromise
Events or any other (A) actual material incidents of data security
breaches, intrusions or unauthorized access or use of any of the
Company IT Systems or (B) material unauthorized collection, access,
use or processing of, or loss, distribution, compromise or
unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information or sensitive
personally identifiable information about any Person (collectively,
“Incidents”). The Company
has taken best steps to implement procedures that are reasonably
likely to detect Incidents.
21
(g) The Company is, and
has been in material compliance with (i) applicable Data Protection
Laws; and (ii) any obligations of the Company under Contracts to
which Company is a party concerning the protection, collection,
access, use, storage, disposal, disclosure, or transfer of Personal
Data and any related notifications. Without limiting the foregoing
and except as set forth on Schedule 4.10(g), Company has
posted in accordance with Data Protection Laws a privacy policy
governing its use of Personal Data on its public websites and
internally for its employees.
(h) Except as set forth
on Schedule
4.10(h), the Company has (i) developed, implemented, and
conducted its business in compliance with, any applicable public
privacy notices, and data security or privacy policies and
procedures (copies of which have been made available to Buyer); and
(ii) trained its employees to follow these policies and
procedures.
(i) The Company does
not have any Contract obligation to maintain Personal Data in a
manner that logically or physically separates data of one customer
from that of another.
(j) Except as set forth
on Schedule
4.10(j), in the past three (3) years, the Company has
performed an annual security risk assessment and has created and
maintained documentation in accordance with applicable Data
Protection Laws. The Company has addressed and remediated all
threats and deficiencies identified in such security risk
assessment.
(k) Company has not
reported an Incident to any Person or Governmental Entity, either
voluntarily or based on Contract obligations or Data Protection
Laws.
(l) The Company has
implemented commercially reasonable and necessary technical,
physical, and administrative safeguards designed to protect the
confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Sensitive Data in
its possession or control and to ensure that Personal Data and
Sensitive Data is protected against loss, damage or unauthorized
access, use, modifications, destruction, disclosure, or other
misuse. The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement
and the consummation of the contemplated transactions, including
any transfer of Personal Data or Sensitive Data resulting from such
transactions, will not violate any Data Protection Laws, Contract
obligation relating to Personal Data, or a Company privacy policy.
Upon the Closing Date, the Company will own and continue to have
the right to use all Personal Data on identical terms and
conditions as the Company enjoyed immediately prior to the Closing
Date.
(m) During the past
three (3) years, no Person (including a Governmental Entity) has
made any written claim, commenced any action or threatened any
claim or action against the Company with respect to (i) the
violation of any Data Protection Laws, (ii) the violation of any
contractual obligation with respect to the treatment of any
Personal Data or Sensitive Data or (iii) loss, damage or
unauthorized access, use, modification or other misuse of any
Personal Data or Sensitive Data collected or processed by or on
behalf of the Company. No Person (including a Governmental Entity)
has provided any written notice regarding any complaint,
investigation, or inquiry relating to the Company’s
information privacy or data security practices.
4.11
Governmental Licenses and Permits.
Schedule 4.11 sets forth a
complete listing and summary description of all licenses, permits,
approvals, franchises, registrations, variances, certificates and
other authorizations or similar rights issued, obtained, or
required to be obtained from any Governmental Entity
(“Permits”) to or held by
(or required to be issued to or held by) the Company (including,
without limitation, all applications therefor and all renewals,
extensions or modifications thereof and additions thereto) that are
necessary or material to conduct the Business of the Company as
currently conducted or proposed to be conducted by the Company. All
Permits required for the Company to conduct its business have been
obtained by it and are valid and in full force and effect. All fees
and charges with respect to such Permits as of the date of this
Agreement have been paid in full. No loss or expiration of any
Permit is pending, reasonably foreseeable or threatened in writing
(including, without limitation, as a result of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents)
other than by reason of expiration in accordance with the terms
thereof. No event has occurred that, with or without notice or
lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to result in
the revocation, suspension or limitation of any
Permit.
22
4.12 Employees.
(a) To the
Members’ Knowledge, no employee and no group of employees or
independent contractors of the Company has any plans to terminate
his or her or its employment or relationship with the Company. None
of the current employees, officers, directors, independent
contractors or agents of the Company is (i) subject to
confidentiality, non-solicitation or non-compete restrictions in
favor of any third person the breach of which would subject the
Company to any material liability; or (ii) obligated under any
contract (including licenses, covenants or commitments of any
nature) or other agreement, or subject to any order of any
Governmental Entity, that would interfere with their duties to the
Company, as applicable, or that would conflict with the business of
the Company. No current employee or independent contractor of the
Company is in violation of any term of any employment contract,
proprietary information agreement or any other agreement relating
to the right of any such individual to be employed by, or to
contract with, the Company and the continued employment by the
Company of its current employees, and the performance of the
agreements of the Company with their independent contractors, will
not result in any such violation.
(b) Except as disclosed
in Schedule 4.12(b), no
employee of the Company has any Contract regarding his or her
employment, other than an agreement for at-will employment that may
be terminated by the Company upon 30 days’ or less advance
notice without any material penalty or obligation to provide
severance payments or benefits.
(c) Except as disclosed
in Schedule
4.12(c), for the last three (3) years through the Closing
Date, the Company has not: (i) been bound by or entered into any
written or oral Contract or collective bargaining agreement with
any labor organization or other representative of any employees of
the Company, except as disclosed on Schedule 4.9(a);
(ii) experienced any strike, work stoppage, slowdown or
lockout, and none has been threatened; (iii) been the subject
of any grievance, unfair labor practice claim, charge of
discrimination or other material employee or labor dispute; (iv)
engaged in any unfair labor practice; (v) been the subject of any
organizational effort made or threatened by or on behalf of any
labor union with respect to employees of the Company, except as
related to the collective bargaining agreements, if any, disclosed
on Schedule 4.9(a);
or (vi) leased any employees. The Company has satisfied any
notice or bargaining obligation it may have under any Law or
collective bargaining agreement to any employee
representative.
(d) Except as disclosed
in Schedule
4.12(d), the Company has not been delinquent in any payments
to any employee or independent contractor for any wages,
commissions, bonuses, or other direct compensation due with respect
to any services performed for it or amounts required to be
reimbursed to any employee or independent contractor of the
Company, there are no outstanding rights or obligations relating to
pensions, Benefit Plans, severance or termination pay, workers
compensation, unemployment compensation and/or other obligation to
employees or independent contractors of the Company, and no
employee of Company is entitled to any unpaid wages, overtime wages
or other compensation, other than wages or compensation not yet
payable and incurred in the Company’s ordinary course of
business, in each case, to the extent accrued in the Closing Date
Net Working Capital.
(e) Schedule 4.12(e) sets forth the
name, start date, title or position, primary work location,
classification as full-time or part-time and as exempt or
non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and local wage and
hours Laws (as applicable), and the annual or, as the case may be,
hourly rate of compensation (including, without limitation, salary,
bonuses and commissions), as of the date of this Agreement for each
individual engaged by the Company as an employee (including any
current employee who is on a leave of absence of any nature, paid
or unpaid, authorized or unauthorize) or independent contractor.
The Company has in its files a Form I-9 that is validly and
properly completed in accordance with applicable Law for each
employee with respect to whom such form is required under
applicable Law. The Company has not received notice or other
communication from any Governmental Entity regarding any unresolved
violation or alleged violation of any applicable Law relating to
hiring, recruiting, employing of (or continuing to employ) anyone
who is not legally authorized to work in the United States. The
Company has made available to Buyer or to Buyer’s counsel
true and complete copies of all written employment policies
applicable to all current employees or independent contractors of
the Company. The Company has correctly classified those individuals
performing services as common law employees, leased employees,
independent contractors or agents of the Company.
23
(f) The Company is in
compliance with all applicable Laws and collective bargaining
agreements and arrangements respecting employment, employment
practices, terms and conditions of employment, Tax withholding,
prohibited discrimination, equal employment, fair employment
practices, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation,
disability rights or benefits, working conditions, privacy,
immigration (including with respect to the requirements of the
Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986), employee safety and
health, employee training, wages and hours, overtime compensation,
meal and break periods, workers’ compensation, leaves of
absence and unemployment insurance. All individuals characterized
and treated by the Company as independent contractors or
consultants during the last three (3) years have been and are
properly classified and treated as independent contractors under
all applicable Laws. All employees of the Company classified as
exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state and local wage
and hour Laws during the last three (3) years have been and are
properly classified. Except as disclosed in Schedule 4.12(f), there are no
Proceedings against the Company pending or threatened to be brought
or filed, by or with any Governmental Entity in connection with the
employment of any current or former applicant, employee,
consultant, volunteer, intern or independent contractor of the
Company, including any Proceeding relating to unfair labor
practices, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation,
equal pay, wages and hours, safety or any other employment-related
matter arising under applicable Law, and no such Proceedings have
been brought or filed or threatened to be brought or filed, during
the last three (3) years.
(g) Since January 1,
2016, (i) no allegations of harassment have been made against any
employee of the Company who is in a position of manager or above,
(ii) there has been no occurrence of unlawful discrimination,
retaliation or harassment, and (iii) the Company has not entered
into any settlement agreements related to specific allegations of
sexual harassment or misconduct by or against any employee at a
manager level or above.
(h) The Company has
complied with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
of 1988, as amended, and all similar federal, foreign, state or
local Laws (collectively, the “WARN Act”) and has no
plans to undertake any action in the future that would trigger any
notice or other requirement under the WARN Act.
(i) None of the
employees or independent contractors of the Company are included on
the “List of Excluded Individuals/Entities” maintained
by the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department
of Health and Human Services
4.13
Employee Benefit Plans.
(a) Schedule 4.13 contains a
complete and correct list of each Benefit Plan. With respect to
each Benefit Plan, the Company has made available to Buyer
accurate, current and complete copies of each of the following: (i)
where the Benefit Plan has been reduced to writing, the plan
document together with all amendments since the last restatement;
(ii) where the Benefit Plan has not been reduced to writing, a
written summary of all material plan terms; (iii) where applicable,
any trust agreements or other funding arrangements, custodial
agreements, insurance policies and contracts and administration
agreements and similar agreements; (iv) any summary plan
descriptions, summaries of material modifications, annual notices
and employee handbooks; (v) in the case of any Benefit Plan that is
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, the most
recent determination, opinion or advisory letter from the Internal
Revenue Service; (vi) the three most recently filed Forms 5500, if
any were due, with schedules and financial statements attached;
(vii) actuarial valuations and reports, if applicable, related to
any Benefit Plans with respect to the three most recently completed
plan years; (viii) the nondiscrimination tests performed under the
Code with respect to the three most recent completed plan years;
and (ix) material notices, letters or other correspondence from the
Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation or other Governmental Entity relating to the
Benefit Plan.
24
(b) Each Benefit Plan
(and each related trust, insurance Contract or fund) has been
maintained, funded and administered in all material respects in
accordance with the terms of such Benefit Plan and the terms of any
applicable collective bargaining agreement and complies in form and
in operation with the applicable requirements of ERISA, the Code
and other applicable Laws. All Liabilities related to any Benefit
Plan in which employees of the Company participate have been paid
or accounted for.
(c) Neither the Company
nor any ERISA Affiliate maintains, sponsors, contributes to, has
any obligation to contribute to, has ever maintained, sponsored,
contributed to or had any obligation to contribute to, nor has any
Liability or potential Liability under or with respect to, any
Multiemployer Plan or any Employee Pension Benefit Plan subject to
Code Sections 412 or 4971, ERISA Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA,
or otherwise has any Liability or potential Liability under Title
IV of ERISA. No Benefit Plan is a multiple employer welfare
arrangement within the meaning of Section 3(40) of ERISA. There is
no Lien pursuant to ERISA Sections 303(k) or 4068 or Code Sections
412 or 430(k) in favor of, or enforceable by the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation or any other entity with respect to any of the
assets of the Company. No cash or bond or other amount is payable
by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation pursuant to Section 4062(e) of
ERISA.
(d) All required
reports, descriptions and disclosures (including, without
limitation, Form 5500 annual reports, summary annual reports, and
summary plan descriptions) with respect to each Benefit Plan have
been properly and timely filed and/or distributed to participants
and other applicable individuals in accordance with the applicable
requirements of ERISA and the Code.
(e) Neither the Company
nor any ERISA Affiliate maintains, sponsors, contributes to or has
any obligation to contribute to, or has any Liability or potential
Liability with respect to, any Employee Welfare Benefit Plan
providing health or life insurance or other welfare-type benefits
for current or future retired or terminated employees (or any
spouse or other dependent thereof) other than in accordance with
COBRA. The requirements
of COBRA have been met with respect to each Benefit Plan and each
Employee Welfare Benefit Plan maintained by an ERISA Affiliate that
is subject to COBRA.
(f) All contributions
(including, without limitation, all employer contributions and
employee salary reduction contributions) that are due have been
made within the time periods prescribed by ERISA and the Code to
each Benefit Plan that is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan and all
contributions for any period ending on or before the Closing Date
that are not yet due have been made to each such Employee Pension
Benefit Plan or properly accrued in the Financial Statements. Any
premiums or other payments due for any periods ending on or before
the Closing Date have been paid with respect to each Benefit Plan
that is an Employee Welfare Benefit Plan. There are no outstanding
Liabilities under any Benefit Plan other than liabilities for
benefits to be paid in the ordinary course to participants in such
Benefit Plan and their beneficiaries
(g) Any Benefit Plan
that is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan and that is intended to
meet the requirements of a “qualified plan” under Code
Section 401(a) is so qualified with respect to any qualification
requirement for which the applicable remedial amendment period has
closed and has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to
be so qualified, either through receipt of a current favorable
determination letter or through proper reliance on an opinion or
advisory letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service with respect
to such Employee Pension Benefit Plan, and nothing has occurred
since the date of such determination, opinion or advisory letter
that could adversely affect the qualified status of any such
Employee Pension Benefit Plan.
25
(h) There have been no
Prohibited Transactions with respect to any Benefit Plan. Neither
the Company, any ERISA Affiliate, nor any fiduciary of a Benefit
Plan has engaged in a transaction with respect to any Benefit Plan
that could subject the Company or the Buyer to a Tax or penalty
imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(l) of
ERISA or a violation of Section 406 of ERISA. No fiduciary as
defined in ERISA Section 3(21) has any Liability for breach of
fiduciary duty or any other failure to act or comply in connection
with the administration or investment of the assets of any Benefit
Plan. No Proceeding with respect to the administration or the
investment of the assets of any Benefit Plan (other than routine
claims for benefits) is pending or threatened in writing, and there
is no basis for any such Proceeding. No Benefit Plan has, within
the six (6) years prior to the date hereof, been the subject of an
examination or audit by a Governmental Entity or is the subject of
an application or filing under, or is a participant in, an amnesty,
voluntary compliance, self-correction or similar program sponsored
by any Governmental Entity.
(i) Except as otherwise
provided in Schedule
4.13, the Company is not obligated under the Benefit Plans
(including, but not limited to, any nonqualified deferred
compensation plan or arrangement) or otherwise to pay any
separation, severance, termination or similar benefit as a result
of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement or solely as a
result of a change in control or ownership within the meaning of
Section 280G of the Code. Neither the execution of this Agreement
or the other Transaction Documents, nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder (either alone or
together with any other event) shall: (i) entitle any current or
former employee, director or officer of the Company to any
compensatory payment or benefit including to any payment or benefit
under any Benefit Plan, (ii) accelerate the time of payment or
vesting of any compensation or benefits for any current or former
employee, director or officer of the Company, except as required by
applicable Law, (iii) require the funding of any compensation or
benefits (through a grantor trust or otherwise) for any current or
former employee, director or officer of the Company, (iv) otherwise
give rise to any material liability under any Benefit Plan; (v)
limit or restrict the right to merge, materially amend, terminate
or transfer the assets of any Benefit Plan on or following Closing,
or (vi) result in the payment of any material amount that would,
individually or in combination with any other payment, not be
deductible as a result of Section 280G of the Code.
(j) The Company is not
obligated to establish a new Benefit Plan, or to amend a Benefit
Plan to increase the amount of benefits provided under such Benefit
Plan, or to amend a Benefit Plan to change the eligibility rules
for such Benefit Plan.
(k) Except as required
by any Law, no provision or condition exists that would prevent the
Company or Buyer from terminating or amending any Benefit Plan at
any time for any reason.
(l) Each Benefit Plan
that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as
defined in Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder)
meets, and has been operated in good faith in accordance with, the
requirements of Sections 409A(a)(2), (a)(3), and (a)(4) of the
Code, and no assets of the Company have been directly or indirectly
set aside in a trust or other arrangement described in Section
409A(b)(1) of the Code or are, or have been, subject to a
“financial health” trigger described in Section
409A(b)(2) of the Code. No Benefit Plan provides for compensation
to any individual for excise taxes paid pursuant to Section
409A(a)(1)(B) or Section 4999 of the Code.
(m) The Company and
each Benefit Plan that is a “group health plan” as
defined in Section 733(a)(1) of ERISA (“Company Health Plan”) (i)
are currently in compliance in all material respects with the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Health Care and
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and all amendments thereto
and regulations and guidance issued thereunder (collectively,
“Healthcare Reform
Laws”); and (ii) have been in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable Healthcare Reform Laws since
March 23, 2010. For each calendar month beginning on or after
January 1, 2015, the Company either (i) was not an
“applicable large employer member” within the meaning
of Section 4980H of the Code; or (ii) has offered minimum value,
affordable health coverage to its full-time employees (as those
terms are defined under Section 4980H of the Code) in compliance
with the applicable standards under Section 4980H of the
Code.
26
(n) The Company has,
for purposes of each Benefit Plan, correctly classified those
individuals performing services for the Company or the respective
ERISA Affiliate as common law employees, leased employees,
independent contractors or agents.
(o) The Company does
not have any ERISA Affiliates.
4.14
Affiliate Transactions.
Other
than as described on Schedule 4.14, no Member Party
and no Related Person or Affiliate of any Member Party or of the
Company (a) is or was a party to any Contract or transaction with
the Company (other than in such Person’s capacity as an
officer, director, manager or employee of the Company, the
compensation for which is reflected on Schedule 4.12(e)), or (b)
has any interest in or owns any asset, tangible or intangible,
which is used in the Business of the Company, other than the
Membership Interests.
4.15
Compliance with Laws.
The
Company and any third-party acting on its behalf with respect to
the business of the Company, has complied and is now complying with
all applicable Laws which affect the Business or to which the
Company is subject, except where a failure to be in compliance,
individually, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company. No claim has been filed against the Company in writing
alleging a violation of any Law. The Company is not now subject to
any Proceeding, penalty assessment, audit or investigation by any
Governmental Entity or any other allegation that the Company has
violated the regulations of any such Governmental Entity or made a
material false statement or omission to any Governmental Entity,
including, without limitation, those related to government
procurement.
4.16
Environmental and Safety Matters.
The
Company has complied and is now complying with all environmental
Laws and Environmental and Safety Requirements and has not received
any written notice, report or other information regarding any
violation of or Liability under any environmental Law or
Environmental and Safety Requirements. Neither the Company nor any
of its predecessors or Affiliates has treated, stored, disposed of,
arranged for or permitted the disposal of, transported, handled,
released, manufactured, or exposed any Person to, any substance, or
owned, leased or operated any property or facility which is or has
been contaminated by any substances, so as to give rise to any
current or future Liabilities pursuant to any Environmental and
Safety Requirements. The Company has not assumed, undertaken,
provided an indemnity with respect to, or otherwise become subject
to, any Liability of any other Person relating to Environmental and
Safety Requirements.
4.17
Tangible Assets.
(a) The Company owns or
leases, free and clear of Liens (other than security interests in
favor of the lessor under equipment leases), all machinery,
equipment, and other tangible assets used by the Company that are
necessary for the Business as currently conducted and as presently
proposed to be conducted;
(b) The machinery,
equipment and other tangible assets used by the Company in
connection with the Business are adequate to conduct the Business
as currently conducted and as the Business is presently proposed to
be conducted; and
27
(c) Each such tangible
asset is free from material defects (patent and latent), has been
maintained in all material respects in accordance with normal
industry practice, is in good operating condition and repair
(subject to normal wear and tear), and is suitable in all material
respects for the purposes for which it presently is used with
respect to the Business and as the Business is presently proposed
to be conducted.
4.18
Undisclosed Liabilities.
The
Company does not have any Liability, and there is no basis for any
present or future Proceeding against it giving rise to any
Liability, except for (i) Liabilities set forth on the Interim
Financial Statements (or in any notes thereto), (ii) Liabilities
which have arisen after the date of the balance sheet included in
the Interim Financial Statements in the ordinary course of business
and which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material in
amount (none of which results from, arises out of, relates to, is
in the nature of, or was caused by any breach of contract, breach
of warranty, tort, environmental matter, infringement or violation
of Law by the Company), (iii) Liabilities under this Agreement,
(iv) Members’ Expenses and (v) those Liabilities set forth in
Schedule
4.18.
4.19
Notes and Accounts Receivable.
All
notes and accounts receivable of the Company are reflected properly
on the Interim Financial Statements and the underlying books and
records of the Company, are valid and undisputed receivables, are
current, and are subject to no setoffs, counterclaims, or rebates.
All notes and accounts receivable have arisen from bona fide
transactions entered into by the Company involving the sale of
goods or the rendering of services in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice. All accounts receivable
reflected on the Interim Financial Statements are collectible in
full within ninety (90) days after billing.
4.20
Accounts Payable.
All of
the accounts payable of the Company (a) arise from purchases
actually made by or services actually performed for the Company,
(b) have arisen from bona fide, arm’s length transactions in
the Company’s ordinary course of business, (c) are properly
reflected on the Financial Statements and other records of the
Company, (d) are subject to no material set-offs, allowances or
rebates, and (e) constitute valid and enforceable claims against
the Company. Since the Balance Sheet Date, the Company has paid its
accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and has not
slowed or accelerated any such payments.
4.21
Insurance.
Schedule 4.21 sets forth each
insurance policy to which the Company is a party, a named insured
or otherwise the beneficiary of coverage. With respect to each such
insurance policy: (i) the policy is legal, valid, binding,
enforceable and in full force and effect; (ii) the policy will
continue to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force
and effect following the consummation of the Closing and the other
transactions contemplated in connection with this Agreement or the
other Transaction Documents without any further action being taken
by the Company; (iii) neither the Company nor any other party to
the policy is in breach or default (including, without limitation,
with respect to the payment of premiums or the giving of notices),
and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time,
would constitute such a breach or default, or permit termination,
modification, or acceleration, under the policy; and (iv) no party
to the policy has repudiated any provision thereof. All premiums
due on such insurance policies have either been paid or, if due and
payable prior to Closing, will be paid prior to Closing in
accordance with the payment terms of each insurance policy. The
insurance policies do not provide for any retrospective premium
adjustment or other experience-based liability on the part of the
Company. The Company has been covered during the past five years by
insurance which is in scope and amount customary and reasonable for
the Business and sufficient under the Laws and Contracts under
which the Company is bound. True and complete copies of such
insurance policies and loss runs for each insurance policy from the
last five (5) years have been provided to the Buyer.
28
4.22
Customers and Suppliers.
(a) Schedule 4.22 lists each of (i)
the top twenty five (25) advertising customers of the Company in
the past year preceding the date of this Agreement (by dollar
volume received from such customers) and the amount of
consideration paid by such customers during such period, (ii) the
top twenty five (25) podcast customers of the Company in the past
year preceding the date of this Agreement (by dollar volume
received from such customers) and the amount of consideration paid
by such customers during such period, and (iii) the top ten
(10) suppliers of the Company in the past year preceding the date
of this Agreement (by dollar volume spent with such supplier) and
the amount of consideration paid to such supplier during such
period.
(b) Except as set forth
on Schedule 4.22,
(i) no supplier listed or supposed to be listed on Schedule 4.22 (A) has stopped
or materially decreased the rate of, (B) has threatened to stop or
materially decrease the rate of, or (C) as a result of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other
Transaction Documents is reasonably likely to stop or materially
decrease the rate of, supplying materials, products or services to
the Company, and (ii) no customer listed or supposed to be
listed on Schedule
4.22 (A) has stopped or materially decreased the rate of its
usage of products or services of the Company, (B) has threatened to
stop or materially decrease the rate of its usage of products or
services of the Company, (C) has cancelled or threatened in writing
to cancel any valid and existing customer Contract, whether oral or
written, with the Company, (D) has an unresolved dispute with the
Company, or (E) as a result of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents is reasonably
likely to stop or materially decrease the rate of, its usage of
products or services of the Company.
4.23
Books and Records.
The
minute books of the Company have been made available to Buyer, are
complete and correct, and have been maintained in accordance with
sound business practices. The minute books of the Company contain
accurate and complete records of all meetings, and actions taken by
written consent of, the Members and the managers, and no meeting,
or action taken by written consent, of any such members or managers
has been held for which minutes have not been prepared and are not
contained in such minute books. At the Closing, all of those books
and records will be in the possession of the Company.
4.24
Bank Accounts.
Schedule 4.24 lists each bank
account (designating each authorized signatory and the level of
each signatory’s authorization) of the Company.
4.25
Litigation.
Schedule 4.25 lists all Actions
or Proceedings to which the Company, any Member Party or any
director, employee, manager or officer of the Company, in his or
her capacity as such, is or was a party concerning the Business of
the Company that (a) currently is pending, (b) was settled or
adjudicated within the past five years, (c) was settled and
adjudicated more than five years ago, but with respect to the
Company has unsatisfied any Liability, or (d) that are threatened.
No event has occurred or circumstances exist that my give rise to,
or serve as a basis for, any such Action or Proceeding. There is no
Action against any current or former member, manager or employee of
the Company with respect to which the Company has, or is reasonably
likely to have, an indemnification obligation. No matter disclosed
on Schedule 4.25, if decided
or settled unfavorably to the Company, could prevent or adversely
affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated under this
Agreement, result in any transactions contemplated under this
Agreement being declared unlawful or rescinded or, except as
expressly disclosed on Schedule 4.25, have a
Material Adverse Effect.
29
4.26
Company Broker.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
4.26, there are no claims for brokerage commissions,
finders’ fees or similar compensation in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents based on any arrangement or agreement made by
or on behalf of the Company.
ARTICLE 5.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
As a
material inducement to the Company and the Member Parties to enter
into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereunder, Buyer makes the representations and warranties set forth
in this ARTICLE 5
as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date with the intention
that the Member Parties rely on (and are justified in such reliance
on) such representations and warranties.
5.1
Organization and Power.
Buyer
is a corporation duly formed, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the State of Nevada and is qualified to do
business in every jurisdiction in which the execution, delivery and
performance of its obligations under this Agreement requires it to
be so qualified. Buyer has full power and authority to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the
other Transaction Documents to which Buyer is a party.
5.2
Authorization.
No
Proceedings or actions on the part of Buyer are necessary to
approve and authorize Buyer’s execution and delivery of this
Agreement or any Transaction Document to which Buyer is a party or
the performance of Buyer’s obligations hereunder or
thereunder. This Agreement constitutes, and each of the other
Transaction Documents to which Buyer is a party will when executed
constitute, a valid and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable in
accordance with their terms, except as enforceability hereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other Laws affecting
creditor’s rights generally and limitations on the
availability of equitable remedies.
5.3
Absence of Conflicts.
Neither
(x) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or
any other Transaction Document by Buyer, nor (y) the consummation
by Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby:
(a) does or will
(i) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the
provisions of, (ii) constitute a default under,
(iii) result in the violation of, or (iv) give any
third-party the right to terminate or to accelerate any obligation
under, in each case under the provisions of any indenture,
mortgage, loan agreement or other Contract to which Buyer is bound
or by which it or any of its assets are affected, or
(b) without limiting
clause (a) above, require any consent, approval, or authorization
or exemption of or other action by or notice to or filing with any
Governmental Entity or any other Person.
5.4
Financial Ability.
At the
Closing, Buyer will have sufficient funds to permit it to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including payment of the Estimated Closing Cash Purchase
Price.
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5.5
Buyer’s Broker.
There
are no claims for brokerage commissions, finders’ fees or
similar compensation in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents
based on any arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of
Buyer.
5.6
Solvency.
Assuming the
accuracy of the Company’s representations in ARTICLE 4, immediately after
giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, Buyer shall
be solvent and shall: (a) be able to pay its debts as they become
due; (b) own property that has a fair saleable value greater than
the amounts required to pay its debts (including a reasonable
estimate of the amount of all contingent liabilities); and (c) have
adequate capital to carry on its business. No transfer of property
is being made and no obligation is being incurred in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereby with the intent to
hinder, delay or defraud either present or future creditors of
Purchaser. In connection with the transactions contemplated hereby,
Buyer has not incurred, nor plans to incur, debts beyond its
ability to pay as they become absolute and matured.
ARTICLE 6.
PRE-CLOSING COVENANTS
The
parties agree as follows with respect to the period prior to the
Closing:
6.1
General.
During
the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending at
the Closing or such earlier date as this Agreement may be
terminated in accordance with its terms (the “Pre-Closing Period”),
each of the Parties shall use its commercially reasonable efforts
to take all actions and to do all things necessary, proper or
advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (including satisfaction, but not
waiver, of the closing conditions set forth in ARTICLE 2); provided, however,
that nothing in this Section 6.1 shall require any
party to commence or participate in litigation.
6.2
Consents.
During
the Pre-Closing Period, the Member Parties shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to (i) provide any necessary or desirable
notices to third parties, (ii) obtain, as promptly as practicable
after the date of this Agreement, all third-party consents
(including from Governmental Entities and advertiser and podcast
customers) set forth in Schedule 4.4 or necessary or
desirable, (iii) make all filings with Governmental Entities
necessary or desirable in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (iv) obtain any
other consents or acknowledgements reasonably requested by Buyer
pursuant to Section
2.2(a)(v).
If any
consent, approval, or authorization necessary to preserve any right
or benefit under any Contract to which the Company is a party is
not obtained prior to the Closing, each Member Party shall,
subsequent to the Closing, cooperate with Buyer and the Company in
attempting to obtain such consent, approval or authorization as
promptly thereafter as practicable.
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6.3
Access.
During
the Pre-Closing Period, the Member Parties shall provide Buyer and
its representatives: (i) reasonable access to the Company’s
employees (including for the purposes of employee meetings,
onboarding, hiring, and explanations of benefits), accountants,
lenders, attorneys, insurers and other third-party representatives
engaged with respect to the Business, (ii) reasonable access to the
Members’ and the Company’s Contracts, books and
records, and other documents and information in each case relating
to the Business; (iii) copies of all such Contracts, books and
records, and other documents and information relating to the
Business as they may reasonably request; and (iv) such additional
financial, operating, and other data and information relating to
the Business as they may reasonably request. The Company and the
Member Parties shall cooperate and assist, to the extent reasonably
requested by Buyer and its representatives, with Buyer’s
investigation of the properties, assets, and financial condition of
the Business; provided, however, that any such investigation shall be
conducted during normal business hours upon reasonable advance
notice to the Member Parties and the Company, as applicable, under
the supervision of the Company’s personnel and in such a
manner as not to interfere with the normal operations of the
Company. All requests by the Buyer for access pursuant to this
Section 6.3 shall
be submitted or directed exclusively to the Member Representative
or such other individuals as the Member Representative may
designate in writing from time to time. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in this Agreement, neither the Member Parties nor the
Company shall be required to disclose any information to the Buyer
if such disclosure would, in the Member Parties’ reasonable
determination at the advice of counsel: (x) jeopardize any
attorney-client or other privilege; or (y) contravene any
applicable Law, fiduciary duty or binding agreement entered into
prior to the date of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing, without
the prior written consent of the Member Parties, which shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, Buyer shall not
contact any suppliers to, or customers of, the
Company.
6.4
Conduct of Business.
During
the Pre-Closing Period, except as (i) required by applicable Law,
(ii) expressly provided or permitted herein or (iii) consented to
in writing by Buyer (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld, delayed or conditioned), the Company and the Member
Parties shall: (i) conduct the Business in the ordinary course of
business and in substantially the same manner as the Business has
been conducted prior to the date of this Agreement, including
maintaining in full force and effect all insurance policies
applicable to the Business or substantially equivalent replacements
therefor; (ii) use their commercially reasonable efforts to
preserve the current business organization of the Business, keep
available the services of the Company’s current officers,
employees and agents engaged in the Business, and maintain the
relations and goodwill with all suppliers, customers, distributors,
landlords, creditors, and other Persons having business
relationships with the Business; (iii) report periodically to Buyer
concerning the status of the operations and finances of the
Business; (iv) comply in all material respects with all obligations
under Contracts relating to the Business; (v) maintain all books
and records relating to the Business in the ordinary course of
business; (vi) make no material changes in management personnel of
the Business, as a result of any action affirmatively taken by the
Company with respect thereto; (vii) not adopt, amend or
terminate any Employee Benefit Plan unless required by applicable
Law; (viii) not enter into any Tax closing agreement, surrender any
right to claim a refund of Taxes, waive any statute of limitations
regarding any Tax, agree to any extension of time regarding the
assessment of any Tax deficiency, make any federal, state, local or
foreign elections regarding Taxes or the treatment of any of the
Members by any applicable Governmental Entity with regards to Taxes
or take any other similar action relating to any Tax, if any of the
foregoing in would have the effect of increasing the Tax Liability
of the Company for any period ending after the Closing Date or
decreasing any Tax attribute of the Company, (ix) pay its
Indebtedness, Taxes, Liabilities and other obligations when due,
(x) maintain the properties and assets owned, operated or used by
the Company in the same condition as they were on the date of this
Agreement, subject to reasonable wear and tear; (xi) maintain,
defend and protects its properties and assets from infringement or
usurpation; (xii) comply in all material respects with all
applicable Laws; (xiii) not hire or offer employment to any
individual with compensation in excess of $75,000; (xiv) not
increase compensation to any employee or consultant in excess of
the amounts set forth on Schedule 6.4; not purchase any
properties or assets in excess of $50,000, (xv) not enter into any
Contract for consideration in excess of $50,000 per annum, (xvi)
preserve and maintain all of its Permits; and (xvii) not take or
permit any action that would cause any of the changes, events, or
conditions described in Section 4.6 to
occur.
32
6.5
Notice of Developments.
Subject
to Article 11, during the Pre-Closing Period, the Company and the
Member Parties shall promptly notify Buyer in writing of
(i) any breach of or inaccuracy in any representation or
warranty made by the Company or Member Parties in this Agreement
that would reasonably be expected to result in the failure of the
condition in Section
2.2(a)(i), or(ii) any event, change, or development
occurring after the date of this Agreement that would (A)
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect, or (B) reasonably be expected to result in
the failure of any of the conditions set forth in ARTICLE 2 ; provided, however,
that any such notice or any additional disclosure related thereto
shall have no effect (a) on the determination of the satisfaction
of any conditions to the obligation of the other parties to
consummate the transaction contemplated by this Agreement set forth
in ARTICLE 2, (b)
on the determination of the presence of a breach of any
representation or warranty by the Company or the Member Parties in
this Agreement, (c) on Buyer’s right to indemnification under
this Agreement, or (d) as a waiver of any provision of this
Agreement by Buyer. The Company shall promptly provide Buyer
with such additional information in the Company’s possession
as Buyer may reasonably request relating to any notice provided in
accordance with the preceding sentence.
6.6
Employment Matters.
During
the Pre-Closing Period, (a) the Member Parties and the Company
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all current
employees of the Company to enter into written agreements in a form
reasonably acceptable to Buyer (i) that validly assign to the
Company all of such Person’s respective right, title and
interest in, to and under all Intellectual Property created or
developed for or on behalf of the Company (to the extent that such
rights do not vest in the Company by operation of law) and (ii)
pursuant to which such Person agrees in writing to maintain the
confidentiality of all Confidential Information and to not use or
disclose such Confidential Information, except for the benefit of
the Company as required for such Person’s work on behalf of
the Company, or as otherwise expressly authorized in writing by the
Company, and (b).the Company and Buyer shall identify the employees
of the Company (other than the Member Parties) for whom Buyer
desires written employment agreements and the Company and the
Member Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to secure
and enter into such employment agreements on behalf of the Company
with respect to each such identified employee.
6.7
Exclusivity.
(a) During the
Pre-Closing Period, the Member Parties shall not, and shall not
authorize or permit any of their Affiliates (including the Company)
or any of its or their Representatives to, directly or indirectly,
(i) encourage, solicit, initiate, facilitate or continue inquiries
regarding an Acquisition Proposal; (ii) enter into discussions or
negotiations with, or provide any information to, any Person
concerning a possible Acquisition Proposal; or (iii) enter into any
agreements or other instruments (whether or not binding) regarding
an Acquisition Proposal. The Member Parties shall immediately cease
and cause to be terminated, and shall cause its Affiliates
(including the Company) and all of its and their Representatives to
immediately cease and cause to be terminated, all existing
discussions or negotiations with any Persons conducted heretofore
with respect to, or that could lead to, an Acquisition Proposal.
For purposes hereof, “Acquisition Proposal”
shall mean any inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person (other
than Buyer or any of its Affiliates) concerning (i) a merger,
consolidation, liquidation, recapitalization or other business
combination transaction involving the Company; (ii) the issuance or
acquisition of membership interests in the Company; or (iii) the
sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of any significant
portion of the Company’s properties or assets.
33
(b) In addition to the
other obligations under this Section 6.7, the Member Parties
shall promptly (and in any event within three (3) Business Days
after receipt thereof by any Member Party or its Representatives)
advise Buyer orally and in writing of any Acquisition Proposal, any
request for information with respect to any Acquisition Proposal,
or any inquiry with respect to or which could reasonably be
expected to result in an Acquisition Proposal, the material terms
and conditions of such request, Acquisition Proposal or inquiry,
and the identity of the Person making the same.
(c) The Member Parties agree that the rights
and remedies for noncompliance with this Section 6.7 shall include
having such provision specifically enforced by any court having
equity jurisdiction, it being acknowledged and agreed that any such
breach or threatened breach shall cause irreparable injury to Buyer
and that money damages would not provide an adequate remedy to
Buyer.
6.8
R&W Policy.
At or
prior to the Closing, Buyer shall cause VALE Insurance Partners
(the “R&W
Insurer”) to enter into a binding obligation to issue
the Representations and Warranties Insurance policy, having terms
and conditions as set forth in the Binder Agreement dated March 29,
2021 and attached hereto as Exhibit D (as may be amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with this
Agreement) (the “R&W Policy”). Buyer
shall cause the R&W Policy to provide that the R&W Insurer
has no subrogation rights against any Member Party except solely in
the case of fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or criminal
activity, and Buyer will not amend the subrogation or third-party
beneficiary provisions contained in the R&W Policy benefitting
the Member Parties in a manner that would have an adverse effect on
the Member Parties without the prior written consent of the Member
Representative. All premiums, underwriting fees, brokers’
commissions and other costs and expenses related to such R&W
Policy shall be borne fifty percent (50%) by Buyer and fifty
percent (50%) by the Member Parties.
ARTICLE 7.
POST-CLOSING COVENANTS
7.1
Press Releases and Announcements.
No
Party may make any press release or other public announcement of or
with respect to this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated hereunder without the other Parties’ prior
written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or denied except (i) as compelled by judicial
or administrative process or by other requirements of Law. To the
extent compelled by Law, the Parties shall have the right to review
any report, statement or release as promptly as possible prior to
its publication and to reasonably consult with the other Parties
with respect to the content thereof.
7.2
Further Transfers.
Each
Party to this Agreement will execute and deliver such further
instruments of transfer, instruments, conveyances, assurances, and
take such additional actions as any other Party may reasonably
request to effect, consummate, confirm or evidence the transactions
contemplated hereby and by the other Transaction
Documents.
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7.3
Confidentiality.
(a) Confidentiality. Each Member
Party will treat and hold as confidential all Confidential
Information and shall refrain from using any Confidential
Information except as necessary to the Closing of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents,
and deliver promptly to Buyer or destroy, at the request and option
of Buyer, all tangible embodiments (and all copies) of Confidential
Information which are in such Member Party’s possession or
under such Member Party’s control. In the event that such
Member Party is compelled by Law to disclose Confidential
Information or the fact that Confidential Information has been made
available to such Member Party by the Company, such Member Party
agrees that such Member Party will provide the Company with prompt
written notice of such request, to the extent such notice can be
given, so that the Company may seek a protective order or other
appropriate remedy and/or waive compliance with the provisions of
this Agreement. If a protective order or other remedy is not
obtained, or the Company waives compliance with the provisions of
this Agreement, such Member Party agrees that such Member Party
will furnish only that portion of Confidential Information and
other information that is legally required and that such Member
Party will use such Member Party’s best efforts to obtain
reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to
that portion of Confidential Information and other information that
is being disclosed.
(b) Non-Disparagement. Each of
Buyer, on one hand, and each Member Party, on the other hand,
agrees not to disparage the other Party or the Company or any of
their respective goods or services. The provisions of this
paragraph shall not apply to any truthful testimony or
deposition.
(c) Remedy for Breach. Each Party
acknowledges and agrees that in the event of a breach by such Party
of any of the provisions of this Section 7.3, monetary
damages may be inadequate, and the other Party may have no adequate
remedy at law. Accordingly, in the event of any such breach, the
non-breaching Party and its successors or assigns may, in addition
to any other rights and remedies existing in their favor, enforce
their rights and such other Party’s obligations hereunder by
an action or actions for specific performance, injunctive and/or
other relief, without any requirement of posting a bond or proving
actual damages or posting any bond or other security.
7.4
Cooperation and Proceedings.
After
the Closing, each Member Party shall reasonably cooperate with
Buyer and its counsel and make itself and its Representatives
available to Buyer and the Company in connection with the
institution or defense of any Proceeding (as applicable), whether
existing, threatened, or anticipated, involving or relating to the
transactions contemplated hereunder or under any other Transaction
Document, including, without limitation, providing testimony,
records and other information, provided all costs and expenses are
advanced and otherwise promptly reimbursed by Buyer and such Member
Party is reasonably compensated at an agreed to hourly
rate.
7.5
Release.
(a) Except as provided
in Section 7.5(e)
below, each Member Party on behalf of itself or himself or herself
and any Person who may be bound by it or him or her (collectively,
the “Releasing
Parties”), releases the Company and Buyer and each of
their respective officers, directors, members, managers,
shareholders, Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Representatives, agents,
attorneys, employees, predecessors, successors and assigns
(collectively, the “Released Parties”) from
any and all claims, controversies, Actions, cross-claims,
counter-claims, demands, debts, compensatory damages, liquidated
damages, punitive or exemplary damages, other damages, claims for
costs and attorneys’ fees, or Liabilities of any nature
whatsoever in law or in equity, both past and present (from the
beginning of the world up to the effective time of the Closing on
the Closing Date) and whether known or unknown, suspected or
unsuspected, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, or claimed
against any of its, his or her Released Parties which such
Releasing Party, or any officer, director, manager, trustee,
spouse, heir, executor, administrator, successor or assign of such
Releasing Party, has or may have, which arise out of or result from
their ownership and operation of, or their employment by, the
Company, any Affiliate of the Member Party, or any predecessor
thereto, or the conduct of the Business, up to the effective time
of the Closing on the Closing Date, whether arising under any Law
or public policy, contract or tort, or under common law or any
claim for breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress,
defamation, or any claim for costs, fees or other expenses,
including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees
incurred in these matters (all of the foregoing collectively
referred to herein as such Releasing Party’s
“Released
Claims”).
35
(b) Each Releasing
Party represents that he, she or it has made no assignment or
transfer of any Released Claim and agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all Losses
arising from or in any way related to any such assignment. Each
Releasing Party acknowledges and intends that his, her or its
execution and delivery of this release shall be effective as a bar
to each and every one of the Released Claims and expressly consents
and agrees that this release shall be given full force and effect
according to each and all of its express terms and provisions,
including, without limitation, those relating to unknown and
unsuspected Released Claims (notwithstanding any state statute that
expressly limits the effectiveness of a general release of unknown,
unsuspected and unanticipated Released Claims), if any, as well as
those relating to any other Released Claims hereinabove mentioned
or implied.
(c) Each Releasing
Party hereby covenants not to xxx or to institute or cause to be
instituted any Action in any federal, state or local agency or any
court or other tribunal against the Released Parties that is
related directly or indirectly to any of the matters released in
this Section 7.5.
If any Releasing Party sues or otherwise institutes any such
Action, that Action shall be dismissed upon presentation of this
Agreement to the applicable agency, court or tribunal.
(d) Each Releasing
Party agrees that if he, she or it violates any provision of this
Agreement, such Releasing Party will pay all costs and expenses of
defending against any related or resulting suit or other Proceeding
incurred by his, her or its Released Parties, including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees.
(e) Notwithstanding the
release provided in this Section 7.5, nothing herein
shall operate to impair the rights and obligations under, or
prevent the Releasing Party from asserting any claim against any
Released Party that such Releasing Party may have, if any, arising
(i) under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (ii)
from compensation earned but not paid to such Member Party since
the end of the last payroll period, or (iv) from rights to
indemnification from the Company pursuant to the Company’s
governing documents and insurance, if any, in accordance with their
terms for the Pre-Closing Period.
7.6
Covenant Not to Use Name.
Following the
Closing, each Member Party agrees that it will not include or use
the names or trademarks “AdvertiseCast” or any
derivative thereof or any name or trademark confusingly similar
thereto as the name of any Person other than the Company, on any
advertising, logo or assets or otherwise use or assign any rights
such Member Party may have in such name or trademark to any Person
without Buyer’s prior written consent, except in connection
with such Member Party’s continued employment with the
Company after Closing.
7.7
Employment
Matters.
(a) For the one (1)
year period immediately following the Closing Date (or such shorter
period as the applicable employee remains employed with the
Company), Buyer shall use commercially reasonably efforts to ensure
that the Company’s employees (except for the Member Parties)
will receive salary or wage rate opportunities that are
substantially the same as the salary or wage rate opportunities
provided to them under the terms of their employment with the
Company in effect immediately prior to the Closing Date. For the
period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the one-year
anniversary of the Closing (or such period as the applicable
employee remains employed with the Company), Buyer shall use
commercially reasonably efforts to ensure that the Company’s
employees will receive retirement and welfare, fringe and other
employee benefits which are substantially similar in the aggregate
to the employee benefits (excluding defined benefit pension plan
benefits, retiree welfare benefits, equity and change in control
benefits) that are provided to them by the Company immediately
prior to the Closing Date. In addition to the foregoing, for the
period beginning on the Closing Date, the Company’s
employees, other than the Members, shall be eligible to participate
in stock compensation plans that are generally available to
Buyer’s employees and will participate on the same basis as
Buyer’s employees.
36
(b) From and after the
Closing Date, Buyer shall use commercially reasonably efforts to
(i) ensure that the Company’s employees receive credit for
prior service with the Company (or any predecessor entities) for
purposes of eligibility, participation, vesting, seniority and
levels of benefits (but not (A) for purposes of benefit accruals
under any defined benefit pension plan, (B) for purposes of any
plan, program or arrangement that provides retiree welfare
benefits, (C) for purposes of any plan under which similarly
situated employees of Buyer and its Affiliates do not receive
service credit for prior service or (D) to the extent such credit
would result in a duplication of benefits), under any employee
benefit or compensatory plan, program or arrangement of Buyer, the
Company or any of their respective Affiliates in which the
Company’s employees are eligible to participate; (ii) ensure
that any pre-existing conditions or limitations, eligibility
waiting periods, actively-at-work requirements or required physical
examinations under any welfare benefit plans of Buyer, the Company
or any of their respective Affiliates will be waived with respect
to the Company’s employees and their eligible spouses and
dependents, to the extent waived or satisfied under a corresponding
plan of the Company in which the applicable Company employee
participated; and (iii) ensure that the Company’s employees
and their eligible spouses, dependents and beneficiaries will
receive credit for the plan year in which the Closing Date occurs
towards applicable deductibles, coinsurances and annual
out-of-pocket limits for expenses incurred prior to the Closing
Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any balances
available before the Closing Date to the Company employees under
any flexible spending accounts shall remain available to such
employees for qualified benefits payable after the Closing
Date.
(c) Nothing in this
Agreement, whether express or implied, shall: (i) give rise to any
rights, claims, benefits, causes of action or remedies, including
any right to employment or continued employment for any period or
terms of employment, of any nature whatsoever, to the
Company’s employees or other employee, former employee or
individual independent contractor of the Company, any
representative of any such employee, or any third-party whatsoever
(including any Governmental Entity), (ii) subject to compliance
with Section
7.7(a), be interpreted to prevent or restrict Buyer or its
Affiliates from modifying or terminating the employment or terms of
employment of any of the Company’s employee, the amendment or
termination of any Benefit Plan or other employee benefit or
compensation plan, program or arrangement, after the Closing Date
or (iii) be treated as an amendment or other modification of any
Benefit Plan or other employee benefit plan or
arrangement.
7.8
Record Retention.
Subject
to the attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine, or other
similar privilege (unless pursuant to a joint defense or similar
agreement), solely for the purposes of (i) complying with
Section 9.1, or
(ii) allowing the Member Parties to defend a Third-Party Claim in
accordance with Section
10.5, the Buyer shall provide the Member Parties with
reasonable access, during normal business hours and upon reasonable
prior written notice, to the applicable Contracts, books and
records, and other documents and information in each case relating
to the Business pertaining or relating to the period on or before
the Closing Date.
7.9
Employment Agreement.
Buyer
and Xxxxxx agree that, upon receipt by Xxxxxx of legal
authorization or qualification to work for the Company or an
Affiliate of the Company in the United States, such Parties will
execute an Employment Agreement substantially in the form of the
employment agreement included as Exhibit B-1 (with appropriate
adjustments made to the recitals, Effective Date, Duties, Term of
Employment and other provisions as needed to account for
Xxxxxx’x role with the Company and the period of his service
to the Company pursuant to the Leased Employee Agreement), at which
time the Leased Employee Agreement will terminate in accordance
with its terms. For the avoidance of doubt, Buyer and Xxxxxx
agree that the Initial Term of Xxxxxx’x Employment Agreement
will not extend beyond the three-year anniversary of the Closing
Date.
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7.10
Up-listing to National Exchange.
In the
event of an up-listing to the NASDAQ or another national exchange,
the Member Parties shall have the opportunity to open the trading
or “ring the xxxx” of the exchange, provided that at
such time the Member Parties are employed by the Company, the
Buyer, or an Affiliate of Buyer. The Buyer’s President
shall determine who stands in front.
ARTICLE
8.
MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE
8.1
Appointment and Powers.
Each
Member Party irrevocably appoints Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx as the agent,
proxy and attorney-in-fact for such Member Party for all purposes
under this Agreement (including full power and authority to act on
the Members’ collective behalf) (individually and
collectively, the “Member Representative”)
to do and perform every act and thing reasonably necessary or
desirable to be done in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, the Member Representative will be authorized to: (a)
take all actions on behalf of the Member Parties in connection with
any claims made under ARTICLE 10 (other than any
claim made by the Buyer Indemnitees under ARTICLE 10 against a specific
Member Party), to defend or settle such claims, and to make
payments in respect of such claims; (b) execute and deliver,
should he elects to do so in his sole discretion, on behalf of the
Member Parties, any amendment to this Agreement; (c) receive
any notice required or desired to be given to Member Parties;
(d) terminate or agree to terminate this Agreement; (e) take
all actions set forth in ARTICLE 7 for which the Member
Representative is responsible; (f) to accept service of process on
behalf of the Member Parties; (g) to agree to, negotiate, enter
into settlements and compromises of, and comply with judgments of
courts or other Governmental Entity and awards of arbitrators, with
respect to, any claims by any Buyer Indemnitees against any Member
Party or by any Member Party against Buyer, or any other dispute
between any Buyer Indemnitees and any Member Party, in each case
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; and (h) take all other actions to be taken by or on
behalf of the Member Parties and exercise any and all rights which
the Member Parties are permitted or required to do or exercise
under this Agreement.
8.2
Limitation of Liability.
The
Member Representative will not be liable to any Member Party for
any action taken by him in good faith pursuant to this Agreement,
and the Member Parties will indemnify the Member Representative
from any Losses arising out of his service as the Member
Representative hereunder. The Member Representative is serving in
that capacity solely for purposes of administrative convenience,
and is not personally liable in such capacity for any of the
obligations of the Member Parties hereunder, and the Buyer agrees
on behalf of itself, its Affiliates, and any Buyer Indemnitees,
that it will not look (nor shall any of its Affiliates or any Buyer
Indemnitees be entitled to look) to the personal assets of the
Member Representative, acting in such capacity, for the
satisfaction of any obligations to be performed by the Member
Parties hereunder.
8.3
Reliance.
Each
Member Party agrees that the Buyer will be entitled to rely on any
decision, act, consent, instruction or other action taken by the
Member Representative, on behalf of the Member Parties, pursuant to
Section 8.1 above
(each, an “Authorized Action”), and
that each Authorized Action will be final, binding and conclusive
on each Member Party as fully as if such Member Party had taken
such Authorized Action. The Buyer is hereby relieved from any
Liability to any Person for any acts done or omissions by the Buyer
in accordance with such Authorized Action. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Buyer is entitled to rely, without
inquiry, upon any document delivered by the Member Representative
as being genuine and correct and having been duly signed or sent by
the Member Representative.
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8.4
Replacement of the Member Representative.
Upon
the resignation, death, disability or incapacity of the initial
Member Representative appointed pursuant to Section 8.1 above, the Member
Parties will be permitted to appoint a replacement reasonably
believed to be capable of carrying out the duties and performing
the obligations of the Member Representative hereunder (which will
be subject to the approval of the Buyer, such approval not to be
unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed). This appointment
and grant of power and authority by the Member Parties to the
Member Representative pursuant to Section 8.1 are coupled
with an interest, are in consideration of the mutual covenants made
in this Agreement, are irrevocable and may not be terminated by the
act of any Member Party or by operation of Law, whether upon the
death or incapacity of any Member Party, or by the occurrence of
any other event.
The
Member Representative may resign at any time by written notice to
each of the Member Parties and Buyer. In the event of the
resignation of the Member Representative, the Member Parties
representing a majority in interest of the Company’s
membership interests as of immediately prior to the Closing shall,
as soon as practicable after such resignation, appoint a successor
agent for the Member Parties and, promptly thereafter, shall notify
Buyer of the identity of such successor. All power, authority,
rights, and privileges conferred in this Agreement to Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx as the initial Member Representative (or such other
then-current Member Representative as of immediately prior to the
applicable resignation) will apply to any successor Member
Representative.
ARTICLE 9.
TAX MATTERS
9.1
Tax Matters.
The
following provisions will govern the allocation of responsibility
as between Buyer, on the one hand, and the Member Parties, on the
other hand, for certain Tax matters following the Closing
Date:
(a) Each Member Party
shall, jointly and severally, be responsible for, shall pay, and
shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless each Tax Indemnitee
against Losses resulting from any Tax imposed on or relating to the
Company (or any predecessor of the Company) with respect to any
Pre-Closing Tax Period, except to the extent any such Tax is taken
into account in (i.e., increases) Closing Indebtedness and thus
actually reduces the Purchase Price on a full dollar
basis.
(b) Payments; Survival;
Limitations. Each Member Party, jointly and severally, shall
promptly pay in full any amount due under Section 9.1(a) and/or
Section 9.1(d) to
the Tax Indemnitee in immediately available funds at least twenty
(20) Business Days before the due date of the Taxes to which such
payment relates (or if such Taxes are past-due, then within ten
(10) Business Days of Buyer’s demand for such
payment).
(c) Straddle Period. For purposes
of this Agreement, in the case of any Taxable period that includes
(but does not end on) the Closing Date (a “Straddle Period”), the
amount of any ad valorem property Taxes of the Company for the
Straddle Period which relates to the Pre-Closing Tax Period will be
deemed to be the amount of such Tax for the entire Straddle Period
multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
days in the Straddle Period on or before the Closing Date and the
denominator of which is the total number of days in such Straddle
Period, and the amount of any other Taxes of the Company for a
Straddle Period which relates to the Pre-Closing Tax Period will be
determined based on an interim closing of the books as of the end
of the Closing Date.
39
(d) Responsibility for Filing Tax
Returns. The Member Representative shall prepare or cause to
be prepared and timely filed all Tax Returns of the Company for any
taxable periods which end on or before the Closing Date, which are
required to be filed after the Closing Date, in a manner consistent
with past practice of the Company and (in any event) applicable
Law, provided that, the
Member Representative shall submit a draft of such Tax Return(s) to
Buyer at least thirty (30) days prior to the due date (with
extensions) of such Tax Return and if, within five (5) Business
Days of Buyer’s receipt of such draft, Buyer notifies the
Member Representative of Buyer’s disagreement with such
draft, then the Member Representative shall either incorporate
Buyer’s comments to such Tax Return prior to its filing or
promptly notify Buyer of the Member Representative’s
disagreement with such comments, in which (latter) case, the
Parties shall submit such disagreement to the Neutral Accountant
for resolution in accordance with the procedures of Section 1.3(c), mutatis mutandis; provided further
that, if any such disagreement is not resolved in time for such Tax
Return practicably to be modified before the due date (taking into
account applicable extensions) of such Tax Return, then such Tax
Return shall be filed (a) in the manner that the Member
Representative deems correct, to the extent such Tax Return is
executed by a Member on behalf of the Company or, (b) in the manner
mutually agreed upon by Buyer and an accounting firm appointed by
the Member Representative, if such Tax Return requires the
signature of any officer or agent of Buyer, or any officer or agent
of the Company appointed by Buyer, subject in either case to the
filing of an amended Tax Return following (and as necessary to
comport with) the foregoing resolution by the Neutral Accountant or
Buyer and the Member Representative. Buyer shall prepare or cause
to be prepared, and timely file, or cause to be timely filed, all
other Tax Returns for the Company required to be filed after the
Closing Date. Each Member Party, jointly and severally, shall pay
to Buyer, in accordance with Section 9.1(b), the amount of
any Taxes due with or in respect of any Tax Return prepared
pursuant to this Section
9.1(d) to the extent such Taxes relate to a Pre-Closing Tax
Period, and Buyer shall be responsible for the amount of any Taxes
due with or in respect of any Tax Return prepared pursuant to this
Section 9.1(d) to the extent such Taxes relate to a post-Closing
Tax period, determined in accordance with Section 9.1(c).
(e) Tax Treatment. The
Parties acknowledge and agree that, for U.S. federal income Tax
purposes the purchase of the Purchased Interests by Buyer is
intended to be governed by IRS Revenue Ruling 99-6, 1999-1 C.B. 432
(Situation 2). Each of Buyer and the Member Parties shall prepare
and timely file all relevant Tax Returns on a basis consistent with
the foregoing and shall take no inconsistent position on any Tax
Return, in any audit or similar Proceeding relating to Taxes before
any Governmental Entity or otherwise, except to the extent
otherwise required by a determination within the meaning of Section
1313(a) of the Code.
(f) Purchase Price Allocation. The
Parties shall allocate an amount equal to Purchase Price (including
for purposes of this clause (f) the maximum potential earn-out)
among the Company’s assets and liabilities for all purposes
(including Tax and financial accounting) as shown on the allocation
schedule (the “Allocation Schedule”). Buyer shall use
its commercially reasonable best efforts to prepare and deliver a
draft of the Allocation Schedule to the Member Representative
within seven (7) days following the Closing Date for its approval.
If the Member Representative notifies Buyer in writing that the
Member Representative objects to one or more items reflected in the
Allocation Schedule within five (5) days after delivery of the
draft Allocation Schedule by Buyer, it shall notify Buyer and the
Member Representative and Buyer shall negotiate in good faith to
resolve such dispute; provided,
however, that if the Member Representative and Buyer are
unable to resolve any dispute with respect to the Allocation
Schedule within ten (10) days following the delivery of the
objection notice, the Neutral Accountant shall resolve such
dispute. The Members and Buyer shall bear equally the fees and
expenses of such accounting firm. Buyer, the Company, and the
Members shall file all Tax Returns (including amended returns and
claims for refund) and information reports in a manner consistent
with the Allocation Schedule. The Parties shall allocate any
adjustments to the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 1.3 herein in a manner
consistent with the Allocation Schedule.
40
(g) Cooperation on Tax Matters.
Each Party hereto will, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and
Affiliates to, provide to each of the other Parties hereto such
cooperation and information as any of them reasonably may request
in preparing and filing any Tax Return, determining a Liability for
Taxes or in conducting any audit or other Proceeding in respect of
Taxes. Such cooperation and information shall include, without
limitation, providing copies of all relevant portions of relevant
Tax Returns, together with relevant accompanying schedules and
relevant work papers, relevant documents relating to rulings or
other determinations by Taxing Authorities and relevant records
concerning the ownership and Tax basis of property, which any such
Party may possess. Each Member Party shall turn over to Buyer all
Tax Returns, schedules and work papers, and all material records
and other documents of the Company, in its or his possession and
not previously delivered to Buyer, relating to Taxes of the
Company.
(h) Tax Sharing Agreements. All Tax
sharing agreements or similar agreements and powers of attorney
with respect to or involving the Company shall be terminated as of
the Closing Date and, after the Closing Date, the Company shall not
be bound thereby or have any Liability thereunder.
(i) Certain Taxes and Fees. All
transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration and other
such Taxes, and all conveyance fees, recording charges and other
fees and charges (including, without limitation, any penalties and
interest, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Taxes
based on or measured by income or gain) incurred in connection with
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall be paid by the Member Parties, when due, and Buyer will file
all necessary Tax Returns and other documentation with respect to
all such Taxes, fees and charges (the costs of which filings shall
be borne by the Member Parties).
(j) Tax Contests. Whenever any
Taxing Authority initiates an audit of, asserts a claim for,
proposes to assess or adjust, or otherwise disputes the amount of,
any Tax of the Company for a taxable period ending on or before the
Closing Date (a “Tax
Contest”), Buyer shall so notify the Member
Representative; provided that Buyer’s failure to do so shall
not affect any obligation of Member Parties, jointly and severally,
to indemnify Buyer against any Taxes except to the extent that the
Member Parties’ ability to contest such Tax is actually
prejudiced by such failure. The Member Representative shall control
all Tax Contests, provided the Buyer shall have the right to
participate (at its own expense) in any such Tax Contest. If the
Member Representative fails to conduct a defense of any such Tax
Contest, the Buyer may do so and may settle or compromise the Tax
Contest in its sole discretion. The Member Representative will
reimburse the Buyer for all reasonable expenses incurred in this
event. The Buyer’s right to participate shall include the
right to receive copies of all correspondence from any Tax
authority relating to such Tax Contest, attend meetings and review
and comment on submissions relating to any such Tax Contest, and
the Member Representative shall consider in good faith any comments
provided by the Buyer. The Member Representative may not settle or
compromise any Tax Contest without prior written consent of Buyer.
The Buyer shall conduct and defend any Tax Contest that relates to
a Straddle Period. The Member Representative may participate at its
own expense. The Buyer may settle or compromise any Tax Proceeding
that relates to a Straddle Period. At the option of Buyer, the
Parties shall cause the Company to effect a “push out”
election under Section 6226 of the Code (and similar state and
local Tax Law) with respect to any Tax Contest.
(k) Tax Refunds. The Members shall
be entitled to, and Buyer shall pay over to the Members upon
receipt, any Tax refund in respect to a Pre-Closing Tax Period.
This paragraph shall survive the Closing.
41
ARTICLE 10.
INDEMNIFICATION
10.1
Survival.
All
representations, warranties, covenants and other agreements
contained in this Agreement, or other Transaction Document, any
Schedule, any Exhibit, or any other certificate, document or other
writing delivered in connection with this Agreement or other
Transaction Document shall survive the Closing as
follows:
(a) Except as otherwise
explicitly set forth herein, none of the covenants or other
agreements contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing
other than those which by their terms contemplate performance after
the Closing, and each such surviving covenant and agreement shall
survive the Closing for the period contemplated by its
terms.
(b) All Fundamental
Representations shall survive for the applicable statute of
limitations plus thirty (30) days.
(c) All Standard
Representations shall survive the Closing until twelve (12) months
after the Closing Date.
10.2
Indemnification by Member Parties.
(a) Each Member Party
shall indemnify, defend, save and hold harmless from and against,
and pay on behalf of and reimburse as and when incurred, Buyer, the
Company, and each of their respective Affiliates, Subsidiaries,
employees, agents, Representatives, heirs, successors and assigns
(the “Buyer
Indemnitees”) for, any and all Losses resulting from,
arising out of, or incurred by any Buyer Indemnitees in connection
with, or otherwise relating to:
(i) the failure of any
representation, warranty or other statement by a Member Party or
the Company contained in this Agreement, or any other Transaction
Document, any Schedule, any Exhibit or any other certificate,
document, or other writing delivered in connection with this
Agreement or other Transaction Document, to be true and correct in
all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing
Date;
(ii) any
breach of any covenant or other agreement by a Member Party
contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, any
Schedule, any Exhibit or any other certificate, document, or other
writing delivered in connection with this Agreement or other
Transaction Document;
(iii) any
Members’ Expenses or Indebtedness outstanding as of Closing
to the extent not deducted from the Closing Cash Purchase Price;
and
(iv) any
claims related to fraud or intentional misrepresentation or
criminal activity of a Member Party or any Representative of any
Member Party (in each case, as such fraud or intentional
misrepresentation or criminal activity relates to the Business,
assets or operations of the Company or the transactions
contemplated under this Agreement);
provided, that this Section 10.2 shall not apply
with respect to any Loss relating to Taxes to the extent that
indemnification payments for such Loss have been made pursuant to
Section 9.1.
Once the amount of, and liability for, a Loss is agreed to in
writing by the Indemnitor or finally adjudicated to be payable
pursuant to this ARTICLE
10, the Indemnitor shall satisfy (or take all required
action to cause any applicable Person to satisfy) its obligations
within five (5) Business Days of the agreement of the Indemnitor,
or the final, non-appealable adjudication, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds (subject, in all cases, to this
ARTICLE
10).
42
(b) No Member Party
shall be liable for any Loss or Losses for claims made pursuant to
Section 10.2(a)(i)
(“Buyer Warranty
Losses”) (other than with respect to Fundamental
Representations and any Tax Representations) unless and until the
aggregate amount of all Buyer Warranty Losses incurred by the Buyer
Indemnitee exceed $37,500 (the “Basket”), in which event
the Members, severally and not jointly, shall be liable for all
Buyer Warranty Losses in excess of $37,500; provided, further, that
no Member will have any Liability for any Loss for claims made
pursuant to Section
10.2(a)(i) to the extent that the aggregate amount of all
Buyer Warranty Losses exceeds the Indemnity Escrow Amount
(collectively, the “Cap”). For the avoidance
of any doubt, the Cap shall not in any manner (i) apply with
respect to Fundamental Representations, Tax Representations and any
claims relating to Sections 10.2(a)(ii)-(iv), or
(ii) affect or otherwise limit any claim made or available under
the R&W Policy.
(c) For as long as
there are Indemnity Escrow Amount funds in the Indemnity Escrow
Account maintained under the Escrow Agreement, any and all amounts
payable by the Member Parties as Indemnitors to a Buyer Indemnitee
in relation to Buyer Warranty Losses (other than with respect to
Fundamental Representations and any Tax Representations) will be
paid (i) first out of such Indemnity Escrow Amount account
established pursuant to the Escrow Agreement, (ii) to the extent
such Buyer Warranty Losses exceed the Indemnity Escrow Amount funds
then available, by recovery under the R&W Policy (unless the
matter that is the subject of such breach is an exclusion in the
R&W Policy), and (iii) and to the extent such Buyer Warranty
Losses exceed (x) the Indemnity Escrow Amount funds then available
and (y) the coverage limit of the R&W Policy (or coverage under
the R&W Policy is excluded), only then, directly by the Member
Parties as provided herein in accordance with payment instructions
provided by Buyer, provided, (A) that attempts to
collect proceeds under the R&W Policy are not a precondition to
the Buyer Indemnitees being awarded or collecting any Losses from
any Member Party, and (B) that the Buyer may in its sole discretion
elect to set-off any amount to which it in good faith reasonably
believes it is entitled to receive pursuant to this Agreement
against any portion of the payments that may become due and payable
by the Buyer under Section
1.5 hereof. The exercise of such right of set-off by Buyer
in good faith, whether or not ultimately determined to be
justified, will not constitute an event of default under this
Agreement or any Transaction Document. If a Buyer Indemnitee
actually recovers amounts described in this Section 10.2(c) from the
R&W Policy, then the Buyer Indemnitee shall pay to the
indemnifying Member Parties such recovered amounts up to, but not
to exceed, the amount of such Losses for which such Buyer
Indemnitee actually received indemnification pursuant to this
ARTICLE
10.
(d) Payments by the
Member Parties as Indemnitors to a Buyer Indemnitee in respect of
any Buyer Warranty Losses shall be limited to the amount of any
liability or damage that remains after deducting therefrom any
insurance proceeds (other than the R&W Policy) and any
indemnity, contribution or other similar payment received or
reasonably expected to be received by the Buyer Indemnitee (or the
Company) in respect of any such claim. The Buyer Indemnitee shall
use its commercially reasonable efforts to recover under insurance
policies (other than the R&W Policy) or indemnity, contribution
or other similar agreements for any Buyer Warranty Losses prior to
seeking indemnification under this Agreement.
(e) The liability of
the Member Parties under this Section 10.2 shall be joint and
several except for any liability for Buyer Warranty Losses arising
under ARTICLE 3, for which the Member Parties shall be several and
not joint.
10.3
Indemnification by Buyer.
(a) Buyer shall
indemnify, defend, save and hold harmless from and against, and pay
on behalf of and reimburse as and when incurred, each Member Party,
his or its Affiliates and their respective Related Persons,
employees, agents, Representatives, successors, heirs and assigns
(the “Member
Indemnitees”) for, any and all Losses resulting from,
arising out of, or incurred by any Member Indemnitees in connection
with, or otherwise relating to:
43
(i) the failure of any
representation, warranty or other statement by Buyer contained in
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, any Schedule, any
Exhibit, or any other certificate, document, or other writing
delivered in connection with this Agreement or other Transaction
Document, to be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing
Date;
(ii) any
breach of any covenant or other agreement by Buyer contained in
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, any Schedule, any
Exhibit, or any other certificate, document, or other writing
delivered in connection with this Agreement or other Transaction
Document; and
(iii) any
Taxes relating to the Company claimed as owing in respect to
periods from and after the Closing Date.
(b) Buyer shall not be
liable for any Loss or Losses for claims made pursuant to
Section 10.3(a)
(“Member
Losses”) unless and until the aggregate amount of all
Member Losses incurred by the Member Indemnitees exceeds the
Basket, in which event the Buyer shall be liable for all Member
Losses in excess of $37,500; provided, further, that the Buyer will
not have any Liability for any Member Losses for claims made
pursuant to Section
10.3(a) to the extent that the aggregate amount of all
Member Losses exceeds the Cap.
(c) Buyer may, in its
sole discretion, elect to set-off any amount to which it in good
faith reasonably believes it is entitled to receive pursuant to
this Agreement against any portion of the Member Losses that may
become due and payable by the Buyer. The exercise of such right of
set-off by Buyer in good faith, whether or not ultimately
determined to be justified, will not constitute an event of default
under this Agreement or any Transaction Document
10.4
Time Limitations.
(a) Each Member Party
shall have liability under Section 10.2 with respect to a
breach of a Fundamental Representation or Standard Representation,
only if the Buyer Indemnitee notifies the Member Representative of
a claim (specifying the factual basis of the claim in reasonable
detail to the extent known by such Buyer Indemnitee) on or before
the expiration date of the applicable survival period set forth in
Section 10.1 that
relates to the alleged breached representation or warranty in
question.
(b) Buyer shall have
liability under Section
10.3 with respect to a breach of a Standard Representation
only if the Member Indemnitee notifies Buyer of a claim (specifying
the factual basis of the claim in reasonable detail to the extent
known by such Member Indemnitee) on or before the expiration date
of the applicable survival period set forth in Section 10.1 that relates to
the alleged breached representation or warranty in
question.
(c) Notwithstanding the
foregoing, claims asserted in good faith prior to the expiration
date of the applicable survival period shall not be barred by such
expiration and shall survive until finally resolved.
10.5
Indemnification Procedures for Third-Party Claims.
(a) In the event that
an Indemnitee receives notice of the assertion of any claim or the
commencement of any Action by a third-party in respect of which
indemnity may be sought under the provisions of this ARTICLE 10 (“Third-Party Claim”), the
Indemnitee shall promptly notify the Indemnitor in writing
(“Notice of
Claim”) of such Third-Party Claim. Failure or delay in
notifying the Indemnitor will not relieve the Indemnitor of any
Liability it may have to the Indemnitee, except and only to the
extent that such failure to delay causes actual harm to the
Indemnitor with respect to such Third-Party Claim. The Notice of
Claim shall set forth the amount, if known, or, if not known, an
estimate of the foreseeable maximum amount of claimed Losses (which
estimate shall not be conclusive of the final amount of such
Losses) and a description of the basis for such Third-Party
Claim.
44
(b) Subject to the
further provisions of this Section 10.5 and the rights of
the R&W Insurer, the Indemnitor will have ten (10) days (or
less if the nature of the Third-Party Claim requires) from the date
on which the Indemnitor received the Notice of Claim to notify the
Indemnitee that the Indemnitor will assume the defense or
prosecution of such Third-Party Claim and any litigation resulting
therefrom with counsel of its choice (reasonably satisfactory to
the Indemnitee) and at its sole cost and expense (a
“Third-Party
Defense”). Any Indemnitee shall have the right to
employ separate counsel in any such Third-Party Defense and to
participate therein, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall not be at the expense of the Indemnitor unless (A) the
Indemnitor shall have failed, within the time after having been
notified by the Indemnitee of the existence of the Third-Party
Claim as provided in the first sentence of this paragraph (b), to
assume the defense of such Third-Party Claim, or (B) the
employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in
writing by the Indemnitor.
(c) The Indemnitor will
not be entitled to assume the Third-Party Defense if:
(i) the Third-Party
Claim seeks, in addition to or in lieu of monetary damages, any
injunctive or other equitable relief (except where non-monetary
relief is merely incidental to a primary claim or claims for
monetary damages);
(ii) the
Third-Party Claim relates to or arises in connection with any
criminal Proceeding, indictment or allegation;
(iii) under
applicable standards of professional conduct, a conflict on any
significant issue exists between the Indemnitee and the Indemnitor
in respect of the Third-Party Claim;
(iv) the
Indemnitor has failed or is failing to vigorously prosecute or
defend such Third-Party Claim;
(v) the assumption of
the defense of the Third-Party Claim by the Indemnitor is
reasonably likely to cause a Buyer Indemnitee to lose coverage
under the R&W Policy;
(vi) a
Buyer Indemnitee or the insurer is required to assume the defense
of such Third-Party Claim pursuant to the R&W Policy;
or
(vii) the
Indemnitor fails to provide reasonable assurance to the Indemnitee
of its financial capacity to prosecute the Third-Party Defense and
provide indemnification in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
(d) If by reason of the
Third-Party Claim a Lien, attachment, garnishment or execution is
placed upon any of the property or assets of the Indemnitee, the
Indemnitor, if it desires to exercise its right to assume such
Third-Party Defense, must furnish a reasonably satisfactory
indemnity bond to obtain the prompt release of such Lien,
attachment, garnishment or execution.
45
(e) If the Indemnitor
assumes a Third-Party Defense, it will take all steps reasonably
necessary in the defense, prosecution or settlement of such claim.
The Indemnitor will not consent to the entry of any judgment or
enter into any settlement, except with the written consent of the
Indemnitee, except if the Indemnitor acknowledges its
indemnification obligation in respect to such settled claim in
writing to the Indemnitee and sets aside monies to satisfy such
claim. The Indemnitor shall conduct the defense of the Third-Party
Claim actively and diligently, and the Indemnitee will provide
reasonable cooperation in the defense of the Third-Party Claim. So
long as the Indemnitor is reasonably conducting the Third-Party
Defense in good faith, the Indemnitee will not consent to the entry
of any judgment or enter into any settlement with respect to the
Third-Party Claim without the prior written consent of the
Indemnitor (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnitee shall have the right
to pay or settle any such Third-Party Claim; provided that in such event it
shall waive any right to indemnity therefor by the Indemnitor for
such claim unless the Indemnitor shall have consented to such
payment or settlement (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld
or delayed). If the Indemnitor is not reasonably conducting the
Third-Party Defense in good faith, the Indemnitee shall have the
right to consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any
settlement with respect to the Third-Party Claim without the prior
written consent of the Indemnitor, and the Indemnitor shall
reimburse the Indemnitee promptly for all Losses incurred in
connection with such judgment or settlement.
(f) In the event that
(i) an Indemnitee gives Notice of Claim to the Indemnitor, and the
Indemnitor fails or elects not to assume a Third-Party Defense
which the Indemnitor had the right to assume under this
Section 10.5, or
(ii) the Indemnitor is not entitled to assume the Third-Party
Defense pursuant to this Section 10.5, the Indemnitee
shall have the right, with counsel of its choice, to defend,
conduct and control the Third-Party Defense, at the sole cost and
expense of the Indemnitor. In each case, the Indemnitee shall
conduct the Third-Party Defense actively and diligently, and the
Indemnitor will provide reasonable cooperation in the Third-Party
Defense. The Indemnitee shall have the right to consent to the
entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement with respect to
the Third-Party Claim on such terms as it may deem appropriate.
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, in connection with
any Third-Party Claim, the Indemnitor hereby consents to the
nonexclusive jurisdiction of any court in which an Action in
respect of a Third-Party Claim is brought against any Indemnitee
for purposes of any claim that the Indemnitee may have under this
ARTICLE 10 with
respect to such Action or the matters alleged therein and agrees
that process may be served on the Indemnitor with respect to such a
claim anywhere in the world. If the Indemnitor does not elect to
assume a Third-Party Defense which it has the right to assume
hereunder, the Indemnitee shall have no obligation to do
so.
(g) Each party to this
Agreement shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
cooperate and to cause its employees to cooperate with and assist
the Indemnitee or the Indemnitor, as the case may be, in connection
with any Third-Party Defense, including, without limitation,
attending conferences, discovery proceedings, hearings, trials and
appeals and furnishing records, information and testimony, as may
reasonably be requested; provided that each party shall
use its best efforts, in respect of any Third-Party Claim of which
it has assumed the defense, to preserve the confidentiality of all
confidential information and the attorney-client and work-product
privileges.
10.6
Indemnification Procedures for Non-Third-Party Claims.
In the
event of a claim that does not involve a Third-Party Claim being
asserted against it, the Indemnitee shall send a Notice of Claim to
the Indemnitor. The Notice of Claim shall set forth the amount, if
known, or, if not known, an estimate of the foreseeable maximum
amount of claimed Losses (which estimate shall not be conclusive of
the final amount of such Losses) and a description of the basis for
such claim. The Indemnitor will have thirty (30) days from receipt
of such Notice of Claim to dispute the claim and will reasonably
cooperate and assist the Indemnitee in determining the validity of
the claim for indemnity. If the Indemnitor does not give written
notice to the Indemnitee that it disputes such claim within thirty
(30) days after its receipt of the Notice of Claim, the claim
specified in such Notice of Claim will be conclusively deemed a
Loss subject to indemnification hereunder.
46
10.7
Contingent Claims.
Nothing
herein shall be deemed to prevent an Indemnitee from making a good
faith claim hereunder for potential or contingent claims or
demands; provided
that the Notice of Claim sets forth the specific basis for any such
contingent claim to the extent then feasible, and the Indemnitee
has reasonable grounds (which shall be set forth in the Notice of
Claim) to believe that such a claim may be made.
10.8
Effect of Investigation; Waiver.
An
Indemnitee’s right to indemnification, payment, reimbursement
or other remedies based upon any representation, warranty, covenant
or agreement of the Indemnitor will not be affected by any
investigation (including, without limitation, any environmental
investigation or assessment) conducted, any knowledge acquired at
any time (whether obtained prior to or after the Closing Date), or
any waiver by the Indemnitee of any condition, with respect to the
accuracy or inaccuracy of any representation or warranty of, or
compliance with, such representation, warranty, covenant or
agreement. Such representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements shall not be affected or deemed waived by reason of the
fact that the Indemnitee knew or should have known that any
representation or warranty might be inaccurate or that the
Indemnitor failed to comply with any agreement or covenant. The
representations and warranties and indemnification rights
associated therewith are meant to allocate risk among the Parties,
and, therefore, any investigation by such Party shall be for its
own protection only and shall not affect or impair any right or
remedy hereunder.
Each
Member Party acknowledges and agrees that, upon and following the
Closing, the Company shall not have any Liability or obligation to
indemnify, save or hold harmless or otherwise pay, reimburse or
make such Member Party whole for or on account of any
indemnification or other claims made by any Buyer Indemnitee
hereunder. Such Member Party shall have no right of contribution
against the Company with respect to any such indemnification or
other claim.
10.9
Treatment of Indemnification Payments.
Each
Party to this Agreement will treat all payments made pursuant to
this ARTICLE 10 as
adjustments to the Purchase Price for all purposes.
10.10
Materiality.
For purposes of this ARTICLE
10, any determination of
Losses, inaccuracy in or breach of any representation or warranty
shall be determined without regard to any materiality, Material
Adverse Effect or other similar qualification contained in or
otherwise applicable to such representation or
warranty.
10.11
Other Rights and Remedies Not Affected.
The
indemnification rights under this ARTICLE 10 are independent of
and in addition to such rights and remedies as the Parties may have
under ARTICLE 12,
at law or in equity or otherwise for any misrepresentation or
breach of warranty, or failure to fulfill any agreement or covenant
contained in this Agreement on the party of any Party hereto,
including, without limitation, the right to seek specific
performance, recession or restitution, none of which rights or
remedies shall be affected or diminished hereby. No limitations
(including any survival limitations and other limitations set forth
in this Agreement), qualifications or procedures in this Agreement
shall be deemed to limit or modify the ability of Buyer to make
claims under or recover under the R&W Policy; it being
understood that any matter for which there is coverage available
under the R&W Policy shall be subject to the terms, conditions
and limitations, if any, set forth in the R&W
Policy.
47
10.12
Overlap.
To the
extent that any obligation or responsibility pursuant to
ARTICLE 12 may
overlap or conflict with an obligation or responsibility pursuant
to this ARTICLE 10,
the provisions of this ARTICLE 10 shall
govern.
10.13
Release of Claims Amounts and Indemnification Escrow
Amount.
(a) Once a Loss is
agreed to by the Indemnitor or otherwise finally determined to be
payable pursuant to this ARTICLE 10, the Indemnitor shall satisfy
its obligations within fifteen (15) Business Days of such final
resolution. The Parties hereto agree that should an Indemnitor not
make full payment of any such obligations within such fifteen (15)
Business Day period, any amount payable shall accrue interest from
and including the date of the agreement of the Indemnitor or final
resolution at the maximum interest rate under applicable Law. Such
interest shall be calculated daily on the basis of a 365-day
year.
(b) On the tenth (10th)
Business Day following the first anniversary of the Closing Date,
Buyer and Member Parties shall cause the Escrow Agent to (i) retain
an amount, if any, equal to the amount of any claims for
indemnification asserted in an Notice of Claim delivered in
accordance with this ARTICLE 10 (including any Third-Party Claims)
or any disputes under Section 9.1(j) that are not yet
resolved or for which payment has not yet been made (an
“Unresolved
Claim”) and (ii) release any remaining Indemnification
Escrow Amount net of such Unresolved Claims to: (a) first, any
Party of any outstanding Losses owed by Members Parties to Buyer
payable from the Indemnification Escrow Account, and (b) second,
the remaining amount (if any) of the Indemnification Escrow Account
to Member Parties. Upon the final resolution of any such Unresolved
Claim pursuant to this ARTICLE 10 or Section 9.1(j), as applicable,
the amount of the Indemnification Escrow Amount retained for such
Unresolved Claim shall be released (to the extent not utilized to
indemnify any Indemnitee) by the Escrow Agent within five (5)
Business Days to (x) Indemnitee or Buyer, as applicable, an amount
equal to any Unresolved Claim resolved in favor of such Indemnitee
or Buyer, and (y) Member Parties the amount equal to the balance of
the Indemnification Escrow Account (to the extent positive) as of
the date of such final resolution, provided, that if there are
further Unresolved Claims at such time, such amount disbursed shall
not exceed an amount equal to the remaining Indemnification Escrow
Account net of such further Unresolved Claims.
10.14 Exclusive
Remedy.
From
and after the Closing, the provisions of this Article 10 shall be
the Parties’ sole and exclusive remedy for Buyer Warranty
Losses (but not for injunctive or other equitable or non-monetary
relief) arising out of or resulting from this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, except with respect to (a)
Section 1.3, (b)
claims based on fraud or intentional misrepresentation, and (c)
claims by a Buyer Indemnitee for any Loss or Losses that are
incurred by a Buyer Indemnitee arising from or related to any
breach of or inaccuracy in any representation or warranty made by
any Member Party in this Agreement or any breach of or failure by
any Member Party to perform any covenant or obligation set out or
contemplated in this Agreement.
48
ARTICLE 11.
TERMINATION; EFFECT OF TERMINATION
11.1
Termination.
This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the
Closing:
(a) By the mutual
written consent of the Member Parties and Buyer;
(b) by the Member
Parties (acting together), if the Company and the Member Parties
are not then in material breach of any material term of this
Agreement, upon written notice to Buyer if there occurs a material
breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of
Buyer contained in this Agreement, which breach, in the absence of
a cure, would cause any of the closing conditions set forth in
Section 2.2 to not
be satisfied prior to the Termination Date, provided, however, that such
breach is either not capable of being cured or has not been cured
within thirty (30) days after the giving of notice thereof by the
Member Parties to Buyer;
(c) by Buyer, if the
Buyer is not then in a material breach of any material term of this
Agreement, upon written notice to the Member Representative if
there occurs a material breach of any representation, warranty,
covenant or agreement of the Member Parties or the Company
contained in this Agreement, which breach, in the absence of a
cure, would cause any of the closing conditions set forth in
Section 2.2 to not
be satisfied prior to the Termination Date; provided, however, that such
breach is either not capable of being cured or has not been cured
within thirty (30) days after the giving of notice thereof by the
Buyer to the Member Representative;
(d) by Buyer, if the
Company is unable to complete the Financial Audit;
(e) By either Buyer, on
the one hand, or the Member Parties (acting together), on the other
hand, by written notice to the other in the event
that:
(i) There shall be any
law or regulation that makes consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement illegal or otherwise prohibited;
or
(ii) Any
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction shall have issued an
injunction or taken any other action (which injunction or action
the parties hereto shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
lift) that permanently restrains, enjoins or otherwise prohibits
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and such
injunction shall have become final and non-appealable;
or
(iii) the
Closing shall not have occurred on or before May 31, 2021 (the
“Termination
Date”); provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 11.1(e)(iii) shall not
be available to any Party whose failure to comply with any
provision of this Agreement has been the cause of, or resulted in,
the failure of the Closing to occur on or before the Termination
Date.
provided, however, that in the event that termination is
triggered by Subsections
(i) or (ii)
of this Section
11.1(d), the Parties shall in good faith negotiate an
alternative transaction that will comply with applicable laws and
requirements of any Governmental Entity within one hundred twenty
(120) days of said termination.
49
11.2
Effective of Termination.
In the
event of the valid termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Section
11.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become null and
void and have no effect, without any liability on the part of
Buyer, the Company or the Member Parties, and their respective
directors, officers, employees, partners, managers, members or
stockholders, and all rights and obligations of any party hereto
shall cease, except that (a) the agreements contained in
Section 7.3,
ARTICLE 10, this
ARTICLE 11
and ARTICLE
12 shall survive the termination of this Agreement, and (b)
no such termination shall relieve any Party hereto of any liability
for damages resulting from any fraud, willful misconduct or
intentional misrepresentation by such Party of this Agreement prior
to such termination, in which case the non-breaching Party shall be
entitled to all rights and remedies available at law or in
equity.
ARTICLE 12.
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1
Amendment and Waiver.
This
Agreement may be amended, or any provision of this Agreement may be
waived; provided,
that any such amendment or waiver shall be binding upon each Member
Party only if set forth in a writing executed by the Member
Representative and referring specifically to the provision alleged
to have been amended or waived, and any such amendment or waiver
shall be binding upon Buyer or the Company, as the case may be,
only if set forth in a writing executed by Buyer or the Company, as
the case may be, and referring specifically to the provision
alleged to have been amended or waived. No course of dealing
between or among the Parties shall be deemed effective to modify,
amend or discharge any part of this Agreement or any rights or
obligations of any Party under or by reason of this Agreement and a
waiver of any provision by any Party on one occasion shall not be
deemed to be a waiver of the same or any other breach on a future
occasion.
12.2
Notices.
All
notices, demands and other communications to be given or delivered
under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been given (i) when personally
delivered or sent by reputable overnight express courier (charges
prepaid) or (ii) three (3) days following mailing by certified or
registered mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested.
Unless another address is specified in writing, notices, demands
and communications to the Member Representative (on behalf of
Member Parties) and Buyer shall be sent to the addresses indicated
below:
Notices to Member Representative (on
behalf of Member Parties):
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
0000
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX
00000
Email:
xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice to Member
Representative):
Xxxxx
& Xxxxxxxx LLP
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx, Esq.
Email:
xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
50
Notices to Buyer:
Liberated
Syndication, Inc.
0000
Xxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx #000
Xxxxxxxxxx XX
00000
Attention: Xxxxxx
Xxxx
Email:
xxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice to Buyer):
Faegre
Drinker Xxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP
0000
00xx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Email:
xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
12.3
Expenses.
Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement or the other Transaction
Documents, (a) Buyer will bear its respective fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation,
execution, and performance of this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents and the consummation and performance of the
transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder, including,
without limitation, all fees and expenses of its advisors and
Representatives and (b) the Member Parties, severally and not
jointly, will bear the respective fees and expenses incurred by the
Company and any Member Party in connection with
the preparation, negotiation, execution, and performance of this
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation
and performance of the transactions contemplated hereunder and
thereunder, including, without limitation, the Members’ Expenses and all
fees and expenses of its advisors and Representatives.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Buyer will bear all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and completion
of the Financial Audit unless the Company, the Member Parties, or
Buyer terminate this Agreement pursuant to ARTICLE 11, provided that such
termination does not arise out of Buyer’s material breach of
any term of this Agreement or failure to close pursuant to
Section 11.1(e)(3).
If the Company, the Member Parties, or Buyer terminate this
Agreement pursuant to ARTICLE 11, the Member Parties
shall reimburse Buyer for all fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the preparation and completion of the Financial
Audit within ninety (90) days of such termination.
12.4
Assignment and Successors.
(a) This Agreement and
all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of Buyer and its successors and permitted assigns, on the
one hand, and the Member Parties and their legal representatives,
on the other hand, except that neither this Agreement nor any of
the rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be assigned or
delegated by either Party without the prior written consent of the
other Party, other than as set forth in Section 12.4(b). Any purported
assignment of rights or delegation of obligations in violation of
this Section 12.4
will be void.
51
(b) Buyer may, in its
sole discretion, assign in whole or in part its rights and
obligations pursuant to this Agreement to one or more of its
Affiliates (provided, no such assignment
shall relive Buyer of its obligations hereunder), and Buyer may, in
its sole discretion, direct the Company to convey the Purchased
Interests, in whole or in part, to one or more of its Affiliates,
so long as Buyer continues to be bound by the terms hereof. Buyer
may assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations hereunder,
including, without limitation, its rights and obligations under any
other Transaction Document, in whole or in part, in connection with
a merger or consolidation involving Buyer or in connection with a
sale of any equity interests or assets of Buyer or its Affiliates
or other disposition of all or any portion of the Business
(provided, no such
asset sale or disposition of any portion of the Business shall
relieve Buyer of its obligations hereunder). Buyer may assign any
and all of its rights pursuant to this Agreement, including,
without limitation, its rights to indemnification, to any of its
lenders as collateral security.
12.5
No Waiver.
Neither
any failure nor any delay by any Party in exercising any right,
power or privilege under this Agreement or any of other Transaction
Document will operate as a waiver of such right, power, or
privilege, and no single or partial exercise of any such right,
power, or privilege will preclude any other or further exercise of
such right, power, or privilege or the exercise of any other right,
power or privilege. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable
Law, (a) no claim or right arising out of this Agreement or
any other Transaction Document can be waived by a Party, in whole
or in part, unless made in a writing signed by such Party;
(b) a waiver given by a Party will only be applicable to the
specific instance for which it is given; and (c) no notice to
or demand on a Party will (i) waive or otherwise affect any
obligation of that Party or (ii) affect the right of the Party
giving such notice or demand to take further action without notice
or demand as provided in this Agreement or the documents referred
to in this Agreement.
12.6
Severability.
Whenever possible,
each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such
manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if
any provision of this Agreement or the application of any such
provision to any Person or circumstance shall be held to be
prohibited by or invalid, illegal or unenforceable under applicable
Law in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such
prohibition or invalidity, illegality or unenforceability, without
invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining
provisions of this Agreement. Furthermore, in lieu of such illegal,
invalid or unenforceable provision, there shall be added
automatically as a part of this Agreement a legal, valid and
enforceable provision as similar in terms to such illegal, invalid
or unenforceable provision as may be possible.
12.7
Further Assurances.
The
Parties will (a) execute and deliver to each other such other
documents and (b) do such other acts and things as a Party may
reasonably request for the purpose of carrying out the intent of
this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the
transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder.
12.8
Entire Agreement.
This
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents contain the entire
agreement and understanding between the Parties hereto with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, whether written or oral, relating to such subject
matter in any way and any prior confidentiality agreements entered
into by the Parties or their Affiliates.
52
12.9
Remedies Cumulative.
Except
as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, the rights and
remedies of the Parties are cumulative (and not alternative) and
are in addition to any other rights and remedies that the Parties
might have at Law or in equity (including, without limitation,
claims for breach of contract, fraud or intentional
misrepresentation, criminal activity, federal and state securities
Laws, deceptive practice acts, tort, federal and state statutory
claims, and any other available remedies).
12.10
Counterparts; Electronic Signatures.
(a) This Agreement and
the other Transaction Documents may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original copy
and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to constitute
one and the same agreement or document, and will be effective when
counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered
to the other Parties.
(b) A manual signature
on this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or an image of
which shall have been transmitted electronically (including a PDF
signature, or any electronic signature complying with the U.S.
federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx), will
constitute an original signature for all purposes. The delivery of
copies of this Agreement or other documents to be delivered
pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, executed
signature pages where required, by electronic transmission will
constitute effective delivery of this Agreement or such other
Transaction Documents for all purposes.
12.11
Governing Law.
The Law
of the State of Nevada shall govern all questions concerning the
construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of this
Agreement and the Exhibits and Schedules attached hereto, and the
performance of the obligations imposed by this Agreement, without
giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or
provisions (whether of the State of Nevada or any other
jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the Laws of any
jurisdiction other than the State of Nevada.
12.12
Consent to Jurisdiction.
Each
Party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of (a) the
state courts in Carson City, Nevada and (b) the United States
District Court for the District of Nevada, for the purposes of any
Action arising out of this Agreement, the other Transaction
Documents or any transaction contemplated hereunder or thereunder.
Each Party agrees to commence any such Action either in the United
States District Court for the District of Nevada, or if such Action
may not be brought in such court for jurisdictional reasons, in the
state courts in New Castle County, Delaware. Each Party further
agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by
U.S. registered mail to such Party’s respective address set
forth above shall be effective service of process for any Action in
state or Federal court with respect to any matters to which it has
submitted to jurisdiction in this Section 12.12. Each Party
irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying
of venue of any Action arising out of this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in (i) the state courts
in Carson City, Nevada, or (ii) the United States District Court
for the District of Nevada, and hereby further irrevocably and
unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such
court that any such Action brought in any such court has been
brought in an inconvenient forum. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY
WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION (WHETHER BASED ON
CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS
AGREEMENT, THE OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS OR THE ACTIONS OF SUCH
PARTY IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND
ENFORCEMENT HEREOF OR THEREOF.
53
12.13
No Third-Party Beneficiaries.
Other
than the Indemnitees and the Parties, their successors, legal
representatives, heirs and permitted assigns, no Person will have
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or with respect
to this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended or terminated, and
any provision of this Agreement may be waived, without the consent
of any Person who is not a party to the Agreement.
12.14
Schedules.
The
disclosure schedules dated as of the date of this Agreement and
delivered to the Buyer herewith (each, a “Schedule” and together,
the “Disclosure
Schedules”) have been organized into sections and
subsections that correlate to the sections and subsections of this
Agreement, and are hereby incorporated by reference into this
Agreement. The information and disclosures referenced by a
particular section of this Agreement and disclosed on any
Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed and
incorporated by reference in any other Disclosure Schedule or
representation or warranty contained in ARTICLE 3 or ARTICLE 4, as applicable, as
though fully set forth in such Disclosure Schedule or
representation or warranty if the relevance of such disclosure to
such other sections is reasonably apparent on its face,
notwithstanding the absence of a cross reference contained
therein.
12.15
Interpretation.
(a) For purposes of
this Agreement, (a) the word “or” is not exclusive; and
(b) the words “herein,” “hereof,”
“hereby,” “hereto” and
“hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a
whole.
(b) Unless the context
otherwise requires, references herein:
(i) to the singular
includes the plural and vice versa;
(ii) to
any Person includes such Person’s successors and assigns, if
applicable, but only if such successors and assigns are permitted
by this Agreement, and reference to a Person in a particular
capacity excludes such Person in any other capacity.
(iii) to
a gender includes the other gender;
(iv) to
a “copy” or “copies” of any document,
instrument, or agreement means a copy or copies that are complete
and correct;
(v) to all accounting
terms will be interpreted, and all accounting determinations under
this Agreement will be made, in accordance with GAAP, except as
otherwise set forth herein;
(vi) to
Articles, Sections, Schedules and Exhibits mean the Articles and
Sections of, and Schedules and Exhibits attached to, this
Agreement;
(vii) to
an agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement,
instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified
from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions
thereof;
(viii) to
a Law means such Law as amended from time to time and includes any
successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated
thereunder;
54
(ix) to
any section or other provision of any Law means that provision of
such Law as from time to time in effect, including, without
limitation, any amendment, modification, codification, replacement,
or reenactment of such section or other provision;
(c) The Parties intend
that each representation, warranty and covenant contained herein
shall have independent significance. If any Party has breached any
representation, warranty or covenant contained herein in any
respect, the fact that there exists another representation,
warranty or covenant relating to the same subject matter
(regardless of the relative levels of specificity) that such Party
has not breached shall not detract from or mitigate the fact that
such Party is in breach of the first representation, warranty or
covenant.
(d) This Agreement was
negotiated by the Parties with the benefit of legal representation,
and any rule of construction or interpretation otherwise requiring
this Agreement to be construed or interpreted against any Party as
having been drafted by it will not apply to any construction or
interpretation of this Agreement. The Schedules and Exhibits
referred to herein shall be construed with, and as an integral part
of, this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth
verbatim herein.
(e) The headings and
captions contained in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only, shall not be deemed to be part of this Agreement,
and shall not be referred to in connection with the construction or
interpretation of this Agreement.
(Signature
page follows)
55
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Membership Interest
Purchase Agreement to be executed as of the date first written
above.
|
BUYER:
LIBERATED
SYNDICATION, INC.
By:
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxx
Xxxx
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxx Xxxx
Title:
President and COO
|
|
COMPANY:
ADVERTISECAST,
LLC
By:
/s/ Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Manager
MEMBER PARTIES:
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
TECHWHALE,
LLC
By:
/s/ Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Title:
Member
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxxx
MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE:
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
Appendix A
Definitions
For
purposes of the Agreement, the following terms, when used herein
with initial capital letters, shall have the respective meanings
set forth herein:
“Action” means any claim,
action, cause of action, suit, demand, lawsuit, arbitration,
inquiry, audit, notice of violation, proceeding, litigation,
citation, summons, subpoena or investigation of any nature, civil,
criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, whether at law
or in equity.
“Affiliate” means, with
respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or
indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control
with such first Person. The term
“control” (including the terms “controlled
by” and “under common control with”) means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether
through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“Agreement” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Authorized Action” has
the meaning set forth in Section 8.3.
“Basket” has the meaning
set forth in Section
10.2(b).
“Benefit
Plan” means any “employee benefit plan”
(as such term is defined in ERISA Section 3(3)) and any other
bonus, incentive compensation, profit-sharing, stock option, stock
appreciation right, stock bonus, stock purchase, employee stock
ownership, deferred compensation, savings, severance, change in
control, supplemental unemployment, layoff, salary continuation,
retirement, pension, health, life insurance, disability, accident,
group insurance, vacation, holiday, sick leave, fringe benefit,
welfare plan, or any other employee compensation or benefit plan
(whether or not subject to ERISA), program, policy, practice,
Contract or similar arrangement of any kind (whether qualified or
nonqualified, effective or terminated, written or unwritten) that
applies to current or former employees or directors (or their
spouses or dependent children) of the Company and that the Company
maintains, to which the Company contributes or has any obligation
to contribute, or with respect to which the Company has any
Liability or potential Liability, including, but not limited to
Liability with respect to an ERISA Affiliate.
“Business” means sales
related to, and the facilitation and monetization of, podcast
advertising.
“Business Days” means any
day except Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial
banks located in Nevada are authorized or required by Law to be
closed for business.
“Buyer” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“Buyer Indemnitees” has
the meaning set forth in Section 10.2(a).
“Buyer Stock” means a
number of shares of the common stock of Buyer being equivalent in
value as of the Closing to $10,000,000, with the value of each
share of Buyer common stock for such purpose being deemed to be
$4.20, which shall be determined by the volume-weighted average
price per share of Buyer’s stock over the twenty (20)-day
trading period prior to the execution of this
Agreement.
“Buyer Warranty Losses”
has the meaning set forth in Section 10.2(c).
A-1
“CARES Act” means the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
“Cash on Hand” means all
unrestricted cash (net of all outstanding or uncleared checks or
other payments) of the Company as of immediately prior to the
Closing.
“Change of Control” means
a merger, consolidation, plan of exchange or liquidation to which
Buyer or a majority-in-interest of its stockholders is a party or
any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or
a series of related transactions) of all, or substantially all, of
the assets of Buyer (except an event in which the majority of the
beneficial ownership of Buyer and its assets does not
change).
“Closing” has the meaning
set forth in Section
2.1.
“Closing Cash
Consideration” means the $18,000,000 portion of the
Purchase Price in relation to the Closing.
“Closing Cash Purchase
Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(a).
“Closing Date” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Closing Date Net Working
Capital” means the sum of (a) the Current Assets, as
of the Closing, less (b) the Current Liabilities, as of the
Closing, each determined in accordance with the respective
definitions of Current Assets and Current Liabilities, and subject
to such definitions, prepared consistently with the Target Working
Capital Schedule.
“Closing Date Statement”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Closing Indebtedness”
means (i) all Indebtedness of the Company, (ii) all payroll
liabilities of the Company, (iii) compensation or benefits to
employees, including pro-rata portions of any annual bonuses
definitively earned and owed and not subject to further
performance, (iv) commissions due with respect to sales made, and
(v) reimbursements due to employees or independent contractors for
items including, but not limited to, vehicle mileage, home office
expenses and the like, in each case, as of immediately prior to the
Closing.
“COBRA” means the
requirements of Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA and Code
Section 4980B and of any similar state Law.
“Code” means the United
States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“Company Employee Trust”
means that certain liquidating trust to be formed by the employees
of the Company prior to the Closing Date, which shall exist for the
sole purpose of receiving the Employee Trust Earn-Out Payment in
the event the Earn-Out Target is achieved, pursuant Section 1.5.
“Company Health Plan” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(m).
“Company IT Systems” means
the Software, computer systems, servers, hardware, network
equipment, databases, websites, and other information technology
systems that are used to process, store, maintain and operate data,
information, and functions used in connection with the business of
the Company, whether owned, leased or licensed by the
Company.
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“Confidential Information”
means any information that belongs to the Company or that the
Company has a right to use that has value to the Company and its
Affiliates and is not generally known to its competitors,
including, without limitation, client lists and information, design
details, technical information and specifications, marketing
techniques, plans and procedures, instruction manuals, know-how,
trade secrets, information concerning market conditions, marketing
and business information generally, scientific information,
financial information, price policies and other material of
whatever description regarding the products, services, affairs,
businesses or method of carrying on business of the Company or its
Affiliates.
“Contract” means any oral
or written agreement, instrument, license, document, lease,
commitment, understanding, arrangement, employee benefit or welfare
plan or other business or commercial arrangement or commitment (in
each case, including, without limitation, any extension, renewal,
amendment or other modification thereof) to which such Person is a
party or by which such Person is bound.
“Current Assets”
means accounts receivable (less any
reserves for bad debt determined in accordance with GAAP), but
excluding (a) the portion of any prepaid expense of which Buyer
will not receive the benefit following the Closing, (b) deferred
and other Tax assets and (c) receivables from any of the
Company’s Affiliates, managers, employees, officers or
members and any of their respective Affiliates, determined in
accordance with GAAP applied using, so long as the following are in
accordance with GAAP, the same accounting methods, practices,
principles, policies and procedures, with consistent
classifications, judgments and valuation and estimation
methodologies that were used in the preparation of the Financial
Statements for the most recent fiscal year end as if such accounts
were being prepared and audited as of a fiscal year
end.
“Current Liabilities”
means accounts payable, sales Taxes
payable, other accrued Taxes, accrued expenses, credit card
liabilities, accrued payroll liabilities, all other accrued or
current liabilities and deferred revenues, determined in accordance
with GAAP applied using, so long as the following are in accordance
with GAAP, the same accounting methods, practices, principles,
policies and procedures, with consistent classifications, judgments
and valuation and estimation methodologies that were used in the
preparation of the Financial Statements for the most recent fiscal
year end as if such accounts were being prepared and audited as of
a fiscal year end.
“Data Compromise Event”
means any unauthorized access, unauthorized acquisition,
unauthorized use, or unauthorized disclosure, loss, or theft of
Sensitive Data, including Personal Data (a) that constitutes a
breach or a data security incident under any applicable Data
Protection Laws or would trigger a notification or reporting
requirement under any Contract or the PCI DSS, or (b) materially
compromises (individually or in the aggregate) the security or
privacy of such Sensitive Data, including Personal
Data.
“Data Protection Laws”
shall mean all applicable industry standards concerning the privacy
and security of Personal Data, including the Payment Card Industry
Data Security Standard (“PCI DSS”) and any
applicable Laws relating to privacy, data security and breach
notification, including with respect to the collection, access,
usage, disclosure, transfer, sharing, retention, destruction,
disposal of or other processing of Personal Data, including the
Federal Trade Commission Act (including but not limited to the
Federal Trade Commission’s Safeguards Rule and Disposal
Rule), the CAN-SPAM Act, Electronic Signatures in Global and
National Commerce Act and any state electronic signature Laws, the
Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Telemarketing and Consumer
Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, Children’s Online Privacy
Protection Act, the California Consumer Privacy Act and other state
privacy laws, state social security number protection Laws, state
data breach notification Laws, state data security Laws, state
health information privacy Laws, the European Union General Data
Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and its predecessor the
European Union Directive 95/46/EC and the individual data
protection Laws of European or other foreign nations.
A-3
“Disclosure Schedules” has
the meaning set forth in Section 12.14.
“Dispute Notice” has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Earn-Out Dispute Notice”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.5(b).
“Earn-Out Payment” has the
meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.5(a).
“Earn-Out Period” means
the period of time from the Closing through the close of business
on December 31, 2021, or during the twelve (12) month period
following the Closing.
“Earn-Out Target” means
$18 million of gross revenue for calendar year 2021 or any
consecutive twelve (12) month period following Closing that ends no
later than the first anniversary of the Closing. Revenue will be
recognized in accordance with Buyer’s current policies and
practices and in accordance with GAAP; except for any revenue
classified as self-serve revenue, which will be recognized as
revenue in accordance with the Company’s current
practices.
“EBITDA” means the net
income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization,
determined in accordance with GAAP, and excluding (i)
extraordinary, unusual, infrequent or non-recurring items of gain,
(ii) gains or losses resulting from the sale of assets other than
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice,
and (iii) revenue generated by transactions with
Affiliates.
“Employment Agreements”
means the employment agreement, consulting, employee lease or and
restrictive covenant agreements, as applicable, each substantially
in the forms included in Exhibit B hereto, between the
Company and each of the individuals or entities set forth on
Appendix
A.1.
“Employee Pension Benefit
Plan” means any “employee pension benefit
plan” as such term is defined in ERISA Section
3(2).
“Employee Welfare Benefit
Plan” means any “employee welfare benefit
plan” as such term is defined in ERISA Section
3(1).
“Environmental and Safety
Requirements” means all Laws and all obligations under
any Contract, concerning occupational or public health and safety,
worker health and safety, pollution, or protection of natural
resources or the environment, including, without limitation, all
those relating to the presence, use, production, generation,
handling, transport, treatment, storage, disposal, distribution,
labeling, testing, processing, discharge, release, threatened
release, control, investigation, remediation or cleanup of
Hazardous Substances, each as amended and as now or hereafter in
effect.
“EO Review Period” has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.5(c).
“ERISA” means the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA Affiliate” means
any entity, trade or business that is a member of a group described
in Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section
4001(b)(1) of ERISA, or that is a member of the same
“controlled group” with the Company pursuant to Section
4001(a)(14) of ERISA.
“Escrow Agent” means City
National Bank.
“Escrow Agreement” means
the escrow agreement in the form of Exhibit A.
“Estimated Closing Cash Purchase
Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(b).
A-4
“Estimated Closing
Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(a)(i).
“FFCR Act” means the
Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
“Final Adjustment Amount”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Final Closing Cash Purchase
Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Financial Audit” means
the audit of the Company’s financial statements together with
an audit report containing an unqualified opinion issued by an
auditing firm registered and in good standing with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board.
“Financial Statements” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.5.
“Fundamental
Representations” means those representations and
warranties set forth in Sections 3.1 (Organization
and Authority), 3.2
(Absence of Conflicts), 3.3 (Ownership of
Membership Interests), 3.4 (Member Parties’
Brokers), 4.1 (Organization and
Power), 4.2 (Authorization),
4.3 (Capitalization;
Subsidiaries), 4.4
(Absence of Conflicts), 4.8 (Tax Matters), and
4.26 (Company
Broker).
“GAAP” means United States
generally accepted accounting principles, consistently
applied.
“Governmental Entity”
means any government, agency, governmental department, commission,
board, bureau, court, arbitration panel or instrumentality of the
United States of America or any foreign government or any state,
municipality or other political subdivision in or of any of the
foregoing (whether now or hereafter constituted and/or existing)
and any court, agency, instrumentality, regulatory commission or
other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial,
regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to
government.
“Hazardous
Substances” means any hazardous or otherwise regulated
materials, substances or wastes, chemical substances or mixtures,
pesticides, pollutants, contaminants, toxic chemicals, petroleum
products or byproducts, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls,
radioactive materials, mold or microbial matter, noise or
electromagnetic radiation or any other substances which is or may
be harmful to human health or the environment or which is
regulated, limited or prohibited under any Environmental and Safety
Requirement.
“Healthcare Reform Laws”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(m).
“Incidents” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.10(f).
“Indebtedness” of any
Person, means, without duplication, the sum of (a) indebtedness for borrowed money; (b)
obligations for the deferred purchase price of property or services
(other than Current Liabilities taken into account in the
calculation of Closing Date Net Working Capital), (c) long or
short-term obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or
other similar instruments, (d) obligations under any interest rate,
currency swap or other hedging agreement or arrangement; (e)
capital lease obligations; (f) reimbursement obligations under any
letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit
transactions; (g) all payroll Taxes arising as a result of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all payroll Taxes
deferred pursuant to the CARES Act, FFCR Act, federal executive
order or otherwise, (h) guarantees made by the Company on behalf of
any third-party in respect of obligations of the kind referred to
in the foregoing clauses (a) through (g); and (i) any unpaid
interest, prepayment penalties, premiums, costs and fees that would
arise or become due as a result of the prepayment of any of the
obligations referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through
(g).
“Indemnitee” means any
Person that is seeking indemnification from an Indemnitor pursuant
to the provisions of this Agreement.
“Indemnitor” means any
Party hereto from which any Indemnitee is seeking indemnification
pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
“Indemnity Escrow Account”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(d).
“Indemnity Escrow Amount”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(d).
“Intellectual Property”
means all rights or interests, whether as an owner, licensor,
licensee or otherwise, along with all income, royalties, damages
and payments due or payable at the Closing Date or thereafter,
including, without limitation, damages and payments for past,
present or future infringements or misappropriations thereof, the
right to xxx and recover for past infringements or
misappropriations thereof and any and all corresponding rights or
interests that, now or hereafter, may be secured throughout the
world: (a) patents, patent applications, patent disclosures,
inventions, industrial designs and models (whether or not
patentable and whether or not reduced to practice) and any reissue,
continuation, continuation-in-part, division, revision, extension
or reexamination thereof; (b) trademarks, service marks, trade
dress, logos, trade names, corporate names and domain names,
together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, and
combinations, including, without limitation, all goodwill
associated therewith; (c) copyrights, registered or
unregistered, database rights and works of authorship;
(d) mask works; (e) rights of publicity and privacy relating
to the use of names, likenesses, voices, signatures and
biographical information of natural persons; (f) all registrations,
applications and renewals for any of the foregoing; (g) trade
secrets, know-how and Confidential Information (including, without
limitation, ideas, formulae, compositions, know-how, manufacturing
and production processes and techniques, research and development
information, drawings, specifications, designs, plans, proposals,
technical data, financial, business and marketing information and
plans, and customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost
information, and related information); (h) software, all rights
with respect to computer software and software systems (including,
without limitation, data, data compilations, codes, annotations,
databases and related documentation); (i) websites, including,
without limitation, public and non-public websites, intranet sites
and FTP sites; (j) other proprietary rights; (k) rights of
personality used in the Business; (l) licenses, license agreements,
coexistence agreements, consent agreements, agreements to assign or
other agreements to or from third parties regarding the foregoing;
(m) all copies and tangible embodiments of the foregoing (in
whatever form or medium), in each case including, without
limitation, the items set forth on Schedule 4.10(a); (n) all
internet domain names, social media accounts or user names
(including “handles”) and all content and data thereon
or relating thereto, telephone numbers, and telephone directory
listing; and (o) all moral rights or rights of attribution or
integrity in any of the foregoing.
“Interim Financial
Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.5.
“Knowledge” means, in the
case of a Member, the actual knowledge of such Member.
“Law”
means all federal, state, local and foreign laws, statutes, codes,
rules, regulations, ordinances, judgments, orders, decrees and the
like of any Governmental Entity, including common law.
“Leased Real Property”
means all leasehold or subleasehold estates and other rights to use
or occupy any land, building, structures, improvements, fixtures or
other interest in real property held by the Company.
“Leases”
means all real property leases, subleases, licenses, concessions
and other agreements (written or oral), including, without
limitation, all amendments, extensions, renewals, guaranties and
other agreements with respect thereto, to which the Company is a
party, including, without limitation, the right to all security
deposits and other amounts and instruments deposited by or on
behalf of the Company thereunder.
A-5
“Liability” means any
liability, obligation or commitment of any nature (whether known or
unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or
contingent, whether accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or
unliquidated, and whether due or to become due), including, without
limitation, any liability for Taxes.
“Lien” means any
encumbrance, charge, claim, community or other marital property
interest, condition, equitable interest, lien (whether voluntary,
involuntary, statutory, or other), option, pledge, hypothecation,
preference, priority, security interest, mortgage, right of way,
easement, encroachment, servitude, conditional sale or other title
retention arrangement, security or other deposits, right of first
option, right of first refusal, or restriction of any kind,
including, without limitation, any restriction on use, voting,
transfer, receipt of income, or exercise of any other attribute of
ownership.
“Losses” means any loss,
Liability, obligation, Action, damage, deficiency, Tax, judgment,
award, assessment, diminution of value, penalty, fine, cost or
expense or whatever kind, in each case, whether or not arising out
of third-party claims (including, without limitation, interest,
penalties, reasonable legal, consultant, accounting and other
professional fees, all amounts paid in investigation, defense or
settlement of any of the foregoing, and all amount paid in
connection with enforcing such Person’s indemnification
rights hereunder).
“Material Adverse Effect”
means, with respect to any
entity, any event, occurrence, fact, effect, condition or
change that, individually or in the aggregate, would be materially
adverse to the business, assets, condition (financial or
otherwise), business prospects, operating results, or operations of
such entity, taken as a whole, or on the ability of such entity to
consummate timely the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely
basis and by the other Transaction Documents, or any other effect,
condition or change that would materially impair such
entity’s ability to operate in the ordinary course; provided,
however, that “Material Adverse Effect” shall not
include any event, occurrence, fact, condition or change, directly
or indirectly, arising out of or attributable to: (i) general
economic or political conditions; (ii) conditions generally
affecting the industries in which such entity operates; (iii) any
changes in financial, banking or securities markets in general,
including any disruption thereof and any decline in the price of
any security or any market index or any change in prevailing
interest rates; (iv) acts of war (whether or not declared), armed
hostilities or terrorism, or the escalation or worsening thereof;
(v) any action required or permitted by this Agreement or any
action taken (or omitted to be taken) with the written consent of
or at the written request of Buyer; (vi) any matter of which the
Parties are aware on the date hereof; (vii) any changes in
applicable Laws or accounting rules (including GAAP); (viii) the
announcement, pendency or completion of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including losses or threatened
losses of employees, customers, suppliers, distributors or others
having relationships with such entity; (ix) any natural or man-made
disaster or acts of God; (x) any epidemics, pandemics, disease
outbreaks, or other public health emergencies; or (xi) any failure
by such entity to meet any internal or published projections,
forecasts or revenue or earnings predictions (provided that the
underlying causes of such failures (subject to the other provisions
of this definition) shall not be excluded); provided, however, than
any event, occurrence, fact, effect, condition or change referred
to in clauses (i) through (iv) immediately above shall be taken
into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has
occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur to the extent
that such event, occurrence, fact, effect, condition or change has
a disproportionate effect on the Company compared to other
participants in the industries in which the Company conducts its
businesses.
“Material Contracts” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.9(a).
“Member” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“Member Losses” has the
meaning set forth in Section 10.3(b).
A-6
“Member Party” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Member Indemnitees” has
the meaning set forth in Section 10.3(a).
“Member Representative”
has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.
“Members’ Expenses”
means the amount of (i) all (A) change of control, termination,
severance, bonus or retention obligations which are triggered by or
paid incident to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
the other Transaction Documents, and (B) the employer’s
portion of any employment Taxes applicable to any amounts set forth
in the preceding sub-clause (A), (ii) all fees and expenses payable
to any legal counsel, accountants or other advisors of a Member
Party or the Company in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents,
in each case to the extent unpaid as of the Closing Date, and (iii)
fifty percent (50%) of the premiums, underwriting fees,
brokers’ commissions and other costs and expenses related to
the R&W Policy.
“Membership Interests” has
the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Multiemployer Plan” means
a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) or Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Net Working Capital
Target” means $0.00.
“Neutral Accountant” has
the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(c).
“Notice of Claim” has the
meaning set forth in Section 10.5(a).
“Off-the-Shelf Software”
means any Software that is generally available to the public
through retail stores or commercial distribution channels and
licensed to the Company or the Company Subsidiaries pursuant to
standard terms and conditions.
“Open Source Software”
shall mean any software that is distributed as free software or
open source software, or under similar licensing or distribution
models.
“Parties” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“Percentage Interests” has
the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Person” means an
individual, a partnership, a limited liability company, a
corporation, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a
joint venture, an unincorporated organization, any Governmental
Entity, or any similar entity.
“Personal Data” shall mean
any information that relates to, identifies, describes, is capable
of being associated with, or could reasonably linked to an
individual, including name, street address, telephone number, email
address, photograph, video, biometric data, social security number,
driver’s license number, passport number, customer or account
number, or financial information.
“Pre-Closing Tax Period”
means any taxable period or portion thereof ending on or before the
Closing Date and, with respect to any taxable period beginning
before and ending after the Closing Date, the portion of such
taxable period ending on and including the Closing
Date.
A-7
“Proceeding” means any
Action, summons, citations or subpoena, audit, hearing, public
meeting or inquiry of any kind or nature whatsoever, civil,
criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, at law or in
equity, whether or not such matter is before a Governmental Entity
or any other Person.
“Prohibited Transaction”
is defined in ERISA Section 406 and Code Section 4975.
“Purchase
Price” means the sum of (i) $18,000,000, plus (ii)
Buyer Stock, plus (iii) the portion of the $2,000,000 in cash or
shares of the Earn-Out Payment, if any, that is earned and due and
payable hereunder, each as otherwise adjusted in accordance with
the terms of the this Agreement.
“Purchased Interests” has
the meaning set forth in the Section 1.1.
“Related
Person” means (a) with respect to an individual: (i)
each other member of such individual’s nuclear family; (ii)
any Person that is directly or indirectly controlled by such
individual or any one or more members of such individual’s
nuclear family; (iii) any Person in which members of such
individual’s nuclear family hold (individually or in the
aggregate) a material interest; and (iv) any Person with respect to
which one or more members of such individual’s nuclear family
serves as a director, officer, partner, manager, executor, or
trustee (or in a similar capacity) and (b) with respect to a Person
other than an individual: (i) any Person that directly or
indirectly controls, is directly or indirectly controlled by, or is
directly or indirectly under common control with, such specified
Person; (ii) any Person that holds a material interest in such
specified Person; (iii) each Person that serves as a director,
officer, partner, manager, executor, or trustee of such specified
Person (or in a similar capacity); (iv) any Person in which
such specified Person holds a material interest; and (v) any
Person with respect to which such specified Person serves as a
general partner, manager, or a trustee (or in a similar
capacity).
“Released Claims” has the
meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).
“Released Parties” has the
meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).
“Releasing Parties” has
the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).
“Relevant Group” means any
affiliated, combined, consolidated, unitary or other group for Tax
purposes, including (without limitation) an affiliated group of
corporations within the meaning of Section 1504 of the
Code.
“Representatives” means,
with respect to a Person, such Person's officers, directors,
stockholders, partners, members, managers, employees, consultants,
agents, attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, advisors,
financing sources and other representatives.
“Review Period” has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“R&W Insurer” has the
meaning set forth in Section 6.8.
“R&W Policy” has the
meaning set forth in Section 6.8.
“SEC” means the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
“Schedules” has the
meaning set forth in Section 12.14.
“Sensitive Data” means any
data of the Company that is comprised of or contains the
Company’s Intellectual Property and/or Personal
Data.
A-8
“Software” means any and
all (i) computer programs, including any and all software
implementations of algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in
source code, object code or other form; (ii) descriptions,
flow-charts and other work product used to design, plan, organize
and develop any of the foregoing; (iii) data, databases and
compilations of data, whether machine readable or otherwise; and
(iv) documentation and other materials related to any of the
foregoing, including user manuals and training
materials.
“Standard Representations”
means all representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement or any other Transaction Document, any Schedule, any
Exhibit, or any other certificate, document, or other writing
delivered in connection with this Agreement or other Transaction
Document, in all cases, other than the Fundamental
Representations.
“Straddle Period” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.1(c).
“Subsidiaries” means with
respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, association or
other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of
the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard
to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of
directors is at the time owned or controlled, directly or
indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries
of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a
partnership, association or other business entity, a majority of
the partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at
the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such
Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination
thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed
to have a majority ownership interest in a partnership, association
or other business entity if such Person or Persons shall be
allocated a majority of partnership, association or other business
entity gains or losses or shall be or control the managing director
or general partner of such partnership, association or other
business entity.
“Target Working Capital
Schedule” means Schedule B hereto.
“Tax” (and, with
correlative meaning, “Taxes,”
“Taxable” and
“Taxing”) means
(i) any federal, state, local or foreign income, gross
receipts, franchise, estimated, alternative minimum, add-on
minimum, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added, excise,
natural resources, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall
profits, environmental (including, without limitation, under
Section 59A of the Code), customs, duty, escheat, unclaimed
property, real property, real property gains, personal property,
capital stock, social security, Medicare, unemployment, disability,
payroll, license, employee or other withholding or other tax
assessment, fees, levy or other charge of any kind whatever imposed
by any Governmental Entity, whether disputed or not, including,
without limitation, any interest, penalties or additions to tax or
additional amounts in respect of the foregoing; (ii) any Liability
for or in respect of the payment of any amount of a type described
in clause (i) of this definition arising as a result of being
or having been a member of a Relevant Group and (iii) any Liability
for or in respect of the payment of any amount of a type described
in clause (i) or (ii) of this definition as a transferee or
successor, by Contract or otherwise.
“Tax Contest” has the
meaning set forth in Section 8.1(j).
“Tax Indemnitee” means
Buyer and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates (including, following the
Closing, the Company).
“Tax Representations”
means the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.8.
“Tax Return” means any
return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return
or other document (including, without limitation, any related or
supporting schedules, statements or information) filed or required
to be filed in connection with the determination, assessment or
collection of Taxes or the administration of any Law relating to
any Taxes.
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“Taxing Authority” means
any Governmental Entity having or purporting to exercise
jurisdiction with respect to any Tax.
“Third-Party Claim” has
the meaning set forth in Section 10.5(a).
“Third-Party Defense” has
the meaning set forth in Section 10.5(b).
“Transaction Documents”
means this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the Employment
Agreements, and each other agreement executed pursuant to this
Agreement and each other document or certificate contemplated
hereby or thereby.
“WARN Act” has the meaning
set forth in Section
4.12(h).
“Working Capital
Adjustment” means, (1) if the amount of the Closing
Date Net Working Capital is less than the Net Working Capital
Target, a reduction to the Purchase Price by an amount equal to the
absolute value of the Closing Date Net Working Capital minus the
Net Working Capital Target, (2) if the amount of the Closing Date
Net Working Capital is greater than the Net Working Capital Target,
an increase to the Purchase Price by an amount equal to the
absolute value of the Net Working Capital Target minus the Closing
Date Net Working Capital, or (3) if the amount of the Closing Date
Net Working Capital is neither less than nor greater than the Net
Working Capital Target, then an amount equal to zero.
“Year-End Financial
Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.5.
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