dated as of June 22, 2008
by and among
REPUBLIC SERVICES, INC.,
RS MERGER WEDGE, INC.
and
ALLIED WASTE INDUSTRIES, INC.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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1
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ARTICLE II THE MERGER
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10
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Section 2.01
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The Merger
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10
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Section 2.02
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Effective Time
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10
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Section 2.03
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Closing
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10
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Section 2.04
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Conversion of Shares
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11
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Section 2.05
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Surrender and Payment
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11
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Section 2.06
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Equity Awards
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12
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Section 2.07
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Fractional Shares
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13
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Section 2.08
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Withholding Rights
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13
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Section 2.09
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Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates
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13
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Section 2.10
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Adjustments
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14
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ARTICLE III THE SURVIVING CORPORATION; REPUBLIC BY-LAWS
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14
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Section 3.01
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Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation
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14
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Section 3.02
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By-laws of the Surviving Corporation
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14
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Section 3.03
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Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation
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14
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Section 3.04
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Republic Charter Amendment
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14
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Section 3.05
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By-laws of Republic
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14
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ALLIED
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14
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Section 4.01
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Organization, Standing and Power
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14
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Section 4.02
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Allied Subsidiaries
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15
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Section 4.03
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Capital Structure
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15
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Section 4.04
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Authorization; Validity of Agreement; Necessary
Action
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15
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Section 4.05
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No Conflicts; Consents
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16
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Section 4.06
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SEC Documents; Financial Statements;
Undisclosed Liabilities
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16
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Section 4.07
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Information Supplied
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17
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Section 4.08
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Absence of Certain Changes or Events
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17
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Section 4.09
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Taxes
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17
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Section 4.10
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Benefit Plans
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18
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Section 4.11
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Employment and Labor Matters
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19
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Section 4.12
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Litigation
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20
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Section 4.13
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Compliance with Applicable Laws
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20
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i
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Page
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Section 4.14
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Contracts
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21
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Section 4.15
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Intellectual Property
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21
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Section 4.16
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Real Estate
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22
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Section 4.17
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Environmental Matters
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22
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Section 4.18
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Brokers
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23
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Section 4.19
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Opinion of Financial Advisor
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23
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Section 4.20
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State Takeover Statutes
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23
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Section 4.21
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Rights Plan
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23
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Section 4.22
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Ownership of Republic Common Stock; Section 203
of the DGCL
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23
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Section 4.23
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Interests in Competitors
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23
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Section 4.24
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Insurance
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23
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ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF REPUBLIC AND
MERGER SUB
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23
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Section 5.01
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Organization, Standing and Power
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24
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Section 5.02
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Republic Subsidiaries
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24
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Section 5.03
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Capital Structure
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24
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Section 5.04
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Authorization; Validity of Agreement; Necessary
Action
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25
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Section 5.05
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No Conflicts; Consents
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25
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Section 5.06
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SEC Documents; Financial Statements;
Undisclosed Liabilities
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26
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Section 5.07
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Information Supplied
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27
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Section 5.08
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Absence of Certain Changes or Events
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27
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Section 5.09
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Taxes
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27
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Section 5.10
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Benefit Plans
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28
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Section 5.11
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Employment and Labor Matters
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29
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Section 5.12
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Litigation
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29
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Section 5.13
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Compliance with Applicable Laws
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30
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Section 5.14
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Contracts
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30
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Section 5.15
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Intellectual Property
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31
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Section 5.16
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Real Estate
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31
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Section 5.17
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Environmental Matters
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32
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Section 5.18
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Brokers
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32
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Section 5.19
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Opinion of Financial Advisor
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33
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Section 5.20
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State Takeover Statutes
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33
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Section 5.21
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Rights Plan
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33
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ii
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Page
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Section 5.22
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Ownership of Allied Common Stock; Section 203
of the DGCL
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33
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Section 5.23
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Interests in Competitors
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33
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Section 5.24
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Insurance
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33
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Section 5.25
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Operations of Merger Sub
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33
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ARTICLE VI COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
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33
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Section 6.01
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Conduct of Business
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33
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Section 6.02
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No Solicitation
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38
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ARTICLE VII ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
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40
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Section 7.01
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Preparation of the Form S-4 and Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus
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40
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Section 7.02
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Stockholders Meeting; Recommendations
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41
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Section 7.03
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Access to Information; Confidentiality
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41
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Section 7.04
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Efforts to Consummate, Notification.
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42
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Section 7.05
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Tax Treatment
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43
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Section 7.06
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Indemnification; D&O Insurance
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43
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Section 7.07
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Public Announcements
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44
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Section 7.08
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Stock Transfer Taxes
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45
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Section 7.09
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Employee Matters
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45
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Section 7.10
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Section 16 Matters
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46
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Section 7.11
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Financing
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46
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Section 7.12
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Stock Exchange Listing
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47
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Section 7.13
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Notice of Certain Events
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47
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Section 7.14
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Certain Corporate Governance and Other Matters
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47
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Section 7.15
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Control of Operations
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48
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Section 7.16
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State Takeover Statutes
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48
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ARTICLE VIII CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
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48
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Section 8.01
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Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to
Effect the Merger
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48
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Section 8.02
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Conditions to Obligation of Allied to Effect
the Merger
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48
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Section 8.03
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Conditions to Obligation of Republic and Merger
Sub to Effect the Merger
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49
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ARTICLE IX TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
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50
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Section 9.01
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Termination
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50
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Section 9.02
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Effect of Termination; Remedies
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51
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Section 9.03
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Amendment
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51
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Section 9.04
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Extension; Waiver
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51
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iii
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Page
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ARTICLE X GENERAL PROVISIONS
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51
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Section 10.01
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Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties;
Disclosure Schedule
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51
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Section 10.02
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Notices
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51
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Section 10.03
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Fees and Expenses
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52
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Section 10.04
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Interpretation
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53
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Section 10.05
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Severability
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54
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Section 10.06
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Counterparts
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54
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Section 10.07
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Entire Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiaries
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54
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Section 10.08
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Governing Law
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54
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Section 10.09
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Assignment
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54
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Section 10.10
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Enforcement
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54
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Section 10.11
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Submission to Jurisdiction
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54
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Section 10.12
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Acknowledgement
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55
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Section 10.13
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Waiver of Jury Trial
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55
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EXHIBIT
A REPUBLIC CHARTER AMENDMENT
EXHIBIT
B NEW REPUBLIC BY-LAWS
iv
This
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of
June 22, 2008 (this “
Agreement”), is by
and among Republic Services, Inc., a
Delaware corporation
(“
Republic”), RS Merger Wedge, Inc., a
Delaware
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic
(“
Merger Sub”), and Allied Waste Industries,
Inc., a
Delaware corporation (“
Allied”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the respective boards of directors of each of
Republic and Allied have determined that a business combination
between Republic and Allied is fair to and in the best interests
of their respective companies and stockholders and accordingly
have approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the
Merger (as defined below), upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the combination of Republic and Allied shall be
effected by the terms of this Agreement through the Merger;
WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Board of
Directors of each of Republic, Allied and Merger Sub has
approved this Agreement and the Merger, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of this Agreement, pursuant to which
each share of capital stock of Allied issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined below) will
be converted into the right to receive shares of capital stock
of Republic as set forth herein;
WHEREAS, Republic, in its capacity as sole stockholder of
Merger Sub, has agreed to approve and adopt this Agreement and
the Merger by written consent in accordance with the
requirements of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, as amended from time to time (the
“
DGCL”), as provided for herein and shall
approve and adopt this Agreement and the Merger immediately
after the execution of this Agreement;
WHEREAS, Republic and Allied desire to make certain
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in
connection with the Merger and also to prescribe various
conditions to the Merger; and
WHEREAS, for Federal income tax purposes, it is intended
that the Merger shall qualify as a “reorganization”
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and this Agreement
shall constitute a plan of reorganization within the meaning of
Treasury Regulations
Section 1.368-2(g).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and of
the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
contained in this Agreement, the parties to this Agreement
(each, a “party” and collectively, the
“parties”) agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
“Acquisition Proposal” has the meaning set
forth in Section 6.02(a).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person,
another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with such Person. For purposes of this definition, the
term “control” (including the correlative terms
“controlling,” “controlled by” and
“under common control with”) means the possession,
directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management policies of a Person, whether
through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble hereto.
“Allied” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble hereto.
“Allied Accounts Receivables Facility” has the
meaning set forth in Section 7.11(b).
“Allied By-laws” means the by-laws of Allied,
as amended to the date of this Agreement.
“Allied Charter” means the certificate of
incorporation of Allied, as amended to the date of this
Agreement.
“Allied Common Stock” means the common stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of Allied.
“Allied Convertible Debt” means the
4.25% Senior Subordinated Convertible Debentures due 2034
of Allied.
“Allied Convertible Debt Indenture” means that
certain Indenture dated as of April 20, 2004, between
Allied and U.S. Bank, National Association, as Trustee,
including all amendments thereto and all supplements thereto, as
the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, restated,
renewed or refinanced from time to time.
“Allied Covered Contract” has the meaning set
forth in Section 6.01(a)(x).
“Allied Credit Facility” means the senior
secured credit facility governed by the Credit Agreement, dated
as of July 21, 1999, as amended and restated as of
March 21, 2005, with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citicorp
North America, Inc, UBS Securities LLC, Credit Suisse First
Boston, acting through its Cayman Islands Branch, Wachovia Bank,
National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas,
Fleet National Bank and the lenders party thereto, as amended
November 14, 2005, March 30, 2006, July 26, 2006
and March 28, 2007, as the same may be amended, modified,
supplemented, restated, renewed or refinanced from time to time.
“Allied Disclosure Schedule” means the
disclosure schedule delivered by Allied to Republic concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement.
“Allied DSU” means each Allied RSU that is
deferred pursuant to the terms of any deferred compensation plan
of Allied or any Allied Subsidiary.
“Allied Equity Award” means an Allied Stock
Option, Allied Restricted Share, Allied RSU or Allied DSU.
“Allied Financial Statements” means the
consolidated financial statements of Allied and the Allied
Subsidiaries included in each of Allied’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and
December 31, 2007, Allied’s Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 or any Allied SEC
Document filed with the SEC after the date hereof, including in
the case of year-end statements the report of the independent
auditors thereon and in each case the footnotes thereto.
“Allied Plans” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.10(a).
“Allied Preferred Stock” means the preferred
stock, par value $0.10 per share, of Allied.
“Allied Recommendation” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.02(a).
“Allied Restricted Share” means each share of
restricted Allied Common Stock granted under a Allied Stock Plan.
“Allied RSU” means each restricted stock unit
granted under an Allied Stock Plan.
“Allied SEC Documents” means all reports,
schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be
filed with or furnished to the SEC by Allied since
December 31, 2005.
“Allied Stock Awards” has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.06(b).
“Allied Stock Option” means any option to
purchase Allied Common Stock granted under an Allied Stock Plan.
“Allied Stock Plans” means Allied’s:
Amended and Restated 1991 Incentive Stock Plan; Amended and
Restated 2006 Incentive Stock Plan; 1994 Amended and Restated
Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan; and 2005 Non-Employee
Director Equity Compensation Plan.
“Allied Stockholder Approval” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.04(c).
“Allied Stockholder Meeting” has the meaning
set forth in Section 7.02(a).
“Allied Subsidiaries” means the Subsidiaries of
Allied.
2
“Antitrust Division” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.04(a).
“Antitrust Law” means The Xxxxxxx Antitrust
Act, as amended, The Xxxxxxx Antitrust Act, as amended, the HSR
Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all other
federal, state or foreign statutes, rules, regulations, orders,
decrees, administrative and judicial doctrines and other Laws
that are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate
actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or
restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger
and acquisition.
“Applicable Tax Law” means any applicable Law
relating to Taxes (including regulations and other official
pronouncements of any Governmental Entity charged with
interpreting such applicable Law).
“
A-Sub” means Allied Waste North America, Inc.,
a
Delaware corporation.
“A-Sub Senior Notes Indenture” means that
certain Indenture dated as of December 23, 1998, among
A-Sub, Allied, various Subsidiaries of Allied, and
U.S. Bank Trust, National Association, as Trustee,
including all amendments thereto and all supplements thereto, as
the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, restated,
renewed or refinanced from time to time.
“
B-Sub” means Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxx Industries, LLC
(f/k/a Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxx Industries, Inc.), a
Delaware limited
liability corporation.
“B-Sub Indenture” means the Restated Indenture
dated as of September 1, 1991, between B-Sub and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly Chase Bank of Texas, N.A.), as
successor trustee to First City, Texas-Houston, N.A., including
all amendments thereto and supplements thereto, as the same may
be amended, modified, supplemented, restated, renewed or
refinanced from time to time.
“Board of Directors” means, as to any Person,
the board of directors of such Person.
“Burdensome Condition” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.04(c).
“Business Day” means any day, other than
(a) any Saturday or Sunday or (b) any other day on
which banks in the City of New York are authorized or required
by Law to be closed for business.
“Certificate” or
“Certificates” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.05(a).
“Certificate of Merger” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.02.
“Change in Allied Recommendation” has the
meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a).
“Change in Republic Recommendation” has the
meaning set forth in Section 7.02(b).
“Change in Recommendation” means a Change in
Allied Recommendation or a Change in Republic Recommendation.
“Changing Party” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.02(f).
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.03.
“Closing Date” means the date on which the
Closing occurs.
“Code” has the meaning set forth in the
recitals hereto.
“Confidentiality Agreement” means the
confidentiality agreement, dated March 25, 2008, between
Allied and Republic, as amended.
“Consent” means any consent, approval, license,
Permit, Order or authorization.
“Continuation Dates” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.09(a).
“Continuing Allied Directors” has the meaning
set forth in Section 7.14(e).
“Continuing Republic Directors” has the meaning
set forth in Section 7.14(e).
“Contract” means any contract, lease, license,
indenture, note, bond, mortgage, agreement, instrument or other
binding arrangement (whether written or oral).
3
“Covered Employees” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.09(a).
“Current Premium” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.06(b).
“DGCL” has the meaning set forth in the
recitals hereto.
“Debt Financing” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.11(b).
“Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.02.
“Environmental Laws” means all Laws relating to
the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural
resources, the presence, management or Release of, or exposure
to, Hazardous Materials, or to the impacts of Hazardous
Materials on human health, safety and welfare, including the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.), the Hazardous
Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. § 5101 et
seq.), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq.), the Clean Water Act
(33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act
(42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.), the Safe Drinking
Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.), the
Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. § 2601 et
seq.), and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act (7 U.S.C. § 136 et seq.), each of their state
and local counterparts or equivalents, each of their foreign and
international equivalents and any transfer of ownership
notification or approval statute (including the Industrial Site
Recovery Act (N.J. Stat. Xxx. § 13:1K-6 et
seq.)), as each has been amended and the regulations
promulgated pursuant thereto.
“Environmental Liabilities” means, with respect
to any Person, all liabilities, obligations, responsibilities,
remedial actions, losses, damages, punitive damages,
consequential damages, treble damages, costs and expenses
(including all reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of
counsel, experts and consultants and costs of investigation and
feasibility studies), fines, penalties, sanctions, injunctions,
liens, institutional or engineering controls, use restrictions
and interest incurred as a result of any claim or demand by any
other Person or in response to any violation of Environmental
Laws, whether known or unknown, accrued or contingent, whether
based in contract, tort, implied or express warranty, strict
liability, criminal or civil statute, in each case to the extent
based upon, related to, or arising under or pursuant to any
Environmental Law, Environmental Permit or order or agreement
with any Governmental Entity or other Person or which relates to
any environmental, health or safety condition, violation of any
Environmental Laws or a Release or threatened Release of
Hazardous Materials, including any actual or alleged liability
arising from a Release of Hazardous Materials for personal
liability, property damage, natural resource damages or
environmental response actions.
“Environmental Permits” means any Permit
required under any Environmental Law.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to any
Person, any corporation, trade or business which, together with
such Person, is a member of a controlled group of corporations
or a group of trades or businesses under common control within
the meaning of Section 414 of the Code.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Exchange Agent” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.05(a).
“Exchange Ratio” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.04(a).
“Expenses” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.03(d)(ii).
“FTC” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.04(a).
“Filed Allied SEC Documents” means all Allied
SEC Documents (excluding for purposes hereof the contents of
exhibits thereto) that were filed with or furnished to the SEC
and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement.
“Filed Republic SEC Documents” means all
Republic SEC Documents (excluding for purposes hereof the
contents of exhibits thereto) that were filed with or furnished
to the SEC and publicly available prior to the date of this
Agreement.
4
“Form S-4”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.07.
“GAAP” means U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles.
“Governmental Entity” means any domestic or
foreign governmental or regulatory authority, court, agency,
department, division, commission, body or other legislative,
executive or judicial governmental entity, including any
subdivision thereof.
“Hazardous Materials” means any material,
substance or waste that is (i) regulated, monitored or
subject to reporting under or pursuant to any Environmental Law
as “hazardous”, “toxic”, a
“pollutant”, a “contaminant”,
“radioactive” or words of similar meaning or effect,
including petroleum and its by-products, asbestos,
polychlorinated biphenyls, radon, mold, urea formaldehyde
insulation, chlorofluorocarbons and all other ozone-depleting
substances, or (ii) a basis for potential liability to any
Government Entity or third party under any Environmental Law.
“Hedging Agreement” means any Interest Rate
Protection Agreement or commodity price protection agreement or
other commodity price hedging arrangement.
“HSR Act” means the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended from time to time.
“Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.06(a).
“Indentures” means the Allied Convertible Debt
Indenture, the A-Sub Senior Notes Indenture and the B-Sub
Indenture.
“Insiders” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.10.
“Intellectual Property” means all intellectual
property rights, including patents, proprietary inventions,
technology, discoveries, processes, formulae and know-how,
copyrights and rights in copyrightable works (including
software, databases, software applications and code, computer
systems and networks, website content, and related
documentation), trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos,
domain names, trade dress and other source indicators, trade
secrets, confidential and proprietary customer data and other
confidential and proprietary information.
“Interest Rate Protection Agreement” means any
interest rate protection agreement or foreign currency exchange
agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate hedging
agreement.
“IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue
Service.
“Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus” has the
meaning set forth in Section 7.01.
“Knowledge” means (i) with respect to
Allied, the actual knowledge of Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxx and Xxxx Xxxxx and
(ii) with respect to Republic, the actual knowledge of
Xxxxx X’Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxx.
“Laws” means all federal, state, local or
foreign laws, common law, statutes, ordinances, codes, rules,
regulations, Orders and decrees of Governmental Entities.
“Liens” means pledges, liens, charges,
mortgages, encumbrances and security interests of any kind or
nature whatsoever.
“Losses” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.06(a).
“Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect
to either party, any change, event or occurrence that has a
material adverse effect on the assets and liabilities (taken as
a whole), financial condition or business of that party and of
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided,
however, that none of the following, or any change, event
or occurrence resulting or arising from the following, shall
constitute, or shall be considered in determining whether there
has occurred, a Material Adverse Effect: (i) changes in
conditions in the U.S. or global economy or capital or
financial markets generally, including changes in interest or
exchange rates (provided that such conditions do not
affect that party or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
in a materially disproportionate manner as compared to other
companies operating in the same industry); (ii) changes in
general legal, tax, regulatory, political or business
5
conditions in the jurisdictions in which that party or any of
its Subsidiaries operates (provided that such conditions do not
affect that party or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
in a materially disproportionate manner as compared to other
companies operating in the same industry); (iii) general
market or economic conditions in the industry in which that
party or any of its Subsidiaries operates (provided that
such conditions do not affect that party or any of its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in a materially disproportionate
manner as compared to other companies operating in the same
industry); (iv) actions contemplated by the parties in
connection with this Agreement; (v) the negotiation,
execution, announcement, pendency or performance of this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
or any public communications by the other party regarding this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, including, in
any such case, the impact thereof on relationships, contractual
or otherwise, with lenders, investors, venture partners or
employees (provided that a negative impact on
relationships with customers or vendors, taken as a whole, may
be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse
Effect has occurred) (and provided, further that the exception
in this clause (v) shall not affect the representations and
warranties of (A) Allied in Section 4.05 or
(B) Republic in Section 5.05, as applicable);
(vi) changes after the date of this Agreement in applicable
United States or foreign, federal, state or local Law or
interpretations thereof (provided that such changes do
not affect that party or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, in a materially disproportionate manner as compared to
other companies operating in the same industry);
(vii) changes in generally accepted accounting principles
or the interpretation thereof; (viii) any action taken
pursuant to or in accordance with this Agreement or at the
request or with the consent of the other party; (ix) any
failure by that party to meet any projections, guidance,
estimates, forecasts or milestones or financial or operating
predictions for or during any period ending (or for which
results are released) on or after the date hereof (it being
agreed that the facts and circumstances giving rise to such
failure may be taken into account in determining whether a
Material Adverse Effect has occurred); (x) any Proceeding
arising from or relating to the Merger or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; (xi) a decline in the price
of that party’s Common Stock (it being agreed that the
facts and circumstances giving rise to such decline may be taken
into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect
has occurred); (xii) labor conditions in the industry in
which that party or any of its Subsidiaries operates
(provided that such conditions do not affect that party
or any of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in a materially
disproportionate manner as compared to other companies operating
in the same industry); and (xiii) any natural disaster or
other acts of God, acts of war, armed hostilities, sabotage or
terrorism, or any escalation or worsening of an y such acts of
war, armed hostilities, sabotage or terrorism threatened or
underway as of the date of this Agreement (provided that such
conditions do not affect that party or any of its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, in a materially disproportionate manner as
compared to other companies operating in the same industry); and
provided, in the event any such change, event or occurrence
identified in subsection (i), (ii), (iii), (vi), (xii) or
(xiii) does adversely affect a party or its Subsidiaries in
a materially disproportionate manner (after giving effect to the
impact of such change, event or occurrence at the level of
impact generally experienced by other companies operating in the
same industry), such change, event or occurrence shall be
considered in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has
occurred only to the extent of the disproportionate impact on
the party and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
“Material Allied Contracts” means any of the
following Contracts: (a) those Contracts which are filed as
exhibits to the Allied SEC Documents; (b) those franchise
Contracts pursuant to which Allied or any Allied Subsidiaries
generated an aggregate of $5,000,000 or more in revenues during
the twelve-month period immediately preceding the date hereof;
and/or
(c) the Material Allied Real Property Leases.
“Material Allied Leased Real Property” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.16(a).
“Material Allied Owned Real Property” means any
parcel of real estate owned by Allied or any Allied Subsidiary
being operated as a landfill site as of the date hereof having a
size of five hundred (500) acres or more.
“Material Allied Real Property” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.16(a).
“Material Allied Real Property Lease” means any
lease of real property providing for the payment by Allied or
any Allied Subsidiaries of aggregate annual rental payments of
$1,000,000 or more.
“Material Republic Contracts” means any of the
following Contracts: (a) those Contracts which are filed as
exhibits to the Republic SEC Documents; (b) those franchise
Contracts pursuant to which Republic or any Republic
6
Subsidiaries generated an Aggregate of $5,000,000 or more in
revenues during the twelve-month period immediately preceding
the date hereof;
and/or
(c) the Material Republic Real Property Leases.
“Material Republic Leased Real Property” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.16(a).
“Material Republic Owned Real Property” means
any parcel of real estate owned by Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary being operated as a landfill site as of the date
hereof having a size of five hundred (500) acres or more.
“Material Republic Real Property” has the
meaning set forth in Section 5.16(a).
“Material Republic Real Property Lease” means
any lease of real property providing for the payment by Republic
or any Republic Subsidiary of aggregate annual rental payments
of $1,000,000 or more.
“Merger” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01(a).
“Merger Consideration” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.04(a).
“Merger Sub Common Stock” has the meaning set
forth in Section 5.03(b).
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors
Service, Inc., or any successor thereto.
“Multiemployer Plan” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“New Benefit Plans” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.09(a).
“New Republic By-laws” has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.05.
“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.
“Order” means, with respect to any Person, any
award, decision, injunction, judgment, stipulation, order,
ruling, subpoena, writ, decree, consent decree or verdict
entered, issued, made or rendered by any arbitrator or
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction affecting such
Person or any of its properties.
“ordinary and usual course of business” means
an action taken by a Person that is in the ordinary course of
business of such Person and consistent with the past practices
of such Person or with reasonable practices in the industry in
which the Person operates.
“Other Allied Equity Award” means an award
under any Allied Stock Plan other than a Allied Restricted
Share, Allied Stock Option or Allied RSU.
“Outside Date” has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.01(b)(i).
“party” has the meaning set forth in the
recitals hereto.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation.
“Permit” means any license, franchise, permit,
consent, variance, exemption, approval, order, certificate,
certification, registration, authorization, declaration or
filing.
“Permitted Liens” means, as to a Person,
(a) statutory Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics,
repairmen, workmen and materialmen incurred in the ordinary and
usual course of business for amounts not yet overdue or being
contested in good faith, (b) Liens for Taxes not yet due
and payable or being contested in good faith in appropriate
proceedings during which collection or enforcement is stayed,
(c) Liens securing any indebtedness of the Person or its
Subsidiaries existing on the date of this Agreement or any
refinancing thereof or any indebtedness not prohibited to be
incurred by the Person or any of its Subsidiaries under the
terms of this Agreement and (d) Liens that, in the
aggregate, do not and will not materially interfere with the
ability of the Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to
conduct business as currently conducted.
“Person” means any individual, corporation
(including any non-profit corporation), general or limited
partnership, company, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, estate, association, organization or other entity or
Governmental Entity.
“Proceedings” means any action, arbitration,
proceeding, litigation or suit (whether civil, criminal or
administrative) commenced, brought, conducted or heard by or
before, or otherwise involving, any Governmental
7
Entity or arbitrator, including receipt of any notice of
violation or potential liability or sanctions under any
Environmental Laws.
“Release” means any spilling, leaking, pumping,
pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping,
leaching, dumping, disposing of or migrating into or through the
environment or any natural or man-made structure.
“Representatives” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.02(a).
“Republic” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble hereto.
“Republic Board” means the Board of Directors
of Republic.
“Republic By-laws” means the by-laws of
Republic, as amended to the date of this Agreement.
“Republic Charter” means the certificate of
incorporation of Republic, as amended to the date of this
Agreement.
“Republic Charter Amendment” has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.04.
“Republic Common Stock” means the common stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of Republic.
“Republic Covered Contract” has the meaning set
forth in Section 6.01(b)(x).
“Republic Credit Facility” means the unsecured
revolving credit facility governed by the Credit Agreement,
dated as of April 26, 2007, among Republic, Bank of
America, N.A., Citibank, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
Barclays Bank PLC and Suntrust Banc, Banc of America Securities
LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and the lenders party
thereto, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented,
restated, renewed or refinanced from time to time.
“Republic DSU” means each deferred stock unit
granted under a Republic Stock Plan.
“Republic Disclosure Schedule” means the
disclosure schedule delivered by Republic to Allied concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement.
“Republic Equity Award” means a Republic Stock
Option, Republic Restricted Share, Republic RSU or Republic DSU.
“Republic Financial Statements” means the
consolidated financial statements of Republic and the Republic
Subsidiaries included in each of Republic’s Annual Report
on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and
December 31, 2007, Republic’s Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 or any Republic SEC
Document filed with the SEC after the date hereof, including in
the case of year-end statements the report of the independent
auditors thereon and in each case the footnotes thereto.
“Republic Plans” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.10(a).
“Republic Recommendation” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.02(b).
“Republic Restricted Shares” means each share
of restricted Republic Common Stock granted under a Republic
Stock Plan.
“Republic RSU” means each restricted stock unit
or deferred stock unit granted under a Republic Stock Plan.
“Republic SEC Documents” means all reports,
schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be
filed with or furnished to the SEC by Republic since
December 31, 2005.
“Republic Share Issuance” means the issuance of
shares of Republic Common Stock to holders of Allied Common
Stock as a result of the Merger pursuant to the terms and
subject to the conditions of this Agreement.
“Republic Stock Option” means any option to
purchase Republic Common Stock granted under a Republic Stock
Plan.
“Republic Stock Plan” means either the Republic
1998 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended and restated March 6,
2002, or 2007 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended.
8
“Republic Stockholder Approval” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.04(c).
“Republic Stockholder Meeting” has the meaning
set forth in Section 7.02(b).
“Republic Subsidiaries” means the Subsidiaries
of Republic.
“Regulatory Divestiture” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.04(c).
“Restraints” has the meaning set forth in
Section 8.01(c).
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.13(c).
“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission.
“Section 16 Information” has the meaning
set forth in Section 7.10.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
“Standard & Poor’s” means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, or any successor
thereto.
“Stock Transfer Tax” means any Tax which is
attributable only to the transfer of Allied Common Stock
pursuant to this Agreement, and not including any Tax measured
by the income or gain of the transferor of such stock.
“Stockholder Approval” means the Republic
Stockholder Approval in the case of Republic and the Allied
Stockholder Approval in the case of Allied.
“Stockholder Vote Option” has the meaning set
forth in Section 6.02(f).
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person,
any corporation, association, general or limited partnership,
company, limited liability company, trust, joint venture,
organization or other entity the accounts of which would be
consolidated with those of such Person in such Person’s
consolidated financial statements if such financial statements
were prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as any other
corporation, association, general or limited partnership,
company, limited liability company, trust, joint venture,
organization or other entity of which more than 50% of the total
voting power of shares of capital stock or other interests
(including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to
the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of
directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person,
(ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
“Superior Proposal” has the meaning set forth
in Section 6.02(b)(ii).
“Surviving Corporation” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.01(a).
“Tax” (including, with correlative meaning, the
terms “Taxes” and “Taxable”)
means (i) all federal, state, local, provincial and foreign
income, profits, franchise, gross receipts, environmental,
customs duty, capital stock, severance, stamp, payroll, sales,
employment, unemployment, disability, use, property,
withholding, excise, production, value added, occupancy and
other taxes, duties or assessments of any nature whatsoever,
together with all interest, penalties and additions imposed with
respect to such amounts and any interest in respect of such
penalties and additions, (ii) liability for the payment of
any amount of the type described in clause (i) as a result
of being or having been before the Effective Time a member of an
affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group, or a party
to any agreement or arrangement, as a result of which liability
to a Tax Authority is determined or taken into account with
reference to the activities of any other Person, and
(iii) liability for the payment of any amount as a result
of being party to any Tax Sharing Agreement or with respect to
the payment of any amount imposed on any Person of the type
described in (i) or (ii) as a result of any existing
express or implied agreement or arrangement (including an
indemnification agreement or arrangement).
“Tax Authority” means, with respect to any Tax,
the Governmental Entity that imposes such Tax including the
agency (if any) charged with the collection of such Taxes for
such entity or subdivision, including any Governmental Entity
that imposes, or is charged with collecting, social security or
similar charges or premiums.
9
“Tax Return” means all returns and reports
(including elections, declarations, disclosures, schedules,
estimates and information returns) required to be supplied to a
Tax Authority relating to Taxes.
“Tax Sharing Agreements” means all existing
agreements or arrangements (whether or not written) binding a
party or any of its Subsidiaries that provide for the
allocation, apportionment, sharing or assignment of any Tax
liability or benefit, or the transfer or assignment of income,
revenues, receipts, or gains for the purpose of determining any
Person’s Tax liability (excluding any indemnification
agreement or arrangement pertaining to the sale or lease of
assets or subsidiaries).
“Termination Fee” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.03(d)(iii).
“Third Party” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.02(a).
“Uncertificated Shares” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.05(a).
“Voting Allied Debt” means any bonds,
debentures, notes or other indebtedness of Allied or any Allied
Subsidiary having the right to vote (or convertible into, or
exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any
matters on which stockholders of Allied may vote.
“Voting Republic Debt” means any bonds,
debentures, notes or other indebtedness of Republic or any
Republic Subsidiary having the right to vote (or convertible
into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote)
on any matters on which stockholders of Republic may vote.
“Voting Stock” of any Person means capital
stock of such Person that ordinarily has voting power for the
election of directors (or persons performing similar functions)
of such Person, whether at all times or only so long as no
senior class of securities has such voting power by reason of
any contingency.
“WARN Act” means The Workers Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act or any similar Law of any state.
ARTICLE II
THE
MERGER
Section 2.01 The Merger.
(a) At the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged (the
“Merger”) with and into Allied in accordance
with the DGCL, at which time the separate existence of Merger
Sub shall cease, and Allied shall be the surviving corporation
(the “Surviving Corporation”), and shall be a
wholly owned, direct subsidiary of Republic.
(b) From and after the Effective Time, the Surviving
Corporation shall possess all of the rights, powers, privileges
and franchises and be subject to all of the obligations,
liabilities, restrictions and disabilities of Allied and Merger
Sub, all as provided under the DGCL.
Section 2.02
Effective
Time. At the Closing, the parties shall file a
certificate of merger (the “
Certificate of
Merger”) with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware in such form as is required by and executed and
completed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the DGCL
and make all other filings or recordings required by the DGCL to
effect the Merger. The Merger shall become effective at such
time (the “
Effective Time”) as the Certificate
of Merger is duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State
of
Delaware (or at such later time as Republic and Allied
mutually agree and specify in the Certificate of Merger).
Section 2.03 Closing. Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
Article VIII, the closing of the Merger (the
“Closing”) will take place as soon as
practicable, but in no event later than two (2) Business
Days, after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set
forth in Article VIII (excluding conditions that by
their nature, cannot be satisfied until the Closing), or such
other time and date that the parties agree to in writing. The
Closing shall be held at the offices of Akerman Senterfitt, Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000,
unless another place is agreed to in writing by the parties
hereto.
Section 2.04 Conversion of
Shares. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the
Merger and without any action on the part of the holders thereof;
10
(a) except as otherwise provided in
Section 2.04(b), each share of Allied Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
cancelled and converted into the right to receive 0.45 (the
“Exchange Ratio”) validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable shares of Republic Common Stock (together with
the cash in lieu of fractional shares of Republic Common Stock
as provided in Section 2.07, the “Merger
Consideration”);
(b) each share of Allied Common Stock held by Allied, any
Allied Subsidiary, Republic or any Republic Subsidiary
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled, and
no payment shall be made with respect thereof in accordance with
this Article II; and
(c) each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share,
of Merger Sub outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be converted into one share of common stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Surviving Corporation and shall
constitute the only outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Surviving Corporation.
Section 2.05 Surrender and Payment.
(a) Prior to the Effective Time, Republic and Allied shall
appoint a mutually acceptable agent (the “Exchange
Agent”) for the purpose of exchanging for the Merger
Consideration (i) certificates representing, immediately
prior to the Effective Time, outstanding shares of Allied Common
Stock (the “Certificates”) or
(ii) uncertificated shares of Allied Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (the
“Uncertificated Shares”). Republic shall
(x) deposit with the Exchange Agent, to be held in trust
for the holders of Allied Common Stock, certificates (if such
shares shall be certificated) representing shares of Republic
Common Stock issuable pursuant to Section 2.04 in
exchange for outstanding shares of Allied Common Stock and
(y) make available to the Exchange Agent, when and as
needed, cash in amounts that are sufficient to pay cash in lieu
of fractional shares pursuant to Section 2.07 and
any dividends or other distributions pursuant to
Section 2.05(f), in each case, to be paid in respect
of the Certificates and the Uncertificated Shares. Promptly (but
in any event within five (5) Business Days) after the
Effective Time, Republic shall send, or shall cause the Exchange
Agent to send, to each holder of shares of Allied Common Stock
at the Effective Time a letter of transmittal and instructions
(which shall specify that the delivery shall be effected, and
risk of loss and title shall pass, only upon proper delivery of
the Certificates (or the documentation required by
Section 2.09) or transfer of the Uncertificated
Shares to the Exchange Agent) for use in such exchange.
(b) Each holder of shares of Allied Common Stock shall be
entitled to receive, upon (i) surrender to the Exchange
Agent of a Certificate, together with a properly completed
letter of transmittal (or the documentation required by
Section 2.09), or (ii) receipt of an
“agent’s message” by the Exchange Agent (or such
other evidence, if any, of transfer as the Exchange Agent may
reasonably request) in the case of a book-entry transfer of
Uncertificated Shares, the aggregate Merger Consideration that
such holder has a right to receive pursuant to
Section 2.04 and any dividends or other
distributions payable to such holder pursuant to
Section 2.05(f). The shares of Republic
Common Stock constituting part of such Merger Consideration, at
Republic’s option, shall be in uncertificated book-entry
form, unless a physical certificate is requested by a holder of
shares of Allied Common Stock or it otherwise required under
applicable Law. As a result of the Merger, at the Effective
Time, all shares of Allied Common Stock shall cease to be
outstanding and each holder thereof shall cease to have any
rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the
Merger Consideration payable in respect thereof and any
dividends or other distributions payable pursuant to
Section 2.05(f).
(c) If any portion of the Merger Consideration is to be
paid to a Person other than the Person in whose name the
surrendered Certificate or the transferred Uncertificated Share
is registered, it shall be a condition to such payment that
(i) either such Certificate shall be properly endorsed or
shall otherwise be in proper form for transfer or such
Uncertificated Share shall be properly transferred and
(ii) the Person requesting such payment shall pay to the
Exchange Agent any Stock Transfer Tax or other Taxes required as
a result of such payment to a Person other than the registered
holder of such Certificate or Uncertificated Share or establish
to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such tax has been
paid or is not payable.
(d) At the Effective Time, there shall be no further
registration of transfers of shares of Allied Common Stock that
were outstanding prior to the Merger. If, after the Effective
Time, Certificates or Uncertificated Shares are
11
presented to Republic, they shall be canceled and exchanged as
provided for, and in accordance with the procedures set forth,
in this Article II.
(e) Any portion of the Merger Consideration made available
to the Exchange Agent pursuant to Section 2.05(a)
that remains unclaimed by the holders of shares of Allied Common
Stock twelve (12) months after the Effective Time shall be
returned to Republic, upon demand, and any such holder who has
not exchanged Certificates or Uncertificated Shares, as the case
may be, for the Merger Consideration in accordance with this
Section 2.05 prior to that time shall thereafter
look only to Republic for payment of the Merger Consideration,
and any dividends and distribution with respect thereto, in
respect of such shares without any interest thereon.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Republic shall not be liable to
any holder of shares of Allied Common Stock for any amounts
properly paid to a public official pursuant to applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar laws. Any amounts
remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of Allied Common Stock
six years after the Effective Time (or such earlier date,
immediately prior to such time when the amounts would otherwise
escheat to or become property of any Governmental Entity) shall
become, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, the property
of Republic, free and clear of any claims or interest of any
Person previously entitled thereto.
(f) No dividends or other distributions with respect to
Republic Common Stock with a record date after the Effective
Time, and no cash payment in lieu of fractional shares as
provided in Section 2.07, shall be paid to the
holder of any unsurrendered Certificate or any Uncertificated
Share not transferred, until such Certificates or Uncertificated
Shares are surrendered or transferred, as the case may be, as
provided in this Section. Following such surrender or transfer,
there shall be paid, without interest, to the Person in whose
name the securities of Republic have been registered,
(i) at the time of such surrender or transfer, the amount
of any cash payable in lieu of fractional shares to which such
Person is entitled pursuant to Section 2.07 and the
amount of all dividends or other distributions, payable with
respect to that number of whole shares of Republic Common Stock
to which such Person is entitled pursuant to
Section 2.04, with a record date after the Effective
Time and previously paid or payable on the date of such
surrender with respect to such securities, and (ii) at the
appropriate payment date, the amount of dividends or other
distributions, payable with respect to that number of whole
shares of Republic Common Stock to which such Person is entitled
pursuant to Section 2.04, with a record date after
the Effective Time and prior to surrender or transfer and with a
payment date subsequent to surrender or transfer payable with
respect to such securities.
Section 2.06 Equity Awards.
(a) The terms of each outstanding Allied Stock Option,
whether or not exercisable or vested, shall be adjusted as
necessary to provide that, at the Effective Time, each Allied
Stock Option outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be deemed to constitute an option to acquire, on the same
terms and conditions (including vesting requirements on any
Allied Stock Option, but taking into account any acceleration of
Allied Equity Awards pursuant to any Allied Stock Plan or
applicable award agreement, employment agreement or other
similar agreement governing the terms of such award) as were
applicable under such Allied Stock Option, the number of whole
shares of Republic Common Stock equal to the number of shares of
Allied Common Stock subject to such Allied Stock Option
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded to the nearest whole
share), at a price per share of Republic Common Stock equal to
(i) the exercise price per share of Allied Common Stock
otherwise purchasable pursuant to such Allied Stock Option
divided by (ii) the Exchange Ratio, rounded to the nearest
whole cent; provided that the option price, the number of
shares purchasable pursuant to each such so adjusted option and
the terms and conditions of exercise of each such so adjusted
option shall be determined in order to comply with
Section 409A of the Code and for any Allied Stock Option to
which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its
qualification under any of Sections 422 through 424 of the
Code, the option price, the number of shares purchasable
pursuant to each such so adjusted option and the terms and
conditions of exercise of each such so adjusted option shall be
determined in order to comply with Section 424 of the Code.
Other than as provided in this Section 2.06, the
terms of the Allied Stock Options shall remain subject to any
existing conditions or limitations, with Republic assuming the
obligations and succeeding to the rights of Allied with respect
to such Allied Stock Options.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in
Section 2.07, at the Effective Time, each Allied
Restricted Share, Allied RSU or Allied DSU that is outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time (collectively, the
“Allied Stock Awards”) shall by virtue of the
Merger be converted into a restricted share, restricted stock
unit or deferred restricted
12
stock unit, respectively, on the same terms and conditions
(including applicable vesting requirements and deferral
provisions, but taking into account any acceleration of Allied
Equity Awards pursuant to any Allied Stock Plan or applicable
award agreement, employment agreement or other similar agreement
governing the terms of such award) as applied to each such
Allied Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time, with
respect to the number of shares of Republic Common Stock that is
equal to the number of shares of Allied Common Stock subject to
such Allied Stock Award multiplied by the Exchange Ratio
(rounded to the nearest whole share). Republic shall assume the
obligations and succeed to the rights of Allied with respect to
such Allied Stock Awards.
(c) Prior to the Effective Time, Allied shall (i) use
all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any consents from
holders of Allied Equity Awards granted under Allied’s
equity or compensation plans or other arrangements and
(ii) make any amendments to the terms of such equity or
compensation plans or other arrangements that are necessary to
give effect to the adjustments contemplated by this
Section 2.06.
(d) Prior to the Effective Time, Republic shall take such
actions as are necessary for the assumption of Allied Equity
Awards pursuant to this Section 2.06, including the
reservation, issuance and listing of Republic Common Stock as is
necessary to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this
Section 2.06. As soon as practicable
after the Effective Time, Republic shall prepare and file with
the SEC a registration statement on an appropriate form, or a
post-effective amendment to a registration statement previously
filed under the 1933 Act, with respect to the shares of
Republic Common Stock subject to the Allied Equity Awards and,
where applicable, shall use all commercially reasonable efforts
to have such registration statement declared effective as soon
as practicable following the Effective Time and to maintain the
effectiveness of such registration statement covering such
Allied Equity Awards (and to maintain the current status of the
prospectus contained therein) for so long as such Allied Equity
Awards remain outstanding. With respect to those individuals, if
any, who subsequent to the Effective Time, will be subject to
the reporting requirements under Section 16(a) of the
1934 Act where applicable, Republic shall use all
commercially reasonable efforts to administer Allied Equity
Awards assumed by Republic pursuant to this
Section 2.06 in a manner that complies with
Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the 1934 Act to the extent such Allied
Equity Awards complied with such rule prior to the Merger.
Section 2.07 Fractional
Shares. No certificates, scrip or shares of
Republic Common Stock representing fractional shares of Republic
Common Stock or book-entry credit of the same shall be issued
upon the surrender for exchange of Certificates or
Uncertificated Shares, and such fractional share interests shall
not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to have any rights as a
stockholder of Republic by virtue of such fractional share
interests. All fractional shares of Republic Common Stock that a
holder of shares of Allied Common Stock would otherwise be
entitled to receive as a result of the Merger shall be
aggregated and if a fractional share results from such
aggregation, such holder shall be entitled to receive, in lieu
thereof, an amount in cash without interest determined by
multiplying the closing sale price of a share of Republic Common
Stock on the NYSE on the first trading day immediately following
the Effective Time by the fraction of a share of Republic Common
Stock to which such holder would otherwise have been entitled.
Republic shall deposit with the Exchange Agent the funds
required to make the cash payments required by this
Section 2.07 when and as needed.
Section 2.08 Withholding
Rights. Republic and the Surviving Corporation
shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration
otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this
Article II such amounts as it is required to deduct
and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under
any provision of federal, state, local or foreign tax law. If
Republic or the Surviving Corporation so withholds amounts, such
amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as
having been paid to the Person in respect of which Republic or
the Surviving Corporation made such deduction and withholding.
Section 2.09 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed
Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been
lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of
that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost,
stolen or destroyed and if required by Republic, delivery by
such Person of an agreement in form reasonably satisfactory to
Republic or, as Republic may reasonably deem necessary, the
posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as
Republic may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be
made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange
Agent will issue, in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificate, the Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of
the shares of Allied Common Stock formerly represented by such
Certificate, as contemplated by this Article II and
any dividends or other distributions payable pursuant to
Section 2.05(f).
13
Section 2.10 Adjustments. If
at any time during the period between the date of this Agreement
and the Effective Time, any change in the outstanding shares of
capital stock of Republic or Allied shall occur by reason of any
reclassification, recapitalization, stock split, reverse split,
subdivision or combination, exchange or readjustment of shares,
or any stock dividend thereon with a record date during such
period, the Exchange Ratio and any amounts payable pursuant to
Section 2.05(f) or Section 2.07 of this
Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted.
ARTICLE III
THE
SURVIVING CORPORATION; REPUBLIC BY-LAWS
Section 3.01 Certificate of Incorporation of
the Surviving Corporation. The Allied Charter
shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation until amended in accordance with applicable Law.
Section 3.02 By-laws of the Surviving
Corporation. The Allied By-laws shall be the
by-laws of the Surviving Corporation until amended in accordance
with applicable Law.
Section 3.03 Directors and Officers of the
Surviving Corporation. From and after the
Effective Time, until successors are duly elected or appointed
and qualified in accordance with applicable laws, the directors
and the officers of Merger Sub at the Effective Time shall be
the directors and officers, respectively, of the Surviving
Corporation.
Section 3.04 Republic Charter
Amendment. If the Republic Stockholder Approval
is obtained, Republic shall take all actions necessary and file
all documents or instruments necessary to cause the Certificate
of Amendment to the Republic Charter in the form of
Exhibit A (the “Republic Charter
Amendment”) to be effective at the Effective Time.
Section 3.05 By-laws of
Republic. Republic shall take all actions
necessary to cause the by-laws of Republic at the Effective Time
to be in the form of Exhibit B (the “New
Republic By-laws”), subject to
Section 7.14(d).
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF ALLIED
Except as set forth in any Filed Allied SEC Document (but only
to the extent such disclosure does not constitute a “risk
factor” under the heading “Risk Factors” or a
“forward looking statement” in any such Filed Allied
SEC Document) or in the Allied Disclosure Schedule (it being
understood that if it is reasonably apparent that an item
disclosed in one section or subsection of the Allied Disclosure
Schedule is omitted from another section or subsection where
such disclosure would be appropriate, such item shall be deemed
to have been disclosed in such section or subsection of the
Allied Disclosure Schedule from which such item is omitted),
Allied represents and warrants to Republic as follows:
Section 4.01 Organization, Standing and
Power. Allied and each of the Allied Subsidiaries
is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the Laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized and has
all requisite power and authority to own, lease or otherwise
hold its properties and assets and to conduct its business as it
is currently conducted, except for such failures to be so
organized, existing or in good standing, or to have such power
and authority, that, individually or in the aggregate, have not
had or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Allied. Allied and each Allied Subsidiary is
duly qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the
nature of its business or its ownership of its properties make
such qualification necessary, except in such jurisdictions where
the failure to be so qualified, individually or in the
aggregate, has not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied. True and complete
copies of the Allied Charter and the Allied By-laws as in effect
immediately prior to the date hereof have been made available to
Republic.
Section 4.02 Allied
Subsidiaries. Section 4.02 of the
Allied Disclosure Schedule lists all of the Allied Subsidiaries
as of the date hereof. Allied owns or has the right to acquire
directly or indirectly each of the outstanding shares of capital
stock of or a 100% ownership interest in, as applicable, each of
the Allied Subsidiaries,
14
free and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens. Each of
the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Allied
Subsidiaries having corporate form is duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Section 4.03 Capital
Structure. The authorized capital stock of Allied
consists of the following: (a) 525,000,000 shares of
Allied Common Stock; and (b) 10,000,000 shares of
Allied Preferred Stock. At the close of business on
June 19, 2008, (i) 433,093,702 shares of Allied
Common Stock and no shares of Allied Preferred Stock were issued
and outstanding (excluding shares held by Allied in its
treasury), (ii) 1,201,063 shares of Allied Common
Stock were held by Allied in its treasury,
(iii) 31,455,382 shares of Allied Common Stock were
reserved for issuance under the Allied Plans (of which
20,380,462 shares of Allied Common Stock were subject to
outstanding Allied Stock Options, Allied Restricted Shares,
Allied RSUs or Allied DSUs) and
(iv) 11,257,948 shares of Allied Common Stock were
issuable upon conversion of the Allied Convertible Debt. Except
as set forth above, as of the date hereof, no shares of capital
stock or other voting securities of Allied are issued, reserved
for issuance or outstanding. All outstanding shares of Allied
Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to or issued in
violation of any purchase option, call option, right of first
refusal, preemptive right, subscription right or any similar
right under any provision of the DGCL, the Allied Charter, the
Allied By-laws or any Contract to which Allied is a party or by
which Allied is otherwise bound. Allied has made available to
Republic a true and complete list, as of June 19, 2008, of
all outstanding Allied Stock Options or other rights to purchase
or receive shares of Allied Common Stock granted under the
Allied Stock Plans, any other Allied Plan or otherwise by Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries, the number of shares of
Allied Common Stock subject thereto and, if applicable, the
expiration dates and exercise prices thereof. There are no
preemptive or similar rights on the part of any holder of any
class of securities of Allied or any Allied Subsidiary. Other
than the Allied Convertible Debt, there is no Voting Allied Debt
issued and outstanding. Other than as contemplated by this
Section 4.03, changes since June 19, 2008
resulting from the exercise of Allied Stock Options, the vesting
of Allied RSUs or Allied DSUs or from the issuance of Allied
Stock Options, Allied RSUs, Allied DSUs or Allied Restricted
Stock as permitted by Section 6.01(a), there are no
(A) options, warrants, rights, convertible or exchangeable
securities, “phantom” stock rights, stock appreciation
rights, stock-based performance units, commitments, Contracts,
arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them is bound
(x) obligating Allied or any Allied Subsidiary to issue,
deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold,
additional shares of capital stock or other equity interests in,
or any security convertible or exercisable for or exchangeable
into any capital stock of or other equity interest in, Allied or
any Allied Subsidiary or any Voting Allied Debt,
(y) obligating Allied or any Allied Subsidiary to issue,
grant, extend or enter into any such option, warrant, call,
right, security, commitment, Contract, arrangement or
undertaking or (z) that give any Person the right to
receive any economic benefit or right similar to or derived from
the economic benefits and rights accruing to holders of Allied
Common Stock, (B) outstanding contractual obligations of
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary or (C) voting trusts or other agreements
or understandings to which Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting or transfer
of capital stock of Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries.
Section 4.04 Authorization; Validity of
Agreement; Necessary Action.
(a) Allied has all requisite corporate power and authority
to execute and deliver this Agreement. The execution, delivery
and performance by Allied of this Agreement and the consummation
by Allied of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Merger, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of Allied other than the receipt of the
Allied Stockholder Approval, and except for the Allied
Stockholder Approval in the case of the Merger, no other
corporate action on the part of Allied is necessary to authorize
the consummation of the Merger. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by Allied and constitutes (assuming the
due authorization, execution and delivery by Republic and Merger
Sub) the valid and binding obligation of Allied, enforceable
against Allied in accordance with its terms, except to the
extent that enforceability may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or other similar Laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally
and subject to general principles of equity.
(b) The Allied Board, at a meeting duly called and held
prior to execution of this Agreement, unanimously:
(i) approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the
Merger; (ii) determined that this Agreement and the Merger
are fair to and in the best interests of Allied and its
stockholders; (iii) resolved to recommend that the holders
15
of Allied Common Stock adopt this Agreement; and
(iv) directed that this Agreement be submitted to the
holders of the Allied Common Stock for their adoption at a
meeting duly called and held for such purpose.
(c) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties contained in Section 5.22, the only vote
of holders of Allied Common Stock necessary to approve this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is the
adoption of this Agreement by the affirmative vote by the
holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of
Allied Common Stock (the “Allied Stockholder
Approval”).
Section 4.05
No Conflicts;
Consents. The execution and delivery by Allied of
this Agreement does not, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, and
compliance with the terms hereof and thereof will not, conflict
with, or result in any violation of or default (with or without
notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right
of termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation
or to loss of a material benefit under, or to increased,
additional, accelerated or guaranteed rights or entitlements of
any Person under, or result in the creation of any Lien (other
than Permitted Liens) upon any of the properties or assets of
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary under, any provision of
(a) the Allied Charter, the Allied By-laws or the
comparable charter or organizational documents of any Allied
Subsidiary, (b) any Material Allied Contract or
(c) subject to the filings and other matters referred to in
the following sentence, any provision of any Order or Law
applicable to Allied or any Allied Subsidiary or their
respective properties or assets, other than, in the cases of
clauses (b) or
(c) above, any such items that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied. No Consent of, from or with any Governmental Entity is
required to be obtained or made by or with respect to Allied or
any Allied Subsidiary in connection with the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, other
than (i) compliance with the HSR Act, any other actions or
Proceedings brought by any Governmental Entity or private party
under the Antitrust Laws or any consent decree with a
Governmental Entity binding on Allied or any Allied Subsidiary
under the Antitrust Laws, (ii) the filing with the SEC of
such reports under Section 13 or Section 14 of the
Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this
Agreement and the Merger, (iii) the filing of the
Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State
of
Delaware and appropriate documents with the relevant
authorities of the other jurisdictions in which Allied is
qualified to do business, (iv) such filings as may be
required in connection with the Taxes described in
Section 7.08, (v) any required filings with or
Consents from (1) applicable Governmental Entities with
respect to any Environmental Laws, (2) public service
commissions, (3) public utility commissions or (4) any
state, county or municipal Governmental Entity, (vi) such
other Consents as are set forth in
Section 4.05 of
the Allied Disclosure Schedule and (vii) such Consents
which, if not made or obtained, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Allied.
Section 4.06 SEC Documents; Financial
Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) Allied has timely filed with or furnished to the SEC,
as applicable, all Allied SEC Documents. As of its respective
date, each Allied SEC Document (including any financial
statements or schedules included therein) complied in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the
rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder
applicable to such Allied SEC Document, and did not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. Except to the extent that
information contained in any Allied SEC Document has been
revised or superseded by a later filed Allied SEC Document, none
of the Allied SEC Documents contains any untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(b) As of their respective dates, the Allied Financial
Statements complied as to form in all material respects with
applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and
regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, having been
prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as may be indicated in
the notes thereto and, in the case of unaudited statements, as
permitted by Law) applied on a consistent basis during the
periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes
thereto), and fairly presented, in all material respects, the
consolidated financial position of Allied and its consolidated
Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated
results of their operations and
16
cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of
unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments).
(c) Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries have no liabilities,
whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise that would be
required to be disclosed on a balance sheet prepared in
accordance with GAAP, except liabilities (i) stated or
reserved against in the Allied Financial Statements,
(ii) incurred in the ordinary and usual course of business
since December 31, 2007 or in connection with this
Agreement or the Merger or (iii) that, individually or in
the aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied.
(d) Neither Allied nor any Allied Subsidiary is a party to,
or has any commitment to become a party to, any joint venture,
off-balance sheet partnership or any similar Contract (including
any Contract relating to any transaction or relationship between
or among Allied and any of the Allied Subsidiaries, on the one
hand, and any unconsolidated Affiliate, including any structured
finance, special purpose or limited purpose Person, on the other
hand, or any “off-balance sheet arrangements” (as
defined in Item 303(a) of
Regulation S-K
of the SEC)), where the result, purpose or effect of such
Contract is to avoid disclosure of any material transaction
involving, or material liabilities of, Allied or any Allied
Subsidiary in Allied’s or such Subsidiary’s published
financial statements or any of the Allied SEC Documents.
Section 4.07 Information
Supplied. None of the information supplied or to
be supplied by Allied for inclusion or incorporation by
reference in (a) the registration statement on
Form S-4
to be filed with the SEC by Republic in connection with the
issuance of Republic Common Stock in the Merger (as amended or
supplemented from time to time, the
“Form S-4”)
will, at the time the
Form S-4,
or at the time any amendments or supplements thereto, are filed
with the SEC or at the time it becomes effective under the
Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading,
or (b) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will, on the
date it is first mailed to Allied’s stockholders or at the
time of the Allied Stockholders Meeting, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they are made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Allied makes no representation or warranty with respect to
statements made in or omitted from the
Form S-4
or the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus relating to Republic or
its Affiliates based on information supplied by Republic or its
Affiliates for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the
foregoing documents.
Section 4.08 Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Since December 31, 2007, Allied and
the Allied Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses only in
the ordinary and usual course of business, and there has not
been any event, change, effect or development that, individually
or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied.
Section 4.09 Taxes.
(a) Each of Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries has timely
filed, or has caused to be timely filed on its behalf (taking
into account any extension of time within which to file), all
material Tax Returns required to be filed by it, and all such
filed Tax Returns are correct and complete in all material
respects. All Taxes shown to be due on such Tax Returns have
been timely paid.
(b) No deficiency with respect to Taxes has been proposed,
asserted or assessed against Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries that has not previously been paid.
(c) The Federal income Tax Returns of Allied and each of
the Allied Subsidiaries have been examined by and settled with
the IRS (or the applicable statute of limitations has expired)
for all years through 1997. All assessments for Taxes due with
respect to such completed and settled examinations or any
concluded litigation have been fully paid.
(d) Neither Allied nor any of the Allied Subsidiaries has
constituted either a “distributing corporation” or a
“controlled corporation” (within the meaning of
Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of
stock qualifying for tax-free treatment under Section 355
of the Code within the two year period ending on the Closing
Date.
17
(e) No audit or Proceedings are pending with any
Governmental Entity with respect to Taxes or Tax Returns of
Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries and no written notice
thereof has been received.
(f) Allied has made available to Republic true and complete
copies of (i) all income and franchise Tax Returns of
Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries for the preceding three
(3) taxable years and (ii) any audit report issued
within the last three (3) years (or otherwise with respect
to any audit or proceeding in progress) relating to income and
franchise Taxes of Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries.
(g) Neither Allied nor any of its Affiliates has taken or
agreed to take (or failed to so take or agree to take) any
action or knows of any facts or circumstances that would
reasonably be expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying as
a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the Code.
(h) Neither Allied nor any Allied Subsidiary has engaged in
a transaction that would be reportable by or with respect to
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary pursuant to Sections 6011,
6111 or 6112 of the Code.
(i) Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries have withheld (or
will withhold) from payments to or on behalf of its employees,
independent contractors, creditors, stockholders or other third
parties, and have timely paid (or will timely pay) to the
appropriate Tax Authority, all material amounts required to be
withheld from such Persons in accordance with Applicable Tax Law.
Section 4.10 Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 4.10(a) of the Allied Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of “employee
benefit plans” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA),
and all other material employee benefit plans, policies,
agreements or arrangements, including employment, individual
consulting or other compensation agreements, or bonus or other
incentive compensation, stock purchase, equity or equity-based
compensation, deferred compensation, change in control,
retention, severance, employee loans, salary continuation,
health insurance and life insurance plans, policies, agreements
or arrangements with respect to which Allied or any of the
Allied Subsidiaries has any obligation or liability, contingent
or otherwise, for current or former employees, individual
consultants or directors of Allied, any ERISA Affiliate of
Allied, or any of the Allied Subsidiaries, other than a
Multiemployer Plan (collectively, the “Allied
Plans”). Section 4.10(a) of the Allied
Disclosure Schedule separately sets forth each Allied Plan which
is subject to Title IV of ERISA or is or has been subject
to Sections 4063 or 4064 of ERISA. No Allied Plan has any
unfunded liabilities which are not reflected on Allied Financial
Statements or the books and records of Allied. No Allied Plan is
a multiple employer welfare arrangement as defined in
Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(b) True and complete copies of the following documents
with respect to each of the Allied Plans have been made
available to Republic by Allied to the extent applicable:
(i) any plans and related trust documents, insurance
contracts or other funding arrangements, and all amendments
thereto; (ii) the most recent Forms 5500 and all
schedules thereto; (iii) the most recent actuarial report,
if any; (iv) the most recent IRS determination letter;
(v) the most recent summary plan descriptions; and
(vi) written summaries of all material non-written Allied
Plans.
(c) The Allied Plans have been maintained, in all material
respects, in accordance with their terms and with all applicable
provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Laws.
(d) Each Allied Plan that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable
determination letter or opinion letter from the IRS as to its
qualification under Section 401(a) of the Code and the
tax-exempt status of any trust which forms a part of such plan
under Section 501(a) of the Code. To the Knowledge of
Allied, no event has occurred and no condition exists that could
reasonably be expected to affect adversely the tax-qualified
status of such Allied Plan or the tax-exempt status of any trust
which forms a part thereof.
(e) With respect to any Multiemployer Plan to which Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries has an obligation to
contribute or with respect to which Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries otherwise has liability, (i) Allied, any ERISA
Affiliate of Allied, and the Allied Subsidiaries have made all
required contributions to such plan in accordance with the
applicable collective bargaining agreement, (ii) neither
Allied, any ERISA Affiliate of Allied, nor any of the Allied
Subsidiaries has received any notice that the Multiemployer Plan
is insolvent or is in reorganization, (iii) none of Allied,
any ERISA Affiliate of Allied, nor any of the Allied
Subsidiaries has withdrawn from any such Multiemployer Plan
(whether a complete or partial withdrawal) within the six- (6-)
year period
18
ending on the Closing Date, and (iv) to the Knowledge of
Allied, no such Multiemployer Plan is in “endangered”
or “critical” status, as such terms are defined in
Section 432 of the Code.
(f) All contributions required to have been made under any
of the Allied Plans or by Law (without regard to any waivers
granted under Section 412 of the Code) have been timely
made.
(g) There are no pending Proceedings arising from or
relating to the Allied Plans (other than routine benefit
claims), nor does Allied have any Knowledge of facts that would
form the basis for any such Proceeding, in either case that,
individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied.
(h) None of the Allied Plans provide for post-employment
life insurance or health coverage for any participant or any
beneficiary of a participant, except as may be required under
Part 6 of the Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA and at
the expense of the participant or the participant’s
beneficiary or as may be required by applicable state
continuation coverage Law.
(i) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement
nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or
payments contemplated by the Allied Plans will (i) result
in any material payment becoming due to any employee of Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries, (ii) increase any
benefits otherwise payable under any of the Allied Plans,
(iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment of
or vesting of any rights with respect to such benefits under any
such plan, or (iv) require any contributions or payments to
fund any obligations under any of the Allied Plans.
(j) Any individual who performs services for Allied or any
of the Allied Subsidiaries (other than through a Contract with
an organization other than such individual) and who is not
treated as an employee of Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries for Federal income tax purposes by Allied is not an
employee for such purposes.
Section 4.11 Employment and Labor
Matters. None of the employees of Allied or any
of the Allied Subsidiaries is represented in his or her capacity
as an employee of Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries by
any labor organization. Neither Allied nor any of the Allied
Subsidiaries has recognized any labor organization, nor has any
labor organization been elected as the collective bargaining
agent of any employees of Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries, nor has Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries
entered into any agreement recognizing any labor organization as
the bargaining agent of any employees of Allied or any of the
Allied Subsidiaries. Neither Allied nor any Allied Subsidiary
has entered into or is in the process of negotiating any
neutrality agreement or agreement with similar effect with any
labor organization. There is no union organization activity
involving any of the employees of Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries pending or, to the Knowledge of Allied, threatened,
that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied. There is no picketing pending or, to the Knowledge of
Allied, threatened, and there are no strikes, slowdowns, work
stoppages, other job actions, lockouts, arbitrations, grievances
or other labor disputes involving any of the employees of Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries pending or, to the Knowledge
of Allied, threatened that, individually or in the aggregate,
have had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Allied. There are no complaints, charges or
claims against Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries pending
or, to the Knowledge of Allied, threatened that could be brought
or filed with any Governmental Entity or arbitrator based on,
arising out of, in connection with, or otherwise relating to
employment Laws or to the employment or termination of
employment or failure to employ by Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries, of any individual that, individually or in the
aggregate, have had or would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on Allied. Except for those matters
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied, Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries are in compliance
with all Laws relating to the employment of labor, including all
such Laws relating to wages, hours, the WARN Act, collective
bargaining, discrimination, civil rights, safety and health,
whistleblower statutes, workers’ compensation and the
collection and payment of withholding
and/or
social security taxes and any similar tax. Since
December 31, 2005, there has been no “mass
layoff” or “plant closing” (as defined by the
WARN Act or similar state or local Laws) with respect to Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries.
Section 4.12 Litigation. Except
for such Orders or Proceedings that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied, there are (a) no
continuing
19
Orders to which Allied or any Allied Subsidiary is a party or by
which any of their respective properties or assets are bound,
and (b) no Proceedings pending and for which service of
process has been made against Allied or any Allied Subsidiary
or, to the Knowledge of Allied, threatened or pending against
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary.
Section 4.13 Compliance with Applicable
Laws.
(a) Since December 31, 2005, (i) the business of
Allied and each Allied Subsidiary has been conducted in
compliance with all applicable Laws and Orders, except for such
noncompliance that, individually or in the aggregate, has not
had or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Allied, and (ii) neither Allied nor any
Allied Subsidiary has received written notice to the effect that
any individual or Governmental Entity claimed or alleged that
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary was not in compliance in all
material respects with all Laws applicable to Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary, any of their respective properties or other
assets or any of their respective businesses or operations.
(b) Except for matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, has not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied, (i) Allied and
each Allied Subsidiary holds all Permits necessary for the
lawful conduct of its business and the ownership, use, occupancy
and operation of its assets and properties, and (ii) Allied
and each Allied Subsidiary is in compliance with the terms of
such Permits, except for such matters for which Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary has received written notice from a
Governmental Entity, which notice asserts a lack of compliance
with a particular Permit, but permits Allied or a Allied
Subsidiary to cure such non-compliance within a reasonable
period of time following the issuance of such notice and which
cure is being undertaken by Allied or an Allied Subsidiary. The
consummation of the Merger, in and of itself, will not cause the
revocation or cancellation of any Permit held by Allied or an
Allied Subsidiary, except for such revocations or cancellations
that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied.
(c) Allied and each of its officers and directors (with
respect to his or her service as a director of Allied) are in
compliance with, and have complied, in each case in all material
respects, with (i) the applicable provisions of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the related rules and regulations
promulgated under such act or the Exchange Act
(“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx”) and (ii) the applicable
listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the
NYSE. Allied has previously disclosed to Republic any of the
information required to be disclosed by Allied and certain of
its officers to the Allied Board or any committee thereof
pursuant to the certification requirements contained in
Form 10-K
and
Form 10-Q
under the Exchange Act.
(d) Allied has established and maintains disclosure
controls and procedures (as such term is defined in
Rule 13a-15(e)
or 15d-15(e)
under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures
are designed to ensure that material information relating to
Allied, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known
to Allied’s principal executive officer and principal
financial officer by others within Allied and Allied
Subsidiaries, particularly during the periods in which the
periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being
prepared; and such disclosure controls and procedures are
effective in timely alerting Allied’s principal executive
officer and principal financial officer to material information
required to be included in Allied’s periodic reports
required under the Exchange Act.
(e) Allied has disclosed, based on its most recent
evaluation prior to the date hereof, to Allied’s auditors
and the audit committee of the Allied Board, (i) any
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which
are reasonably likely to adversely affect in any material
respect Allied’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information and (ii) any fraud, whether or
not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in Allied’s internal controls over
financial reporting.
(f) As of the date hereof, Allied has not identified any
material weaknesses in the design or operation of its internal
controls over financial reporting. To the Knowledge of Allied,
Allied’s auditors and its principal executive officer and
its principal financial officer will be able to give the
certifications and attestations required pursuant to
Section 404 of Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx, without qualification, when
next due.
20
Section 4.14 Contracts.
(a) Except for such Contracts that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied, neither Allied nor any
of the Allied Subsidiaries is a party to, and none of their
respective properties or other assets is subject to, any
Contract that is of a nature required to be filed as an exhibit
to a report or filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act that has not been so filed. Allied has provided to Republic
true and correct copies of all material Hedging Agreements to
which Allied or any Allied Subsidiary is a party as of the date
of this Agreement.
(b) Neither Allied nor any of the Allied Subsidiaries is in
violation of or in default under any Material Allied Contract to
which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties or
assets is bound, except for violations or defaults that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied; provided however, in addition to the
foregoing, neither Allied nor any Allied Subsidiary is in
default under any of the Indentures. Except for such conditions
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied, no condition exists or event has occurred which (whether
with or without notice or lapse of time or both) would
constitute a default by Allied or a Allied Subsidiary or, to the
Knowledge of Allied, any other party thereto under any Material
Allied Contract or result in a right of termination of any
Material Allied Contract; provided, however,
notwithstanding the foregoing, no condition exists or event has
occurred which (whether with or without notice or lapse of time
or both) would constitute a default or event of default by
Allied or an Allied Subsidiary under any of the Indentures.
(c) Except as would not reasonably be expected to be
material to Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, neither Allied nor any Allied Subsidiary or any Affiliate
of Allied, nor any of their respective directors, officers or
key employees is subject to any Material Allied Contract which
(i) restricts or prohibits Allied, any Allied Subsidiary or
any Affiliate of Allied from, directly or indirectly, engaging
in any business involving the collection, interim storage,
transfer, recovery, processing, recycling, marketing or disposal
of rubbish, garbage, paper, textile wastes or chemical, liquid
or any other wastes, or (ii) restricts or prohibits Allied,
any Allied Subsidiary or any Affiliate of Allied from engaging
in any other line of business or competing in any geographic
area. Except as would not reasonably be expected to be material
to the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, neither Allied nor any Allied Subsidiary is subject to
any Material Allied Contract which contains a “most favored
nation” provision to provide the other party to such
Material Allied Contract pricing or other terms at least as
favorable as those received by other third parties who have
contracted with an Affiliate of such entity.
Section 4.15 Intellectual
Property. Except as has not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on Allied: (a) Allied
and the Allied Subsidiaries own, license or have the right to
use all Intellectual Property used in the operation of their
businesses as currently conducted, free and clear of all Liens
(other than, with respect to Liens, licenses of Intellectual
Property in the ordinary and usual course of business);
(b) no Proceedings or investigations are pending and, to
the Knowledge of Allied, no Proceedings or investigations are
threatened (including in the form of cease and desist letters or
written requests to take a license) against Allied or any of the
Allied Subsidiaries with regard to the ownership, use, validity
or enforceability of any Intellectual Property used in the
operation of their businesses as currently conducted;
(c) to the Knowledge of Allied, the operation of Allied and
the Allied Subsidiaries’ businesses as currently conducted
does not infringe, misappropriate or violate the Intellectual
Property of any other Person and, to the Knowledge of Allied, no
other Person is infringing Allied’s or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries’ Intellectual Property; (d) all material
registrations and applications for patents, trademarks and
copyrights owned by Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries are
subsisting, have not been abandoned or cancelled, and to the
Knowledge of Allied, all such registrations are valid and
enforceable; and (e) Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries
have taken all commercially reasonable steps to protect the
Intellectual Property they own, including the execution of
appropriate confidentiality agreements and intellectual property
and work product assignments and releases.
Section 4.16 Real Estate.
(a) Section 4.16 of the Allied Disclosure
Schedule sets forth as of the date hereof: (i) a list of
all Material Allied Owned Real Property and (ii) a list of
all Material Allied Real Property Leases, in each case setting
forth: (a) the street address, if available, of each
property covered thereby (the “Material Allied Leased
Real Property”) and (b) the name of the company or
division operating at such premises. The Material Allied Owned
Real Property
21
and the Material Allied Leased Real Property are collectively
referred to herein as the “Material Allied Real
Property”. Each of Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries
has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, the Material
Allied Real Property except for Permitted Liens and defects in
title, easements, restrictive covenants and similar encumbrances
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied.
(b) Except as has not had and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect on Allied:
(i) all facilities located on Material Allied Real Property
have received all approvals of applicable Governmental Entities
(including licenses and permits) required in connection with the
ownership or operation thereof and have been operated and
maintained in accordance with applicable Laws;
(ii) there are no outstanding options or rights of first
refusal to purchase the parcels of the Material Allied Owned
Property, or any portion thereof or interest therein;
(iii) taken as a whole, all improvements and buildings on
the Material Allied Real Property are in good repair and
adequate for the use of such Material Allied Real Property in
the manner in which presently used; and
(iv) with respect to the Material Allied Real Property
Leases, (1) such leases are in full force and effect and
are not subject to undisclosed amendments or modifications,
(2) to the Knowledge of Allied, there is no breach or
anticipated breach or default by any other party to such leases
and (3) all rental and other payments due under each of the
Material Allied Real Property Leases have been duly paid in
accordance with the terms of such leases.
Section 4.17 Environmental
Matters. Except for those matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Allied, (i) each of Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries is,
and has been, in compliance with all applicable Environmental
Laws and there are no past or present actions, activities,
circumstances, conditions, events or incidents that are
reasonably likely to interfere with such compliance in the
future, (ii) there have been no Releases of Hazardous
Substances at, from, to or under any real property currently
owned, operated or leased by Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries, including any off-site migration, which would
reasonably be expected to result in, or has resulted in, Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries incurring Environmental
Liabilities, (iii) there is no investigation or Proceeding
relating to or arising under Environmental Laws that is pending
and, to the Knowledge of Allied, there is no investigation or
Proceeding relating to or arising under Environmental Laws
threatened against or affecting Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries or any real property currently owned, operated or
leased by Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries which would
reasonably be expected to result in, or has resulted in, Allied
or any of the Allied Subsidiaries incurring Environmental
Liabilities, (iv) since December 31, 2005, neither
Allied nor any of the Allied Subsidiaries has received any
written notice of or entered into or assumed by Contract or
operation of Law or otherwise, any known obligation, liability,
order, settlement, judgment, injunction, decree, institutional
or engineering control, use restriction, Lien or Order relating
to or arising under any Environmental Laws, (v) no facts,
circumstances or conditions exist with respect to Allied or any
of the Allied Subsidiaries or any real property currently owned,
operated or leased by Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries
or any property to or at which Allied or any of the Allied
Subsidiaries disposed of, transported or arranged for the
disposal, transportation or treatment of Hazardous Materials
that would reasonably be expected to result in Allied or any the
Allied Subsidiaries incurring Environmental Liabilities,
(vi) no real property currently owned, operated or leased
by Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries is subject to any
current, or to the Knowledge of Allied, threatened deed
restriction, use restriction, institutional or engineering
control or lien pursuant to any Environmental Laws,
(vii) Allied and Allied Subsidiaries have obtained, or have
filed timely applications for all Environmental Permits for
their respective operations, (viii) Allied and Allied
Subsidiaries are currently in compliance with all terms and
conditions of such Environmental Permits, (ix) there are no
Proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of Allied, threatened
to revoke, cancel or terminate such Environmental Permits, and
Allied is not aware of any basis on which such Environmental
Permits could not be renewed in the ordinary and usual course of
business, (x) Allied and Allied Subsidiaries each has in
full force and effect all financial assurances required under
Environmental Laws, and (xi) Allied and Allied Subsidiaries
do not reasonably expect that expenditures not otherwise
reflected in the financial statements provided
22
to Republic will be necessary for the operations, business and
property of Allied and Allied Subsidiaries to maintain full
compliance with Environmental Laws currently in effect.
Section 4.18 Brokers. No
broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person,
other than UBS Investment Bank, the fees and expenses of which
will be paid by Allied, and Moelis & Co., the fees and
expenses of which will be paid by UBS Investment Bank or Allied,
is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial
advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in connection
with the Merger based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of
Allied.
Section 4.19 Opinion of Financial
Advisor. The Allied Board has received the
opinion of UBS Investment Bank, dated the date of this
Agreement, that, as of such date, and subject to the
limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth in such
opinion, the Exchange Ratio is, in the opinion of UBS Investment
Bank, fair to Allied’s stockholders from a financial point
of view.
Section 4.20 State Takeover
Statutes. The Allied Board has adopted a
resolution or resolutions approving this Agreement, the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby, and such
approval constitutes approval of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby by the Allied Board under the
provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL such that, assuming
the accuracy of the representations and warranties contained in
Section 5.22, the restrictions on “business
combinations” (as defined in Section 203 of the DGCL)
are not applicable to this Agreement, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 4.21 Rights
Plan. Neither Allied nor any of its Subsidiaries
has adopted a stockholder rights plan or “poison pill.”
Section 4.22 Ownership of Republic Common
Stock; Section 203 of the DGCL. None of
Allied or any of its respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates
“owns” (as defined in Section 203 of the DGCL),
any shares of capital stock of Republic. Allied is not, and at
no time during the last three years has been, an
“interested stockholder” of Republic as defined in
Section 203 of the DGCL.
Section 4.23 Interests in
Competitors. Allied does not own any interest(s),
nor do any of its respective Affiliates insofar as such
Affiliate-owned interests would be attributed to Allied under
the HSR Act or any other Antitrust Law, in any Person that is
not an Allied Subsidiary and that derives a substantial portion
of its revenues from a line of business within the principal
lines of business of Republic or any Republic Subsidiary.
Section 4.24 Insurance. All
material insurance policies maintained by Allied and the Allied
Subsidiaries, including property and casualty, excess liability,
pollution and directors and officers liability insurance,
provide insurance in such amounts and against such risks as the
management of Allied reasonably has determined to be prudent in
accordance with industry practices or as is required by Law.
Neither Allied nor any of the Allied Subsidiaries is in breach
or default, and neither Allied nor any of the Allied
Subsidiaries has taken any action or failed to take any action
which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
such a breach or default, or permit a termination or
modification of any of the material insurance policies of Allied
and the Allied Subsidiaries, except for such breaches, defaults,
terminations or modifications that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF REPUBLIC AND MERGER SUB
Except as set forth in any Filed Republic SEC Document (but only
to the extent such disclosure does not constitute a “risk
factor” under the heading “Risk Factors” or a
“forward looking statement” in any such Filed Republic
SEC Document) or in the Republic Disclosure Schedule (it being
understood that if it is reasonably apparent that an item
disclosed in one section or subsection of the Republic
Disclosure Schedule is omitted from another section or
subsection where such disclosure would be appropriate, such item
shall be deemed to have been disclosed in such
23
section or subsection of the Republic Disclosure Schedule from
which such item is omitted), Republic and Merger Sub jointly and
severally represent and warrant to Allied as follows:
Section 5.01 Organization, Standing and
Power. Republic and each of the Republic
Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction in which it is
organized and has all requisite corporate power and authority to
own, lease or otherwise hold its properties and assets and
conduct its business as it is currently conducted, except for
such failures to be so organized, existing or in good standing,
or to have such power and authority that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic. Republic and each
Republic Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or its
ownership of its properties make such qualification necessary,
except in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so
qualified, individually or in the aggregate, has not had or
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect on Republic. True and complete copies of the Republic
Charter and the Republic By-laws as in effect immediately prior
to the date hereof have been made available to Allied.
Section 5.02 Republic
Subsidiaries. Section 5.02 of the
Republic Disclosure Schedule lists all of the Republic
Subsidiaries as of the date hereof. Republic owns or has the
right to acquire directly or indirectly each of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of or a 100% ownership interest in, as
applicable, each of the Republic Subsidiaries, free and clear of
all Liens, except for Permitted Liens. Each of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of each of the Republic Subsidiaries
having corporate form is duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
Section 5.03 Capital Structure.
(a) The authorized capital stock of Republic consists of
the following: (a) 750,000,000 shares of Republic
Common Stock; and (b) 50,000,000 shares of Republic
Preferred Stock. At the close of business on May 31, 2008,
(i) 196,683,156 shares of Republic Common Stock and no
shares of Republic Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding,
(ii) 14,894,412 shares of Republic Common Stock were
held by Republic in its treasury, and
(iii) 21,841,334 shares of Republic Common Stock were
reserved for issuance under the Republic Plans (of which
9,114,157 shares of Common Stock were subject to
outstanding Republic RSUs, Republic DSUs, Republic Stock Options
and Republic Restricted Shares). Except as set forth above, as
of the date hereof, no shares of capital stock or other voting
securities of Republic are issued, reserved for issuance or
outstanding. All outstanding shares of Republic Common Stock
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
and nonassessable and not subject to or issued in violation of
any purchase option, call option, right of first refusal,
preemptive right, subscription right or any similar right under
any provision of the DGCL, the Republic Charter, the Republic
By-laws or any Contract to which Republic is a party or by which
Republic is otherwise bound. Republic has made available to
Allied a true and complete list, as of May 31, 2008, of all
outstanding Republic Stock Options or other rights to purchase
or receive shares of Republic Common Stock granted under the
Republic Stock Plans, any other Republic Plan or otherwise by
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries, the number of
shares of Republic Common Stock subject thereto and, if
applicable, the expiration dates and exercise prices thereof.
There is no Voting Republic Debt issued and outstanding. There
are no preemptive or similar rights on the part of any holder of
any class of securities of Republic or any Republic Subsidiary.
Other than as contemplated by this Section 5.03,
changes since May 31, 2008 resulting from the exercise of
Republic Stock Options or the vesting of Republic RSUs or
Republic DSUs or from the issuance of Republic Stock Options,
Republic RSUs, Republic DSUs or Republic Restricted Shares as
permitted by Section 6.01(b), there are no
(A) options, warrants, rights, convertible or exchangeable
securities, “phantom” stock rights, stock appreciation
rights, stock-based performance units, commitments, Contracts,
arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which Republic or
any Republic Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them is
bound (x) obligating Republic or any Republic Subsidiary to
issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or
sold, additional shares of capital stock or other equity
interests in, or any security convertible or exercisable for or
exchangeable into any capital stock of or other equity interest
in, Republic or any Republic Subsidiary or any Voting Republic
Debt, (y) obligating Republic or any Republic Subsidiary to
issue, grant, extend or enter into any such option, warrant,
call, right, security, commitment, Contract, arrangement or
undertaking or (z) that give any Person the right to
receive any economic benefit or right similar to or derived from
the economic benefits and rights accruing to holders of Republic
Common Stock, (B) outstanding contractual obligations of
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of
24
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary or (C) voting trusts or
other agreements or understandings to which Republic or any of
the Republic Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting
or transfer of capital stock of Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries.
(b) The authorized capital stock of Merger Sub consists of
1,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share
(“Merger Sub Common Stock”). All of the issued
and outstanding shares of Merger Sub Common Stock are owned by
Republic. Merger Sub does not have issued or outstanding any
options, warrants, subscriptions, calls, rights, convertible
securities or other agreements or commitments obligating Merger
Sub to issue, transfer or sell any shares of Merger Sub Common
Stock to any Person, other than Republic.
Section 5.04 Authorization; Validity of
Agreement; Necessary Action.
(a) Each of Republic and Merger Sub has all requisite
corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance by Republic
and Merger Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by each of
them of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Merger; the Republic Share Issuance and the Charter Amendment,
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
the part of Republic and Merger Sub other than, as of the date
hereof, the receipt of the Republic Stockholder Approval and
adoption of this Agreement by Republic as the sole stockholder
of Merger Sub, and except, as of the date hereof, for the
Republic Stockholder Approval in the case of the Republic Share
Issuance and the Charter Amendment and adoption of this
Agreement by Republic as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, no
other corporate action on the part of Republic or Merger Sub is
necessary to authorize the consummation of the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been
duly executed and delivered by Republic and Merger Sub and
constitutes (assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery by Allied) the valid and binding obligation of Republic
and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of them in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or
other similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’
rights generally and subject to general principles of equity.
(b) The Republic Board, at a meeting duly called and held
prior to execution of this Agreement, unanimously:
(i) approved and declared advisable the Republic Charter
Amendment, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby; (ii) determined that this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby are fair to and in the best
interests of Republic and its stockholders; and
(iii) resolved to recommend that the holders of Republic
Common Stock grant the Republic Stockholder Approval.
(c) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties contained in Section 4.22, the only vote
of holders of Republic Common Stock necessary to approve this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is
(i) the approval of the Republic Share Issuance by the
affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast at the Republic
Stockholder Meeting, provided that the total votes cast on the
proposal represent over 50% in interest of all securities
entitled to vote at the Republic Stockholder Meeting and
(ii) the approval of the Republic Charter Amendment by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Republic Common
Stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon (collectively,
the “Republic Stockholder Approval”).
(d) Immediately following the execution and delivery of
this Agreement, Republic, in its capacity as the sole
stockholder of Merger Sub, will approve and adopt this Agreement
and the Merger, and such adoption is the only vote or approval
of the holders of any class or series of the capital stock of
Merger Sub which is necessary to adopt this Agreement and
consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section 5.05 No Conflicts;
Consents. The execution and delivery by Republic
and Merger Sub of this Agreement does not, and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger,
and compliance with the terms hereof and thereof will not,
conflict with, or result in any violation of or default (with or
without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to
a right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of any
obligation or to loss of a material benefit under, or to
increased, additional, accelerated or guaranteed rights or
entitlements of any Person under, or result in the creation of
any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of the properties
or assets of Republic or any Republic Subsidiary under, any
provision of (a) the Republic Charter, the Republic By-laws
or the comparable charter or organizational documents of any
Republic Subsidiary, (b) any Material Republic Contract or
(c) subject to the filings and other matters referred to in
the following sentence, any provision of any Order or Law
applicable to Republic or any Republic Subsidiary or their
respective properties or
25
assets, other than, in the cases of clauses (b) or
(c) above, any such items that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic. No Consent of, from
or with any Governmental Entity is required to be obtained or
made by or with respect to Republic or any Republic Subsidiary
in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the Merger, other than
(i) compliance with the HSR Act, any other actions or
Proceedings brought by any Governmental Entity or private party
under the Antitrust Laws or any consent decree with a
Governmental Entity binding on Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary under the Antirust Laws (ii) the filing with the
SEC of such reports under
Section 13 or Section 14 of the Exchange Act as may be
required in connection with this Agreement and the Merger,
(iii) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the
Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware and appropriate
documents with the relevant authorities of the other
jurisdictions in which Republic is qualified to do business,
(iv) such filings as may be required in connection with the
Taxes described in
Section 7.08, (v) any
required filings with or Consents from (1) applicable
Governmental Entities with respect to Environmental Laws,
(2) public service commissions, (3) public utility
commissions or (4) any state, county or municipal
Governmental Entity, (vi) such other Consents as are set
forth in
Section 5.05 of the Republic Disclosure
Schedule and (vii) such Consents which, if not made or
obtained, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic.
Section 5.06 SEC Documents; Financial
Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) Republic has timely filed with or furnished to the SEC,
as applicable, all Republic SEC Documents. As of its respective
date, each Republic SEC Document (including any financial
statements or schedules included therein) complied in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the
rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder
applicable to such Republic SEC Document, and did not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Except
to the extent that information contained in any Republic SEC
Document has been revised or superseded by a later filed
Republic SEC Document, none of the Republic SEC Documents
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(b) As of their respective dates, the Republic Financial
Statements complied as to form in all material respects with
applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and
regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, having been
prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as may be indicated in
the notes thereto and, in the case of unaudited statements, as
permitted by Law) applied on a consistent basis during the
periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes
thereto), and fairly presented, in all material respects, the
consolidated financial position of Republic and its consolidated
Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated
results of their operations and cash flows for the periods then
ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal
year-end audit adjustments).
(c) Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries have no
liabilities, whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise
that would be required to be disclosed on a balance sheet
prepared in accordance with GAAP, except liabilities
(i) stated or reserved against in the Republic Financial
Statements, (ii) incurred in the ordinary and usual course
of business since December 31, 2007 or in connection with
this Agreement or the Merger or (iii) that, individually or
in the aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic.
(d) Neither Republic nor any Republic Subsidiary is a party
to, or has any commitment to become a party to, any joint
venture, off-balance sheet partnership or any similar Contract
(including any Contract relating to any transaction or
relationship between or among Republic and any of the Republic
Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any unconsolidated Affiliate,
including any structured finance, special purpose or limited
purpose Person, on the other hand, or any “off-balance
sheet arrangements” (as defined in Item 303(a) of
Regulation S-K
of the SEC)), where the result, purpose or effect of such
Contract is to avoid disclosure of any material transaction
involving, or material liabilities of, Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary in Republic’s or such Subsidiary’s
published financial statements or any of the Republic SEC
Documents.
26
Section 5.07 Information
Supplied. None of the information supplied or to
be supplied by or on behalf of Republic or Merger Sub for
inclusion or incorporation by reference in (a) the
Form S-4
will, at the time the
Form S-4,
or at the time any amendments or supplements thereto, are filed
with the SEC or at the time it becomes effective under the
Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading,
or (b) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will, on the
date it is first mailed to Republic’s stockholders or at
the time of the Republic Stockholders Meeting, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Republic and Merger Sub make no
representation or warranty with respect to statements made in or
omitted from the
Form S-4
or the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus relating to Allied or
its Affiliates based on information supplied by Allied or its
Affiliates for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the
foregoing documents.
Section 5.08 Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Since December 31, 2007, Republic
and the Republic Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses
only in the ordinary and usual course of business, and there has
not been any event, change, effect or development that,
individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic.
Section 5.09 Taxes.
(a) Each of Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries has
timely filed, or has caused to be timely filed on its behalf
(taking into account any extension of time within which to
file), all material Tax Returns required to be filed by it, and
all such filed Tax Returns are correct and complete in all
material respects. All Taxes shown to be due on such Tax Returns
have been timely paid.
(b) No deficiency with respect to Taxes has been proposed,
asserted or assessed against Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries that has not previously been paid.
(c) The Federal income Tax Returns of Republic and each of
the Republic Subsidiaries have been examined by and settled with
the IRS (or the applicable statute of limitations has expired)
for all years through 2004. All assessments for Taxes due with
respect to such completed and settled examinations or any
concluded litigation have been fully paid.
(d) Neither Republic nor any of the Republic Subsidiaries
has constituted either a “distributing corporation” or
a “controlled corporation” (within the meaning of
Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of
stock qualifying for tax-free treatment under Section 355
of the Code within the two year period ending on the Closing
Date.
(e) No audit or Proceedings are pending with any
Governmental Entity with respect to Taxes or Tax Returns of
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries and no written
notice thereof has been received.
(f) Republic has made available to Allied true and complete
copies of (i) all income and franchise Tax Returns of
Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries for the preceding three
(3) taxable years and (ii) any audit report issued
within the last three (3) years (or otherwise with respect
to any audit or proceeding in progress) relating to income and
franchise Taxes of Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries.
(g) Neither Republic nor any of its Affiliates has taken or
agreed to take (or failed to so take or agree to take) any
action or knows of any facts or circumstances that would
reasonably be expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying as
a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the Code.
(h) Neither Republic nor any Republic Subsidiary has
engaged in a transaction that would be reportable by or with
respect to Republic or any Republic Subsidiary pursuant to
Sections 6011, 6111 or 6112 of the Code.
(i) Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries have withheld
(or will withhold) from payments to or on behalf of its
employees, independent contractors, creditors, stockholders or
other third parties, and have timely paid (or will timely pay)
to the appropriate Tax Authority, all material amounts required
to be withheld from such Persons in accordance with Applicable
Tax Law.
27
Section 5.10 Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 5.10(a) of the Republic Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of “employee
benefit plans” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA),
and all other material employee benefit plans, policies,
agreements or arrangements, including employment, individual
consulting or other compensation agreements, or bonus or other
incentive compensation, stock purchase, equity or equity-based
compensation, deferred compensation, change in control,
retention, severance, employee loans, salary continuation,
health insurance and life insurance plans, policies, agreements
or arrangements with respect to which Republic or any of the
Republic Subsidiaries has any obligation or liability,
contingent or otherwise, for current or former employees,
individual consultants or directors of Republic, any ERISA
Affiliate of Republic, or any of the Republic Subsidiaries,
other than a Multiemployer Plan (collectively, the
“Republic Plans”). Section 5.10(a)
of the Republic Disclosure Schedule separately sets forth each
Republic Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA, or is
or has been subject to Sections 4063 or 4064 of ERISA. No
Republic Plan has any unfunded liabilities which are not
reflected on Republic Financial Statements or the books and
records of Republic. No Republic Plan is a multiple employer
welfare arrangement as defined in Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(b) True and complete copies of the following documents
with respect to each of the Republic Plans have been made
available to Allied by Republic to the extent applicable:
(i) any plans and related trust documents, insurance
contracts or other funding arrangements, and all amendments
thereto; (ii) the most recent Forms 5500 and all
schedules thereto; (iii) the most recent actuarial report,
if any; (iv) the most recent IRS determination letter;
(v) the most recent summary plan descriptions; and
(vi) written summaries of all material non-written Republic
Plans.
(c) The Republic Plans have been maintained, in all
material respects, in accordance with their terms and with all
applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Laws.
(d) Each Republic Plan that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable
determination letter or opinion letter from the IRS as to its
qualification under Section 401(a) of the Code and the
tax-exempt status of any trust which forms a part of such plan
under Section 501(a) of the Code. To the Knowledge of
Republic, no event has occurred and no condition exists that
could reasonably be expected to affect adversely the
tax-qualified status of such Republic Plan or the tax-exempt
status of any trust which forms a part thereof.
(e) With respect to any Multiemployer Plan to which
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries has an obligation
to contribute or with respect to which Republic or any of the
Republic Subsidiaries otherwise has liability,
(i) Republic, any ERISA Affiliate of Republic, and the
Republic Subsidiaries have made all required contributions to
such plan in accordance with the applicable collective
bargaining agreement, (ii) neither Republic, any ERISA
Affiliate of Republic, nor any of the Republic Subsidiaries has
received any notice that the Multiemployer Plan is insolvent or
is in reorganization, (iii) none of Republic, any ERISA
Affiliate of Republic, nor any of the Republic Subsidiaries has
withdrawn from any such Multiemployer Plan (whether a complete
or partial withdrawal) within the six- (6-) year period ending
on the Closing Date, and (iv) to the Knowledge of Republic,
no such Multiemployer Plan is in “endangered” or
“critical” status, as such terms are defined n
Section 432 of the Code.
(f) All contributions required to have been made under any
of the Republic Plans or by Law (without regard to any waivers
granted under Section 412 of the Code) have been timely
made.
(g) There are no pending Proceedings arising from or
relating to the Republic Plans (other than routine benefit
claims), nor does Republic have any Knowledge of facts that
would form the basis for any such Proceeding, in either case
that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Republic.
(h) None of the Republic Plans provide for post-employment
life insurance or health coverage for any participant or any
beneficiary of a participant, except as may be required under
Part 6 of the Subtitle B of Title I of
28
ERISA and at the expense of the participant or the
participant’s beneficiary or as may be required by
applicable state continuation coverage Law.
(i) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement
nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or
payments contemplated by the Republic Plans will (i) result
in any material payment becoming due to any employee of Republic
or any of the Republic Subsidiaries, (ii) increase any
benefits otherwise payable under any of the Republic Plans,
(iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment of
or vesting of any rights with respect to such benefits under any
such plan, or (iv) require any contributions or payments to
fund any obligations under any of the Republic Plans.
(j) Any individual who performs services for Republic or
any of the Republic Subsidiaries (other than through a Contract
with an organization other than such individual) and who is not
treated as an employee of Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries for Federal income tax purposes by Republic is not
an employee for such purposes.
Section 5.11 Employment and Labor
Matters. None of the employees of Republic or any
of the Republic Subsidiaries is represented in his or her
capacity as an employee of Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries by any labor organization. Neither Republic nor any
of the Republic Subsidiaries has recognized any labor
organization, nor has any labor organization been elected as the
collective bargaining agent of any employees of Republic or any
of the Republic Subsidiaries, nor has Republic or any of the
Republic Subsidiaries entered into any agreement recognizing any
labor organization as the bargaining agent of any employees of
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries. Neither Republic
nor any Republic Subsidiary has entered into or is in the
process of negotiating any neutrality agreement or agreement
with similar effect with any labor organization. There is no
union organization activity involving any of the employees of
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries pending or, to the
Knowledge of Republic, threatened that, individually or in the
aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on Republic. There is no picketing
pending or, to the Knowledge of Republic, threatened, and there
are no strikes, slowdowns, work stoppages, other job actions,
lockouts, arbitrations, grievances or other labor disputes
involving any of the employees of Republic or any of the
Republic Subsidiaries pending or, to the Knowledge of Republic,
threatened that, individually or in the aggregate, have had or
would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
on Republic. There are no complaints, charges or claims against
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries pending or, to the
Knowledge of Republic, threatened that could be brought or filed
with any Governmental Entity or arbitrator based on, arising out
of, in connection with, or otherwise relating to the employment
Laws or to the employment or termination of employment or
failure to employ by Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries, of any individual that, individually or in the
aggregate, have had or would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on Republic. Except for those matters
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Republic, Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries are in
compliance with all Laws relating to the employment of labor,
including all such Laws relating to wages, hours, WARN Act,
collective bargaining, discrimination, civil rights, safety and
health, whistleblower statutes, workers’ compensation and
the collection and payment of withholding
and/or
social security taxes and any similar tax. Since
December 31, 2005, there has been no “mass
layoff” or “plant closing” (as defined by the
WARN Act or similar state or local Laws) with respect to
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries.
Section 5.12 Litigation. Except
for such Orders or Proceedings that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic, there are
(a) no continuing Orders to which Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary is a party or by which any of their respective
properties or assets are bound, and (b) no Proceedings
pending and for which service of process has been made against
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary or, to the Knowledge of
Republic, threatened or pending against Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary.
Section 5.13 Compliance with Applicable
Laws.
(a) Since December 31, 2005, (i) the business of
Republic and each Republic Subsidiary has been conducted in
compliance with all applicable Laws and Orders, except for such
noncompliance that, individually or in the aggregate, has not
had or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Republic; and (ii) neither Republic nor
any Republic Subsidiary has received written notice to the
effect that any individual or Governmental Entity claimed or
alleged that Republic or any Republic Subsidiary was not in
compliance in all
29
material respects with all Laws applicable to Republic or any
Republic Subsidiary, any of their respective properties or other
assets or any of their respective businesses or operations
(b) Except for matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, has not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic, (i) Republic
and each Republic Subsidiary holds all Permits necessary for the
lawful conduct of its business and the ownership, use, occupancy
and operation of its assets and properties, and
(ii) Republic and each Republic Subsidiary is in compliance
with the terms of such Permits, except for such matters for
which Republic or any Republic Subsidiary has received written
notice from a Governmental Entity, which notice asserts a lack
of compliance with a particular Permit, but permits Republic or
a Republic Subsidiary to cure such non-compliance within a
reasonable period of time following the issuance of such notice
and which cure is being undertaken by Republic or a Republic
Subsidiary. The consummation of the Merger, in and of itself,
will not cause the revocation or cancellation of any Permit held
by Republic or a Republic Subsidiary, except for such
revocations or cancellations that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Republic.
(c) Republic and each of its officers and directors (with
respect to his or her service as a director of Republic) are in
compliance with, and have complied, in each case in all material
respects with (i) the applicable provisions of
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx and (ii) the applicable listing and
corporate governance rules and regulations of the NYSE. Republic
has previously disclosed to Allied any of the information
required to be disclosed by Republic and certain of its officers
to the Republic Board or any committee thereof pursuant to the
certification requirements contained in
Form 10-K
and
Form 10-Q
under the Exchange Act.
(d) Republic has established and maintains disclosure
controls and procedures (as such term is defined in
Rule 13a-15(e)
or 15d-15(e)
under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures
are designed to ensure that material information relating to
Republic, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known
to Republic’s principal executive officer and principal
financial officer by others within Republic and Republic
Subsidiaries, particularly during the periods in which the
periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being
prepared; and such disclosure controls and procedures are
effective in timely alerting Republic’s principal executive
officer and principal financial officer to material information
required to be included in Republic’s periodic reports
required under the Exchange Act.
(e) Republic has disclosed, based on its most recent
evaluation prior to the date hereof, to the Republic’s
auditors and the audit committee of the Republic Board,
(i) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in
the design or operation of internal controls over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect in any
material respect Republic’s ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial information and (ii) any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in Republic’s
internal controls over financial reporting.
(f) As of the date hereof, Republic has not identified any
material weaknesses in the design or operation of its internal
controls over financial reporting. To the Knowledge of Republic,
Republic’s auditors and its principal executive officer and
its principal financial officer will be able to give the
certifications and attestations required pursuant to
Section 404 of Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx, without qualification, when
next due.
Section 5.14 Contracts.
(a) Except for such Contracts that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic, neither Republic nor
any of the Republic Subsidiaries is a party to, and none of
their respective properties or other assets is subject to, any
Contract that is of a nature required to be filed as an exhibit
to a report or filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act that has not been filed. Republic has provided Allied true
and correct copies of all material Hedging Agreements to which
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary is a party as of the date of
this Agreement.
(b) Neither Republic nor any of the Republic Subsidiaries
is in violation of or in default under any Material Republic
Contract to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
properties or assets is bound, except for violations or defaults
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Republic. Except for such conditions that, individually or in
the aggregate, have not had or would not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic, no condition
exists or event has
30
occurred which (whether with or without notice or lapse of time
or both) would constitute a default by Republic or a Republic
Subsidiary or, to the Knowledge of Republic, any other party
thereto under any Material Republic Contract or result in a
right of termination of any Material Republic Contract.
(c) Except as would not reasonably be expected to be
material to Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, neither Republic nor any Republic Subsidiary or any
Affiliate of Republic, nor any of their respective directors,
officers or key employees is subject to any Material Republic
Contract, other than the Republic Credit Facility, which
(i) restricts or prohibits Republic, any Republic
Subsidiary or any Affiliate of Republic from, directly or
indirectly, engaging in any business involving the collection,
interim storage, transfer, recovery, processing, recycling,
marketing or disposal of rubbish, garbage, paper, textile wastes
or chemical, liquid or any other wastes, or (ii) restricts
or prohibits Republic, any Republic Subsidiary or any Affiliate
of Republic from engaging in any other line of business or
competing in any geographic area. Except as would not reasonably
be expected to be material to the Surviving Corporation and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, neither Republic nor any
Republic Subsidiary is subject to any Material Republic Contract
which contains a “most favored nation” provision to
provide the other party to such Material Republic Contract
pricing or other terms at least as favorable as those received
by other third parties who have contracted with an Affiliate of
such entity.
Section 5.15 Intellectual
Property. Except as has not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on Republic:
(a) Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries own, license or
have the right to use all Intellectual Property used in the
operation of their businesses as currently conducted, free and
clear of all Liens (other than, with respect to Liens, licenses
of Intellectual Property in the ordinary and usual course of
business); (b) no Proceedings or investigations are pending
and, to the Knowledge of Republic, no Proceedings or
investigations are threatened (including in the form of cease
and desist letters or written requests to take a license)
against Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries with regard
to the ownership, use, validity or enforceability of any
Intellectual Property used in the operation of their businesses
as currently conducted; (c) to the Knowledge of Republic,
the operation of Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries’
businesses as currently conducted does not infringe,
misappropriate or violate the Intellectual Property of any other
Person and, to the Knowledge of Republic, no other Person is
infringing Republic’s or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries’ Intellectual Property; (d) all material
registrations and applications for patents, trademarks and
copyrights owned by Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries
are subsisting, have not been abandoned or cancelled, and to the
Knowledge of Republic, all such registrations are valid and
enforceable; and (e) Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries
have taken all commercially reasonable steps to protect the
Intellectual Property they own, including the execution of
appropriate confidentiality agreements and intellectual property
and work product assignments and releases.
Section 5.16 Real Estate.
(a) Section 5.16 of the Republic Disclosure
Schedule sets forth as of the date hereof: (i) a list of
all Material Republic Owned Real Property and (ii) a list
of all Material Republic Real Property Leases, in each case
setting forth: (a) the street address, if available, of
each property covered thereby (the “Material Republic
Leased Real Property”) and (b) the name of the
company or division operating at such premises. The Material
Republic Owned Real Property and the Material Republic Leased
Real Property are collectively referred to herein as the
“Material Republic Real Property”. Each of
Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries has good title to, or
valid leasehold interests in, the Material Republic Real
Property except for Permitted Liens and defects in title,
easements, restrictive covenants and similar encumbrances that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Republic.
(b) Except as has not had and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect on Republic:
(i) all facilities located on Material Republic Real
Property have received all approvals of applicable Governmental
Entities (including licenses and permits) required in connection
with the ownership or operation thereof and have been operated
and maintained in accordance with applicable Laws;
(ii) there are no outstanding options or rights of first
refusal to purchase the parcels of the Material Republic Owned
Real Property, or any portion thereof or interest therein;
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(iii) taken as a whole, all improvements and buildings on
the Material Republic Real Property are in good repair and
adequate for the use of such Material Republic Real Property in
the manner in which presently used; and
(iv) with respect to the Material Republic Real Property
Leases, (1) such leases are in full force and effect and
are not subject to undisclosed amendments or modifications,
(2) to the Knowledge of Republic, there is no breach or
anticipated breach or default by any other party to such leases
and (3) all rental and other payments due under each of the
Material Republic Real Property Leases have been duly paid in
accordance with the terms of such leases.
Section 5.17 Environmental
Matters. Except for those matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Republic, (i) each of Republic and the Republic
Subsidiaries is, and has been, in compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws and there are no past or present actions,
activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents that
are reasonably likely to interfere with such compliance in the
future, (ii) there have been no Releases of Hazardous
Substances at, from, to or under any real property currently
owned, operated or leased by Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries, including any off-site migration, which would
reasonably be expected to result in, or has resulted in,
Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries incurring
Environmental Liabilities, (iii) there is no investigation
or Proceeding relating to or arising under Environmental Laws
that is pending and, to the Knowledge of Republic, there is no
investigation or Proceeding relating to or arising under
Environmental Laws threatened against or affecting Republic or
any of the Republic Subsidiaries or any real property currently
owned, operated or leased by Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries which would reasonably be expected to result in, or
has resulted in, Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries
incurring Environmental Liabilities, (iv) since
December 31, 2005, neither Republic nor any of the Republic
Subsidiaries has received any written notice of or entered into
or assumed by Contract or operation of Law or otherwise, any
known obligation, liability, order, settlement, judgment,
injunction, decree, institutional or engineering control, use
restriction, Lien or Order relating to or arising under any
Environmental Laws, (v) no facts, circumstances or
conditions exist with respect to Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries or any real property currently owned, operated or
leased by Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries or any
property to or at which Republic or any of the Republic
Subsidiaries disposed of, transported or arranged for the
disposal, transportation or treatment of Hazardous Materials
that would reasonably be expected to result in Republic or any
the Republic Subsidiaries incurring Environmental Liabilities,
(vi) no real property currently owned, operated or leased
by Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries is subject to
any current, or to the Knowledge of Republic, threatened deed
restriction, use restriction, institutional or engineering
control or lien pursuant to any Environmental Laws,
(vii) Republic and Republic Subsidiaries have obtained, or
have filed timely applications for all Environmental Permits for
their respective operations, (viii) Republic and Republic
Subsidiaries are currently in compliance with all terms and
conditions of such Environmental Permits, (ix) there are no
Proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of Republic, threatened
to revoke, cancel or terminate such Environmental Permits, and
Republic is not aware of any basis on which such Environmental
Permits could not be renewed in the ordinary and usual course of
business, (x) Republic and Republic Subsidiaries each has
in full force and effect all financial assurances required under
Environmental Laws, and (xi) Republic and Republic
Subsidiaries do not reasonably expect that expenditures not
otherwise reflected in the financial statements provided to
Republic will be necessary for the operations, business and
property of Republic and Republic Subsidiaries to maintain full
compliance with Environmental Laws currently in effect.
Section 5.18 Brokers. No
broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person,
other xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., the fees and expenses
of which will be paid by Republic, is entitled to any
broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other
similar fee or commission in connection with the Merger based
upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Republic or Merger Sub.
Section 5.19 Opinion of Financial
Advisor. The Republic Board has received the
opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., dated the date of this
Agreement, that, as of such date, and subject to the
limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth in such
opinion, the Exchange Ratio is, in the opinion of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx & Co., fair to Republic from a financial point
of view.
32
Section 5.20 State Takeover
Statutes. The Republic Board has adopted a
resolution or resolutions approving this Agreement, the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby, and such
approval constitutes approval of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby by the Republic Board under the
provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL such that, assuming
the accuracy of the representations and warranties contained in
Section 4.22, the restrictions on “business
combinations” (as defined in Section 203 of the DGCL)
are not applicable to this Agreement, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 5.21 Rights
Plan. Neither Republic nor any of the Republic
Subsidiaries has adopted a stockholder rights plan or
“poison pill.”
Section 5.22 Ownership of Allied Common
Stock; Section 203 of the DGCL. None of
Republic, Merger Sub or any of their respective Subsidiaries or
Affiliates “owns” (as that term is defined in
Section 203 of the DGCL), any shares of capital stock of
Allied. Neither Republic nor Merger Sub is, and at no time
during the last three (3) years has been, an
“interested stockholder” of Allied as defined in
Section 203 of the DGCL.
Section 5.23 Interests in
Competitors. Neither Republic nor Merger Sub owns
any interest(s), nor do any of their respective Affiliates
insofar as such Affiliate-owned interests would be attributed to
Republic or Merger Sub under the HSR Act or any other Antitrust
Law, in any Person that is not a Republic Subsidiary and that
derives a substantial portion of its revenues from a line of
business within the principal lines of business of Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary.
Section 5.24 Insurance. All
material insurance policies maintained by Republic and the
Republic Subsidiaries, including property and casualty, excess
liability, pollution and directors and officers liability
insurance, provide insurance in such amounts and against such
risks as the management of Republic reasonably has determined to
be prudent in accordance with industry practices or as is
required by Law. Neither Republic nor any of the Republic
Subsidiaries is in breach or default, and neither Republic nor
any of the Republic Subsidiaries has taken any action or failed
to take any action which, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute such a breach or default, or permit a
termination or modification of any of the material insurance
policies of Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries, except for
such breaches, defaults, terminations or modifications that
individually or in the aggregate have not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Republic.
Section 5.25 Operations of Merger
Sub. Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose
of engaging in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
has engaged in no other business activities and has conducted
its operations only as contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS
RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Section 6.01 Conduct of Business.
(a) Conduct of Business by Allied. Except
for matters permitted by this Agreement, from the date of this
Agreement until the Effective Time or, if earlier, the
termination of this Agreement, Allied shall, and shall cause
each Allied Subsidiary to, conduct its business in all material
respects in the ordinary and usual course of business. In
addition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
except for matters expressly contemplated by this Agreement or
disclosed in Section 6.01(a) of the Allied
Disclosure Schedule, from the date of this Agreement until the
Effective Time or, if earlier, the termination of this
Agreement, Allied shall not, and shall cause each Allied
Subsidiary not to, do any of the following without the prior
written consent of Republic (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed):
(i) (A) declare, set aside or pay any dividends on, or
make any other distributions in respect of, any of its capital
stock, other than dividends and distributions by a Allied
Subsidiary to its parent, (B) split, combine or reclassify
any of its capital stock or issue or authorize the issuance of
any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in
substitution for shares of its capital stock, (C) purchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary or any other securities thereof
or any rights, warrants or options to acquire any such shares or
other securities (except for the withholding of shares to
satisfy tax liabilities incurred upon the vesting or exercise of
any Allied Equity Award) or (D) adopt a plan of complete or
partial
33
liquidation or resolutions providing for or authorizing such
liquidation or a dissolution, merger, consolidation,
restructuring, recapitalization or reorganization of Allied or
any of the Allied Subsidiaries, except for a liquidation or
other reorganization of an Allied Subsidiary the proceeds of
which are distributed to Allied or any Allied Subsidiary or the
dissolution of an Allied Subsidiary that holds no assets;
(ii) authorize for issuance, issue, deliver, sell or grant
(A) any shares of its capital stock, (B) any Voting
Allied Debt or other voting securities, (C) any securities
convertible into or exchangeable for, or any options, warrants
or rights to acquire, any such shares, voting securities or
convertible or exchangeable securities or (D) any
“phantom” stock, “phantom” stock rights,
stock appreciation rights or stock-based performance units,
other than (x) (1) the issuance of shares of Allied Common
Stock upon the exercise of Allied Stock Options outstanding on
the date hereof or granted after the date hereof in accordance
with clause (y) below, in either case in accordance with
their terms on the date hereof (or on the date of grant, if
later), or (2) the issuance of Allied Common Stock upon the
vesting of Allied RSUs or Allied DSUs outstanding on the date
hereof or granted after the date hereof in accordance with
clause (y) below, in either case in accordance with their
terms on the date hereof (or on the date of grant, if later) and
(y) the grant of Allied Equity Awards to non-employee
directors or employees of Allied or any Allied Subsidiary, in
accordance with Section 6.01(a) of the Allied
Disclosure Schedule or as required pursuant to Allied Plans or
agreements existing as of the date hereof (provided that no such
award may vest as a result of the consummation of the Merger);
(iii) amend its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or
other comparable charter or organizational documents;
(iv) merge or consolidate with any Person (provided that an
Allied Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with another Allied
Subsidiary);
(v) acquire in any manner an amount of assets (including
securities) of any third Person (other than Allied or an Allied
Subsidiary), individually, in excess of $75,000,000 or, in the
aggregate, in excess of $150,000,000, except (A) for
acquisitions of assets (including securities) in the ordinary
and usual course of business that would not materially hinder or
delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and (B) as required by existing Contracts as of
the date hereof;
(vi) sell, lease, license, mortgage, sell and leaseback or
otherwise encumber or subject to any Lien or otherwise dispose
of any of its properties or other assets to a third Person
(other than Allied or an Allied Subsidiary), in the aggregate,
in excess of $50,000,000, except for (A) sales of
properties or other assets in the ordinary and usual course of
business and (B) pursuant to existing Contracts as of the
date hereof;
(vii) other than in the ordinary and usual course of
business or as required pursuant to existing agreements or
Allied Plans or any existing collective bargaining agreement,
(A) grant to any officer or director of Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary any material increase in compensation or
fringe benefits, (B) grant to any present or former
employee, officer or director of Allied or any Allied Subsidiary
any increase in severance or termination pay or (C) enter
into or amend any employment, consulting, indemnification,
severance or termination agreement with any such present or
former employee, officer or director;
(viii) (A) establish, adopt, enter into or amend in
any material respect any Allied Plan except as required by
applicable Law or the terms of any collective bargaining
agreement, provided, however, that Allied may
amend Allied Plans for purposes of compliance with
Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance thereunder
or for purposes of causing such Allied Plan to be excluded from
coverage under Section 409A of the Code and applicable
guidance thereunder; (B) except as permitted or required
under Section 7.05 or as permitted or required under the
terms of any Allied Plan (as such Allied Plan may be amended for
purposes of compliance with Section 409A of the Code and
applicable guidance thereunder or for the purpose of causing
such Allied Plan to be excluded from coverage under
Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance
thereunder) or as required by applicable Law, take any action to
accelerate any material rights or benefits, under any Allied
Plan or (C) except for grants or awards permitted by
Section 6.01(a)(ii), grant any new, or amend any
existing Allied Equity Award or enter into any agreement under
which any Allied Equity Award would be required to be issued;
34
(ix) (A) incur any new, or modify or amend or enter
into any refinancing of any existing, indebtedness for borrowed
money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another Person or
issue or sell any debt securities or options, warrants, calls or
other rights to acquire any debt securities of Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary, guarantee any debt securities of another
Person, enter into any “keep well” or other agreement
to maintain any financial statement condition of another Person
or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of any
of the foregoing or (B) make any loans, advances or capital
contributions to, or investments in, any other Person, other
than Allied or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of
Allied, in each case except in the ordinary and usual course of
business or as required by existing Contracts as of the date
hereof (it being understood that the refinancing of any
indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof other than at its
stated maturity shall not be considered in the ordinary and
usual course of business);
(x) other than in the ordinary and usual course of business
(but subject to the other provisions of this
Section 6.01(a)), (A) modify, amend or
terminate in any material adverse respect any Contract involving
annual payments by or to Allied or any Allied Subsidiary in
excess of $5,000,000 (an “Allied Covered
Contract”), (B) enter into any successor Contract
to an expiring Allied Covered Contract that changes the terms of
the expiring Allied Covered Contract in a way that is materially
adverse to Allied or any Allied Subsidiary, (C) enter into
any new Contract that would have been considered an Allied
Covered Contract if it were entered into at or prior to the date
hereof;
(xi) enter into or renew or extend any Contract that limits
or restricts Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries or any of
their respective Affiliates or any successor thereto, or that
could, after the Effective Time, limit or restrict Republic
(including the Surviving Corporation) or any of its Affiliates
or any successor thereto, from engaging or competing in any line
of business or in any geographic area, which Contracts,
individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected
to be materially adverse to Republic and Republic Subsidiaries
(including the Surviving Corporation);
(xii) enter into any collective bargaining or similar
agreement with a labor organization not then recognized by
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary or, enter into a new collective
bargaining or similar agreement for an existing collective
bargaining unit that is different in any material respect from
the collective bargaining or similar agreement in force as of
the date of this Agreement;
(xiii) terminate or cancel, or amend or modify in any
material respect, any material insurance policies maintained by
it covering Allied or any Allied Subsidiary or their respective
properties which is not replaced by a comparable amount of
insurance coverage;
(xiv) make any change in accounting methods, principles or
practices, except insofar as may be required by GAAP or
applicable Law;
(xv) make or agree to make any new capital expenditure or
expenditures that, in the aggregate, would reasonably be
expected to cause Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries to make
payments for capital expenditures in any fiscal year that are in
excess of 110% of Allied’s consolidated capital
expenditures budget for such year as most recently provided to
Republic prior to the date hereof;
(xvi) other than in the ordinary and usual course of
business, make any material Tax election, make any material
amendments to Tax Returns previously filed, or settle or
compromise any material Tax liability or refund; or
(xvii) authorize any of, or commit or agree to take any of,
the foregoing actions.
(b) Conduct of Business by
Republic. Except for matters permitted by this
Agreement, from the date of this Agreement until the Effective
Time or, if earlier, the termination of this Agreement, Republic
shall, and shall cause each Republic Subsidiary to, conduct its
business in all material respects in the ordinary and usual
course of business. In addition, and without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, except for matters expressly
contemplated by this Agreement or disclosed in
Section 6.01(b) of the Republic Disclosure Schedule,
from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time or, if
earlier, the termination of this Agreement, Republic shall not,
and shall
35
cause each Republic Subsidiary not to, do any of the following
without the prior written consent of Allied (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed):
(i) (A) declare, set aside or pay any dividends on, or
make any other distributions in respect of, any of its capital
stock, other than dividends and distributions by a Republic
Subsidiary to its parent, and other than regular quarterly cash
dividends on the Republic Common Stock at the rates and with
record dates as set forth in Section 6.01(b) of the
Republic Disclosure Schedule, (B) split, combine or
reclassify any of its capital stock or issue or authorize the
issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in
substitution for shares of its capital stock, (C) except
pursuant to Republic’s stock repurchase program as
described in Section 6.01(b) of the Republic
Disclosure Schedule, purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of capital stock of Republic or any Republic Subsidiary
or any other securities thereof or any rights, warrants or
options to acquire any such shares or other securities (except
for the withholding of shares to satisfy tax liabilities
incurred upon the vesting or exercise of any Republic Equity
Award) or (D) adopt a plan of complete or partial
liquidation or resolutions providing for or authorizing such
liquidation or a dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or
reorganization of Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries,
except for a liquidation or other reorganization of a Republic
Subsidiary the proceeds of which are distributed to Republic or
any Republic Subsidiary or the dissolution of a Republic
Subsidiary that holds no assets;
(ii) authorize for issuance, issue, deliver, sell or grant
(A) any shares of its capital stock, (B) any Voting
Republic Debt or other voting securities, (C) any
securities convertible into or exchangeable for, or any options,
warrants or rights to acquire, any such shares, voting
securities or convertible or exchangeable securities or
(D) any “phantom” stock, “phantom”
stock rights, stock appreciation rights or stock-based
performance units, other than (x) (1) the issuance of
shares of Republic Common Stock upon the exercise of Republic
Stock Options outstanding on the date hereof or granted after
the date hereof in accordance with clause (y) below, in
either case in accordance with their terms on the date hereof
(or on the date of grant, if later), or (2) the issuance of
Republic Common Stock upon the vesting of Republic RSUs or
Republic DSUs outstanding on the date hereof or granted after
the date hereof in accordance with clause (y) below, in
either case in accordance with their terms on the date hereof
(or on the date of grant, if later) and (y) the grant of
Republic Equity Awards to non-employee directors or employees of
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary, in accordance
Section 6.01(b) of the Republic Disclosure Schedule
or as required pursuant to agreements existing as of the date
hereof (provided that no such award may vest as a result of
consummation of the Merger);
(iii) amend its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or
other comparable charter or organizational documents;
(iv) merge or consolidate with any Person (provided that a
Republic Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with another
Republic Subsidiary;
(v) acquire in any manner an amount of assets (including
securities) of any third Person (other than Republic or an
Republic Subsidiary), individually, in excess of $75,000,000 or,
in the aggregate, in excess of $150,000,000, except (A) for
acquisitions of assets (including securities) in the ordinary
and usual course of business that would not materially hinder or
delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and (B) as required by existing Contracts as of
the date hereof;
(vi) sell, lease, license, mortgage, sell and leaseback or
otherwise encumber or subject to any Lien or otherwise dispose
of any of its properties or other assets to a third Person
(other than Republic or an Republic Subsidiary), individually,
in the aggregate, in excess of $50,000,000, except for
(A) sales of properties or other assets in the ordinary and
usual course of business and (B) pursuant to existing
Contracts as of the date hereof;
(vii) other than in the ordinary and usual course of
business or as required pursuant to existing agreements or
Republic Plans or any existing collective bargaining agreement,
(A) grant to any officer or director of Republic or any
Republic Subsidiary any material increase in compensation or
fringe benefits, (B) grant to any present or former
employee, officer or director of Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary any increase in severance or termination pay or
(C) enter into or amend any employment, consulting,
indemnification, severance or termination agreement with any
such present or former employee, officer or director;
36
(viii) (A) establish, adopt, enter into or amend in
any material respect any Republic Plan except as required by
applicable Law or the terms of any collective bargaining
agreement, provided, however, that Republic may
amend Republic Plans for purposes of compliance with
Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance thereunder
or for purposes of causing such Republic Plan to be excluded
from coverage under Section 409A of the Code and applicable
guidance thereunder; (B) except as permitted or required
under Section 7.05 or as permitted or required under the
terms of any Republic Plan (as such Republic Plan may be amended
for purposes of compliance with Section 409A of the Code
and applicable guidance thereunder or for the purpose of causing
such Republic Plan to be excluded from coverage under
Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance
thereunder) or as required by applicable Law, take any action to
accelerate any material rights or benefits, under any Republic
Plan or (C) except for grants or awards permitted by
Section 6.01(b)(ii), grant any new, or amend any
existing Republic Equity Award or other performance-based award
or enter into any agreement under which any Republic Equity
Award would be required to be issued;
(ix) (A) incur any new, or modify or amend or enter
into any refinancing of any existing, indebtedness for borrowed
money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another Person or
issue or sell any debt securities or options, warrants, calls or
other rights to acquire any debt securities of Republic or any
Republic Subsidiary, guarantee any debt securities of another
Person, enter into any “keep well” or other agreement
to maintain any financial statement condition of another Person
or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of any
of the foregoing or (B) make any loans, advances or capital
contributions to, or investments in, any other Person, other
than Republic or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
of Republic, in each case except in the ordinary and usual
course of business or as required by existing Contracts as of
the date hereof (it being understood that the refinancing of any
indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof other than at its
stated maturity shall not be considered in the ordinary and
usual course of business);
(x) other than in the ordinary and usual course of
business, (A) modify, amend or terminate in any material
adverse respect any Contract involving annual payments by or to
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary in excess of $5,000,000 (a
“Republic Covered Contract”), (B) enter
into any successor Contract to an expiring Republic Covered
Contract that changes the terms of the expiring Republic Covered
Contract in a way that is materially adverse to Republic or any
Republic Subsidiary, or (C) enter into any new Contract
that would have been considered a Republic Covered Contract if
it were entered into at or prior to the date hereof;
(xi) enter into or renew or extend any Contract that limits
or restricts Republic or any of the Republic Subsidiaries or any
of their respective Affiliates or any successor thereto, or that
could, after the Effective Time, limit or restrict Republic or
any of its Affiliates or any successor thereto, from engaging or
competing in any line of business or in any geographic area,
which Contracts, individually or in the aggregate, would
reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to Republic and
Republic Subsidiaries;
(xii) enter into any collective bargaining or similar
agreement with a labor organization not then recognized by
Republic or any Republic Subsidiary, or, enter into a new
collective bargaining or similar agreement for an existing
collective bargaining unit that is different in any material
respect from the collective bargaining or similar agreement in
force as of the date of this Agreement;
(xiii) terminate or cancel, or amend or modify in any
material respect, any material insurance policies maintained by
it covering Republic or any Republic Subsidiary or their
respective properties which is not replaced by a comparable
amount of insurance coverage;
(xiv) make any change in accounting methods, principles or
practices, except insofar as may be required by GAAP or
applicable Law;
(xv) make or agree to make any new capital expenditure or
expenditures that, in the aggregate, would reasonably be
expected to cause Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries to make
payments for capital expenditures in any fiscal year that are in
excess of 110% of Republic’s consolidated capital
expenditures budget for such year as most recently provided to
Allied prior to the date hereof;
(xvi) other than in the ordinary and usual course of
business, make any material Tax election, make any material
amendments to Tax Returns previously filed, or settle or
compromise any material Tax liability or refund; or
37
(xvii) authorize any of, or commit or agree to take any of,
the foregoing actions.
Section 6.02 No Solicitation.
(a) Each of Republic and Allied agrees that it shall not,
and it shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, and that it shall
direct and cause its and its Subsidiaries’ respective
officers, directors and employees, agents and representatives
(including any investment banker, attorney, accountant or other
advisor retained by it or any of its Subsidiaries)
(collectively, “Representatives”) not to,
directly or indirectly, initiate, solicit or otherwise knowingly
encourage or facilitate any inquiries or the making by any third
Person or group (as defined in the Exchange Act) of third
Persons (other than the other party hereto
and/or its
Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives) (a
“Third Party”) of any proposal or offer with
respect to a purchase, merger, reorganization, share exchange,
consolidation, amalgamation, arrangement, business combination,
liquidation, dissolution, recapitalization or similar
transaction involving 20% or more of its consolidated total
revenues or assets (including by means of a transaction with
respect to securities of such party or its Subsidiaries) or 20%
or more of its outstanding shares of common stock (any such
proposal or offer being hereinafter referred to as an
“Acquisition Proposal”, it being understood
that none of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
set forth in Section 6.01(a) of the Allied
Disclosure Schedule or Section 6.01(b) of the
Republic Disclosure Schedule, as applicable, shall be deemed to
constitute an Acquisition Proposal). Each of Republic and Allied
further agrees that it shall not, and it shall cause each of its
Subsidiaries not to, and it shall direct and cause its and its
Subsidiaries’ Representatives not to, directly or
indirectly, except as permitted by Section 6.02(b),
(i) engage in any negotiations or discussions with, or
provide any information or data to, any Third Party relating to
an Acquisition Proposal, or otherwise knowingly encourage or
facilitate any effort or attempt to make or implement an
Acquisition Proposal, (ii) approve or recommend, or propose
publicly to approve or recommend, any Acquisition Proposal, or
(iii) execute or enter into, or publicly propose to accept
or enter into an agreement with respect to an Acquisition
Proposal, including a letter of intent, agreement in principle,
option agreement, merger agreement, acquisition agreement or
other agreement (whether binding or not) in furtherance of an
Acquisition Proposal.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 6.02(a), nothing contained in this Agreement
shall prevent Republic or Allied, or their respective Boards of
Directors, from (A) complying with
Rule 14d-9
or
Rule 14e-2
promulgated under the Exchange Act with regard to an Acquisition
Proposal (provided, however, no Change in Recommendation may be
made unless otherwise permitted by this
Section 6.02(b)), (B) providing information in
response to a request therefor by a Third Party who has made an
unsolicited bona fide written Acquisition Proposal if the Board
of Directors of Republic or Allied, as the case may be, receives
from the Third Party so requesting such information an executed
confidentiality agreement on terms no less favorable in the
aggregate to the disclosing party than those contained in the
Confidentiality Agreement (but which need not contain standstill
or non-solicitation of employee provisions and does not contain
other terms that prevent Republic or Allied, as the case may be,
from complying with its obligations under this
Section 6.02) and so long as any information
provided to such Third Party that has not previously been
provided to the other party is provided to the other party as
promptly as practicable thereafter, (C) engaging in any
negotiations or discussions (including solicitation of a revised
Acquisition Proposal) with any Third Party who has made an
unsolicited bona fide written Acquisition Proposal,
(D) effecting a Change in Recommendation in respect of an
Acquisition Proposal or (E) effecting a Change in
Recommendation other than in respect of an Acquisition Proposal;
provided, however, that neither Republic
nor Allied shall take any of the foregoing actions unless:
(i) in each such case referenced in clause (B) or
(C) above, (1) the applicable Stockholder Approval
has not yet been obtained, (2) such party shall not have
breached the provisions of this Section 6.02 and
(3) the Board of Directors of the party determines in good
faith (after consultation with its financial advisor of national
reputation and outside legal counsel) that such Acquisition
Proposal constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead
to, a Superior Proposal;
(ii) in each case referenced in clause (D) above,
prior to Republic or Allied, as the case may be, effecting a
Change in Recommendation with respect to an Acquisition
Proposal, (1) the applicable Stockholder Approval shall not
have been obtained, (2) such party shall not have breached
the provisions of this Section 6.02, (3) the Board
of Directors of such party shall have determined in good faith,
after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal
counsel, that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior
Proposal,
38
(4) such party shall have notified the other party in
writing, at least four (4) Business Days in advance of such
Change in Recommendation (it being understood that any change in
financial terms or other material terms of the relevant
Acquisition Proposal shall extend such period by an additional
two (2) Business Days from the date of receipt of the
revised Acquisition Proposal containing such changed terms) that
it is considering taking such action, specifying the material
terms and conditions of such Superior Proposal and the identity
of the person making such Superior Proposal and delivering the
documents and information required to be delivered pursuant to
Section 6.02(c), and (5) during such four
(4) Business Day period (as extended, if applicable), such
party shall have negotiated, and shall have made its financial
and legal advisors available to negotiate, with the other party
should the other party elect to propose adjustments in the terms
and conditions of this Agreement such that, after giving effect
thereto, such Acquisition Proposal no longer constitutes a
Superior Proposal and at the end of such four (4) Business
Day period (as extended, if applicable) the Board of Directors
of such party shall have determined, in good faith after
consultation with its financial advisor of national reputation
and outside legal counsel, that such Acquisition Proposal
remains a Superior Proposal after giving effect to all the
adjustments which may be offered pursuant to this clause
(5). As used herein, “Superior
Proposal” means a bona fide written Acquisition
Proposal with respect to a party that the Board of Directors of
such party concludes in good faith, after consultation with its
financial advisor of national reputation and outside legal
counsel, is (i) more favorable to the stockholders of the
party receiving the proposal than the Merger, taking into
account all terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal,
including any
break-up
fees, expense reimbursement provisions, conditions to
consummation, long-term strategic considerations and other
factors deemed relevant by such Board of Directors, as the case
may be, and (ii) reasonably capable of being completed on a
timely basis; provided that for purposes of this
definition, “Acquisition Proposal” shall have
the meaning set forth above, except that “50%” shall
be substituted for “20%” in the definition
thereof; or
(iii) in the case referenced in clause (E) above,
(1) the applicable Stockholder Approval shall not have been
obtained, and (2) the Board of Directors of such party
shall have determined in good faith after consultation with
outside legal counsel that failure to make the Change in
Recommendation would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties,
(3) such party shall have notified the other party in
writing, at least four (4) Business Days in advance of such
Change in Recommendation that it is considering taking such
action, specifying in reasonable detail the reasons therefor and
(4) during such four (4) Business Day period, such
party shall have negotiated and shall have made its financial
and legal advisors available to negotiate with the other party
should the other party elect to propose adjustments in terms and
conditions of this Agreement such that, after giving effect
thereto, such party shall have determined in good faith after
consultation with outside counsel to not effect a Change in
Recommendation.
(c) Each of Republic and Allied shall notify Allied, in the
case of Republic, and Republic, in the case of Allied, promptly
(but in any event within 24 hours) if any inquiries,
proposals or offers are received by, any such information is
requested from, or any such discussions or negotiations are
sought to be initiated or continued with it or any of its
Representatives with respect to a potential Acquisition
Proposal, indicating, in connection with such notice, the name
of such person and the material terms and conditions of any
proposals or offers and providing, promptly (and in any event
within 24 hours after receipt thereof), a copy of all
documentation setting forth the terms of any such proposal or
offer or the nature of such inquiry, and thereafter shall keep
Allied, in the case of Republic, and Republic, in the case of
Allied, informed, on a reasonably current basis, of the status
and terms of any such proposals or offers and the status of any
such discussions or negotiations (including by delivering any
further documentation of the type referred to above).
(d) Each of Republic and Allied shall, and shall cause its
Subsidiaries and its and their respective Representatives to,
cease immediately and cause to be terminated any and all
existing activities, discussions or negotiations, if any, with
any third Person conducted prior to the date hereof with respect
to any Acquisition Proposal by such party or any action(s) that
could reasonably be expected to lead to any Acquisition Proposal
by such party, and shall promptly (and in any event within five
(5) Business Days) request (if not requested and complied
with) that all confidential information with respect thereto
furnished by or on behalf of Allied or Republic be returned or
destroyed in accordance with the terms of the applicable
confidentiality agreement with such party.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, Republic or Allied, as applicable, shall be permitted to
terminate, amend, modify, waive or fail to enforce any provision
of any “standstill” or similar
39
obligation of any Person if its Board of Directors determines in
good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that
the failure to take such action would violate its fiduciary
duties.
(f) If pursuant to Section 6.02(b) either party
effects a Change in Recommendation (the “Changing
Party”), the other party shall have the option (the
“Stockholder Vote Option”), exercisable within
ten (10) Business Days after such Change in Recommendation,
to cause the applicable Board of Directors of the Changing Party
to submit this Agreement to its stockholders for the purpose of
adopting this Agreement notwithstanding the Change in
Recommendation. If the other party exercises the Stockholder
Vote Option, it shall not be entitled to terminate this
Agreement pursuant to Section 9.01(c)(i) or
Section 9.01(d)(i), as applicable. If the other
party fails to exercise the Stockholder Vote Option, the
Changing Party shall terminate this Agreement within ten
(10) Business Days of expiration of the Stockholder Vote
Option pursuant to and in accordance with
Section 9.01(c)(iii) or
Section 9.01(d)(iii), as applicable.
(g) Each of Republic and Allied agrees that any violations
of the restrictions set forth in this Section 6.02
by any of its Representatives is or any of its Subsidiaries
shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 6.02
by such party.
ARTICLE VII
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
Section 7.01 Preparation of the
Form S-4
and Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. As promptly
as is reasonably practicable following the date of this
Agreement, Allied and Republic shall, except as otherwise
permitted by this Agreement or as may be necessary to avoid
violation of applicable Law, cooperate in preparing, and
prepare, (i) a joint proxy statement/prospectus (together
with any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, the
“Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) in order to
seek the Allied Stockholder Approval and the Republic
Stockholder Approval and (ii) the
Form S-4,
which Republic shall file with the SEC, and in which the Joint
Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be included as a prospectus.
Except as otherwise permitted by this Agreement or as may be
necessary to avoid violation of applicable Law, (A) each of
Allied and Republic will use its commercially reasonable efforts
to have the
Form S-4
declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as
practicable after such filing and keep the
Form S-4
effective for so long as necessary to consummate the Merger and
(B) each of Allied and Republic shall use its respective
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus to be mailed to the holders of the Allied
Common Stock and the holders of Republic Common Stock as
promptly as practicable after the
Form S-4
is declared effective under the Securities Act. Republic shall
also take any action required to be taken under any applicable
state securities Laws in connection with the issuance of shares
of Republic Common Stock in the Merger, and Allied shall furnish
all information concerning Allied and the Allied stockholders as
may be reasonably requested by Republic in connection with any
such action. No filing of, or amendment or supplement to, the
Form S-4
will be made by Republic, and no filing of or amendment or
supplement to the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will made by
Republic or Allied, in each case without providing the other
party a reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon. If
at any time prior to the Effective Time, any information
relating to Allied or Republic, or any of their respective
Affiliates, directors or officers, should be discovered by
Allied or Republic which should be set forth in an amendment or
supplement to either the
Form S-4
or the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus, so that either such
document would not include any misstatement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, the party which discovers such
information shall promptly notify the other party and an
appropriate amendment or supplement describing such information
shall be promptly filed with the SEC and, to the extent required
by Law, disseminated to the stockholders of each of Allied and
Republic. The parties shall notify each other promptly of the
receipt of any comments from the SEC or the staff of the SEC and
of any request by the SEC or the staff of the SEC for amendments
or supplements to the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or the
Form S-4
or for additional information and shall supply each other with
(x) copies of all correspondence and a description of all
material oral discussions between it or any of its respective
Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC or the staff of
the SEC, on the other hand, with respect to the Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, the
Form S-4
or the Merger and (y) copies of all orders of the SEC
relating to the
Form S-4.
40
Section 7.02 Stockholders Meeting;
Recommendations.
(a) Except as otherwise permitted by this Agreement or as
may be necessary to avoid violation of applicable Law and
subject to Section 6.02, (i) Allied shall use
all commercially reasonable efforts in accordance with and
subject to the DGCL and other applicable Law, the Allied Charter
and Allied By-laws and the rules of the NYSE to cause a meeting
of its stockholders (the “Allied Stockholder
Meeting”) to be duly called and held as soon as
reasonably practicable for the purpose of securing the Allied
Stockholder Approval, (ii) the Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus shall contain the recommendation of the
Allied Board that the Allied stockholders adopt this Agreement
(the “Allied Recommendation”), and
(iii) Allied shall not withhold, withdraw, modify or
qualify (or publicly propose to or publicly state that it
intends to withhold, withdraw, modify or qualify) in any manner
adverse to Republic such recommendation or take any other action
or make any other public statement in connection with the Allied
Stockholder Meeting inconsistent with the Allied Recommendation
(any actions in clause (iii) a “Change in Allied
Recommendation”).
(b) Except as otherwise permitted by this Agreement or as
may be necessary to avoid violation of applicable Law and
subject to Section 6.02, (i) Republic shall use
all commercially reasonable efforts in accordance with and
subject to the DGCL and other applicable Law, the Republic
Charter and Republic By-laws and the rules of the NYSE to cause
a meeting of its stockholders (the “Republic Stockholder
Meeting”) to be duly called and held as soon as
reasonably practicable for the purpose of securing the Republic
Stockholder Approval, (ii) the Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus shall contain the recommendation of the
Republic Board that the Republic’s stockholders approve the
Republic Share Issuance and the Republic Charter Amendment (the
“Republic Recommendation”), and
(iii) Republic shall not withhold, withdraw, modify or
qualify (or publicly propose to or publicly state that it
intends to withhold, withdraw, modify or qualify) in any manner
adverse to Allied such recommendation or take any other action
or make any other public statement in connection with the
Republic Stockholder Meeting inconsistent with the Republic
Recommendation (any actions in clause (iii) a
“Change in Republic Recommendation”).
(c) Subject to Section 6.02 of this Agreement
and applicable Law, Republic and Allied shall each use
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Republic
Stockholder Meeting and the Allied Stockholder Meeting to be
held on the same date and as soon as practicable after the date
hereof.
Section 7.03 Access to Information;
Confidentiality. Upon reasonable notice, and
except as may otherwise be prohibited by applicable Law, each of
Republic and Allied shall, and shall cause each of their
respective Subsidiaries to, afford to the other, and to the
other’s Representatives, reasonable access during normal
business hours during the period prior to the Effective Time to
all their respective properties, books, Contracts, commitments,
personnel and records as Allied or Republic from time to time
may reasonably request and, during such period, each of Allied
and Republic shall, and shall cause each of their respective
Subsidiaries to, furnish promptly to the other (a) a copy
of each report, schedule, registration statement and other
document filed by it during such period pursuant to the
requirements of federal or state securities Laws and
(b) all other information concerning its business,
properties and personnel as the other may reasonably request.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) either party may
restrict the foregoing access to the extent that any applicable
Law (including Laws relating to the exchange of information and
all applicable Antitrust Laws) requires such party or its
Subsidiaries to restrict or prohibit such access and
(ii) nothing herein shall require any party to disclose
information to the extent such information would result in
disclosure of trade secrets or a waiver of attorney-client
privilege, work product doctrine or similar privilege or violate
any confidentiality obligation of such party (provided that such
party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to permit such
disclosure to be made in a manner consistent with the protection
of such privilege or to obtain any consent required to permit
such disclosure to be made without violation of such
confidentiality obligations, as applicable). The parties
acknowledge and agree that nothing in this
Section 7.03 shall require either Allied or Republic
to take or allow any action that would unreasonably interfere
with Allied’s, Republic’s or any of their respective
Subsidiaries’ business or operations. All information
exchanged pursuant to this Section 7.03 shall be
subject to the Confidentiality Agreement, and the
Confidentiality Agreement shall remain in full force and effect
in accordance with its terms.
Section 7.04 Efforts to Consummate,
Notification.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
each of Republic and Allied will use its reasonable best efforts
to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause
to be done, all things necessary, proper or
41
advisable under applicable Law to consummate the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
using reasonable best efforts to accomplish the following:
(i) the taking of all acts necessary to cause the
conditions precedent set forth in Article VIII to be
satisfied, (ii) the obtaining of all necessary actions or
nonactions, waivers or Consents from Governmental Entities and
the making of all necessary registrations, declarations and
filings (including registrations, declarations and filings with
Governmental Entities, if any) and the taking of all steps as
may be necessary to avoid any investigation or Proceeding by any
Governmental Entity, (iii) the making or agreeing to any
Regulatory Divestiture, (iv) the obtaining of all necessary
Consents or waivers from third parties, (v) the defending
of any investigations or Proceedings, whether judicial or
administrative, challenging this Agreement or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, including seeking to
have any stay or temporary restraining order entered by any
Governmental Entity vacated or reversed, (vi) the taking of
all acts and efforts, from the date of this Agreement to the
Effective Time, to cause the Merger to qualify as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Code and (vii) the execution or delivery of additional
instruments necessary to consummate the transactions
contemplated by, and to fully carry out the purposes of, this
Agreement. In furtherance and not in limitation of the
foregoing, each of Republic and Allied shall (A) make or
cause to be made the registrations, declarations and filings
required of such party under the HSR Act and any other Antitrust
Laws with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement as promptly as practicable after the date of this
Agreement, (B) comply at the earliest practicable date with
any request under the HSR Act or any other Antitrust Law for
additional information, documents or other materials received by
such party from the Antitrust Division of the
U.S. Department of Justice (the “Antitrust
Division”), the Federal Trade Commission
(“FTC”) or by any other Governmental Entity in
respect of such registrations, declarations and filings or such
transactions and (C) act in good faith and reasonably
cooperate with the other party in connection with any such
registrations, declarations and filings (including, if requested
by the other party, to accept all reasonable additions,
deletions or changes suggested by the other party in connection
therewith) and in connection with resolving any investigation or
other inquiry of any such agency or other Governmental Entity
under the HSR Act or any other Antitrust Law with respect to any
such registration, declaration and filing or any such
transaction. To the extent not prohibited by applicable Law,
each party shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to
furnish to the other all information required for any
application or other filing to be made by the other pursuant to
any applicable Law in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Each party shall (and shall
cause its respective Representatives to) give each other party
reasonable prior notice of any substantive communication with,
and any proposed understanding, undertaking or agreement with,
any Governmental Entity (including the Antitrust Division and
FTC) regarding any such registrations, declarations and filings
or any such transaction. No party shall (or shall permit its
respective Representatives to) independently participate in any
meeting, or engage in any substantive conversation, with any
Governmental Entity in respect of any such filing, investigation
or other inquir y without giving the other party prior notice of
the meeting or conversation and, unless prohibited by such
Governmental Entity, the opportunity to attend or participate.
Each party shall consult and cooperate with one another in
connection with any analyses, appearances, presentations,
memoranda, briefs, arguments, opinions and proposals made or
submitted by or on behalf of any party in connection with
investigations or Proceedings under or relating to the HSR Act
or any other Antitrust Laws. Republic and Allied shall mutually
cooperate in coordinating any registration, declaration and
filings and obtaining any necessary actions or nonactions,
waivers or Consents under the HSR Act or any other Antitrust
Laws, including the timing of the initial filing, which will be
made as promptly as practicable after the date of this Agreement.
(b) Subject to Section 7.04(a), each of
Republic and Allied shall use its reasonable best efforts to
resolve such objections, if any, as may be asserted by any
Governmental Entity with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. In connection therewith and
subject to Section 7.04(a), if any Proceeding is
instituted (or threatened to be instituted) challenging any
transaction contemplated by this Agreement as inconsistent with
or violative of any Law, each of Republic and Allied shall
cooperate with the other party with respect to such objection
and use its reasonable best efforts to vigorously contest and
resist (by negotiation, litigation or otherwise) any Proceeding
related thereto, including any administrative or judicial
action, and to have vacated, lifted, reversed or overturned any
Order whether temporary, preliminary or permanent, that is in
effect and that prohibits, prevents, delays or restricts
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including by vigorously pursuing all available avenues of
administrative and judicial appeal. Each party shall use its
reasonable best efforts to take such action as may be required
to cause the expiration of the waiting periods under the HSR Act
or any other
42
Antitrust Laws with respect to the transactions contemplated
hereby as promptly as possible after the execution of this
Agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require
Republic or Allied or any of their respective Subsidiaries to
agree to or take any action that would result in any Burdensome
Condition. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Burdensome
Condition” shall mean making proposals, executing or
carrying out agreements (including consent decrees) or
submitting to Laws (i) providing for the license, sale or
other disposition or holding separate (through the establishment
of trust or otherwise) of any assets or categories of assets of
Republic, Allied or their respective Subsidiaries or the holding
separate of the capital stock of a Subsidiary of Allied or
Republic or (ii) imposing or seeking to impose any
limitation on the ability of Republic, Allied or any of their
respective Subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses
(including with respect to market practices and structure) or
own such assets or to acquire, hold or exercise full rights of
ownership of the business of Allied, the Allied Subsidiaries,
Republic or the Republic Subsidiaries (any matter referenced in
the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) being a
“Regulatory Divestiture”) that, in the case of
(i) and (ii), individually or in the aggregate would
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect after
the Effective Time on (x) the assets and liabilities,
financial condition or business of Republic and Republic
Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation and its
Subsidiaries), taken as a whole, or (y) the benefits
expected to be derived by the parties on the date of this
Agreement from the combination of Republic and Allied via the
Merger (such combined business to be taken as a whole) in such a
manner that such party would not have entered into this
Agreement in the face of such materially and adversely affected
benefits. The parties agree that no party shall enter into,
consent to or acquiesce to any Regulatory Divestiture without
the prior written consent of the other parties.
Section 7.05 Tax Treatment.
(a) Prior to and at the Effective Time, each party hereto
shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Merger to
qualify as a reorganization described in Section 368(a) of
the Code, and shall not take any action reasonably likely to
cause the Merger not to so qualify.
(b) Each of Republic, Merger Sub and Allied shall use its
reasonable best efforts to obtain the opinions referred to in
Sections 8.02(d) and 8.03(d), respectively,
including by providing Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP and Akerman Senterfitt
customary tax representation letters.
Section 7.06 Indemnification; D&O
Insurance.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, the Surviving
Corporation and Republic, jointly and severally, shall
indemnify, defend and hold harmless each present and former
director and officer of Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries
and each person who served at the request of Allied or any
Allied Subsidiary as a director or officer of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, pension or other
employee benefit plan or other enterprise (the
“Indemnified Parties”), against any costs or
expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel),
judgments, fines, penalties, losses, claims, damages or
liabilities and amounts paid in settlement (collectively,
“Losses”) incurred in connection with any
claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of or
pertaining to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the
Effective Time (including the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement) relating to the Indemnified Party’s service with
or at the request of Allied, whether asserted or claimed prior
to, at or after the Effective Time to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Law; provided that such indemnification
shall be subject to any limitation imposed from time to time
under applicable Laws. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees)
incurred by any Indemnified Party in defending any civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or
proceeding shall be paid by Republic and the Surviving
Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action,
suit or proceeding, subject to receipt of an undertaking by or
on behalf of such Indemnified Party to repay such amounts if it
shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnified Party is
not entitled under applicable Law to be indemnified under this
Section 7.06(a). The indemnification
rights hereunder are not exclusive and shall be in addition to
any other rights such Indemnified Party may have under any Law
or Contract or any organizational documents of any Person, under
the DGCL or otherwise. The certificate of incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation and its by-laws shall contain, and the
Surviving Corporation shall, and Republic shall cause it to,
fulfill and honor, provisions with respect to indemnification,
advancement of expenses and exculpation that are at least as
favorable to the Indemnified Parties as those set forth in the
Allied Charter and Allied By-laws as of the date of this
Agreement,
43
which provisions shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise
modified for a period of six (6) years from the Effective
Time in any manner that would adversely affect the rights
thereunder of any of the Indemnified Parties. The parties agree
that the provisions relating to exculpation of directors and the
rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses incurred
in defense of any action or suit in the Allied Charter or Allied
By-Laws and the comparable organizational documents of the
Allied Subsidiaries with respect to matters occurring through
the Effective Time shall survive the Merger and shall continue
in full force and effect for a period of six (6) years from
the Effective Time; provided that all rights to
indemnification and advancements in respect of any Proceeding
pending or asserted or claim made within such period shall
continue until the disposition of such Proceeding or resolution
of such claim.
(b) For a period of six (6) years after the Effective
Time, Republic and the Surviving Corporation shall maintain in
effect the current policies of directors’ and
officers’ liability insurance maintained by Allied
(provided that the Surviving Corporation may substitute therefor
policies with a substantially comparable insurer of at least the
same coverage and amounts containing terms and conditions that
are no less advantageous to the insured) with respect to claims
arising from facts or events which occurred at or before the
Effective Time (including the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement) provided that, in satisfying its obligation under
this Section 7.06(b), Republic or the Surviving
Corporation, as applicable, shall not be obligated to pay annual
premium payments for such insurance to the extent such premiums
exceed 300% of the annual premiums paid as of the date hereof by
Allied for such insurance (the “Current
Premium”). In the event that, but for the proviso to
the immediately preceding sentence, Republic or the Surviving
Corporation, as applicable, would be required to expend more
than 300% of the Current Premium, Republic or the Surviving
Corporation, as applicable, shall obtain the maximum amount of
insurance obtainable having the terms and scope of coverage of
the relevant existing Allied policy and covering facts, events,
acts and omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time by
payment of annual premiums equal to 300% of the Current Premium.
(c) If Republic or the Surviving Corporation or any of its
successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into
any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or
(ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its
properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such
case, to the extent necessary, proper provision shall be made so
that the successors and assigns of Republic or the Surviving
Corporation, as applicable, shall assume the obligations set
forth in this Section 7.06.
(d) Republic and the Surviving Corporation shall, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, pay (as incurred)
all expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel)
that an Indemnified Party may incur in enforcing the indemnity
and other rights and obligations provided for in this
Section 7.06.
(e) The provisions of this Section 7.06 are
(i) intended to be for the benefit of, and shall be
enforceable by, each of the Indemnified Parties, their heirs and
their representatives and (ii) in addition to, and not in
substitution for, any other rights to indemnification,
advancement of expenses or contribution that any such Person may
have by contract or otherwise. No release executed by any
Indemnified Party in connection with his or her departure from
Allied, Republic or any of the Allied Subsidiaries or Republic
Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be a release or waiver of any of
the indemnity or other rights provided such Indemnified Party in
this Section 7.06, unless the release or waiver of
the provisions of this Section 7.06 is expressly
provided for in such release.
Section 7.07 Public
Announcements. Except for matters covered by
Section 6.02, Republic, on the one hand, and Allied,
on the other hand, shall consult with each other before issuing,
and provide each other the opportunity to review and comment
upon, any press release or other public statements with respect
to any transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
the Merger, and shall not issue any such press release or make
any such public statement prior to such consultation, except as
may be required by applicable Law, by fiduciary duties, by court
process or by obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with
any national securities exchange.
Section 7.08 Stock Transfer
Taxes. Except as provided in
Section 2.05(c), all Stock Transfer Taxes, if any,
and any penalties or interest with respect to any such Stock
Transfer Taxes shall be paid by Republic.
44
Section 7.09 Employee Matters.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, the Allied Plans and
the Republic Plans, as in effect at the Effective Time, will
remain in effect (including any terms, conditions and provisions
contained in such plans that may apply after the Continuation
Dates set forth below), except as provided in
Section 2.06, with respect to employees and former
employees of Allied or Republic and their Subsidiaries, as
applicable, and the dependents of such employees covered by such
plans at the Effective Time (the “Covered
Employees”), until at least December 31, 2008 or,
in the case of the Allied Plans that are designated as Welfare
Plans on Section 4.10(a) of the Allied Disclosure
Schedules, until at least March 31, 2009 (both such dates
collectively referred to as the “Continuation
Dates”). If, in applying the foregoing, a Covered
Employee has the right to receive a grant of Allied RSUs under
an Allied Plan after the Effective Time as a result of a
deferral of a bonus made prior to the Effective Time, then such
right to receive an Allied RSU shall be converted into a right
to receive a grant of Republic RSUs, otherwise on the same terms
and conditions as applied to the right to receive such Allied
RSU immediately prior to the conversion. Prior to the Effective
Time, Allied and Republic acting in good faith will cooperate in
reviewing, evaluating and analyzing the Allied Plans and the
Republic Plans with a view towards developing appropriate
employee benefit and compensation plans, programs and
arrangements for Covered Employees after the Effective Time
which, among other things, (i) will treat similarly
situated Covered Employees on a substantially equivalent basis,
taking into account all relevant factors, including duties,
responsibilities, geographic location, tenure, and
qualifications and (ii) will not discriminate between
Covered Employees who at the Effective Time are covered by
Allied Plans, on the one hand, and those covered by Republic
Plans, on the other hand, and which Republic will adopt subject
to customary rights to subsequently amend or terminate such
plans as Republic thereafter deems appropriate (individually a
“New Benefit Plan” and collectively the
“New Benefits Plans”).
(b) Each New Benefit Plan will (i) provide all of the
Covered Employees eligible to participate in such plans with
service credit for purposes of eligibility, participation,
vesting and levels of benefits (but not for benefit accruals
under any defined benefit pension plan or any retiree medical or
other post-retirement welfare plan or as would otherwise result
in a duplication of benefits) for all periods of employment with
Allied or Republic or any of their respective Subsidiaries (or
their predecessor entities) prior to the Effective Time,
(ii) cause any pre-existing conditions or limitations,
eligibility, waiting periods or required physical examinations
under any
New Benefit Plan which is a welfare plan to be waived with
respect to the Covered Employees and their eligible dependents,
to the extent waived under the corresponding plan in which the
applicable Covered Employees participated immediately prior to
the Effective Time and, with respect to life insurance coverage,
up to the Covered Employee’s current level of insurability,
and (iii) give the Covered Employees and their eligible
dependents credit for the plan year in which the Effective Time
(or the date of commencement of participation in such New
Benefit Plan) occurs towards applicable deductibles and annual
out-of-pocket limits for expenses incurred prior to the
Effective Time (or the date of commencement of participation in
such New Benefit Plan).
(c) At the Effective Time, Republic will assume the
employment agreements and change in control agreements to which
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary is a party, unless such
agreements are superseded by new arrangements pursuant to an
agreement executed by Republic and the relevant employee.
Republic shall offer to each individual with a title of senior
vice president or higher of Allied the ability to enter into an
agreement in form and substance agreed to by Republic and Allied
prior to the Effective Time.
(d) Republic shall amend Republic’s Employee Stock
Purchase Plan so that Allied employees shall have the right to
make purchases under this plan effective as soon as possible,
but in no event later than the first purchase period after the
Effective Time.
(e) From and after the Effective Time, Republic will honor
all accrued and vested benefit obligations to and contractual
rights of current and former employees of Allied and Republic
and their respective Subsidiaries under the Allied Plans or
Republic Plans, as applicable, to the extent accrued and vested
as of the Effective Time.
(f) Nothing in this Section 7.09 shall be
treated as an amendment of any Allied Plan or any Republic Plan
(or an undertaking to amend any such plan), (ii) nothing in
this Section 7.09 will prohibit Republic from
amending, modifying or terminating any Allied Plan or Republic
Plan pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms thereof,
45
and (iii) nothing in this Section 7.09 shall
confer any rights or benefits on any person other than Allied
and Republic.
Section 7.10 Section 16
Matters. Prior to the Effective Time, Allied
shall take all actions reasonably necessary to cause any
dispositions of equity securities of Allied (including
derivative securities) in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement by each individual who is a
director or officer of Allied to be exempt under
Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act in accordance with the
No-Action Letter dated January 12, 1999 issued by the SEC
regarding such matters. Assuming that Allied delivers to
Republic the Section 16 Information (as defined below)
reasonably in advance of the Effective Time, the Republic Board,
or a committee of Non-Employee Directors thereof (as such term
is defined for purposes of
Rule 16b-3(d)
under the Exchange Act), shall reasonably promptly thereafter
and in any event prior to the Effective Time adopt a resolution
providing that the receipt by the Insiders (as defined below) of
Republic Common Stock in exchange for shares of Allied Common
Stock and the receipt of equity awards in respect of Republic
Common Stock as contemplated by Section 2.06, in
each case pursuant to the transactions contemplated hereby and
to the extent such securities are listed in the Section 16
Information provided by Allied to Republic prior to the
Effective Time, is intended to be exempt from liability pursuant
to Section 16(b) under the Exchange Act such that any such
receipt shall be so exempt. “Section 16
Information” shall mean information accurate in all
material respect regarding the Insiders, the number of shares of
the capital stock held by each such Insider, and the number and
description of options, stock appreciation rights, restricted
shares and other stock-based awards held by each such Insider.
“Insider” shall mean those officers and
directors of Allied who are subject to the reporting
requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and who
are listed in the Section 16 Information.
Section 7.11 Financing.
(a) Prior to the Effective Time, Allied, A-Sub and B-Sub
shall provide to the trustees under the Indentures all such
notifications, certificates, opinions and other information and
documents as may be required by the Indentures or the trustees
under the Indentures in connection with the Merger and the
payoff and termination of the Allied Credit Facility and the
Allied Accounts Receivable Facility and, in each case, the
release of collateral thereunder.
(b) Republic shall use its best efforts to take, or cause
to be taken, all things necessary, proper or advisable to
arrange and consummate the financing (the “Debt
Financing”) necessary to provide immediately available
funds sufficient to refinance (i) the Republic Credit
Facility to the extent necessary or advisable,
(ii) Allied’s $1.575 billion Revolving Credit
Facility due March 2012, (iii) Allied’s
$806.7 million Term Loan B due March 2014, referred to as
the 2005 Term Loan, (iv) Allied’s $485 million
Institutional Letter of Credit Facility due March 2014,
(v) Allied’s $25 million Incremental Revolving
Letter of Credit Facility due March 2012 and
(vi) Allied’s $400 million Account Receivable
Securitization program (the “Allied Accounts Receivable
Facility”), including using reasonable best efforts to
(A) enter into definitive agreements with respect thereto
on terms and conditions acceptable to Allied (in its reasonable
discretion) and (B) consummate the Debt Financing on or
prior to the Effective Time. Republic shall (x) furnish
correct and complete copies of all such definitive agreements to
Allied promptly upon their execution, and (y) keep Allied
informed on a reasonably current basis and in reasonable detail
of the status of its efforts to arrange the Debt Financing and
shall give Allied prompt notice of any material adverse change
with respect to such Debt Financing and (z) use its best
efforts to cause the lenders and the other Persons providing
such Debt Financing to fund the Debt Financing on the Closing
Date (including taking enforcement action to cause such lenders
and other Persons to provide such Debt Financing). Prior to the
Closing, Allied shall use its reasonable best efforts to
cooperate with Republic in arranging, consummating and funding
the Debt Financing, and if requested by Republic, the
refinancing of the Republic Credit Facility, including making
Allied’s officers available to the arrangers of the Debt
Financing and such refinancing and potential lenders, and
providing such information reasonably requested by the arrangers
of the Debt Financing and such refinancing and potential lenders.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement, Republic acknowledges and agrees that the
consummation of the Merger is not conditional upon receipt by
Republic or any of its Affiliates of the proceeds of the Debt
Financing.
(d) Each of Republic and Allied shall use its respective
best efforts to not do, and to not cause or permit to be done,
anything that would reasonably be expected to cause the
condition to closing set forth in Section 8.03(e) to
not be satisfied and shall use its respective best efforts to
take any actions necessary (subject to the other’s consent
if
46
required pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or
Section 6.01(b), as applicable) to ensure that the
condition to closing set forth in Section 8.03(e) is
satisfied.
Section 7.12 Stock Exchange
Listing. Republic shall use its best efforts to
cause the shares of Republic Common Stock to be issued in the
Merger to be approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to
official notice of the issuance, prior to the Closing Date.
Section 7.13 Notice of Certain
Events. Each party shall promptly notify the
other of:
(a) any material notice or other material communication
from any Person alleging that the Consent of such Person is or
may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, which consent would be material to Republic
and the Republic Subsidiaries taken as a whole after giving
effect to the Merger;
(b) any material notice or other material communication
from any Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; and
(c) any Proceedings commenced or, to its Knowledge,
threatened against, relating to or involving or otherwise
affecting Allied or any of the Allied Subsidiaries or Republic
or any of the Republic Subsidiaries, as the case may be, that,
if pending on the date of this Agreement, would have been
required to have been disclosed pursuant to any of such
party’s representations or warranties, as the case may be,
or that relate to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;
provided that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this
Section 7.13 shall not limit or otherwise affect the
remedies available hereunder to the party receiving that notice.
Section 7.14 Certain Corporate Governance and
Other Matters.
(a) Officers of Republic. Republic shall
take all actions necessary so that, at the Effective Time,
Mr. Xxxxx X’Xxxxxx, the current Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Republic, shall be the Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Republic, Xx. Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, the
current President and Chief Operating Officer of Allied, shall
be the President and Chief Operating Officer of Republic
(reporting directly to Xx. X’Xxxxxx),
Xx. Xxx X. Xxxxxx, the current Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Republic, shall be the Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Office of Republic (reporting
directly to Xx. X’Xxxxxx) and those individuals agreed
in writing by the parties shall be appointed to and hold the
offices of Republic specified in such agreement.
(b) The Republic Board and
Committees. The number of directors which shall
constitute the whole Republic Board as of the Effective Time
shall be eleven (11), one of whom shall be
Xx. X’Xxxxxx, five (5) of whom shall be
Continuing Republic Directors (as defined in the New Republic
By-laws) and five (5) of whom shall be Continuing Allied
Directors (as defined in the New Republic By-laws). Republic
shall take all actions necessary to ensure that, at the
Effective Time and at all times during the applicable period set
forth in the New Republic By-laws, the size and composition of
the Republic Board and committees thereof shall be as provided
in Article IX of the New Republic By-laws.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the request of any Continuing
Allied Director, such individual will not be deemed to join the
Republic Board until the business day after the date on which
the Effective Time occurs.
(c) Headquarters. From and after the
Effective Time, the location of the headquarters and principal
executive offices of Republic shall be Phoenix, Arizona.
(d) By-laws. Prior to the Effective Time,
Republic agrees to make such modifications to the New Republic
By-laws (other than Article IX thereof) as Allied may
reasonably request.
Section 7.15 Control of
Operations. Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement that may be deemed to the contrary, nothing in this
Agreement shall, directly or indirectly, give any party control
over the other party’s operations, business or
decision-making before the Effective Time, and control over all
such matters shall remain in the hands of the relevant party,
subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Section 7.16 State Takeover
Statutes. If any state takeover statute or state
Law that purports to limit or restrict business combinations or
the ability to acquire or vote shares is or may become
applicable to the Merger or the other transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, each of Republic and the Republic Board, and
Allied and
47
the Allied Board will grant such approvals and take such other
actions as are necessary so that such transactions may be
consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated
hereby and otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the effects of
such statute or Law on this Agreement and such transaction.
ARTICLE VIII
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
Section 8.01 Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligation to Effect the Merger. The respective
obligations of each party to effect the Merger are subject to
the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable
Law) at or prior to the Effective Time of each of the following
conditions:
(a) Stockholder Approval. The Allied
Stockholder Approval and the Republic Stockholder Approval shall
have been obtained, in each case in accordance with the DGCL.
(b) Regulatory Approvals. The waiting
period (and any extensions thereof) applicable to the Merger
under the HSR Act shall have been terminated or shall have
expired.
(c) No Injunctions or Restraints;
Illegality. No Laws shall have been adopted or
promulgated, and no temporary restraining order, preliminary or
permanent injunction or other Order shall have been issued (and
remain in effect) by a Governmental Entity of competent
jurisdiction having the effect of making the Merger illegal or
otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the Merger
(collectively, “Restraints”).
(d) Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of
Republic Common Stock issuable to the stockholders of Allied as
contemplated by this Agreement shall have been approved for
listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.
(e) Form S-4. The
Form S-4
shall have become effective under the Securities Act and shall
not be the subject of any stop order or Proceedings seeking a
stop order.
Section 8.02 Conditions to Obligation of Allied to
Effect the Merger. The obligation of Allied to consummate
the Merger is also subject to the satisfaction or waiver (to the
extent permitted by applicable Law) at or prior to the Effective
Time of each of the following conditions:
(a) Accuracy of Representations and
Warranties. (i) The representations and
warranties made by Republic and Merger Sub contained in
Sections 5.03, 5.04, 5.18,
5.19, 5.20, 5.21, 5.22, 5.23,
5.24 and 5.25 of this Agreement shall be true and
correct in all material respects on the date hereof and on the
Closing Date as if made on and as of such dates (except for
representations and warranties that are made as of a specified
date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects
only as of such specified date), and (ii) all other
representations and warranties made by Republic herein,
disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained herein
relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect or words of
similar import (other than any such qualifications or exceptions
set forth in the Republic Disclosure Schedule) and substituting
the words “Contract to which Republic or any Republic
Subsidiary is a party or which is binding on Republic or any
Republic Subsidiary” for the words “Material Republic
Contract”, shall be true and correct on the date hereof and
on the Closing Date as if made on and as of such dates (except
for representations and warranties that are made as of a
specified date, which shall be true and correct only as of such
specified date), except in each case where the failure of any
such representations and warranties to be true and correct would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Republic.
(b) Compliance with Covenants. Each of
Republic and Merger Sub shall have in all material respects
performed all obligations and agreements, and in all material
respects complied with all covenants, contained in this
Agreement to be performed or complied with by it prior to or on
the Closing Date.
(c) Officer’s Certificates. Allied
shall have received a certificate of Republic, dated as of the
Closing Date, signed by an executive officer of Republic to the
effect that the conditions set forth in
Section 8.02(a) and Section 8.02(b) have
been satisfied.
48
(d) Tax Opinion. Allied shall have
received an opinion of Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Allied, based on facts,
representations and assumptions set forth in such opinion that
are consistent with the state of facts existing at the Effective
Time, to the effect that (i) the Merger will be treated for
U.S. federal income tax purposes as a reorganization within
the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and
(ii) both of Allied and Republic will be a party to such
reorganization. In rendering such opinion, counsel may require
and rely upon representations contained in certificates of
officers of Allied, Republic and others.
Section 8.03 Conditions to Obligation of Republic and
Merger Sub to Effect the Merger. The obligation of Republic
and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger is also subject to the
satisfaction or waiver (to the extent permitted by applicable
Law) at or prior to the Effective Time of each of the following
conditions:
(a) Accuracy of Representations and
Warranties. (i) The representations and
warranties made by Allied contained in
Sections 4.03, 4.04, 4.18,
4.19, 4.20, 4.21, 4.22 and
4.23 of this Agreement shall be true and correct in all
material respects on the date hereof and on the Closing Date as
if made on and as of such dates (except for representations and
warranties that are made as of a specified date, which shall be
true and correct in all material respects only as of such
specified date), and (ii) all other representations and
warranties made by Allied herein, disregarding all
qualifications and exceptions contained herein relating to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect or words of similar
import (other than any such qualifications or exceptions set
forth in Allied Disclosure Schedule) and substituting the words
“Contract to which Allied or any Allied Subsidiary is a
party or which is binding on Allied or any Allied
Subsidiary” for the words “Material Allied
Contract”, shall be true and correct on the date hereof and
on the Closing Date as if made on and as of such dates (except
for representations and warranties that are made as of a
specified date, which shall be true and correct only as of such
specified date), except in each case where the failure of any
such representations and warranties to be true and correct would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Allied;
provided, however, notwithstanding the foregoing, the
representations and warranties made in each of the two provisos
in Section 4.14(b) shall be true and correct as of
the Closing Date.
(b) Compliance with Covenants. Allied
shall have in all material respects performed all obligations
and agreements, and in all material respects complied with all
covenants, contained in this Agreement to be performed or
complied with by it prior to or on the Closing Date.
(c) Officer’s Certificate. Republic
shall have received a certificate of Allied, dated as of the
Closing Date, signed by an executive officer of Allied to the
effect that the conditions set forth in
Section 8.03(a) and Section 8.03(b) have
been satisfied.
(d) Tax Opinion. Republic and Merger Sub
shall have received an opinion of Akerman Senterfitt, in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to Republic, based on
facts, representations and assumptions set forth in such opinion
that are consistent with the state of facts existing at the
Effective Time, to the effect that (i) the Merger will be
treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Code and (ii) both of Allied and Republic will be a party
to such reorganization. In rendering such opinion, counsel may
require and rely upon representations contained in certificates
of officers of Allied, Republic and others.
(e) Ratings. Republic shall have received
written confirmation from the applicable agency that, upon the
Effective Time, the senior unsecured debt of Republic (including
Allied or any Allied Subsidiary to the extent an issuer under
the Indentures and after giving effect to any parent or other
guarantees required by such agency) will be either
(i) rated BBB- or better by Standard &
Poor’s and Ba1 or better by Xxxxx’x, or
(ii) rated Baa3 or better by Xxxxx’x and BB+ or better
by Standard & Poor’s.
ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
Section 9.01 Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Effective
Time by written notice by the terminating party to the other
party, only as follows:
(a) by mutual written consent of Allied and Republic, duly
authorized by the Allied Board and the Republic Board;
49
(b) by either Republic or Allied if:
(i) the Merger has not been consummated on or before
May 15, 2009 (the “Outside Date”) unless
the parties otherwise mutually agree in writing to extend such
date; provided, however, that the right to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section
9.01(b)(i) shall not be available to any party whose breach
of, or failure to fulfill any obligation under, this Agreement
has been the principal cause of, or resulted in, the failure of
the Merger to be consummated on or before such date;
(ii) any Restraint having any of the effects set forth in
Section 8.01(c) shall have become final and
nonappealable; provided, however, that no party
hereto shall have such right to terminate pursuant to this
Section 9.01(b)(ii) unless, prior to such
termination, such party shall have used its reasonable best
efforts to oppose any such Restraint or to have such Restraint
vacated or made inapplicable to the Merger and otherwise has
fulfilled its obligations under this Agreement; or
(iii) (A) at the Republic Stockholder Meeting
(including any adjournment or postponement thereof), the
Republic Stockholder Approval shall not have been obtained or
(B) at the Allied Stockholder Meeting (including any
adjournment or postponement thereof), the Allied Stockholder
Approval shall not have been obtained; provided that the right
of a party to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 9.01(b)(iii) shall not be available to such party
if such party has not complied in all material respects with its
obligations under Section 6.02, 7.01 and
7.02;
(c) by Republic:
(i) if prior to the receipt of the Allied Stockholder
Approval, the Allied Board shall have effected a Change in
Allied Recommendation, provided that Republic shall not be
entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this clause
(c)(i) if it shall have timely exercised the Stockholder Vote
Option;
(ii) if Allied breaches or fails to perform in any material
respect any of its representations, warranties, covenants or
agreements contained in this Agreement, which breach or failure
to perform (A) would give rise to the failure of a
condition set forth in Section 8.01 or
Section 8.03 and (B) cannot be cured by the
Outside Date or, if capable of being cured, has not been cured
within thirty (30) calendar days after the giving of
written notice to Allied of such breach; or
(iii) pursuant to and in accordance with the last sentence
of Section 6.02(f);
(d) by Allied:
(i) if prior to the receipt of the Republic Stockholder
Approval, the Republic Board shall have effected a Change in
Republic Recommendation provided that Allied shall not be
entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this clause
(c)(i) if it shall have timely exercised the Stockholder Vote
Option.
(ii) if Republic or Merger Sub breaches or fails to perform
in any material respect any of its representations, warranties,
covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement, in each
case which breach or failure to perform (1) would give rise
to the failure of a condition set forth in
Section 8.01 or Section 8.02 and
(2) cannot be cured by the Outside Date or, if capable of
being cured, has not been cured within thirty (30) calendar
days after the giving of written notice to Republic of such
breach; or
(iii) pursuant to and in accordance with the last sentence
of Section 6.02(f).
Section 9.02 Effect of Termination;
Remedies.
(a) In the event of termination of this Agreement by either
Allied or Republic as provided in Section 9.01, this
Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect,
without any liability or obligation on the part of Republic,
Merger Sub or Allied, other than Section 4.18
(Brokers), Section 5.18 (Brokers), the last sentence
of Section 7.03, Section 9.02(b) and
Article X.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in
Section 10.03, no party shall have any remedies
against another party hereto arising out of or relating to a
breach or termination of this Agreement, unless such breach or
termination results from the other party’s fraud or willful
and material breach of this Agreement, in which case all rights
and remedies of the first party, at law or in equity, shall be
preserved.
50
Section 9.03 Amendment. This
Agreement may be amended by the parties at any time before or
after receipt of Allied Stockholder Approval and Republic
Stockholder Approval; provided, that after receipt of
Allied Stockholder Approval and Republic Stockholder Approval,
there shall be made no amendment that by Law requires further
approval by such stockholders without the further approval of
such stockholders. This Agreement may not be amended except by
an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties.
Section 9.04 Extension;
Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time,
the parties may (a) extend the time for the performance of
any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties,
(b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and
warranties contained in this Agreement or in any document
delivered pursuant to this Agreement or (c) subject to the
proviso in the first sentence of Section 9.03, and
to the fullest extent permitted by Law, waive compliance with
any of the agreements or conditions contained in this Agreement.
Any agreement on the part of a party to any such extension or
waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in
writing signed on behalf of such party. The failure of any party
to this Agreement to assert any of its rights under this
Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a waiver of such
rights.
ARTICLE X
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section 10.01 Nonsurvival of Representations
and Warranties; Disclosure Schedule. None of the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in this
Agreement or in any instrument delivered pursuant to this
Agreement, nor any rights arising out of any breach of such
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements, shall
survive the Effective Time, except for those covenants and
agreements contained herein that by their terms apply or are to
be performed in whole or in part after the Effective Time. The
inclusion of any information in the Allied Disclosure Schedule
or the Republic Disclosure Schedule shall not be deemed to be an
admission or acknowledgment, in and of itself, that such
information is required by the terms hereof to be disclosed, is
material, has resulted in or is reasonably likely to result in a
Material Adverse Effect on the applicable party or is outside
the ordinary and usual course of business.
Section 10.02 Notices. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be deemed duly given (a) on the date of delivery
if delivered personally, or by telecopy, telefacsimile or email,
upon confirmation of receipt, (b) on the first Business Day
following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized
next-day
courier service or (c) on the fifth Business Day following
the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices
hereunder shall be delivered as set forth below, or pursuant to
such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the
party to receive such notice.
(a) if to Republic or Merger Sub,
to
Republic Services, Inc.
RS Merger Wedge, Inc.
000 X.X. 0xx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Tel: (000)-000-0000
Fax: (000)-000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
with a copy to:
Akerman Senterfitt
Xxx X.X. Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Tel:
(000) 000-0000
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx, and Xxxx Gordo
51
(b) if to Allied, to
Allied Waste Industries, Inc.
00000 X. Xxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Tel:
(000) 000-0000
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
with a copy to:
Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Tel:
(000) 000-0000
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xxxxx X. Xxxxx and
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Section 10.03 Fees and Expenses.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and
expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be
paid by the party incurring such cost and expense, whether or
not the Merger is consummated. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Republic and Allied each shall pay 50% of (i) any fees and
expenses (excluding each party’s internal costs and fees
and expenses of attorneys, accountants and financial and other
advisors) incurred in respect of the printing, filing and
mailing of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and
(ii) any and all filing fees due in connection with the
filings required by or under the HSR Act.
(b) Republic Payments.
(i) If this Agreement is terminated by Republic or Allied
pursuant to Section 9.01(b)(iii)(A), and prior to
such termination an Acquisition Proposal for Republic shall have
been publicly announced or made known to the Republic Board and
within twelve (12) months following the termination of this
Agreement, Republic enters into a binding agreement to effect an
Acquisition Proposal, or an Acquisition Proposal with respect to
Republic is consummated, then Republic shall pay the Termination
Fee and Allied’s Expenses to Allied in immediately
available funds, within three (3) Business Days after the
earlier of such agreement or consummation.
(ii) If this Agreement is terminated by Allied pursuant to
Section 9.01(d)(i) or by Republic pursuant to
Section 9.01(c)(iii), then Republic shall pay to Allied
in immediately available funds the Termination Fee and
Allied’s Expenses within one (1) Business Day
following such termination of this Agreement.
(iii) Republic acknowledges that the agreements contained
in this Section 10.03(b) are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that, without
these agreements, Allied would not enter into this Agreement.
Accordingly, if Republic fails to pay any amount due under
Section 10.03(b) in the time period contemplated
hereby and, in order to obtain such payment, Allied commences a
suit that results in a judgment against Republic for such
payment, Republic shall pay to Allied its costs and expenses
incurred or accrued by Allied (including reasonable
attorney’s fees) in connection with any action (including
the filing of any lawsuit) taken to collect payment of such
amounts, together with interest on such unpaid amounts at the
prime lending rate prevailing during such period as published in
the Wall Street Journal, calculated on a daily basis from the
date such amounts were required to be paid to the actual date of
payment.
(c) Allied Payments.
(i) If this Agreement is terminated by Republic or Allied
pursuant to Section 9.01(b)(iii)(B), and prior to
such termination an Acquisition Proposal for Allied shall have
been publicly announced or made known to the Allied Board and
within twelve (12) months following the termination of this
Agreement, Allied enters into a binding agreement to effect an
Acquisition Proposal, or an Acquisition Proposal with respect to
Allied is
52
consummated, then Allied shall pay the Termination Fee and
Republic’s Expenses to Republic in immediately available
funds, within three (3) Business Days after the earlier of
such agreement or consummation.
(ii) If this Agreement is terminated by Republic pursuant
to Section 9.01(c)(i) or by Allied pursuant to
Section 9.01(d)(iii), then Allied shall pay to Republic
in immediately available funds the Termination Fee and
Republic’s Expenses within one (1) Business Day
following such termination of this Agreement.
(iii) Allied acknowledges that the agreements contained in
this Section 10.03(c) are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that, without
these agreements, Republic would not enter into this Agreement.
Accordingly, if Allied fails to pay any amount due under
Section 10.03(c), in the time period contemplated
hereby, and, in order to obtain such payment, Republic commences
a suit that results in a judgment against Allied for such
payment, Allied shall pay to Republic its costs and expenses
incurred or accrued by Republic (including reasonable
attorney’s fees) in connection with any action (including
the filing of any lawsuit) taken to collect payment of such
amounts, together with interest on such unpaid amounts at the
prime lending rate prevailing during such period as published in
the Wall Street Journal, calculated on a daily basis from the
date such amounts were required to be paid to the actual date of
payment.
(d) Defined Terms. For purposes of
Section 10.03(b) and Section 10.03(c),
the following terms shall have the following meaning:
(i) “Acquisition Proposal” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 6.02(a), except that
“50%” shall be substituted for “20%” in the
definition thereof.
(ii) “Expenses” means all reasonable and
documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including all fees
and expenses of counsel, accountants, financial advisors and
investment bankers to a party hereto and its Affiliates), up to
$50 million in the aggregate, incurred by a party or on its
behalf in connection with or related to the authorization,
preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of this
Agreement and any transactions related thereto, the preparation,
printing, filing and mailing of the Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, the filing of any required notices under
applicable Antitrust Laws or in connection with other regulatory
approvals, and all other matters related to the Merger other
transactions contemplated hereby.
(iii) “Termination Fee” means
$200 million.
(e) For the avoidance of doubt, any payment to be made by
any party under Section 10.03(b) or
Section 10.03(c) shall be payable only once to such
other party with respect to Section 10.03(b) or
Section 10.03(c) and not in duplication even though
such payment may be payable under one or more provisions hereof.
Section 10.04 Interpretation. When
a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such
reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless
otherwise indicated. The table of contents and headings
contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and
shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement. Whenever the words “include”,
“includes” or “including” are used in this
Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation” to the extent such words do not
already follow any such term. The word “or” shall not
be exclusive. The phrases “herein,”
“hereof,” “hereunder” and words of similar
import shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement as a whole and
not to any particular provision of this Agreement.
Section 10.05 Severability. If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule or Law, or
public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this
Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so
long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions
contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially
adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or
other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being
enforced, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify
this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the
parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the
end that transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the
extent possible.
Section 10.06 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of
which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall
become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed
by each of the parties and delivered to the other party.
Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Agreement by
facsimile shall be effective to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable Law.
53
Section 10.07 Entire Agreement; No
Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement, the
Allied Disclosure Schedule, Republic Disclosure Schedule, all
exhibits and schedules hereto, the Confidentiality Agreement and
the agreement entered into as of the date hereof as contemplated
by Section 7.14(a), taken together, constitute the
entire agreement, and supersede all prior agreements,
arrangements and understandings, both written and oral, between
the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and the
transactions contemplated hereby. Other than
Articles II and III and
Section 7.05, and Section 7.06, no
provision of this Agreement is intended to confer upon any
Person other than the parties any rights or remedies.
Section 10.08 Governing
Law. The Merger, this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and all disputes
between the parties under or related to this Agreement or the
facts and circumstances leading to its execution, whether in
contract, tort or otherwise, shall be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the Laws of the State of Delaware, without
reference to conflicts of laws principles.
Section 10.09 Assignment. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations
under this Agreement shall be assigned or delegated, in whole or
in part, by operation of Law or otherwise by any of the parties
without the prior written consent of the other party. Any
purported assignment without such consent shall be void. Subject
to the preceding sentences, this Agreement will be binding upon,
inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties and
their respective successors and assigns.
Section 10.10 Enforcement. Except
as otherwise provided herein, any and all remedies herein
expressly conferred upon a party will be deemed cumulative with
and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred hereby, or by
law or equity, by statute or otherwise, upon such party, and the
exercise by a party of any one remedy will not preclude the
exercise of any other remedy. The parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the
provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance
with their specific terms on a timely basis or were otherwise
breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be
entitled to an injunction or other equitable relief to prevent
breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms
and provisions of this Agreement, this being in addition to any
other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity,
without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in
connection therewith. The parties acknowledge that in the
absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required by a
court and the parties hereby waive any such requirement of such
a bond or undertaking.
Section 10.11 Submission to
Jurisdiction. Each party to this Agreement hereby
(a) agrees that any litigation, proceeding or other legal
action brought in connection with or relating to this Agreement
or any matters or transactions contemplated hereby shall be
brought heard and determined exclusively in the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware in Wilmington, Delaware
(provided that, in the event that subject matter jurisdiction is
unavailable in that court, then such litigation, proceeding or
other legal action shall be brought, heard and determined
exclusively in any court of competent jurisdiction located in
Wilmington, Delaware, whether a state or federal court),
(b) agrees not to bring any action or proceeding arising
out of or relating to this Agreement or any matters or
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any other court,
(c) consents and irrevocably submits itself to personal
jurisdiction in connection with any such litigation, proceeding
or action in any such court described in clause (a) of
this Section 10.11, as well as to the jurisdiction
of all courts to which an appeal may be taken from such court,
and to service of process upon it in accordance with the rules
and statutes governing service of process, (d) agrees that
it shall not attempt to deny or defeat such personal
jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from such
courts, (e) expressly waives to the full extent permitted
by Law any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the
venue of any such litigation, proceeding or action in any such
court or that any such litigation, proceeding or action was
brought in an inconvenient forum, (f) agrees, to the
fullest extent permitted by Law, as a method of service to
service of process in such litigation, proceeding or action by
mailing of copies thereof to such party at its address set forth
in Section 10.02, (g) agrees, to the fullest
extent permitted by Law, that any service made as provided
herein shall be effective and binding service in every respect
and (h) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the rights
of any party to effect service of process in any other manner
permitted by applicable Law. Each of the parties further agrees
to waive any bond, surety or other security that might be
required of any other party with respect to any action or
proceeding, including an appeal thereof.
54
Section 10.12 Acknowledgement.
(a) Each of Republic and Merger Sub acknowledges and agrees
that it (i) has had an opportunity to discuss the business
of Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries with the management of
Allied, (ii) has had reasonable access to the books and
records of Allied and the Allied Subsidiaries, including any
information, documents, projections, forecasts or other
materials made available to Republic and Merger Sub in certain
data rooms or management presentations in expectation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) has been
afforded the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers
from officers of Allied and (iv) except for the
representations and warranties contained in
Article IV of this Agreement, and any certificates
delivered by Allied in connection with Closing, has not relied
upon or otherwise been induced by any other express or implied
representation or warranty with respect to Allied or any Allied
Subsidiary or the accuracy or completeness of any information
provided to or made available to Republic in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereunder. Neither Allied nor any
other Person will have or be subject to any liability or
indemnification obligation to Republic or Merger Sub or any
other Person resulting from the distribution to Republic, or
Republic’s or Merger Sub’s use of, any such
information, including any information, documents, projections,
forecasts or other material made available to Republic in
certain data rooms or management presentations in expectation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, unless any such
information is expressly included in a representation or
warranty contained in Article IV or in the
corresponding section of the Allied Disclosure Schedule.
(b) Allied acknowledges and agrees that it (i) has had
an opportunity to discuss the business of Republic and the
Republic Subsidiaries with the management of Republic,
(ii) has had reasonable access to the books and records of
Republic and the Republic Subsidiaries, including any
information, documents, projections, forecasts or other
materials made available to Allied in certain data rooms or
management presentations in expectation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) has been afforded the
opportunity to ask questions and receive answers from officers
of Republic and (iv) except for the representations and
warranties contained in Article V of this Agreement,
and any certificates delivered by Republic in connection with
Closing, has not relied upon or otherwise been induced by any
other express or implied representation or warranty with respect
to Republic, Merger Sub or any Republic Subsidiary or the
accuracy or completeness of any information provided to or made
available to Allied in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereunder. Neither Republic nor any other Person
will have or be subject to any liability or indemnification
obligation to Allied or any other Person resulting form the
distribution to Allied, or Allied’s use of, any such
information, including any information, documents, projections,
forecasts or other material made available to Allied in certain
data rooms or management presentations in expectation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, unless any such
information is expressly included in a representation or
warranty contained in Article V or in the
corresponding section of the Republic Disclosure Schedule.
Section 10.13 Waiver of Jury
Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE
RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY DISPUTE IN CONNECTION WITH OR
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR
THEREBY, AND AGREES TO TAKE ANY AND ALL ACTION NECESSARY OR
APPROPRIATE TO EFFECT SUCH WAIVER.
(Intentionally
left blank)
55
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Republic, Merger Sub and Allied have
duly executed this Agreement, all as of the date first written
above.
REPUBLIC SERVICES, INC.
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx
X. X’Xxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxx X. X’Xxxxxx
|
|
|
|
Title:
|
Chairman of the Board and
|
Chief Executive Officer
RS MERGER WEDGE, INC.
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx
X. X’Xxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxx X. X’Xxxxxx
ALLIED WASTE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
|
|
Title:
|
Chairman of the Board and
|
Chief Executive Officer
56
CERTIFICATE
OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
REPUBLIC SERVICES, INC.
Pursuant to
Section 242
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Republic Services, Inc., a corporation duly organized and
existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Corporation is hereby amended by adding the following
sentence at the end of Article V:
“Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Article V, at all times during the Initial Continuation
Period, the full and exclusive power and authority otherwise
conferred on the Board to fill any vacancies on the Board of
Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification,
removal or any other cause shall be exercised and performed by
the persons comprising the Continuing Republic Committee or the
Continuing Allied Committee, as set forth and as such terms are
defined in Article IX of the Amended and Restated Bylaws,
as the case may be.”
2. The foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance
with the provisions of Sections 242 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Republic Services, Inc. has caused this
Certificate to be executed by its duly authorized officer on
this
day
of ,
2008.
Republic Services, Inc.
Name:
Office:
A-1
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
REPUBLIC SERVICES, INC.
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1.1 Registered
Office. The registered office of Republic
Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Corporation”), shall be located at Corporation
Trust Center, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
00000.
Section 1.2 Offices. The
Corporation may establish or discontinue, from time to time,
such other offices and places of business within or without the
State of Delaware as the Board of Directors deems proper for the
conduct of the Corporation’s business.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS
OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 2.1 Annual Meeting. An
annual meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing
directors and transacting such other business as may come before
it shall be held at such place, within or without the State of
Delaware, on such date and at such time as shall be designated
by the Board of Directors or the President.
Section 2.2 Special
Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders,
unless otherwise prescribed by statute, may be called by the
Board of Directors or by the President. Business transacted at
any special meeting of the stockholders shall be limited to the
purposes stated in the notice.
Section 2.3 Notice of
Meetings. Written notice of each meeting of
stockholders shall be given to each stockholder of record
entitled to vote at the meeting at the stockholder’s
address as it appears on the stock books of the Corporation. The
notice shall state the time and the place of the meeting and
shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty
(60) days before the day of the meeting. If mailed, such
notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United
States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his
address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. In the
case of a special meeting, the notice shall state the purpose or
purposes for which the meeting is being called. Whenever notice
is required to be given hereunder, a written waiver of notice
signed by the stockholder entitled to notice, whether before or
after the time stated in the notice, shall be deemed equivalent
to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute
a waiver of notice of such meeting except when a person attends
for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the
meeting, to the transaction or any business because the meeting
is not lawfully called or convened.
Section 2.4 Quorum and
Adjournment. The presence, in person or by proxy,
of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the
outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote on every matter
that is to be voted on, without regard to class or series, shall
constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders. In the
absence of a quorum, the holders of a majority of the voting
power of such shares of stock present in person or by proxy may
adjourn such meeting, from time to time, without notice other
than announcement at the meeting (unless otherwise required by
law), until a quorum shall attend. At any meeting reconvened
after such adjournment at which a quorum may be present, any
business may be transacted which might have been transacted at
the meeting as originally called, but only those stockholders
entitled to vote at the meeting as originally called shall be
entitled to vote at any reconvened meeting, unless a new record
date for such meeting is fixed.
B-1
Section 2.5 Officers at Stockholders’
Meetings. The Chairman of the Board of Directors
shall preside at all meetings of stockholders. In his absence,
the chairman shall be elected as the first order of business by
the holders of a majority of the shares of stock in attendance
and entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 2.6 List of Stockholders Entitled to
Vote. At least ten (10) days before every
meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders
entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order
and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of
shares registered in the name of each stockholder, shall be
prepared by or for the Secretary and shall be open to the
examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the
meeting, during ordinary business hours, either at a place
within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place
shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or if not so
specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. Such
list shall be available for inspection at the meeting.
Section 2.7 Fixing Date for Stockholders of
Record. In order that the Corporation may
identify the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at
any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to
express consent to corporate action in writing without a
meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other
distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise
any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of
stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board
of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not
be less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty
(60) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than
sixty (60) days prior to any other action. If no record
date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders
shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the
day on which notice of the meeting is given, or if notice is
waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the
day on which the meeting is held. The record date for
determining stockholders entitled to express consent to
corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior
action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the day
on which the first written consent is delivered to the
Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of
Delaware, its principal place of business or any officer or
agent of the Corporation having custody of the minute books of
the Corporation. The record date for determining stockholders
for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the
day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution
relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders
shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided,
however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date
for the adjourned meeting.
Section 2.8 Voting and
Proxies. Subject to the provisions for fixing the
date for stockholders of record:
(a) Except as otherwise specified in the Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate
of Incorporation”), each stockholder shall at every
meeting of the stockholders be entitled to one vote for each
share of stock held by that stockholder having voting rights as
to the matter being voted upon.
(b) Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of
stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate
action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person
or persons to act for that stockholder by proxy, but no such
proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its
date, unless the proxy expressly provides for a longer period.
(c) Each matter properly presented to any meeting of
stockholders shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock
present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter.
Section 2.9 Inspectors of
Election. The Corporation shall, in advance of
any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors of
election, who may be employees of the Corporation, to act at the
meeting or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report
thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as
alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act.
In the event that no inspector so appointed or designated is
able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding
at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at
the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge
of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute
faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and
according to the best of his or her ability. The inspector or
inspectors so appointed or designated shall (i) ascertain
the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation
outstanding and the voting power of each such share,
(ii) determine the shares of capital stock of the
Corporation represented at the meeting and the validity of
proxies and ballots, (iii) count all
B-2
votes and ballots, (iv) determine and retain for a
reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges
made to any determination by the inspectors, and
(v) certify their determination of the number of shares of
capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and
such inspectors’ count of all votes and ballots. Such
certification and report shall specify such other information as
may be required by law. In determining the validity and counting
of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of
the Corporation, the inspectors may consider such information as
is permitted by applicable law. No person who is a candidate for
an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such
election.
Section 2.10 Conduct of
Meetings. The date and time of the opening and
the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the
stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the
meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board of
Directors of the Corporation may adopt by resolution such rules
and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders
as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent
with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of
Directors, the chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall
have the right and authority to prescribe such rules,
regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the
judgment of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper
conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures,
whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the
chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the
following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of
business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for
maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those
present; (iii) limitations on attendance at or
participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the
Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or
such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall
determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after
the time fixed for commencement thereof; and
(v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or
comments by participants. Unless and to the extent determined by
the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, meetings
of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance
with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
Section 2.11 Consent of Stockholders in Lieu
of Meeting. Any action that may be taken at any
annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a
meeting, without a prior notice and without a vote, if a consent
in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the
stockholders having not less than the minimum number of votes
that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a
meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were
present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of such action
without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall
be given to each stockholder who did not consent thereto in
writing.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 3.1 Number and Term of
Office. The business and affairs of the
Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its
Board of Directors. Subject to Section 9.2(a), the number
of directors that shall constitute the whole Board shall be
fixed from time to time by resolution of the stockholders or the
Board of Directors and shall consist of not more than twelve
(12) members. At the first annual meeting of stockholders
and at each annual meeting of stockholders thereafter, the
respective terms of all of the directors then serving in office
shall expire at the meeting, and successors to the directors
shall be elected to hold office until the next succeeding annual
meeting. Existing directors may be nominated for election each
year for a successive term, in the manner provided in these
Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”).
Each director shall hold office for the term for which he is
elected and qualified or until his successor shall have been
elected and qualified or until his earlier resignation, removal
from office or death. The Board of Directors may from time to
time establish minimum qualifications for eligibility to become
a director. Those qualifications may include, but shall not be
limited to, a prerequisite stock ownership in the Corporation.
Section 3.2 Place of
Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors may
be held at any place, within or without the State of Delaware,
from time to time as designated by the Chairman of the Board or
by the body or person calling such meeting.
Section 3.3 Annual
Meetings. As soon as practicable after each
annual meeting of stockholders and without further notice, the
directors elected at such meeting shall hold the annual meeting
of the Board of Directors
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at the place at which such meeting of stockholders took place,
provided a majority of the whole Board of Directors is present.
If such a majority is not present, such meeting may be held at
any other time or place which may be specified in a notice given
in the manner provided for special meetings of the Board of
Directors or in a waiver of notice thereof.
Section 3.4 Regular
Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of
Directors shall be held at such times as may be determined by
the Board of Directors. No notice shall be required for any
regular meeting.
Section 3.5 Special
Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of
Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer or the President. Notice of any special
meeting shall be mailed to each director at that director’s
residence or usual place of business not later than three
(3) days before the day on which the meeting is to be held,
or shall be given to that director by telegraph, telecopier or
other method of electronic transmission, by overnight express
mail service, personally, or by telephone, not later than
twenty-four (24) hours before the time of such meeting.
Notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need not be
given to any director if that director signs a written waiver
thereof either before or after the time stated therein.
Attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver
of notice of such meeting, except when the director attends the
meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning
of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the
meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Section 3.6 Action Without
Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be
taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any
committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members
of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as the case may
be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are
filed with the minutes of the Board of Directors or of such
committee.
Section 3.7 Presiding Officer and Secretary
at Meetings. Each meeting of the Board of
Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of
Directors, or in his or her absence, by the Vice Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, in that
order, and if none is present, then by such member of the Board
of Directors as shall be chosen at the meeting.
Section 3.8 Quorum. A majority
of the total authorized number of directors shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a
quorum, a majority of those present (or if only one be present,
then that one) may adjourn the meeting, without notice other
than announcement at the meeting, until such time as a quorum is
present. Subject to Section 9.4 hereof, the vote of a
majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum
is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.
Section 3.9 Meeting by
Telephone. Members of the Board of Directors or
of any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the
Board of Directors or of such committee by means of conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other.
Such participation shall constitute presence in person at such
meeting.
Section 3.10 Compensation. Directors
shall receive such compensation and expense reimbursements for
their services as directors or as members of committees as set
by the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be
construed to preclude any director from serving the Corporation
in any other capacity as an officer, agent or otherwise, and
receiving compensation therefor.
Section 3.11 Resignations. Any
director, member of a committee or officer of the Corporation
may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the
Chairman of the Board or the President. Such resignation shall
be effective at the time of its receipt, unless a date certain
is specified for it to take effect. Acceptance of any
resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 3.12 Removal of
Directors. No director may be removed without
cause before the expiration of his or her term of office except
by vote of the stockholders at a meeting called for such a
purpose.
Section 3.13 Filling of
Vacancies. Except as otherwise provided in
Article IX, in case of a vacancy created by an increase in
the number of directors or any vacancy created by death,
removal, or resignation, the vacancy or vacancies may be filled
either (a) by the Board of Directors, or (b) by the
stockholders. In the case of a director appointed to fill a
vacancy created by an increase in the number of directors, the
director so appointed shall hold office for the term to which
his predecessor was elected or until his successor is elected.
In the case of a director
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appointed to fill a vacancy created by the death, removal or
resignation of a director, the newly appointed director shall
hold office for the term to which his predecessor was elected or
until his successor is elected.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
Subject to the provisions of Article IX, the Board of
Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole
Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, each such
committee to consist of one or more directors of the
Corporation. Subject to Section 9.3(a), in the absence or
disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or
members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from
voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may
unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to
act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or
disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided
in such resolution or resolutions and to the extent permitted by
law, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of
the Board of Directors in the management of the business and
affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the
Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it;
but no such committee shall have the power or authority in
reference to the following matter: (i) approving or
adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or
matter expressly required by the General Corporation Law of the
state of Delaware to be submitted to stockholders for approval
or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing the Bylaws of the
Corporation.
ARTICLE V
THE
OFFICERS
Section 5.1 Designation. The
Corporation shall have such officers with such titles and duties
as set forth in these Bylaws or in a resolution of the Board of
Directors adopted on or after the effective date of these Bylaws.
Section 5.2 Election and
Qualification. The officers of the Corporation
shall be elected by the Board of Directors and, if specifically
determined by the Board of Directors, may consist of a Chairman
of the Board, Vice Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
Officer, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial
Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer,
one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, and
such other officers and agents as the Board of Directors may
deem advisable. None of the officers of the Corporation need be
directors.
Section 5.3 Term of
Office. Officers shall be chosen in such manner
and shall hold their office for such term as determined by the
Board of Directors. Each officer shall hold office from the time
of his or her election and qualification to the time at which
his or her successor is elected and qualified, or until his or
her earlier resignation, removal or death.
Section 5.4 Resignation. Any
officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving
written notice of such resignation to the Chairman of the Board
of Directors or to the President. Any such resignation shall
take effect at the time specified therein or, if no time be
specified, upon receipt thereof by the Chairman of the Board of
Directors or the President. The acceptance of such resignation
shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 5.5 Removal. Any
officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by
the Board of Directors.
Section 5.6 Compensation. The
compensation of each officer shall be determined by the Board of
Directors.
Section 5.7 The Chairman and the Vice
Chairman of the Board of Directors. Unless
otherwise specifically determined by resolution by the Board of
Directors, the Chairman of the Board and the Vice Chairman of
the Board shall be officers of the Corporation. The Chairman of
the Board shall, subject to the direction and oversight of the
Board, oversee the business plans and policies of the
Corporation, and shall oversee the implementation of those
business plans and policies. The Chairman shall report to the
Board, shall preside at meetings of the Board of Directors and
of its Executive Committee, and shall have general authority to
execute bonds, deeds and contracts in
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the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. In the absence or
disability of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall be vested
with and shall perform all powers and duties of the Chairman.
Section 5.8 Chief Executive
Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall,
subject to the direction of the Board, establish and implement
the business plans, policies and procedures of the Corporation.
The Chief Executive Officer shall report to the Chairman of the
Board, shall preside over meetings of the Board in the absence
of the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board, and shall have
general authority to execute bonds, deeds and contracts in the
name of and on behalf of the Corporation and in general to
exercise all the powers generally appertaining to the Chief
Executive Officer of a corporation.
Section 5.9 President, Chief Operating
Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The
President, the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer shall have such duties as shall be assigned to each from
time to time by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer and by the Board. During the absence of the Chairman of
the Board or the Vice Chairman of the Board or during their
inability to act, the President shall exercise the powers and
shall perform the duties of the Chairman of the Board, subject
to the direction of the Board of Directors.
Section 5.10 Vice
President. Each Vice President shall have such
powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him
or her by the Board of Directors.
Section 5.11 Secretary. The
Secretary shall attend meetings of the Board of Directors and
stockholders and record votes and minutes of such proceedings,
subject to the direction of the Chairman; assist in issuing
calls for meetings of stockholders and directors; keep the seal
of the Corporation and affix it to such instruments as may be
required from time to time; keep the stock transfer books and
other books and records of the Corporation; act as stock
transfer agent for the Corporation; attest the
Corporation’s execution of instruments when requested and
appropriate; make such reports to the Board of Directors as are
properly requested; and perform such other duties incident to
the office of Secretary and those that may be otherwise assigned
to the Secretary from time to time by the President or the
Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Section 5.12 Treasurer. The
Treasurer shall have custody of all corporate funds and
securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts
and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation. The
Treasurer shall deposit or disburse all moneys and other
property in the name and to the credit of the Corporation as may
be designated by the President or the Board of Directors. The
Treasurer shall render to the President and the Board of
Directors at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors, or
whenever they may request it, an account of all his or her
transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the
Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform other duties incident
to the office of Treasurer as the President or the Board of
Directors shall from time to time designate.
Section 5.13 Other
Officers. Each other officer of the Corporation
shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be
assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
CERTIFICATES
OF STOCK, TRANSFER OF STOCK
AND
REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS
Section 6.1 Stock
Certificates. The interest of each holder of
stock of the Corporation shall be evidenced by a certificate or
certificates signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or a Vice
President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation
certifying the number of shares owned by the holder thereof in
the Corporation. Any of or all of the signatures on the
certificate may be a facsimile. If any officer, transfer agent
or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has
been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such
officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is
issued, the certificate may be issued by the Corporation with
the same effect as if
he/she were
such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of
issuance.
Section 6.2 Classes/Series of
Stock. The Corporation may issue one or more
classes of stock or one or more series of stock within any class
thereof, as stated and expressed in the Certificate of
Incorporation or of any amendment thereto, any or all of which
classes may be stock with par value or stock without par value.
The powers,
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designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional
or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such
preferences
and/or
rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or
back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to
represent such class or series of stock, provided that, in
accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be
set forth on the face or back of the certificate which the
Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of
stock, a statement that the Corporation will furnish without
charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers,
designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional
or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such
preferences
and/or
rights.
Section 6.3 Transfer of
Stock. Subject to the transfer restrictions
permitted by Section 202 of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware and to stop transfer orders directed in
good faith by the Corporation to any transfer agent to prevent
possible violations of federal or state securities laws, rules
or regulations, the shares of stock of the Corporation shall be
transferable upon its books by the holders thereof in person or
by their duly authorized attorneys or legal representatives, and
upon such transfer the old certificates shall be surrendered to
the Corporation by the delivery thereof to the person in charge
of the stock and transfer books and ledgers, or to such other
persons as the directors may designate, by whom they shall be
cancelled, and new certificates shall be issued. A record shall
be made of each transfer and whenever a transfer shall be made
for collateral security, and not absolutely, it shall be so
expressed in the entry of the transfer.
Section 6.4 Holders of
Record. Prior to due presentment for registration
of transfer, the Corporation may treat the holder of record of a
share of its stock as the complete owner thereof exclusively
entitled to vote, to receive notifications and otherwise
entitled to all the rights and powers of a complete owner
thereof, notwithstanding notice of the contrary.
Section 6.5 Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or
Mutilated Certificates. A new certificate of
stock may be issued to replace a certificate theretofore issued
by the Corporation, alleged to have been lost, stolen, destroyed
or mutilated, and the Board of Directors or the President may
require the owner of the lost or destroyed certificate or his or
her legal representatives, to give such sum as they may direct
to indemnify the Corporation against any expense or loss it may
incur on account of the alleged loss of any such certificate.
Section 6.6 Dividends. Subject
to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and
applicable law, the directors may, out of funds legally
available therefor at any annual, regular, or special meeting,
declare dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation as
and when they deem expedient. Dividends may be paid in cash, in
property, or in shares of stock of the Corporation. Before
declaring any dividends there may be set apart out of any funds
of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as
the directors from time to time in their discretion deem proper
working capital to serve as a reserve fund to meet contingencies
or as equalizing dividends or for such other purposes as the
directors shall deem in the best interest of the Corporation.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 7.1 Fiscal Year. The
fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution
of the Board of Directors.
Section 7.2 Corporate
Seal. The corporate seal shall be in such form as
the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe and the
same may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be
impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
Section 7.3 Severability. The
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining
provisions hereof.
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ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENT
OF BYLAWS
Subject to Section 9.4, these Bylaws may be made, altered,
or repealed, or new bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders or
the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX
CONTINUATION
PERIOD MATTERS
Section 9.1
General. The
provisions of this Article IX are intended to reflect
certain matters referred to in that certain
Agreement and Plan
of Merger, dated as of June 22, 2008 (the “
Merger
Agreement”), among the Corporation, RS Merger Wedge,
Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Allied Waste Industries, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (“
Allied”). The
provisions in this Article IX shall apply during the
Continuation Period (as defined below) notwithstanding any other
provision in these Bylaws. In the event of any conflict between
the provisions of this Article IX and any other provision
of these Bylaws, the provisions of this Article IX shall
control.
Section 9.2 Board of Directors.
(a) During the Continuation Period, the Board of Directors
shall consist of eleven members, and it shall be a director
qualification that (i) one such director shall also be the
Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, (ii) five
(5) such directors shall be Continuing Republic Directors
(as defined below), and (iii) five (5) such directors
shall be Continuing Allied Directors (as defined below).
(b) During the Continuation Period, the Corporation shall
have the following committees of the Board of Directors:
(1) the Continuing Republic Committee consisting of only
the Continuing Republic Directors and (2) the Continuing
Allied Committee consisting of only the Continuing Allied
Directors.
(c) In connection with each meeting of the stockholders
during the Continuation Period at which directors are to be
elected, (i) the Continuing Allied Committee shall have the
exclusive authority to nominate as directors, on behalf of the
Corporation, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, a
number of persons for election as directors of the Corporation
equal to the number of Continuing Allied Directors to be elected
thereat, and (ii) the Continuing Republic Committee shall
have the exclusive authority to nominate as directors, on behalf
of the Corporation, the Board of Directors or any committee
thereof, a number of persons for election as directors of the
Corporation equal to the number of Continuing Republic Directors
to be elected thereat. It shall be a director qualification that
any person nominated or appointed pursuant to this
Section 9.2(c) or Section 9.2(d) shall be
“independent” of the Corporation for purposes of the
rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (as
determined by a majority of the persons making the nomination or
appointment).
(d) During the Initial Continuation Period, (i) if any
Continuing Allied Director is removed from the Board of
Directors, becomes disqualified, resigns, retires, dies or
otherwise cannot or will not continue to serve as a member of
the Board of Directors, such vacancy shall only be filled by the
Continuing Allied Committee, and (ii) if any Continuing
Republic Director is removed from the Board of Directors,
becomes disqualified, resigns, retires, dies, or otherwise
cannot or will not continue to serve as a member of the Board of
Directors, such vacancy shall only be filled by the Continuing
Republic Committee.
Section 9.3 Committees of the Board of
Directors. Except as otherwise provided in
Section 9.2(b), at all times during the Continuation Period:
(a) The membership of each committee of the Board of
Directors shall consist of five members of the Board of
Directors, with two of such members being Continuing Allied
Directors and three of such members being Continuing Republic
Directors, and the initial chairman of the Audit Committee, the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors at the
Effective Time shall be, in each case, the Continuing Republic
Director who was the chairman of such committee immediately
prior to the Effective Time. Each Continuing Allied Director and
Continuing Republic Director serving on the Audit Committee, the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the
Compensation Committee of the Board of
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Directors shall qualify as an independent director under the
applicable listing standards of the NYSE and, as applicable, the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(b) The Continuing Allied Committee shall have the
exclusive right to propose Continuing Allied Directors to serve
on any committee of the Board of Directors, and the Continuing
Republic Committee shall have the exclusive right to propose
Continuing Republic Directors to serve on any committee of the
Board of Directors.
Section 9.4 Amendments. At all
times during the Continuation Period, the Board of Directors may
amend or alter, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, or
repeal (or take any action in furtherance of any of the
foregoing), in whole or in part, any provision of
Article IX of these Bylaws, only upon the affirmative vote
of directors constituting at least the Required Number of
members of the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding Section
2.9(a), after the Initial Continuation Period the size of the
Board of Directors may be increased by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the Board of Directors. The Required Number is
seven, provided, however, that if, after the Initial
Continuation Period, the size of the Board of Directors is
increased, the Required Number shall be increased by one for
each additional Board of Directors position created.
Section 9.5 Definitions. As
used in this Article IX, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) “Continuation Period” means the period
commencing with the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger
Agreement) until the close of business on the day immediately
prior to the third annual meeting of stockholders of the
Corporation held after the Effective Time.
(b) “Continuing Allied Director” means any
member of the board of directors of Allied prior to the
Effective Time who is determined by the board of directors of
Allied to be “independent” of Allied and the
Corporation under the rules of the NYSE and who is designated in
writing by Allied, pursuant to Section 7.14(b) of the
Merger Agreement, to be a member of the Board of Directors as of
the Effective Time (or, as provided in the Merger Agreement, the
business day after the date on which the Effective Time occurs),
and any person who is subsequently nominated or appointed to be
a member of the Board of Directors in accordance with the
provisions of this Article IX by the Continuing Allied
Committee.
(c) “Continuing Republic Director” means
any member of the Board of Directors prior to the Effective Time
who is determined by the Board of Directors to be
“independent” of the Corporation under the rules of
the NYSE and who is designated in writing by the Corporation,
pursuant to Section 7.14(b) of the Merger Agreement, to be
a member of the Board of Directors as of the Effective Time, and
any person who is subsequently nominated or appointed to be a
member of the Board of Directors in accordance with the
provisions of this Article IX by the Continuing Republic
Committee.
(d) “Initial Continuation Period” means
the period commencing with the Effective Time (as defined in the
Merger Agreement) until the close of business on the day
immediately prior to the second annual meeting of stockholders
of the Corporation held after the Effective Time.
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