AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED SUN ACQUISITION CORPORATION and SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC. February 2, 2010
EXHIBIT
2.1
Execution
Version
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
by
and among
MICROCHIP
TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
SUN ACQUISITION
CORPORATION
and
SILICON
STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
February
2, 2010
Page
|
ARTICLE
I DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
|
1
|
|
Section
1.1
|
Definitions
|
1
|
Section
1.2
|
Other
Definitional Provisions; Interpretation.
|
8
|
ARTICLE
II THE MERGER
|
8
|
|
Section
2.1
|
The
Merger
|
8
|
Section
2.2
|
Effective
Time
|
9
|
Section
2.3
|
Closing
|
9
|
Section
2.4
|
Articles
of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Surviving Corporation
|
9
|
Section
2.5
|
Directors
and Officers of the Surviving Corporation
|
9
|
Section
2.6
|
Effect
on Capital Stock
|
10
|
Section
2.7
|
Treatment
of Options
|
10
|
ARTICLE
III EXCHANGE AND PAYMENT
|
11
|
|
Section
3.1
|
Exchange
Agent; Payment Funds.
|
11
|
Section
3.2
|
Exchange
Procedures.
|
11
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Section
3.3
|
No
Further Ownership Rights in Company Stock
|
12
|
Section
3.4
|
Termination
of Exchange Fund
|
12
|
Section
3.5
|
No
Liability
|
13
|
Section
3.6
|
Lost
Certificates
|
13
|
Section
3.7
|
Stock
Transfer Books
|
13
|
Section
3.8
|
Shares
of Dissenting Shareholders
|
13
|
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
14
|
|
Section
4.1
|
Organization
|
14
|
Section
4.2
|
Capitalization.
|
14
|
Section
4.3
|
Authorization;
Validity of Agreement; Company Action
|
15
|
Section
4.4
|
Consents
and Approvals; No Violations
|
16
|
Section
4.5
|
SEC
Reports
|
16
|
Section
4.6
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
16
|
Section
4.7
|
Material
Contracts.
|
17
|
Section
4.8
|
Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA.
|
18
|
Section
4.9
|
Litigation
|
20
|
Section
4.10
|
Compliance
with Law
|
20
|
Section
4.11
|
Intellectual
Property.
|
20
|
Section
4.12
|
Taxes
|
22
|
Section
4.13
|
Real
and Personal Property.
|
23
|
Section
4.14
|
Environmental.
|
24
|
Section
4.15
|
Labor
Matters
|
24
|
Section
4.16
|
Insurance
|
25
|
Section
4.17
|
Information
Supplied.
|
25
|
Section
4.18
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
26
|
i
Section
4.19
|
Affiliate
Transactions
|
27
|
|
Section
4.20
|
Vote
Required
|
28
|
|
Section
4.21
|
Brokers
or Finders
|
28
|
|
Section
4.22
|
Opinion
of Financial Advisor
|
28
|
|
Section
4.23
|
Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act
|
28
|
|
Section
4.24
|
Rights
Plan
|
28
|
|
Section
4.25
|
Disclosure
|
28
|
|
ARTICLE
V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
|
29
|
||
Section
5.1
|
Organization
|
29
|
|
Section
5.2
|
Authorization;
Validity of Agreement; Necessary Action
|
29
|
|
Section
5.3
|
Consents
and Approvals; No Violations
|
29
|
|
Section
5.4
|
Litigation
|
30
|
|
Section
5.5
|
Ownership
of Common Stock
|
30
|
|
Section
5.6
|
Compliance
with Law
|
30
|
|
Section
5.7
|
Merger
Sub’s Operations
|
30
|
|
Section
5.8
|
Information
Supplied.
|
30
|
|
Section
5.9
|
Financing.
|
31
|
|
Section
5.10
|
Investigation
by Parent and Merger Sub.
|
31
|
|
ARTICLE
VI COVENANTS
|
31
|
||
Section
6.1
|
Interim
Operations of the Company
|
31
|
|
Section
6.2
|
Conduct
of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger
|
33
|
|
Section
6.3
|
Access
to Information.
|
33
|
|
Section
6.4
|
Acquisition
Proposals.
|
34
|
|
Section
6.5
|
Employee
Benefits.
|
37
|
|
Section
6.6
|
Publicity
|
38
|
|
Section
6.7
|
Directors’
and Officers’ Insurance and Indemnification.
|
38
|
|
Section
6.8
|
Proxy
Statement.
|
40
|
|
Section
6.9
|
Shareholders
Meeting.
|
40
|
|
Section
6.10
|
Reasonable
Best Efforts.
|
41
|
|
Section
6.11
|
Delisting;
NASDAQ Quotation
|
42
|
|
Section
6.12
|
Takeover
Laws
|
43
|
|
Section
6.13
|
Notification
of Certain Matters
|
43
|
|
Section
6.14
|
Exemption
from Liability Under Section 16
|
43
|
|
Section
6.15
|
Resignations
|
43
|
|
Section
6.16
|
Existing
Standstill Agreements
|
43
|
|
ARTICLE
VII CONDITIONS
|
44
|
||
Section
7.1
|
Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
44
|
|
Section
7.2
|
Conditions
to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
|
44
|
|
Section
7.3
|
Conditions
to the Obligations of the Company
|
45
|
|
Section
7.4
|
Frustration
of Closing Conditions
|
45
|
|
ARTICLE
VIII TERMINATION
|
46
|
||
Section
8.1
|
Termination
|
46
|
ii
Section
8.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
47
|
Section
8.3
|
Fees
and Expenses.
|
47
|
ARTICLE
IX MISCELLANEOUS
|
49
|
|
Section
9.1
|
Non
Survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants
|
49
|
Section
9.2
|
Notices
|
50
|
Section
9.3
|
Severability
|
51
|
Section
9.4
|
Entire
Agreement; Assignment
|
51
|
Section
9.5
|
Third
Party Beneficiaries
|
51
|
Section
9.6
|
Specific
Performance
|
51
|
Section
9.7
|
Governing
Law
|
52
|
Section
9.8
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial
|
52
|
Section
9.9
|
Amendment
|
52
|
Section
9.10
|
Waiver
|
52
|
Section
9.11
|
Headings
|
53
|
Section
9.12
|
Counterparts
|
53
|
Exhibit
A Form
of Articles of Merger
Exhibit
B Form
of Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation
iii
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of February 2, 2010 (this
“Agreement”),
by and among Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., a California corporation (the
“Company”), Microchip
Technology Incorporated, a Delaware
corporation (“Parent”),
and Sun Acquisition Corporation, a California corporation and wholly-owned
subsidiary of Parent (“Merger
Sub”).
WHEREAS,
the boards of directors of Merger Sub and
Parent have approved, and have determined that it is advisable and in the best
interests of their respective shareholders to consummate, the acquisition of the
Company by Parent and Merger Sub upon the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth herein;
WHEREAS,
the Company Board, acting upon the recommendation of the Strategic Committee,
has approved this Agreement and recommended approval and adoption of this
Agreement by the shareholders of the Company;
WHEREAS, the Company Board, acting upon the
recommendation of the Strategic Committee, has determined that the terms of this
Agreement constitute a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Agreement and Plan
of Merger, dated as of November 13, 2009, by and among Technology Resources
Holdings, Inc., Technology Resources, Inc. and the Company (the “Prior
Agreement”), the Company, the Company Board
and the Strategic Committee have taken all such actions as are necessary,
advisable and proper to terminate the Prior Agreement, and the Prior Agreement
has been validly terminated and is no longer in force or
effect;
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company
has paid $4,025,875 to Technology Resources Holdings, Inc. in full satisfaction
of the Termination Fee and any Parent Expenses (each, as defined in the
Prior Agreement); and
WHEREAS,
the acquisition of the Company by Parent shall be effected through the Merger of
Merger Sub with and into the Company in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and the CCC, as a result of which the Company shall become
wholly-owned by Parent.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein, and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS AND
TERMS
Section
1.1 Definitions
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth
below:
“Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement” means an
executed confidentiality and standstill agreement, the benefits of the terms of
which, if more favorable to the other party to such confidentiality and
standstill agreement than those in place with Parent, shall be extended to
Parent.
“Acquisition
Proposal” means any proposal or offer (including any proposal from or to
the Company’s shareholders) from any Person or group of Persons other than
Parent or Merger Sub or any Affiliate thereof relating to (1) any direct or
indirect acquisition of (A) more than 10% of the assets of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (B) more than 10% of any class
of equity securities of the Company; (2) any tender offer or exchange offer,
within the meaning of the Exchange Act, that if consummated would result in any
Person or group of Persons beneficially owning 10% or more of any class of
equity securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries; or (3) any merger,
consolidation, business combination, joint venture, recapitalization,
liquidation, dissolution or other similar transaction involving the Company or
its Subsidiaries.
“Action”
has the meaning set forth in Section
6.7(b).
“Affiliate”
means, with respect to a specified Person, any person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or
is under common control with, the such specified Person.
“Agreement”
has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Alternative
Acquisition Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(b).
“Antitrust
Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.10(b).
“Antitrust
Order” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.10(b).
“Articles of
Merger” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.2.
“Book Entry
Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.6(b).
“Business
Day” means a day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or another day on which
commercial banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required
by Law to be closed.
“CCC” means
the California Corporations Code, as amended.
“Certificates”
has the meaning set forth in Section
2.6(b).
“Change of
Recommendation” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.4(c).
“Cleanup”
means all actions required, under applicable Environmental Laws, to clean up,
remove, treat, remediate or otherwise address Hazardous Materials.
“Closing”
has the meaning set forth in Section
2.3.
“Closing
Date” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.3.
2
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Common
Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.6(a).
“Company”
has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Company Benefit
Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.8(a).
“Company
Board” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Company
Disclosure Schedule” means the disclosure schedule delivered by the
Company to Parent immediately prior to the execution of this
Agreement.
“Company Equity
Plans” means the Company’s 1995 Equity Incentive Plan, 1995 Non-Employee
Director's Stock Option Plan, 2008 Equity Incentive Plan and 2009 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan.
“Company Material
Adverse Effect” means any material adverse change in, or material adverse
effect on, the business, financial condition or results of operations of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided, however, that none
of the following shall constitute or be taken into consideration in determining
whether there has occurred, and no change, event, occurrence or effect resulting
from, attributable to or arising out of any of the following shall constitute, a
Company Material Adverse Effect:
(a) a change
in general economic, political or financial market conditions, including
interest or exchange rates, which does not have a materially disproportionate
effect on the Company relative to other industry participants;
(b) a change
in the industries, or in the business conditions in the geographic regions, in
which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate which does not have a materially
disproportionate effect on the Company relative to other industry
participants;
(c) the
announcement of this Agreement (including any cancellation of or delays in
customer orders or work for clients, any reductions in sales, any disruption in
licensor, vendor, partner or similar relationships or any loss of employees
resulting therefrom);
(d) acts of
war, terrorism or sabotage, military actions or the escalation
thereof;
(e) changes
in GAAP or changes in the interpretation of GAAP, or changes in the accounting
rules and regulations of the SEC;
(f) any
action expressly contemplated by this Agreement or taken at the request of or
with the consent of Parent or Merger Sub;
(g) any
litigation brought or threatened by shareholders of the Company (whether on
behalf of the Company or otherwise) asserting allegations of breach of fiduciary
duty or violations of securities Laws or otherwise arising from the announcement
of this Agreement or the consummation of the Merger;
3
(h) any
adoption, implementation, promulgation, repeal, modification, reinterpretation
or proposal of any Law after the date hereof;
(i) in and of
itself, any decrease in the market price or trading volume of the Common Stock
(it being understood that the foregoing shall not prevent Parent from asserting
that any underlying cause of such decrease independently constitutes such a
Company Material Adverse Effect);
(j) in and of
itself, any failure by the Company to meet any projections, forecasts or revenue
or earnings predictions (it being understood that the foregoing shall not
prevent Parent from asserting that any underlying cause of such failure
independently constitutes such a Company Material Adverse Effect);
or
(k) any item
set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedules as of the date
hereof.
“Company
Participants” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.8.
“Company
Recommendation” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.8
(a).
“Company SEC
Reports” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.5.
“Company
Shareholder Approval” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.3.
“Company
Shareholders Meeting” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.3.
“Company Voting
Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.3.
“Confidentiality
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.3(b).
“Contract”
means any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, instrument, guarantee, commitment,
lease, license, contract, agreement or other consensual obligation.
“Dissenting
Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section
3.8.
“Effective
Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Employee”
has the meaning set forth in Section
4.15.
“Environmental
Claim” means any claim, notice, directive, action, cause of action,
investigation, suit, demand, abatement order or other similar action or order by
a Governmental Entity alleging liability arising out of, based on, or resulting
from (a) the release of any Hazardous Materials at any location, or (b)
circumstances forming the basis of any violation of any Environmental
Law.
“Environmental
Laws” means all applicable and legally enforceable Laws relating to
pollution or protection, investigation or restoration of the environment, human
health and safety, or natural resources, including Laws relating to releases or
threatened releases of Hazardous Materials and the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, release, transport, handling or disposal
of Hazardous Materials.
4
“ERISA” has
the meaning set forth in Section
4.8.
“Exchange
Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange
Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section
3.1(a).
“Exchange
Fund” has the meaning set forth in Section
3.1(b).
“Financial
Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.5.
“GAAP” has
the meaning set forth in Section
4.5.
“Governmental
Entity” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.4.
“Hazardous
Materials” means any substance, material or waste which is listed,
defined, designated or classified by any Governmental Entity or Environmental
Law as a “hazardous waste,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous substance,”
“extremely hazardous waste,” “restricted hazardous waste,” “contaminant,” “toxic
waste” or “toxic substance” under any provision of Environmental Law including
all substances defined as Hazardous Substances, Oils, Pollutants or Contaminants
in the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, 40
C.F.R. § 300.5.
“HLHZ” has
the meaning set forth in Section
4.21.
“HSR Act”
means the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as
amended.
“Indemnified
Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.7(b).
“Insurance
Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.16.
“Intellectual
Property” means (a) patents, patent applications, patent disclosures and
inventions, (b) trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, logos,
corporate names and Internet domain names, together with the goodwill associated
exclusively therewith, (c) mask works and copyrights and copyrightable works,
including copyrights in computer software, (d) registrations and applications
for registration of any of the foregoing in (a)-(c), and (e) trade
secrets.
“Intervening
Event” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.4(c).
“IRS” means
the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
“knowledge”
means such facts and other information that as of the date of determination are
actually known to, (i) in the case of the Company and its Subsidiaries, Bing
Yeh, Yaw Xxx Xx, Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Xxx, Xxxxx Best, Xxxxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxx Xxxxxx, and
(ii) in the case of the Parent or Merger Sub, Xxxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx.
5
“Law” means
any federal, state, local, municipal or foreign constitution, law, statute,
ordinance, regulation, code, treaty, judgment, order, decree, injunction,
arbitration award, franchise, license, agency requirement or permit of any
Governmental Entity.
“Leases”
has the meaning set forth in Section
4.7(a).
“Letter of
Transmittal” has the meaning set forth in Section
3.2(a).
“Liability”
means any liability, whether known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, absolute
or contingent, accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, due or to
become due, including liability for Taxes.
“License-In
Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.11(b).
“Liens”
means any charge, claim, community property interest or similar equitable
interest, lien, option, pledge, security interest, right of first refusal,
encumbrance or restriction of any kind, including any restriction on use,
voting, transfer, receipt of income, or exercise of any other attribute of
ownership.
“Material
Contracts” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.7(a).
“Merger”
has the meaning set forth in Section
2.1.
“Merger
Consideration” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.6(a).
“Merger
Sub” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Net
Option” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.7.
“Notice
Period” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.4(c).
“Option”
has the meaning set forth in Section
2.7.
“Ordinary Course
of Business” means an action taken by a Person will be deemed to have
been taken in the Ordinary Course of Business only if that action is consistent
with the past practices of such Person and is taken in the ordinary course of
the normal operations of such Person.
“Organizational
Documents” means the articles of incorporation and bylaws, or other
equivalent organizational documents, of an entity.
“Parent”
has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Parent
Expenses” has the meaning set forth in Section
8.3(a).
“Parent Material
Adverse Effect” means any material adverse change in, or material adverse
effect on the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby (including having sufficient funds to pay the aggregate
Merger Consideration and Per Share Option Consideration and other fees and
expenses of Parent and Merger Sub).
6
“Parent
Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.5(c).
“Per Share Option
Consideration” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.7.
“Permitted
Liens” means licenses granted by the Company to third parties in the
Ordinary Course of Business.
“Person”
means any natural person or any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, association, trust or other entity or organization, including any
Governmental Entity.
“Pre-Closing
Period” has the meaning set forth in Section
6.1(a).
“Proxy
Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.17(a).
“Representatives”
has the meaning set forth in Section
6.3(a).
“Rights
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.24.
“SEC” means
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities
Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Strategic
Committee” means the strategic committee of the Company
Board.
“Subsidiary”
means, as to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, association or other business entity (i) of which such Person directly
or indirectly owns securities or other equity interests representing more than
50% of the aggregate voting power, (ii) of which such Person possesses more than
50% of the right to elect directors or Persons holding similar positions, or
(iii) that such Person controls directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries.
“Superior
Proposal” means any Acquisition Proposal, which was obtained in
compliance with Section 6.4, made by
a third party, that the Company Board or the Strategic Committee determines in
good faith, after consultation with its financial advisor and legal counsel, (i)
is fully financed or reasonably capable of being financed but not contingent on
the availability of financing, (ii) is capable of being consummated, taking into
account all legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of such Acquisition
Proposal, including the Person or group of related Persons making the proposal
and after taking into account compliance by the Company with this Agreement, and
(iii) would, if consummated, result in a transaction more favorable to the
Company’s shareholders from a financial point of view than the transactions
contemplated hereby (including any proposal by Parent to amend the terms of this
Agreement); provided,
that for purposes of this definition of “Superior Proposal,” the references to
“10%” in the definition of Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed to be references
to “50%”.
“Surviving
Corporation” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.1.
“Tax
Return” means any report, return (including any information return),
statement, schedule, notice, form, declaration, claim for refund or other
document or information filed with or submitted to, or required to be filed with
or submitted to, any taxing authority or jurisdiction (U.S. or foreign) in
connection with the determination, assessment, collection or payment of any
Tax.
7
“Taxes”
means any and all taxes, charges, fees, levies, assessments, tariffs or duties
of any kind whatsoever, including income, gross receipts, excise, real or
personal property, sales, withholding, social security, occupation, use,
service, service use, value added, license, net worth, payroll, franchise,
transfer and recording taxes, fees and charges, imposed by any taxing authority
(whether U.S. or foreign including any state, local or foreign government or any
subdivision or taxing agency thereof (including a U.S. possession)), whether
computed on a separate, consolidated, unitary, combined or any other basis; and
such term shall include any interest, penalties, addition or additional amounts
attributable to, or imposed upon, or with respect to, any such taxes, charges,
fees, levies, assessments, tariffs, charges or duties, or payable under any
tax-sharing agreement or any other Contract.
“Termination
Date” has the meaning set forth in Section
8.1(b)(i).
“Termination
Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section
8.3(b).
“United
States” means the United States of America.
“WARN Act”
has the meaning set forth in Section
4.8(c).
Section
1.2 Other Definitional
Provisions; Interpretation.
(a) The words
“hereof,”
“herein”
and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to
refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this
Agreement, and references to articles, sections, paragraphs, exhibits and
schedules are to the articles, sections and paragraphs of, and exhibits and
schedules to, this Agreement, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Whenever
“include,”
“includes”
or “including”
is used in this Agreement, such word shall be deemed to be followed by the
phrase “without limitation.”
(c) Words
describing the singular number shall be deemed to include the plural and vice
versa, words denoting any gender shall be deemed to include all genders and
words denoting natural persons shall be deemed to include business entities and
vice versa.
(d) Terms
defined in the text of this Agreement as having a particular meaning have such
meaning throughout this Agreement, except as otherwise indicated in this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
II
THE
MERGER
Section
2.1 The
Merger
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the CCC, at
the Effective Time, the Company and Merger Sub shall consummate a merger (the
“Merger”)
pursuant to which (i) Merger Sub shall merge with and into the Company and the
separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall thereupon cease, (ii) the
Company shall be the surviving corporation (the “Surviving
Corporation”) in the Merger, and (iii) the corporate existence of the
Company shall continue unaffected by the Merger. The Merger shall,
from and after the Effective Time, have the effects set forth in Section 1107 of
the CCC and other applicable Law.
8
Section
2.2 Effective
Time
Parent,
Merger Sub and the Company shall cause articles of merger in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Articles of
Merger”) to be delivered on the Closing Date (or on such other date as
Parent and the Company may agree in writing) to the Secretary of State of the
State of California for filing as provided in the CCC, and shall make all other
deliveries, filings or recordings required by the CCC in connection with the
Merger. The Merger shall become effective on the date on which the
Articles of Merger are filed by the Secretary of State of the State of
California, or on such other later date as is agreed upon by the parties and
specified in the Articles of Merger, and at the time specified in the Articles
of Merger or, if not specified therein, by the CCC, and such time on such date
of effectiveness is hereinafter referred to as the “Effective
Time.”
Section
2.3 Closing
. The
closing of the Merger (the “Closing”)
will take place at 10:00 A.M., Pacific Time, on a date to be specified by the
parties, which shall be no later than two Business Days after satisfaction or
waiver of all of the conditions set forth in Article VII hereof (other than
conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject
to the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions at the Closing), at the offices
of Shearman & Sterling LLP, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx,
unless another time, date or place is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto
(such date on which the Closing is to take place being the “Closing
Date”).
Section
2.4 Articles of Incorporation
and By-Laws of the Surviving Corporation
. The
articles of incorporation of the Company, as in effect immediately prior to the
Effective Time, shall at the Effective Time be amended and restated in full to
read as set forth in Exhibit B and as so
amended and restated shall be the articles of incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation, until thereafter amended as provided by Law and such articles of
incorporation. The by-laws of the Surviving Corporation shall, as of
the Effective Time, be amended and restated in their entirety to be the same as
the by-laws of Merger Sub, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time,
except as to the name of the Surviving Corporation, which shall be Silicon
Storage Technology, Inc., until thereafter amended as provided by Law, the
articles of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation and such
by-laws.
Section
2.5 Directors and Officers of
the Surviving Corporation
. The
directors of Merger Sub, as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall,
from and after the Effective Time, be the directors of the Surviving Corporation
until their successors shall have been duly elected or appointed or qualified or
until their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the
Surviving Corporation’s Organizational Documents. The officers of the Company at
the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, be the initial
officers of the Surviving Corporation until their successors shall have been
duly elected or appointed or qualified or until their earlier death, resignation
or removal in accordance with the Surviving Corporation’s Organizational
Documents.
9
Section
2.6 Effect on Capital
Stock
. At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of
Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any of the following
securities:
(a) Conversion of Common
Stock. Except as otherwise provided herein, each share of the Company’s
common stock, no par value per share (the “Common
Stock”), issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
(other than shares to be canceled pursuant to Section 2.6(c) and
Dissenting Shares) shall be converted into the right to receive, upon the
Effective Time, $2.85in cash (the “Merger
Consideration”).
(b) Cancellation of Common
Stock. As of the Effective Time, each share of Common Stock converted
into the right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.6(a)
shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and shall
cease to exist, and each holder of a certificate which immediately prior to the
Effective Time represented any such shares of Common Stock not represented by
certificates (“Book Entry
Shares”) and the holders of certificates that, immediately prior to the
Effective Time, represented shares of outstanding Common Stock (“Certificates”)
shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to
receive, upon surrender of such Book-Entry Shares or Certificates in accordance
with Article
III, the Merger Consideration, without any interest thereon, for each
such share of Common Stock held by them.
(c) Cancellation of Treasury
Stock and Parent-Owned Stock. Each share of Common Stock held in the
treasury of the Company and each share of Common Stock owned or held, directly
or indirectly, by the Company or its Subsidiaries or Parent, Merger Sub or their
respective Subsidiaries, in each case immediately prior to the Effective Time,
shall be canceled and retired without any conversion thereof and no
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(d) Capital Stock of Merger
Sub. Each share of capital stock, par value $0.001per share, of Merger
Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
converted into and exchanged for one fully paid and non-assessable share of the
same class and series of capital stock, no par value, of the Surviving
Corporation.
(e) Adjustment. If at any
time between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time any change in the
number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall occur as a result of a
reclassification, recapitalization, stock split (including a reverse stock
split), or combination, exchange or readjustment of shares, or any stock
dividend or stock distribution with a record date during such period, the amount
of the Merger Consideration as provided in Section 2.6(a) shall
be equitably adjusted to reflect such change.
Section
2.7 Treatment of
Options
10
. Each
outstanding option or other right to purchase Common Stock (whether vested or
unvested) under a Company Equity Plan (an “Option”)
shall be cancelled and all rights with respect thereto shall cease to exist,
and, in consideration for the cancellation of such Option, the holder of any
such Option (if the Merger Consideration is greater than the exercise price per
share of the Common Stock of such Option) will be entitled to receive, subject
to any required withholding of Taxes, an amount equal to the product of (x) the
number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Option held by the holder of
the Option, and (y) the excess of the Merger Consideration over the exercise
price per share of Common Stock subject to the Option as set forth in such
Option (the amount in clause (y) divided by the number in clause (x) above, the
“Per Share
Option Consideration”) (all such Options to which the amount calculated
in this sentence is a positive number, the “Net
Options”). No Merger Consideration will be due to a holder of an Option
in respect of its termination if the amount calculated in the immediately
preceding sentence is a negative number. Parent shall pay, or cause the
Surviving Corporation to pay, any amounts due pursuant to this Section 2.7 as
soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within five Business Days,
after the Effective Time.
ARTICLE
III
EXCHANGE AND
PAYMENT
Section
3.1 Exchange Agent; Payment
Funds.
(a) Appointment of Exchange
Agent
. Prior
to the Effective Time, Parent shall appoint a bank or trust company as is
approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) as
exchange and paying agent (the “Exchange
Agent”) for the exchange and payment of the Merger
Consideration.
(b) Merger Consideration.
At or prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit with the Exchange Agent
in trust for the benefit of holders of shares of Common Stock, an amount in cash
sufficient to make all payments pursuant to Section 3.2 assuming
no Dissenting Shares. Any cash deposited with the Exchange Agent in trust for
the benefit of holders of shares of Common Stock shall hereinafter be referred
to as the “Exchange
Fund”.
(c) The
Exchange Fund shall be invested by the Exchange Agent as directed by Parent or
the Surviving Corporation; provided, however, that any such
investments shall be in money market mutual or similar funds having assets in
excess of $10,000,000,000. Earnings on the Exchange Fund shall be the
sole and exclusive property of Parent and the Surviving Corporation and shall be
paid to Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as Parent directs. No investment or
loss of the Exchange Fund shall relieve Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the
Exchange Agent from promptly making the payments required by this Article III, and
following any losses from any such investment, Parent shall promptly provide
additional funds to the Exchange Agent in the amount of such losses, which
additional funds will be deemed to be part of the Exchange Fund.
Section
3.2 Exchange
Procedures.
(a) Promptly
after the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each
holder of record of Certificates or Book Entry Shares whose shares were
converted into the right to receive Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.6 (A) a
letter of transmittal and instructions, the form and substance of which shall be
substantially as
11
reasonably
agreed to by the Company and Parent and prepared prior to the Closing (the
“Letter of
Transmittal”), which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and
risk of loss with respect to the Certificates or Book-Entry Shares shall pass,
only upon delivery of the Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof)
or Book-Entry Shares to the Exchange Agent, and (B) instructions for effecting
the surrender of such Certificates or Book-Entry Shares, as applicable, in
exchange for the Merger Consideration.
(b) Upon
surrender of a Certificate or Book-Entry Share to the Exchange Agent together
with such Letter of Transmittal, duly executed and completed in accordance with
the instructions thereto, the holder of such Certificate or Book-Entry Share
shall be entitled to receive promptly in exchange therefor the Merger
Consideration for each share of Common Stock formerly represented by such
Certificate or Book-Entry Share and such Certificate or Book-Entry Share shall
then be canceled.
(c) No
interest will be paid or will accrue for the benefit of holders of the
Certificates on the Merger Consideration payable upon the surrender of the
Certificates or Book-Entry Shares. In the event of a transfer of ownership of
Common Stock which is not registered in the transfer records of the Company,
payment of the Merger Consideration may be made with respect to such Common
Stock to such a transferee if the Certificate or Book-Entry Shares formerly
representing such shares of Common Stock is presented to the Exchange Agent,
accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and
to evidence that all applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid or are not
applicable.
Section
3.3 No Further Ownership Rights
in Company Stock
. The
Merger Consideration paid upon conversion of each share of Common Stock in
accordance with the terms of Article II and this Article III shall be deemed to
have been paid in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such shares of
Common Stock. Subject to Section 3.6, if any
Certificates or Book-Entry Shares shall not have been surrendered prior to one
year after the Effective Time (or immediately prior to such earlier date on
which any Merger Consideration in respect to such Certificate or Book-Entry
Shares would otherwise escheat to or become the property or any Governmental
Entity), any such cash shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, become
property of the Surviving Corporation, free and clear of all claims or interest
of any person previously entitled thereto. If, after the Effective Time, subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Certificates or Book-Entry Shares
formerly representing shares of Common Stock are presented to the Surviving
Corporation, they shall be cancelled and exchanged for the Merger Consideration
in accordance with this Article
III.
Section
3.4 Termination of Exchange
Fund
. Any
portion of the Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the holders of
Certificates or Book-Entry Shares for one year after the Effective Time shall be
delivered to the Surviving Corporation or otherwise on the instruction of the
Surviving Corporation, and any holders of the Certificates or Book-Entry Shares
who have not theretofore complied with this Article III shall thereafter look
only to the Surviving Corporation and Parent for the Merger Consideration with
respect to the shares of Common Stock formerly represented thereby to which such
holders are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6 and Section
3.2.
12
Section
3.5 No
Liability
. None of
Parent, Merger Sub, the Company, the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent
shall be liable to any Person in respect of any Merger Consideration from the
Exchange Fund properly delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.
Section
3.6 Lost
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 the Surviving Corporation, the provision
of an indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to
such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will deliver in exchange for such lost,
stolen or destroyed Certificate the aggregate Merger Consideration with respect
to the shares of Common Stock formerly represented thereby.
Section
3.7 Stock Transfer
Books
. At the
Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and
there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Stock
thereafter on the records of the Company. From and after the Effective Time, the
holders of Certificates and Book-Entry Shares shall cease to have any rights
with respect to such shares of Common Stock formerly represented thereby, except
for the right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to the terms hereof.
On or after the Effective Time, any Certificates and Book-Entry Shares presented
with a Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent or Parent for any reason
shall be exchanged for the aggregate Merger Consideration with respect to the
shares of Common Stock formerly represented thereby.
Section
3.8 Shares of Dissenting
Shareholders
. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, shares of Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time that are held by any holder
who has not voted in favor of the Merger and who has properly demanded that the
Company purchase such shares in accordance with Chapter 13 of the CCC (“Dissenting
Shares”) shall not be converted into or exchangeable for the right to
receive the Merger Consideration, unless and until such holder shall have failed
to perfect, or shall have effectively withdrawn or lost, such holder’s rights as
a holder of Dissenting Shares under the CCC. Holders of Dissenting
Shares shall be entitled only to such rights as are granted by Chapter 13 of the
CCC. If any holder of Dissenting Shares effectively withdraws or
loses (through failure to perfect or otherwise) his or her right to dissent
under Chapter 13 of the CCC at or prior to the Effective Time, each such share
of Common Stock of such holder shall thereupon be converted into and become
exchangeable only for the right to receive, as of the later of the Effective
Time and the time that such right to demand of payment has been irrevocably
lost, withdrawn or expired, the Merger Consideration in accordance with Section
2.6 and Section 3.2. The Company shall serve prompt notice to Parent
of any demands for payment of any Shares pursuant to Chapter 13 of the
CCC.
13
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as
disclosed in the Company Disclosure Schedule (with the information and
disclosures contained in any section or subsection of the Company Disclosure
Schedule deemed to be disclosure with respect to any other section or subsection
of the Company Disclosure Schedule to which the applicability or relevance of
such disclosure is reasonably apparent based on the substance of the
disclosure), the Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as
follows:
Section
4.1 Organization
. Each
of the Company and its Subsidiaries is a corporation or other entity duly
organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation or organization and has the requisite entity power and authority
to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is
now being conducted. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly
qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it makes such
qualification or licensing necessary, and has obtained all licenses, permits,
franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership or
operation of its properties or the conduct of its business except where the
failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good standing would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. The Company has made available to Parent a copy of all
Organizational Documents of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as currently in
effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of any
provision of such Organizational Documents.
Section
4.2 Capitalization.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 250,000,000 shares of
Common Stock, no par value, (x) 95,854,157 of which are issued and outstanding
as of the date of this Agreement, (y) 7,979,385 of which are reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding Options as of the date of this
Agreement and (z) 8,285,960,of which are reserved for issuance and available for
future grant under the Company Equity Plans as of the date of this Agreement,
and (ii) 7,000,000 shares of preferred stock of the Company, 450,000 of which
are designated Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value per
share, none of which are issued or outstanding on the date of this
Agreement. All of the outstanding shares of the Company’s capital
stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable and free
of preemptive rights or any similar rights, and were issued in compliance with
applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations. All shares of the
Company’s capital stock subject to issuance on the terms and conditions set
forth in the Options pursuant to which they are issuable, will, when issued in
accordance with the terms of such instruments, be duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and will not be subject upon issuance to,
nor issued in violation of, any preemptive rights or any similar rights, and
will be issued in compliance with applicable federal and state securities Laws
and regulations. As of the date hereof, other than pursuant to the
Company Equity Plans, there are no existing (i) options, warrants, calls,
subscriptions or other rights, convertible securities, agreements or commitments
of any character obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue,
transfer or sell any shares
14
of
capital stock or other equity interest in, the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (ii) contractual obligations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any capital stock of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iii) voting trusts or similar agreements
to which the Company is a party with respect to the voting of the capital stock
of the Company.
(b) All of
the outstanding shares of capital stock or equivalent equity interests of each
of the Company’s Subsidiaries are owned of record and beneficially, directly or
indirectly, by the Company free and clear of all Liens other than any transfer
restrictions of general applicability as may be provided under the Securities
Act and the “blue sky” Laws of the various States of the United
States.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries own any interest or investment (whether
equity or debt) in any corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
entity, other than a Subsidiary of the Company.
Section
4.3 Authorization; Validity of
Agreement; Company Action
. The
Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and, subject to obtaining the affirmative vote for approval of
the principal terms of the Merger and adoption of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby by the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (the “Company
Shareholder Approval”) on the record date for the meeting of the
Company’s shareholders (the “Company
Shareholders Meeting”) to consider the approval of the principal terms of
the Merger and adoption of this Agreement under the CCC (“Company Voting
Proposal”), to perform its obligations and consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. The Strategic Committee has determined that the
transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and fair to and in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders and has recommended that the full
Company Board approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by the Company Board (acting upon
the unanimous recommendation of the Strategic Committee), and no other corporate
action on the part of the Company is necessary to authorize the execution and
delivery by the Company of this Agreement, except for the Company Shareholder
Approval of the Company Voting Proposal. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding obligation of
the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except
that such enforcement may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws, now or hereafter in effect,
affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally. The Company Board, acting upon the recommendation of the
Strategic Committee, has determined that the terms of this Agreement constitute
a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Prior Agreement), the Company, the
Company Board and the Strategic Committee have taken all actions necessary to
terminate the Prior Agreement in accordance with its terms, and the Prior
Agreement has been validly terminated and is no longer in force or
effect. The Company has paid $4,025,875 to Technology Resources
Holdings, Inc. pursuant to Section 8.3 of the Prior Agreement.
15
Section
4.4 Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
. (a)
The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company do not, and the
performance by the Company of this Agreement and, subject to the Company
Shareholder Approval of the Company Voting Proposal, the consummation by the
Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, (i) violate any
provision of the Organizational Documents of the Company, (ii) result in a
violation or breach of, or constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of
time or both) a default (or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation
or acceleration) under, any of the material terms, conditions or provisions of
any Material Contract to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party
or by which any of them or any of their properties or assets is bound, (iii)
violate any Law applicable to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their properties or assets that could result in a material Liability to the
Company or its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iv) other than in connection
with or compliance with (A) the CCC, (B) requirements under other state
corporation Laws, (C) the HSR Act and any applicable antitrust and competition
Laws of jurisdictions other than the United States, (D) Nasdaq rules and listing
standards, and (E) the Exchange Act, require the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, as applicable. to make any filing or registration with or
notification to, or require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as
applicable to obtain any authorization, consent or approval of, any court,
legislative, executive or regulatory authority or agency (a “Governmental
Entity”).
Section
4.5 SEC
Reports
. The
Company has filed all reports and other documents with the SEC required to be
filed or furnished by the Company since December 31, 2006 (such documents,
together with any reports filed during such period by the Company with the SEC
on a voluntary basis on Form 8-K, the “Company SEC
Reports”). As of their respective filing dates, the Company
SEC Reports (i) complied in all material respects with, to the extent in effect
at the time of filing, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act, and (ii) 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. Each of the financial statements
(including the related notes) of the Company included in the Company SEC Reports
(“Financial
Statements”) complied at the time it was filed as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and
regulations of the SEC with respect thereto in effect at the time of such
filing, were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States (“GAAP”)
(except, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by the rules and
regulations of the SEC) 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 the Company and
its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and the
consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the respective
periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal
year-end adjustments).
Section
4.6 No Undisclosed
Liabilities
. Except
for (a) Liabilities incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business since December
31, 2008, (b) Liabilities disclosed in the Balance Sheet contained in the
Financial Statements included in the Company’s Form 10-Q filed November 9, 2009
with SEC for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, (c) Liabilities incurred in
connection with the Merger or otherwise as contemplated by this Agreement, and
(d) Liabilities that are not material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, since September 30, 2009, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has incurred any Liabilities.
16
Section
4.7 Material
Contracts.
(a) Section 4.7 of the
Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of all of the Material Contracts
as of the date hereof and, prior to the date hereof, the Company has made
available to Parent true copies of each Material Contract and summaries of all
oral Company Contracts. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Material
Contracts” shall mean with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries: (i) all Contracts required to be disclosed pursuant to
Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S K of the SEC; and (ii) to the extent not
included in the foregoing: (A) all Contracts for the future purchase or sale (in
each case whether by merger, acquisition, purchase of an equity interest or
otherwise) or lease of materials, supplies, merchandise, equipment or other
personal property or assets which will involve consideration in excess of
$500,000 in the aggregate or for the grant of any preferential right for any
such future purchase, sale or lease; (B) all Contracts for the furnishing or
receipt of services, the performance of which will involve consideration in
excess of $500,000 in the aggregate; (C) all Contracts for the license of any
Intellectual Property of the Company or its Subsidiaries to a third party
entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries; (D) all mortgages, pledges,
conditional sales contracts, security agreements, factoring agreements or other
similar agreements with respect to any assets of the Company which involve
consideration in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate; (E) all non competition or
similar Contracts which restrict in any material respect the geographic or
operational scope of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, or the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
to enter into new lines of business; (F) all Contracts relating to borrowed
money or other indebtedness; (G) all material distribution, joint venture,
partnership, marketing, development or franchise Contracts; (H) all Contracts by
which the Company or its Subsidiaries guarantee, endorse or otherwise become or
are contingently liable for the debt, obligation or other liability of any other
Person; (I) all Contracts which contain restrictions with respect to payment of
dividends or any other distribution in respect of the Company’s capital stock;
(J) all Contracts which are material to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
and which restrict the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from disclosing any
information concerning or obtained from any other Person (other than Contracts
entered into in the Ordinary Course of Business or currently enforceable
Contracts, to the extent any disclosure thereof is prohibited thereby, with
respect to any currently pending potential sale of all or a substantial portion
of the Company whether such sale is pursuant to a merger or otherwise); (K) all
Contracts referred to in Section 4.8(a)(iii);
(L) all Contracts to be performed relating to capital expenditures of the
Company and/or its Subsidiaries with a value in excess of $500,000 individually
in any fiscal year; and (M) all material leases, subleases, licenses and other
Contracts relating to the leased real properties of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Leases”).
(b) Each
Material Contract is a valid and binding obligation of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, enforceable against the Company or its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, in accordance with its terms and, to the
knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto, and is in full force and
effect, and the Company or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, has
performed all material obligations required to be performed by it to the date
hereof under each Material Contract and, to the knowledge of the Company, each
other party
17
to each
Material Contract has performed all material obligations required to be
performed by it under such Material Contract. The Company has not received
notice, nor does it have knowledge, of any material violation of or default of
any obligation under (or any condition which with the passage of time or the
giving of notice would cause such a violation of or default under) any Material
Contract to which it is a party or by which any of its assets are properties are
bound. No material payment would be accelerated or be due by the Company or its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, as a result of any change in control provisions in
any Material Contracts as a result of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section
4.8 Employee Benefit Plans;
ERISA.
(a) Section
4.8(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list as
of the date hereof of each (i) employee benefit plan and any material policy,
program or arrangement (including, without limitation, each "employee benefit
plan," within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA")
and each employee benefit plan and any material policy, program or arrangement
that is governed by the Laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States)
sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries for the benefit of current or former employees, directors,
consultants or independent contractors (the "Company
Participants") or with respect to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has any material liability; and (ii) material benefit arrangement
or Contract between the Company or its Subsidiaries and any current or former
employees, directors, consultants and independent contractors (clauses (i) and
(ii) collectively, the "Company Benefit
Plans"); and (iii) all Contracts (other than Company Benefit Plans) with
any current or former employee, director, officer or consultant of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries under which the Company or any such Subsidiary has an
ongoing or future payment obligation for services rendered or to be
rendered.
(b) (i) Each
of the Company Benefit Plans has been maintained, funded, operated, and
administered in material compliance with applicable Law, its governing plan
document and, where applicable, any contractual commitments to participants,
including but not limited to ERISA and the Code, and neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, is currently in default under, or otherwise
not in material compliance with, any such Company Benefit Plan, (ii) each of the
Company Benefit Plans intended to be "qualified" within the meaning of Section
401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS to
such effect, has been timely amended to comply in all material respects with the
provisions of the Tax legislation commonly referred to as "GUST" and "EGTRRA"
and has been or will be submitted to the IRS for a determination letter that
takes such amendments into account within the remedial amendment period
specified by Section 401(b) of the Code, and the Company knows of no event that
would cause the disqualification of any such Company Benefit Plan, (iii) no
Company Benefit Plan provides welfare or welfare-type benefits (whether or not
insured) to Company Participants or their dependents or beneficiaries beyond the
Company Participant's termination of employment or termination of service of non
employees with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than coverage
mandated by applicable Law or benefits the full cost of which is borne by the
Company Participant (or his or her dependent or beneficiary), (iv) no Company
Benefit Plan or any other employee pension benefit plan that the Company, any
Subsidiary or any other entity that, together with the Company or any
Subsidiary, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code,
maintains, contributes to or ever has maintained or contributed to (A) is a
"multiemployer plan," as such term is defined in Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA, (B) is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, or (C) is
a defined benefit plan not covered by Section 4.8(b)(iv)(B)
above, and neither the Company nor any of its
18
Subsidiaries
has any liability (contingent or otherwise) under Title IV of ERISA or similar
applicable Law on account of any such plan or otherwise, (v) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with respect to any
Company Benefit Plan which to the knowledge of the Company would subject such
entity to either a material civil penalty assessed pursuant to Sections 502(i)
or 502(l) of ERISA or a material Tax imposed pursuant to Section 4975 or 4976 of
the Code, (vi) except as disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, to the knowledge
of the Company, there are no pending or threatened claims (other than routine
claims for benefits) by, on behalf of or against any of the Company Benefit
Plans or any trusts related thereto, nor has the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries received notice of any threatened, actions or proceedings by any
Governmental Entity, against or otherwise involving any Company Benefit Plan,
(vii) there are no uninsured liabilities with respect to any benefits or claims
under any Company Benefit Plan, except as included as a liability in the
Financial Statements, (viii) no event has occurred and no condition exists that
to the knowledge of the Company would subject the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to any material Tax, fine, lien, penalty or other liability with
respect to any Company Benefit Plan imposed by ERISA or the Code or other
applicable Law, (ix) any terminated Company Benefit Plan has been terminated in
all material respects in accordance with applicable Laws and all benefits under
any such terminated plan have been paid in accordance with the terms of such
Company Benefit Plan, (x) each U.S. (and, to the knowledge of the Company,
foreign) Company Benefit Plan in the form as of the Closing Date may be amended
or terminated at any time after the Closing Date without material liability to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, other than for
accrued benefits and costs of termination, (xi) all material contributions or
amounts payable by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of the Effective
Time with respect to any Company Benefit Plan in respect of current or prior
plan years which are required to be reflected in the Financial Statements in
accordance with GAAP have been paid or accrued in accordance with GAAP, and
(xii) the Company has made available to Parent and the Merger Sub true and
correct copies in all material respects of all Company Benefit Plans and benefit
arrangements or contracts listed in Section 4.8(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, together with all amendments thereto, and to the extent applicable,
(A) all current summary plan descriptions; (B) the most recent annual report on
the IRS Form 5500-series, including any attachments thereto; (C) the most recent
accountant's report, if any; and (D) the most recent IRS determination
letter.
(c) Except as
provided pursuant to this Agreement, neither the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated hereby shall (i) result in any
material payment becoming due to any Company Participant, (ii)
materially increase any benefits otherwise payable under any Company Benefit
Plan, (iii)
result in any acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any benefits
under any Company Benefit Plan, (iv)
result in any material obligations to fund benefits with respect to any current
or former employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (v)
violate the provisions of any agreement between a Company Participant and the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(d) The
Company and its Subsidiaries, as applicable, have not violated, and have taken
all actions necessary to comply with, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining
Notification Act (the “WARN Act”)
or any similar Law. During the 90-day period prior to the date of this
Agreement, the Company and its Subsidiaries have terminated the number
of employees set forth on Section 4.8(c) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule.
19
Section
4.9 Litigation
. Except
as set forth in the Company SEC Reports, as of the date hereof, there is no
action, claim, suit, proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There is no judgment,
award, decree, injunction, rule or order of any Governmental Entity or
arbitrator outstanding against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which
would materially interfere with the business or operations of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries.
Section
4.10 Compliance with
Law
. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under,
any Law, in each case, applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any of their respective assets and properties that could result in a material
Liability to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.10 shall
not apply to employee benefit plans, Intellectual Property, Taxes, Environmental
Laws or labor matters, which are the subject exclusively of the representations
and warranties in Section 4.8, Section 4.11, Section 4.12, Section 4.14 and
Section 4.15,
respectively. No investigation by any Governmental Entity with respect to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened.
Section
4.11 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Section
4.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list as of the date
hereof of all material (i) issued patents and pending patent applications, (ii)
trademark registrations and applications for registration thereof, and (iii)
copyright registrations and applications for registration thereof, in each case
that are owned by or on behalf of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. With respect to each item of Intellectual Property
identified in this Section
4.11,: (i) the Company or one of its Subsidiaries own all
right, title, and interest in and to such item, free and clear of any lien other
than Permitted Liens; (ii) such item is not subject to any outstanding
injunction, judgment, or order of any Governmental Entity which the Company has
received written notice; and (iii) no lawsuit of which the Company has received
written notice is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened
that challenges the validity or enforceability of such item.
(b) Section
4.11(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list as of the date
hereof of all agreements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
licenses from a third party Intellectual Property that is used by the Company or
such Subsidiary in and material to the conduct of its business, as presently
conducted, except for off-the-shelf software programs and other readily
available commercial software that the Company and any of its Subsidiaries use
in the Ordinary Course of Business (such agreements being referred to as “License-In
Agreements”).
20
(c) To the
knowledge of the Company, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or have the right
to use, without payments to any other Person other than payments of an
immaterial amount or payments described in any agreement disclosed to the
Parent, all Intellectual Property used in the operation of the business of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as presently conducted. No claim has been asserted
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the
Company no claim is pending by any Person
challenging
or questioning the Company or any other Person's use of such Intellectual
Property or the validity of the Intellectual Property, and to the knowledge of
the Company, there is no reasonable basis for same. The Company and its
Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable actions required to maintain
each item of Intellectual Property that they own that is material to the conduct
of the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable. No
loss or expiration of any of the Intellectual Property that is material to the
conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as
applicable, is pending or (to the knowledge of the Company) threatened, except
for patents expiring at the end of their statutory terms (and not as a result of
any act or omission by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable,
including, without limitation, a failure by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, to pay any required maintenance fees).
(d) To the
knowledge of the Company, the operation of the business of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries as and where presently conducted does not infringe or
misappropriate, any Intellectual Property rights of third parties that would
result in a material liability to the Company or its
Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any written notice during the past two years (or earlier, if not
resolved), alleging any such infringement or misappropriation (including any
written claim that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries must license or
refrain from using any Intellectual Property rights of any third
party). To the knowledge of the Company, no third party has infringed
upon or misappropriated any Intellectual Property rights of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries during the past two years (or earlier if not
resolved).
(e) The
Company has a policy of requiring all employees, agents, consultants or
contractors who have contributed or participated in the creation, development or
improvement or modification of Intellectual Property of the Company or its
Subsidiaries to assign all of their rights therein to the Company or a
Subsidiary. The Company complies in all material respects with such
policy. To the knowledge of the Company, (i) no Person has any basis for
claiming any right, title or interest in and to any such Intellectual Property
except for such claims as would not reasonably be expected to be successful, and
(ii) no such claim is currently pending or threatened.
(f) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable measures consistent with
industry practice to protect and preserve the confidentiality of all of the
Company's and Subsidiaries' trade secrets. To the knowledge of the Company,
neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has disclosed or authorized anyone to
disclose material trade secrets other than pursuant to a nondisclosure
agreement, and to the knowledge of the Company, no such party to any
nondisclosure agreement is in breach thereof.
(g) None of
the software of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject to the provisions of
any open source or other source code license agreement that: (A) requires the
distribution of source code in connection with the distribution of the licenses
software in object code form; (B) prohibits or limits the Company or any
Subsidiary from charging a fee or receiving consideration in connection with
sublicensing or distributing such licensed software (whether in source code or
object code form); or (C) allows a customer or requires that a customer have the
right to decompile, disassemble or otherwise reverse engineer the software by
its terms and not by operation of Law.
21
(h) The
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result
as a consequence of actions taken by the Company prior to the Effective Date in:
(A) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, being bound by any
non-compete or other restriction on the operation of any business of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, that the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, was not bound by prior to the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (B) the granting by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, of any license of Intellectual Property
to a third party (including, without limitation, a covenant not to xxx) other
than as granted by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, prior
to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (C)
the loss or impairment of the Company's or any of its Subsidiaries’, as
applicable, rights to own or use any material Intellectual
Property.
Section
4.12 Taxes
. To
the knowledge of the Company:
(a) Each of
the Company and its Subsidiaries has (i) timely filed all material Tax Returns
required to be filed by any of them (taking into account applicable extensions),
and all such filed Tax Returns are complete and accurate in all material
respects, and (ii) paid or accrued (in accordance with GAAP) all
material Taxes that are due and owing whether or not shown to be due on such Tax
Returns or that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are obligated to withhold
from amounts owing to any stockholder, employee, creditor or third party, other
than such Taxes as are being contested in good faith by the Company or its
Subsidiaries and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance
with GAAP as reflected in the most recent consolidated balance
sheet;
(b) There are
no (i) pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, federal, state,
local or foreign audits or examinations of any Tax Return of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, (ii) no material deficiencies or claims for any Taxes that have
been proposed, asserted or assessed against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or (iii) material Liens for Taxes upon the assets of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, other than Liens for current Taxes not yet due and
payable and Liens for Taxes that are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established in
accordance with GAAP as reflected in the most recent consolidated balance
sheet;
(c) There are
no outstanding written waivers to extend the statutory period of limitations
applicable to the assessment of any material Taxes or material deficiencies
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement, contract,
arrangement, or plan that has resulted or would result, separately or in the
aggregate, in the receipt (whether in cash or property or the vesting of
property) by any "disqualified individual" (as such term is defined in Proposed
Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G 1) with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries of any amount that would be an "excess parachute payment" (as such
term is defined in Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code). Neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liability to make any payments that are or
may be nondeductible under Section 162(m) of the Code;
22
(e) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, bound by or has any
material obligation under, any Tax sharing agreement or similar contract or
arrangement or any agreement that obligates it to make any material payment
computed by reference to the Taxes, taxable income or taxable losses of any
other Person (other than any agreements among any of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any contracts or arrangements entered into with employees,
consultants or independent contractors or in connection with purchase or sale
agreements or sale leasebacks); and
(f) The
Company and its Subsidiaries (A) are not, and have not been, a member of an
affiliated group filing a consolidated federal income Tax Return or an
affiliated, combined or unitary group other than a group the common parent of
which is the Company, and (B) have no liability for Taxes of any Person under
Treasury Regulation 1.1502 6(a) (or any similar provision of state, local or
foreign Law) (other than for Taxes of the Company and its Subsidiaries), or as a
transferee or successor, by contract or otherwise.
Section
4.13 Real and Personal
Property.
(a) To the
knowledge of the Company, the Company and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries
have valid title to, or valid leasehold or sublease interests or other
comparable contract rights in or relating to, all of the real property and
personal property necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as currently conducted, free and clear of
Liens subject to minor imperfections in title that would not materially affect
the Surviving Corporation’s use and enjoyment thereof after the Effective Time.
Section 4.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule as of the date hereof sets
forth a list of all owned real property and real property subject to a
Lease. The Company and/or its Subsidiaries has a valid leasehold
interest in the leasehold estates and licenses created by the Leases free and
clear of Liens, except where such Liens would not interfere in any material
respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, as currently conducted on the leased premises. No consent or
approval is required to be obtained under any of the Leases, and no material
breach, default or right of termination shall arise under any Lease nor does any
landlord or other party have the right to increase the amounts payable or charge
any sum under any Lease, in each case in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of
the transactions contemplated hereby. Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliates of any of
the foregoing is, or has an ownership, financial or other interest in, the
landlord under any of the Leases.
(b) All of
the Company's and its Subsidiaries' material personal property, including
computers, electronics, leasehold improvements, furnishings, machinery and
equipment, is in good repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted), is in good
working order and, to the knowledge of the Company, materially complies with all
applicable Laws.
23
Section
4.14 Environmental.
(a) To the
knowledge of the Company, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in
compliance with all Environmental Laws, which compliance includes the possession
by the Company and its Subsidiaries of material permits, licenses and other
governmental authorizations required for their current operations under
applicable Environmental Laws, and compliance with the terms and conditions
thereof.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any
Environmental Claims against the Company or any Subsidiary.
(c) To the
knowledge of the Company, (i) with respect to the real property currently or
previously owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
there have been no releases of Hazardous Materials that require a Cleanup, and
(ii) none of the Company, its Subsidiaries, or their respective predecessors has
treated, stored, disposed of, arranged for or permitted the disposal of,
manufactured, distributed, transported, handled, or released any substance,
including without limitation any hazardous substance, or owned or operated any
property or facility (and no such property or facility is contaminated by any
such substance) in a manner that has given rise to Liabilities or could give
rise to Liabilities pursuant to any Environmental Laws.
(d) To the
knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
assumed, undertaken, or otherwise become subject to, any liability of any other
Person or entity relating to Environmental, Health, and Safety
Requirements.
(e) To the
knowledge of the Company, no facts, events or conditions relating to the past or
present facilities, properties or operations of the Company, its Subsidiaries,
or any of their respective predecessors could reasonably be expected to prevent,
hinder or limit continued compliance with Environmental Laws, give rise to any
investigatory, remedial or corrective obligations pursuant to Environmental
Laws, or give rise to any other Liabilities (whether accrued, absolute,
contingent, unliquidated or otherwise) pursuant to Environmental
Laws.
Section
4.15 Labor
Matters
. (a)
Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any collective
bargaining or other labor union contract and no collective bargaining agreement
is being negotiated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and there are no
labor or collective bargaining agreements that pertain to the employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than works councils required by
statute, (b) there is no pending or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened
labor dispute, strike, work stoppage, lockout or other labor controversy
involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which may interfere with the
respective business activities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor
has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries experienced any such labor
controversy within the past three years, (c) there is no union or similar
organization currently certified, and there is no union representation question
and no union or other organization activity that would be subject to the
National Labor Relations Act (20 U.S.C. § 151 et seq.) or similar applicable Law
exists, or to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened with respect to the
Company's or any of its Subsidiaries operations;
24
(d)
to the knowledge of the Company, no employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries ("Employee")
is a party to any confidentiality, non-competition, proprietary rights or other
such agreement between such Employee and any other Person besides the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, that would be material to the
performance of such Employee's employment duties, or the ability of the Company
or Merger Sub to conduct their business, (e) there is no pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened action, complaint, arbitration, proceeding
or investigation against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by or before any
court, governmental agency, administrative agency, board, commission or
arbitrator brought by or on behalf of any prospective, current or former
employee, labor organization or other representative of employees of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, (f) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in material
compliance with all applicable Laws, agreements, and policies relating to
employment of labor, employment practices and terms and conditions of
employment, including, but not limited to, all such Laws relating to hours,
wages, civil rights, safety and health, workers' compensation, and the
collection and payment of withholding and/or Social Security taxes and other
similar taxes, and (g) all salaries, wages and other benefits, bonuses and
commissions of all directors, officers and employees of the Company and its
Subsidiaries have, to the extent due, been paid or discharged in full or are
reflected as liabilities on the financial statements contained in the SEC
Reports.
Section
4.16 Insurance
. Section
4.16 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a list as of the date hereof of
all insurance policies (including name of issuer, policy number, insured
parties, expiration date, type and amount of coverage and deductible) and
binders of insurance and all surety and fidelity bonds which are owned by the
Company and any of its Subsidiaries and which name the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries as an insured, including without limitation self insurance programs
(the “Insurance
Policies”). All such Insurance Policies are in full force and effect and
(a) each of the Insurance Policies is valid and outstanding and, to the
knowledge of the Company, enforceable, and all premiums due thereon have been
paid in full, (b) none of the Insurance Policies shall terminate or lapse (or be
affected in any other material adverse manner) by reason of the Merger, (c) each
of the Company and its Subsidiaries has complied in all material respects with
the provisions of each Insurance Policy under which it is the insured party, (d)
to the knowledge of the Company, no insurer under any Insurance Policy has
cancelled or generally disclaimed liability under any such Insurance Policy or
given notice of any intent to do so or not to renew any such Insurance Policy,
(e) to the knowledge of the Company, all material claims under the Insurance
Policies have been filed in a timely fashion and there has been no denial or
reservation of rights issued by any insurer under any Insurance Policies with
respect to any pending insurance claim, (f) there have been no gaps in insurance
coverage as with respect to time or limits for policies in effect since January
1, 2003, (g) the historical aggregate insurance limits have not been
significantly impaired, and all properties of the Company are adequately insured
to full replacement cost and appropriate levels of business interruption
insurance.
Section
4.17 Information
Supplied.
(a) None of
the information supplied or to be supplied by the Company for inclusion or
incorporation by reference in the proxy or information statement (including any
amendment or supplement thereto) related to the meeting of the Company's
shareholders to be held in connection with the Merger and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (the "Proxy
Statement") will, at the time the Proxy Statement is first published,
sent or given to the shareholders of the Company, at the time of the Company
Shareholders Meeting or at
25
the
Effective Time, contain an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are
made, not false or misleading or necessary to correct any statement in any
earlier communication with respect to any solicitation of proxies for the
Company Shareholders Meeting which shall have become false or
misleading. All documents that the Company is responsible in whole or
in part for filing with the SEC in connection with the Merger will comply as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the
Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder at the time
the Proxy Statement is first published, sent or given to the shareholders of the
Company and at the Effective Time.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.17, no
representation or warranty is made by the Company with respect to statements
made or incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement based on information
supplied in writing by Parent or Merger Sub for inclusion or incorporation by
reference therein.
Section
4.18 Absence of Certain Changes
or Events
. Since
September 30, 2009, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their
respective businesses in the Ordinary Course of Business, (ii) there has not
been any condition, event or occurrence which has had or would have a Company
Material Adverse Effect and (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have
not:
(a) declared,
set aside for payment or paid any dividend or other distribution in respect of
any Common Stock or otherwise made any payments to shareholders in their
capacity as such;
(b) split,
combined, subdivided or reclassified any Common Stock;
(c) except
for Common Stock issued or delivered pursuant to the Company Equity Plans and
except for the issuance, grant or delivery of equity awards issued pursuant to
the Company Equity Plans in the Ordinary Course of Business, issued, delivered,
sold, disposed of, pledged or otherwise encumbered, or authorized or proposed
the issuance, sale, disposition or pledge or other encumbrance of (i) any shares
of capital stock of any class or any other ownership interest of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, or any securities or rights convertible into,
exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for any shares of capital
stock or any other ownership interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
or any rights, warrants, options, calls, commitments or any other agreements of
any character to purchase or acquire any shares of capital stock or any other
ownership interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any securities
or rights convertible into, exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to
subscribe for, any shares of capital
stock or any other ownership interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
or (ii) any other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
respect of, in lieu of, or in substitution for, Common Stock;
(d) made or
committed to be make or enter into any Contracts (or amendments, modifications,
supplements or replacements to existing Contracts) to be performed
by
26
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to, capital expenditures by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries under which the obligations of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries from and after September 30, 2009 will be in excess of
$500,000 in the current year or any future calendar year, or in the aggregate
for such capital expenditures with a value in excess of $500,000 and the Company
and its Subsidiaries have not made any capital expenditures in excess of such
amounts since September 30, 2009;
(e) acquired,
by merging or consolidating with, by purchasing an equity interest in, by
purchasing all or a portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any
business or any Person, or otherwise acquired any assets of any Person (other
than the purchase of equipment, inventories and supplies in the Ordinary Course
of Business);
(f) other
than sales of inventory in the Ordinary Course of Business, acquired, sold,
leased, disposed of, pledged or encumbered any assets that, in the aggregate,
are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(g) except as
disclosed in the Company SEC Reports and except to the extent required under
existing employee and director benefit plans, agreements or arrangements in
effect on September 30, 2009 or required by applicable Law or contemplated by
Section 2.6,
and other than the grant of awards in the Ordinary Course of Business pursuant
to the Company's stock option plans prior to the date of this Agreement, granted
any material increases in the compensation of its directors, officers or
employees;
(h) adopted a
plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation,
restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries;
(i) except as
disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, incurred any indebtedness for borrowed
money in excess of $500,000 or guaranteed any such indebtedness or made any
loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other
Person, other than to the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the
Company;
(j) taken any
actions or made any omissions which would (or would reasonably be likely to)
materially impede, delay, hinder or make more burdensome the ability of the
Surviving Corporation or Parent to obtain and maintain any and all
authorizations, approvals, consents or orders from any Governmental Entity or
other third party necessary or required to maintain the Company’s permits in
effect immediately following the Merger on substantially the same terms as in
effect on the date of this Agreement; or
(k) (i)
materially amended any Tax Returns or claims for refunds filed or (ii) made or
rescinded any material Tax election with respect to the treatment of items on
such Tax Returns.
Section
4.19 Affiliate
Transactions
. Except
as set forth in the Company SEC Reports, there are no material Contracts between
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any (i) present or
former officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their immediate family members (including their spouses), (ii) record or
beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting securities of the Company or (iii)
affiliate of any such officer, director, family member or beneficial owner, on
the other hand.
27
Section
4.20 Vote
Required
. The
Company Shareholder Approval is the only vote of the holders of any class or
series of the capital stock of the Company necessary to approve and adopt the
Company Voting Proposal.
Section
4.21 Brokers or
Finders
. No
investment banker, broker, finder, consultant or intermediary other than
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Capital, Inc. (“HLHZ”),
the fees and expenses of which will be paid by the Company, is entitled to any
investment banking, brokerage, finder’s or similar fee or commission in
connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby based
upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. The Company has provided Parent with a true and complete copy of
the engagement letters relating to its arrangements with HLHZ.
Section
4.22 Opinion of Financial
Advisor
. The
Strategic Committee has received the opinion of HLHZ that, as of the date of
such opinion and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations set
forth therein, the Merger Consideration was fair, from a financial point of
view, to the holders of Common Stock. A written copy of such opinion will be
furnished, for informational purposes, to Parent as promptly as practicable. It
is agreed and understood that such opinion may not be relied on by Parent or
Merger Sub.
Section
4.23 Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act
. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company,
any of their respective officers, directors, agents and employees have taken any
action that (i) violated the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 15
U.S.C. Sections 78dd-1 et seq., or (ii) violated any similar Law of any
jurisdiction in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries conducts
business.
Section
4.24 Rights
Plan
. The
Rights Agreement between the Company and American Stock Transfer and Trust Co.,
dated May 4, 1999, as amended October 28, 2000 (the “Rights
Agreement”) terminated on May 4, 2009, and the Company is not a party to
any other agreements that provide similar rights to the Company’s equity holders
as were contained in the Rights Agreement.
Section
4.25 Disclosure
. The
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are
true and correct in all material respects, and such representations and
warranties do not omit any material fact necessary to make the statements
contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
28
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Parent
and Merger Sub jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company as
follows:
Section
5.1 Organization
. Each
of Parent and Merger Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and
in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has
the requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. Each of Parent
and Merger Sub is duly qualified or licensed to do business and in good standing
in each jurisdiction in which the property owned, leased or operated by it or
the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification or licensing
necessary, except where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in
good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect. Parent has made available to the Company a
copy of the Organizational Documents of Parent and Merger Sub, as currently in
effect, and neither Parent nor Merger Sub is in violation of any provision of
its Organizational Documents.
Section
5.2 Authorization; Validity of
Agreement; Necessary Action
. Each
of Parent and Merger Sub has the requisite power and authority to execute and
deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution, delivery and performance by Parent and Merger
Sub of this Agreement, approval and adoption of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly
authorized by all necessary action of Parent and Merger Sub, and no other action
on the part of Parent or Merger Sub is necessary to authorize the execution and
delivery by Parent and Merger Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by them
of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming due and valid
authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Company, is a valid and
binding obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of
them in accordance with its terms, except that such enforcement may be subject
to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar Laws, now or hereafter in effect, affecting creditors’ rights
generally.
Section
5.3 Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub do not, and
the performance by Parent and Merger Sub of this Agreement and the consummation
by Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, (i)
violate any provision of the Organizational Documents of Parent or Merger Sub,
(ii) result in a violation or breach of, or constitute (with or without due
notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any right of
termination, cancellation or acceleration) under, any of the terms, conditions
or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease, license, contract,
agreement or other instrument or
29
obligation
to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or
any of their properties or assets may be bound, (iii) violate any Law applicable
to Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets or (iv)
other than in connection with or compliance with (A) the CCC, (B) requirements
under other state corporation Laws, (C) the HSR Act and any applicable antitrust
and competition Laws of jurisdictions other than the United States and (D) the
Exchange Act, require on the part of Parent or Merger Sub any filing or
registration with, notification to, or authorization, consent or approval of,
any Governmental Entity.
Section
5.4 Litigation
. There
is no action, claim, suit, proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of Parent and
Merger Sub, threatened, that would result
in a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.5 Ownership of Common
Stock
. None
of Parent, Merger Sub or any of their Affiliates owns (directly or indirectly,
beneficially or of record), or is a party to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of, in
each case, any shares of capital stock of the Company (other than as
contemplated by this Agreement);
Section
5.6 Compliance with
Law
. Neither
Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any
Law, in each case, applicable to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their respective assets and properties that would result in a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.7 Merger Sub’s
Operations
. Merger
Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions
contemplated hereby and has not owned any assets, engaged in any business
activities or conducted any operations other than in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
5.8 Information
Supplied.
(a) None of
the information supplied or to be supplied by Parent or Merger Sub for inclusion
or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement will, at the time the Proxy
Statement is first published, sent or given to shareholders of the Company, at
the time of the Company Shareholders Meeting or the Effective Time, contain an
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 made therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they are made, not false or misleading or
necessary to correct any statement in any earlier communication with respect to
any solicitation of proxies for the Company Shareholders Meeting which shall
have become false or misleading. All documents that Parent or Merger
Sub are responsible in whole or in part for filing with the SEC in connection
with the Merger will comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange Act and the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the SEC thereunder at the time the Proxy Statement is first
published, sent or given to the shareholders of the Company and at the Effective
Time.
30
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.8, no
representation or warranty is made by Parent or Merger Sub with respect to
statements made or incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement based on
information supplied by or on behalf of the Company for inclusion or
incorporation by reference therein.
Section
5.9 Financing.
Parent currently has, and Parent and Merger Sub will
have as of the Effective Time, cash and cash equivalents sufficient for Merger
Sub and the Surviving Corporation to pay the Merger Consideration and the
aggregate Per Share Option Consideration and any other amounts required to be
paid in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
and to pay all related fees and expenses.
Section
5.10 Investigation by Parent and
Merger Sub.
(a) Each of
Parent and Merger Sub has conducted its own independent review and analysis of
the businesses, assets, condition, operations and prospects of the Company and
its Subsidiaries and acknowledges that each of Parent and Merger Sub has been
provided access to the properties, premises and records of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for this purpose.
(b) In
connection with Parent’s and Merger Sub’s investigation of the Company, each of
Parent and Merger Sub has received from the Company and its Representatives
certain financial projections and other financial forecasts, including but not
limited to projected financial statements, cash flow items and other data of the
Company and its Subsidiaries and certain business plan information of the
Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of Parent and Merger Sub
acknowledges that there are uncertainties inherent in attempting to make such
financial projections and other financial forecasts and accordingly is not
relying on them, that each of Parent and Merger Sub is familiar with such
uncertainties, that each of Parent and Merger Sub is taking full responsibility
for making its own evaluation of the adequacy and accuracy of all financial
projections and other financial forecasts so furnished to it.
ARTICLE
VI
COVENANTS
Section
6.1 Interim Operations of the
Company
. During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time or the date, if
any, on which this Agreement is earlier terminated pursuant to Section 8.1 (the
“Pre-Closing
Period”) (except (w) as may be required by Law, (x) with the prior
written consent of Parent (provided that Parent shall be deemed to have
consented if Parent does not object within 72 hours after a written request for
such consent is delivered to Parent by the Company), which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, (y) as contemplated or permitted
by this Agreement, or (z) as set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedule), the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be conducted only in the
Ordinary Course of Business, and the Company will use commercially reasonable
efforts to preserve intact its current business organization, keep available the
services of its officers
31
and
employees and maintain its relations and goodwill with its material suppliers,
customers, landlords, creditors and others having material business
relationships with it. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except
(w) as may be required by Law, (x) with the prior written consent of Parent
(provided that Parent
shall be deemed to have consented if Parent does not object within 72 hours
after a written request for such consent is delivered to Parent by the Company),
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, (y) as
contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, or (z) as set forth in the Company
Disclosure Schedule, prior to the Effective Time neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries will:
(a) amend its
Organizational Documents;
(b) except
for Common Stock to be issued or delivered pursuant to the Company Equity Plans
and except for the issuance, grant or delivery of equity awards issued pursuant
to the Company Equity Plans in the Ordinary Course of Business, issue, deliver,
sell, dispose of, pledge or otherwise encumber, or authorize or propose the
issuance, sale, disposition or pledge or other encumbrance of (i) any shares of
capital stock of any class or any other ownership interest of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable
for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for any shares of capital stock or any
other ownership interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any
rights, warrants, options, calls, commitments or any other agreements of any
character to purchase or acquire any shares of capital stock or any other
ownership interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any securities
or rights convertible into, exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to
subscribe for, any shares of capital stock or any other ownership interest of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) any other securities of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of, in lieu of, or in substitution
for, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof;
(c) redeem,
purchase, exchange or otherwise acquire, or propose to redeem, purchase,
exchange or otherwise acquire, any outstanding Common Stock;
(d) split,
combine, subdivide or reclassify any Common Stock;
(e) declare,
set aside for payment or pay any dividend or other distribution in respect of
any Common Stock or otherwise make any payments to shareholders in their
capacity as such;
(f) adopt a
plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation,
restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, other than the Merger;
(g) other
than sales of inventory in the Ordinary Course of Business, acquire, sell,
lease, exclusively license, dispose of, pledge or encumber any assets that, in
the aggregate, are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or have a fair market value (or are valued on the records of the Company)
in excess of $500,000;
(h) incur any
indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of $1,000 in addition to that incurred
as of the date of this Agreement or guarantee any such indebtedness or make any
loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other
Person, other than to the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the
Company;
32
(i) other
than in the Ordinary Course of Business, grant any material increases in the
compensation of, or grant bonuses or special remuneration to, or make severance
payments (other than severance payments required by existing plans or policies
of the Company or as required by law) to, any of its directors, officers or
employees, or enter into any new employment or severance protection agreements
with any such directors, officers or employees;
(j) terminate,
amend or waive any material rights in any Material Contract in a manner that
would be materially adverse to the Company or fail to perform any material
obligations under any Material Contract;
(k) enter
into any Contract that would be a Material Contract, other than Contracts for
the sales of products in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(l) adopt,
terminate or amend any Benefit Plans in a manner that would materially increase
the costs to the Company;
(m) change
any of the accounting methods used by the Company, including accelerating the
payment of any Liabilities or delaying the collection of any receivables in a
manner inconsistent with past practices, unless required by GAAP or applicable
Law;
(n) take any
action that would invalidate or cause the cancellation of any current insurance
coverage or fail to maintain current insurance coverage or suitable renewals
thereof providing coverage substantially the same as any expiring
policy; enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement
to do any of the foregoing;
(o) make any
investments or capital contributions to any Person other than capital
contributions to direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the
Company
(p) settle
any material litigation against the Company and/or its directors, including
litigation relating to the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Prior
Agreement; provided that the Company shall give Parent the opportunity to
participate in the defense or settlement of any such litigation.
Section
6.2 Conduct of Business by
Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger
. Each
of Parent and Merger Sub agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and the
Effective Time, it shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action that would
reasonably be likely to delay the consummation of the Transactions.
Section
6.3 Access to
Information.
(a) The
Company shall (and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to) afford to directors,
officers, employees, counsel, investment bankers, accountants and other advisors
or authorized representatives (collectively, “Representatives”)
of Parent reasonable access, in a manner not disruptive to the operations of the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, during normal business hours and
upon reasonable notice throughout the Pre-Closing Period, to the properties,
books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that
nothing herein shall require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to disclose
any information to Parent or Merger Sub if such disclosure would, in
the
33
reasonable
judgment of the Company, (i) cause significant competitive harm to the Company
or its Subsidiaries if the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not
consummated, (ii) violate applicable Law or the provisions of any agreement to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or (iii) jeopardize any
attorney-client or other legal privilege; provided further, however,
that nothing herein shall authorize Parent or its Representatives to undertake
any further investigation of the Company, including environmental investigations
or sampling at any of the properties owned, operated or leased by the Company or
its Subsidiaries. Parent agrees that it will not, and will cause its
Representatives not to, use any information obtained pursuant to this Section 6.3(a) for
any competitive or other purpose unrelated to the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to this
Agreement.
(b) The
Mutual Confidentiality Agreement, dated November 30, 2009 (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”), between the Company and Parent shall apply with respect to
information furnished by the Company, its Subsidiaries and the Company’s
officers, employees, and other Representatives hereunder.
Section
6.4 Acquisition
Proposals.
(a) No-Shop Period; Acquisition
Proposal. The Company shall cease and cause to be terminated any
solicitation, encouragement, discussion or negotiation with any Persons
conducted theretofore by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective Representatives with respect to any Acquisition Proposal and during
the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing until the termination of
this Agreement in accordance with Article VIII, the
Company agrees that the Company shall not, nor shall it authorize or knowingly
permit any of its Subsidiaries or Representatives to, directly or indirectly
through another Person, (i) solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage or knowingly
facilitate (including by way of furnishing non-public information) any inquiries
or the making of any proposal or offer (including any proposal from or offer to
the Company’s shareholders) with respect to, or that would reasonably be
expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal, (ii) enter into, continue or
otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish
to any person any non-public information or grant access to its properties,
books and records or personnel in connection with, any Acquisition Proposal or
(iii) terminate, release, amend, waive or modify any provision of any
confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement to which it or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party (or fail to take reasonable measures to enforce the
provisions of any such agreements), or take any action to exempt any person
(other than Parent, Merger Sub and their Affiliates) from any applicable
takeover Laws or otherwise cause such restrictions not to apply; provided, however, that if on
or after the date hereof and prior to the approval of the principal terms of the
Merger and adoption of this Agreement at the Company Shareholders Meeting, the
Company receives a bona fide unsolicited Acquisition Proposal not obtained in
violation of this Section 6.4 which
causes the Company Board or the Strategic Committee to determine in good faith
(i) after consultation with its outside counsel and financial advisor, that such
Acquisition Proposal constitutes, or could reasonably be likely to result in, a
Superior Proposal and (ii) after consultation with its outside counsel, that
failure to take any of the actions referred to in clauses (i) through (iii) of
this Section
6.4(a) would reasonably be expected to result in a breach of its
fiduciary duties to the Company shareholders under applicable Law, then the
Company Board or the Strategic Committee may take any of the actions referred to
in clauses (i) through (iii) of this Section
6.4(a).
34
(b) Except as expressly permitted by this Section 6.4(b),
neither the Company Board, nor any committee thereof (including the Strategic
Committee) shall (i) withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent, the
Company Recommendation (a “Change of
Recommendation”), (ii) approve or recommend
any Acquisition Proposal, or (iii) cause or permit the Company to enter into (or
publicly propose that the Company enter into) any letter of intent, memorandum
of understanding, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement, merger
agreement or other similar agreement (an “Alternative
Acquisition Agreement”) with respect to any
Acquisition Proposal or authorize, approve or publicly recommend or propose to
approve or recommend any Acquisition Proposal or any agreement, understanding or
arrangement relating to any Acquisition Proposal (or resolve or authorize or
propose to agree to do any of the foregoing actions), except for an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement entered into in the circumstances referred to in
Section 6.4(a). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, prior to the approval of the principal terms of the Merger and
adoption of this Agreement at the Company Shareholders Meeting, (A) if in
response to the receipt of a written Acquisition Proposal which causes the
Company Board or the Strategic Committee to determine in good faith (x) after
consultation with its outside counsel and financial advisor, that such
Acquisition Proposal constitutes, or could reasonably be likely to result in, a
Superior Proposal and (y) after consultation with its outside counsel, that
failure to take any of the following actions would reasonably be expected to
result in a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Company shareholders under
applicable Law to continue to recommend the Merger, then the Company Board or
the Strategic Committee may approve or recommend such Superior Proposal and, in
connection with the approval or recommendation of such Superior Proposal, make a
Change of Recommendation and/or terminate this Agreement (and subject to Article
VIII, in connection with such termination, if it so chooses, cause the Company
to enter into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement with respect to such Superior
Proposal); and (B) other than in connection with an Acquisition Proposal, if the
Company Board or the Strategic Committee determines in good faith, after
consultation with its outside legal counsel, in response to a material
development occurring or arising after the date of this Agreement that was
neither known to the Company Board nor reasonably foreseeable as of or prior to
the date of this Agreement (such material development, an “Intervening
Event”), that its failure to take such action would reasonably be
expected to result in a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Company
shareholders under applicable Law, then the Company Board or the Strategic
Committee may make a Change of Recommendation; provided, however, that the
Company Board or the Strategic Committee may not take any actions set forth in
clauses (A) or (B) of the immediately preceding sentence unless the following
conditions have been met:
(i) the
Company has complied in all material respects with, and the Acquisition Proposal
was not a result of a breach by the Company of, Section
6.4;
(ii) the
Company Board or the Strategic Committee shall have first provided prior written
notice to Parent (A) that it is prepared to effect a Change of Recommendation in
response to a Superior Proposal and/or terminate this Agreement to enter into a
definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal, which notice shall
attach the most current version of any proposed written agreements relating to
the transaction that constitutes such Superior Proposal, including the identity
of the person making such Superior Proposal and shall promptly notify Parent of
any material revisions to the Superior Proposal, or (B) that it is prepared to
effect a Change of Recommendation in response to an Intervening Event, including
a brief description of the material development giving rise to such Intervening
Event;
35
(iii) Parent
and its Representatives shall have had through 11:59 pm California time on the
third Business Day following receipt of such notice from the Company (or longer
period if extended by the mutual agreement of the Company and Parent) (the
“Notice
Period”) to make a proposal (if Parent desires) to modify the terms of
this Agreement in response to such Superior Proposal or Intervening
Event;
(iv) following
receipt of any such proposal with respect to such modifications to the terms of
this Agreement by Parent, the Company and its Representatives shall have
negotiated in good faith during the Notice Period with Parent and its
Representatives (if Parent desires to so negotiate) to make such modifications
to the terms of this Agreement as would make the relevant Acquisition Proposal
no longer a Superior Proposal or in a manner that obviates the need for taking
such action as a result of an Intervening Event;
(v) after the
Company and its Representatives shall have negotiated in good faith with Parent
and its Representatives to make such modifications to the terms of this
Agreement as would make the relevant Acquisition Proposal no longer a Superior
Proposal or in a manner that obviates the need for taking such action as a
result of an Intervening Event, the Strategic Committee shall have again
determined in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and
financial advisor, and after taking into account any such modifications proposed
by Parent, that failure to effect a Change of Recommendation in response to such
Superior Proposal or Intervening Event, or terminate this Agreement to enter
into a definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal, would
reasonably be expected to be a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Company
shareholders under applicable Law to continue to recommend the Merger;
and
(vi) with
respect to a Superior Proposal, the Company shall have paid the Termination Fee
pursuant to Section
8.3(b)(ii), prior to, and as a condition of, the termination of this
Agreement.
The
Company shall be required to deliver a new written notice in the event of any
material revisions to the Superior Proposal, in which event a new Notice Period
shall commence following receipt of such new written notice by
Parent.
(c) Notices to
Parent. The Company shall as promptly as possible (but in any
event within one Business Day) provide notice to Parent of receipt by the
Company of any Acquisition Proposal, any inquiry with respect to, or any request
for nonpublic information in connection with, any Acquisition Proposal, the
material terms and conditions of any such Acquisition Proposal, inquiry or
request and the identity of the person making any such Acquisition Proposal,
inquiry or request and shall keep Parent informed on a current basis of the
status thereof and of any material communications, material modifications or
material developments with respect to such Acquisition Proposal, inquiry or
request, including, without limitation, copies of all Acquisition Proposals. The
Company agrees that it and its Subsidiaries will not enter into a
confidentiality agreement with any person subsequent to the date of this
Agreement that prohibits the Company from providing such information to
Parent.
36
(d) Certain Permitted
Disclosure. Nothing in this Section 6.4 shall
prohibit the Company Board from taking and disclosing to the Company’s
shareholders a position contemplated by Rule 14e 2(a), Rule 14d 9 or Item
1012(a) of Regulation M-A promulgated under the Exchange Act, or other
applicable Law, if the Company Board determines in good faith, after
consultation with outside counsel, that failure to so disclose such position
could constitute a violation of applicable Law and any such disclosure which
would otherwise constitute a Change of Recommendation shall not be deemed to
constitute such a Change of Recommendation for the purposes of Section 6.4(b) if the
Company Board expressly publicly reaffirms its approval and recommendation of
this Agreement in such communication. In addition, it is understood
and agreed that, for purposes of this Section 6.4(d), a
factually accurate public statement by the Company that describes the Company’s
receipt of an Acquisition Proposal and the operation of this Agreement with
respect thereto and contains a “stop look and listen” communication shall not
constitute a Change of Recommendation for the purposes of Section
6.4(b).
Section
6.5 Employee
Benefits.
(a) As of the
Effective Time, Parent agrees to provide or cause its Subsidiaries (including
the Surviving Corporation) to provide each of the Employees with base salary or
wage rates and incentive compensation opportunities and other cash compensation
and benefits that are in line with current market rates for similar employment
positions and. Parent further
intends to supplement such compensation and benefits with performance incentive
programs. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 6.5(a) does
not guarantee any Employee employment with the Company at any time after the
Effective Time except as may be set forth in any written contract with the
Company.
(b) As of the
Effective Time, Parent shall honor or cause to be honored, in accordance with
their terms, all written employment contracts and other compensation agreements
with any Employee, in each case existing immediately prior to the execution of
this Agreement and as that are disclosed on Schedule 4.7 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule.
(c) Parent
shall treat, and shall cause each benefit plan, program, practice, policy and
arrangement maintained by Parent or its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving
Corporation) or Affiliates following the Effective Time and in which any of the
Employees participate or are eligible to participate (the “Parent
Plans”) to treat, for purposes of determining eligibility to participate,
vesting, accrual of and entitlement to benefits (but not for accrual of benefits
under any “defined benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA) and all
other purposes, all service with the Company and its Subsidiaries (or
predecessor employers to the extent the Company or any Company Benefit Plan
provides past service credit) as service with Parent and its
Subsidiaries. Parent shall cause each Parent Plan that is a welfare
benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA, (i) to waive any and
all eligibility waiting periods, evidence of insurability requirements and
pre-existing condition limitations to the extent waived, satisfied or not
included under the corresponding Benefit Plan, and (ii) to recognize for each
Employee for purposes of applying annual deductible, co-payment and
out-of-pocket maximums under such Parent Plan any deductible, co-payment and
out-of-pocket expenses paid by the Employee and his or her spouse and dependents
under a corresponding Company Benefit Plan during the calendar year in which
occurs the later of the Effective Time and the date on which the Employee begins
participation in such Parent Plan.
37
(d) Nothing
in this Section
6.5 shall confer any rights or remedies of any kind or description upon
any of the Employees, or their respective successors and assigns, and nothing in
this Section 6.5 shall constitute an amendment to any Company Benefits
Plan.
Section
6.6 Publicity
. The
initial press release by each of Parent and the Company with respect to the
execution of this Agreement shall be acceptable to Parent and the
Company. Neither the Company nor Parent (nor any of their respective
Affiliates) shall issue any other press release or make any other public
announcement with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby without the prior agreement of the other party, except as may be required
by Law or by any listing agreement with a national securities exchange, in which
case the party proposing to issue such press release or make such public
announcement shall use its reasonable efforts to consult in good faith with the
other party before making any such public announcements; provided that the Company
will no longer be required to obtain the prior agreement of or consult with
Parent in connection with any such press release or public announcement related
to the matters described in Section 6.4, Section 8.1 and Section
8.2.
Section
6.7 Directors’ and Officers’
Insurance and Indemnification.
(a) The
Organizational Documents of the Surviving Corporation shall contain provisions
no less favorable with respect to exculpation and indemnification than are set
forth in Article
V of the articles of incorporation of the Company, and Article X of the
by-laws of the Company, respectively, which provisions shall not be amended,
repealed or otherwise modified for a period of six years from the Effective Time
in any manner that would affect adversely the rights thereunder of individuals
who, at or prior to the Effective Time, were directors, officers, employees,
fiduciaries or agents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(b) After the
Effective Time, Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall, jointly and
severally, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law, indemnify and
hold harmless, each present and former director and officer of the Company and
each Subsidiary (collectively, the “Indemnified
Parties”) against all costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees),
judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages, liabilities and settlement amounts
paid in connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation
(whether arising before or after the Effective Time), whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative (collectively, “Action”),
arising out of or pertaining to any action or omission in their capacity as an
officer, director, employee, fiduciary or agent, whether occurring on or before
the Effective Time, to the fullest extent permitted under the CCC for directors
and officers of California corporations (including the requirement that such
Indemnified Party acted in good faith and in a manner such Indemnified Party
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had
no reasonable cause to believe such Indemnified Party's conduct was unlawful),
for a period of six years after the Effective Time. In the event of any such
claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, (i) each Indemnified Party
will be entitled, subject to applicable Law, to advancement of expenses incurred
in the defense of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation from
the Surviving Corporation within ten Business Days of receipt by Merger Sub or
the Surviving Corporation from the Indemnified Party of a request therefor;
provided that any
person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking, to the
38
extent
then required by the CCC, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined
that such person is not entitled to indemnification, (ii) neither Parent nor the
Surviving Corporation shall settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment in any pending or threatened Action to which an Indemnified Party is a
party (and in respect of which indemnification could be sought by such
Indemnified Party hereunder), unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability
arising out of such Action or such Indemnified Party otherwise consents, and
(iii) the Surviving Corporation shall cooperate in the defense of any such
matter; provided,
however, that neither Parent nor the Surviving Corporation shall be
liable for any settlement effected without the Surviving Corporation’s written
consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed); and provided further
that, in the event that any claim for indemnification is asserted or made within
such six year period, all rights to indemnification in respect of such claim
shall continue until the disposition of such claim. The rights of
each Indemnified Party under this Section 6.7(b) shall
be in addition to any rights such person may have under the Organizational
Documents of the Company and the Surviving Corporation or any of their
Subsidiaries, or under any Law or under any agreement of any Indemnified Party
with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c) The
Surviving Corporation shall cause to be obtained at the Effective Time “tail”
insurance policies with a claims period of at least six years from the Effective
Time with respect to directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in amount and
scope at least as favorable as the Company’s existing policies for claims
arising from facts or events that occurred on or prior to the Effective Time as
described in Section
6.7(b); provided,
however, that in no event shall the Surviving Corporation be required to
expend pursuant to this Section 6.7(c) more
than a one-time premium payment of no more than 200% of the current annual
premium paid by the Company for such insurance; provided, however, that if the cost of
the “tail” policy exceeds 200% of the current annual premium paid by the Company
for such insurance, the Surviving Corporation will obtain such “tail” policy in
such amount and scope as can be obtained for 200% of the current annual
premium.
(d) This
Section 6.7 is
intended to benefit the Indemnified Parties, and shall be binding on all
successors and assigns of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company and the Surviving
Corporation.
(e) In the
event Parent or the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective successors
or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person and shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or
merger, or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets
to any person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that the successors and assigns of Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as the
case may be, shall succeed to the obligations set forth in this Section
6.7.
(f) Nothing
in this Agreement is intended to, shall be construed to or shall release, waive
or impair any rights to directors’ and officers’ insurance claims under any
policy that is or has been in existence with respect to the Company or its
Subsidiaries any of their officers, directors or employees, it being understood
and agreed that the indemnification provided for in this Section 6.7 is not
prior to or in substitution for any such claims under such
policies.
39
Section
6.8 Proxy
Statement.
(a) As
promptly as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, the
Company shall prepare and file with the SEC the preliminary Proxy
Statement. Parent, Merger Sub and the Company shall cooperate with
each other in the preparation of the Proxy
Statement. The Proxy Statement shall comply as to form and
content in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the federal
securities Laws. Each of the Company and Parent shall furnish all information
concerning itself and its affiliates that is required to be included in the
Proxy Statement or that is customarily included in proxy statements prepared in
connection with transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement. Subject
to Section
6.4(b), the Company, acting through the Company Board, shall include in
the Proxy Statement the recommendation of the Company Board that the
shareholders of the Company vote in favor of the Merger and the adoption of this
Agreement (the “Company
Recommendation”). The Company shall cooperate and provide
Parent with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the draft of the
Proxy Statement (including each amendment or supplement thereto), and all
responses to requests for additional information by and replies to comments of
the staff of the SEC, prior to filing such with or sending such to the SEC, and
Parent and the Company will provide each other with copies of all correspondence
with the SEC or its staff or any other government officials with respect to the
Proxy Statement. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to cause the definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Company’s
shareholders as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date on which the
Proxy Statement is cleared by the SEC.
(b) If, at
any time prior to the Company Shareholders Meeting, any information relating to
the Company, Parent or any of their respective affiliates, officers or directors
should be discovered by the Company or Parent which should be set forth in an
amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement,
so that the Proxy Statement shall not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading, the party which discovers such
information shall promptly notify the other parties, and an appropriate
amendment or supplement describing such information shall be filed with the SEC
and, to the extent required by applicable Law, disseminated to the shareholders
of the Company.
Section
6.9 Shareholders
Meeting.
(a) The
Company shall, in accordance with applicable Law, the Company’s Organizational
Documents and the rules of The Nasdaq Global Market promptly and duly call, give
notice of, convene and hold as promptly as practicable the Company Shareholders
Meeting for the purpose of considering and voting upon the Company Voting
Proposal. Subject to Section 6.4(b), (i)
the Company Board shall make the Company Recommendation and include such Company
Recommendation in the Proxy Statement, (ii) the Company Board shall not
withhold, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent, or publicly propose
or resolve to withhold, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent, the
Company Recommendation, and (iii) the Company shall take all action that is both
reasonable and lawful to solicit from its shareholders proxies in favor of the
Company Voting Proposal and shall take all other action reasonably necessary or
advisable to secure the vote or consent of the shareholders of the Company
required by the rules of The Nasdaq Global Market or the CCC to obtain such
approvals. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement, the Company, with the mutual agreement of
40
Parent
may adjourn or postpone the Company Shareholders Meeting to the extent necessary
to ensure that any required supplement or amendment to the Proxy Statement is
provided to the Company’s shareholders or, if as of the time for which the
Company Shareholders Meeting is originally scheduled (as set forth in the Proxy
Statement) there are insufficient shares of Company Common Stock represented
(either in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the
business of the Company Shareholders Meeting.
(b) Prior to
the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1, (i)
nothing contained in this Agreement shall limit in any way the obligation of the
Company to convene and hold the Company Shareholders Meeting in accordance with
Section 6.9(a)
of this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall not submit to the vote of its
shareholders any Acquisition Proposal other than the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
Section
6.10 Reasonable Best
Efforts.
(a) Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company and
Parent shall each use their reasonable best efforts to promptly (i) take, or to
cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or to cause to be done, and to assist
and cooperate with the other parties in doing all things necessary, proper or
advisable under applicable Law or otherwise to consummate and make effective the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) obtain from any Governmental
Entities or any other third parties any actions, non-actions, clearances,
waivers, consents, approvals, permits or orders required to be obtained by the
Company, Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Subsidiaries in
connection with the authorization, execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, that in connection
therewith, without the prior written consent of Parent which shall not be
unreasonably withheld, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries will make or
agree to make any material payment or accept any material conditions or
obligations, including amendments to existing conditions and obligations; (iii)
promptly make all necessary registrations and filings, and thereafter make any
other required submissions, with respect to this Agreement and the Merger
required under (A) any applicable federal or state securities Laws, (B) the HSR
Act and any applicable competition, antitrust or investment Laws of
jurisdictions other than the United States, and (C) any other applicable Law;
provided, however, that the Company and
Parent will cooperate with each other in connection with the making of all such
filings, including providing copies of all such filings and attachments to
outside counsel for the non-filing party; (iv) furnish all information required
for any application or other filing to be made pursuant to any applicable Law in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (v) keep the
other party informed in all material respects of any material communication
received by such party from, or given by such party to, any Governmental Entity
and of any material communication received or given in connection with any
proceeding by a private party, in each case relating to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; (vi) permit the other parties to review any
material communication delivered to, and consult with the other party in advance
of any meeting or conference with, any Governmental Entity relating to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or in connection with any proceeding
by a private party relating thereto, and giving the other party the opportunity
to attend and participate in such meetings and conferences; (vii) avoid the
entry of, or have vacated or terminated, any decree, order, or judgment that
would restrain, prevent or delay the Closing, including defending any lawsuits
or other legal proceedings, whether judicial or administrative, challenging this
Agreement or the consummation
41
of the
transactions contemplated hereby; and (viii) execute and deliver any additional
instruments necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. No parties to this Agreement shall consent to any
voluntary delay of the Closing at the behest of any Governmental Entity without
the consent of the other parties to this Agreement, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld. For the avoidance of doubt, Parent, Merger Sub and the
Company agree that nothing contained in this Section 6.10(a) shall
modify or affect their respective rights and responsibilities under Section
6.10(b). The provisions of this Section 6.10(a) shall
not apply to the matters described in Section 5.9 and Section
6.17.
(b) Parent,
Merger Sub and the Company agree, and shall cause each of their respective
Subsidiaries, to cooperate and to use their reasonable best efforts to prepare,
as promptly as practicable and within the applicable regulatory deadlines, any
required merger notifications or obtain any government clearances or approvals
required for Closing under the HSR Act and any other federal, state or foreign
Law designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the
purpose or effect of monopolization, restraint of trade or lessening
of competition through merger or acquisition (collectively “Antitrust
Laws”), to respond to any government requests for information under any
Antitrust Law, and to contest and resist any action, including any legislative,
administrative or judicial action, and to seek to have vacated, lifted, reversed
or overturned any decree, judgment, injunction or other order (whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent) that restricts, prevents or prohibits the
consummation of the Merger or any other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement under any Antitrust Law (an “Antitrust
Order”). The parties hereto will consult and cooperate with
one another, and consider in good faith the views of one another, in connection
with, and provide to the other parties in advance, subject to applicable
privileges including attorney-client and attorney work product privileges, any
analyses, appearances, presentations, memoranda, briefs, arguments, opinions and
proposals made or submitted by or on behalf of any party hereto in connection
with proceedings under or relating to any Antitrust Law. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Parent, Merger Sub, nor
any of its Affiliates (or any of their respective subsidiaries) nor (unless such
action is conditioned upon the Closing) the Company or any of its Affiliates,
shall, under this Section 6.10(b), be
required to (i) effect any sale, divestiture or disposition of existing or
acquired assets or businesses, or (ii) take or agree to take any other action or
agree to any limitation that (A) adversely affects any of the Parent’s, Merger
Sub’s, the Company’s and any of its Subsidiaries’ or any of their Affiliates’
businesses, or (B) would have a materially adverse effect on any material
benefit Parent
or the Company or its stockholders seek to receive from the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither Company, Parent, Merger Sub
nor any of their respective Affiliates shall be under any obligation to take any
action under this Section 6.10(a) or
(b) if the
United States Department of Justice or the United States Federal Trade
Commission authorizes its staff to seek a preliminary injunction or restraining
order to enjoin consummation of the Merger.
Section
6.11 Delisting; NASDAQ
Quotation
. The
Company agrees to take, or causing to be taken, all actions necessary to delist
the Common Stock from The Nasdaq Global Market and to terminate registration
under the Exchange Act, and to use its reasonable best efforts to remove from
quotation the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Global Market effective as of the
Effective Time.
42
Section
6.12 Takeover
Laws
. If
any takeover Law is or becomes applicable to this Agreement, the Merger or the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each of the parties and their
respective boards of directors shall (a) take all necessary action to ensure
that such transactions contemplated hereby may be consummated as promptly as
reasonably practicable upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
this Agreement and (b) otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the effects of
such takeover Law.
Section
6.13 Notification of Certain
Matters
. During
the Pre-Closing Period, Merger Sub shall give prompt notice to the Company, and
the Company shall give prompt notice to Merger Sub, of (a) the occurrence, or
failure to occur, of any event, which occurrence or failure to occur is
reasonably likely to cause any representation or warranty of such party
contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in a manner that would
cause the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) or Section 7.3(a), as
applicable, not to be satisfied, in each case at any time during the Pre-Closing
Period, or (b) any failure of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company, as the case may
be, to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be
complied with or satisfied by it under this Agreement in a manner that would
cause the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(b) or Section 7.3(b), as
applicable, not to be satisfied. Notwithstanding the above, the
delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section will not limit or otherwise
affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such notice or
the conditions to such party’s obligation to consummate the Merger.
Section
6.14 Exemption from Liability
Under Section 16
. Prior
to the Closing, the Company shall take all such steps as may be reasonably
required to cause to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange
Act any dispositions of Company Common Stock (including derivative securities
with respect to Company Common Stock) which will result from the transactions
contemplated by Articles II and III of this Agreement by each officer or
director who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the
Exchange Act with respect to the Company.
Section
6.15 Resignations
. The
Company shall obtain and deliver to Merger Sub at the Closing evidence
reasonably satisfactory to Merger Sub of the resignation, effective as of the
Effective Time, of all directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries (except
those designated by Merger Sub to the Company in writing prior to the
Closing).
Section
6.16 Existing Standstill
Agreements
. Except
as provided in Section 6.4, the Company shall enforce all standstill or similar
agreements under confidentiality agreements or executed by third-parties in
connection therewith that have been signed prior to the date hereof and are
still currently in effect.
43
ARTICLE
VII
CONDITIONS
Section
7.1 Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligation to Effect the Merger
. The
obligations of the Company, on the one hand, and Parent and Merger Sub, on the
other hand, to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or waiver
by the Company, Parent and Merger Sub, if permissible under applicable Law) of
the following conditions:
(a) the
Company Voting Proposal shall have received the Company Shareholder Approval at
the Company Meeting at which a quorum is present, in accordance with the
CCC;
(b) no
Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over the Company, Parent or Merger Sub
shall have issued an order, decree or ruling (i) enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting consummation of the Merger substantially on the terms contemplated
by this Agreement, or (ii) compelling the Company, Parent, Merger Sub or any of
their respective Subsidiaries to dispose of or hold separate any significant
portion of the business or assets of the Company, Parent, Merger Sub or any of
their respective Subsidiaries, as a result of the Merger or any of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and
(c) any
applicable waiting period under the HSR Act and any other applicable foreign
Antitrust Laws shall have expired or been terminated.
Section
7.2 Conditions to the
Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
. The
obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger are subject to the
satisfaction (or waiver by Parent and Merger Sub) of the following further
conditions:
(a) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (i)
that are not qualified by Company Material Adverse Effect shall be true and
correct as of the Effective Time as though made on and as of the Effective Time
(except to the extent expressly made as of an earlier date, in which case as of
such earlier date) except where the failure of such representations and
warranties to be so true and correct would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect and (ii) that are qualified by
Company Material Adverse Effect shall be true and correct as of the Effective
Time as though made on and as of the Effective Time (except to the extent
expressly made as of an earlier date, in which case as of such earlier date);
provided, however, that (A) the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.2(a) and
Section
4.8(a)(iii) shall be true and correct in all respects (except for
immaterial deviations) as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as
though made on and as of the Closing Date; and (B) the representations and
warranties set forth in Section 4.5, shall be
true and correct in all material respects, in each case, as of the date hereof
and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date; and (C)
the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.3, shall be
true and correct in all respects, in each case, as of the date hereof and as of
the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date, except where the
failure of such representations and warranties to be so true and correct would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a materially and adversely affect
the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby;
44
(b) the
Company shall have performed in all material respects its obligations hereunder
required to be performed by it at or prior to the Closing;
(c) Parent
shall have received a certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the
Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that, to the knowledge of
such officer, the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) and
Section 7.2(b)
have been satisfied; and
(d) since the
date of this Agreement, there has not been any Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
7.3 Conditions to the
Obligations of the Company
. The
obligations of the Company to consummate the Merger are subject to the
satisfaction (or waiver by the Company) of the following further
conditions:
(a) (i) the
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in Section 5.9 shall be
true and correct as of the Effective Time as though made on and as of the
Effective Time and (ii) each of the representations and warranties of Parent and
Merger Sub set forth in Article V (other than
in Section 5.9
and Section
5.11) (A) that are not qualified by Parent Material Adverse Effect shall
be true and correct as of the Effective Time as though made on and as of the
Effective Time (except to the extent expressly made as of an earlier date, in
which case as of such earlier date) except where the failure of such
representations and warranties to be so true and correct would not, individually
or in the aggregate, have a Parent Material Adverse Effect and (B) that are
qualified by Parent Material Adverse Effect shall be true and correct as of the
Effective Time as though made on and as of the Effective Time (except to the
extent expressly made as of an earlier date, in which case as of such earlier
date);
(b) each of
Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all of the
respective obligations hereunder required to be performed by Parent or Merger
Sub, as the case may be, at or prior to the Closing; and
(c) the
Company shall have received a certificate signed by an executive officer of
Parent, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that, to the knowledge of
such officer, the conditions set forth in Section 7.3(a) and
Section 7.3(b)
have been satisfied.
Section
7.4 Frustration of Closing
Conditions
. None
of the Company, Parent or Merger Sub may rely on the failure of any condition
set forth in Section
7.1, Section
7.2 or Section
7.3, as the case may be, to be satisfied if such failure was caused by
such party’s failure to act in good faith or use its reasonable best efforts to
consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
as required by and subject to Section
6.10(a).
45
ARTICLE
VIII
TERMINATION
Section
8.1 Termination
. Anything
herein or elsewhere to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement may be
terminated and the Merger contemplated herein may be abandoned at any time prior
to the Effective Time, whether before or after Company Shareholder Approval of
the Company Voting Proposal, by written notice by the terminating party to the
other party specifying the provision hereof pursuant to which such termination
is effected:
(a) by the
mutual consent of the Company and Parent;
(b) by either
the Company or Parent:
(i) if the
Merger shall not have occurred on or prior to the five month anniversary of the
date hereof (the “Termination
Date”); provided, however, that the right to
terminate this Agreement under this Section 8.1(b)(i)
shall not be available to any party whose failure to fulfill any obligation
under this Agreement has been the primary cause of the failure of the Merger to
occur on or prior to the Termination Date;
(ii) if any
Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over the Company, Parent or Merger Sub
shall have issued an order, decree or ruling or taken any other action, in each
case permanently enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the
Merger substantially as contemplated by this Agreement, and such order, decree,
ruling or other action shall have become final and non appealable;
or
(iii) if the
Company Shareholders Meeting shall have concluded without the Company
Shareholder Approval of the Company Voting Proposal having been obtained in
accordance with the CCC.
(c) by the
Company:
(i) upon a
breach of any covenant or agreement on the part of Parent or Merger Sub, or if
any representation or warranty of Parent or Merger Sub shall be untrue, in any
case such that the conditions set forth in Section 7.3(a) or
Section 7.3(b)
would not be satisfied (assuming that the date of such determination is the
Closing Date); provided
that if such breach is curable by Parent and Merger Sub through the exercise of
their reasonable best efforts and Parent and Merger Sub continue to exercise
such reasonable best efforts, the Company may not terminate this Agreement under
this Section
8.1(c)(i); or
(ii) prior to
the Company Shareholders Meeting, under the circumstances and to the extent
permitted, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 6.4(b) and provided that
the Termination Fee referenced in Section 8.3(b)(ii)
shall have been paid by the Company to such Person or Person(s) as shall have
been designated in writing by Parent.
46
(d) by
Parent:
(i) upon a
breach of any covenant or agreement on the part of the Company, or if any
representation or warranty of the Company shall be untrue, in any case such that
the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) or
Section 7.2(b)
would not be satisfied (assuming that the date of such determination is the
Closing Date); provided
that if such breach is curable by the Company through the exercise of its
reasonable best efforts and the Company continues to exercise such reasonable
best efforts, Parent may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 8.1(d)(i);
or
(ii) if (A)
the Company Board shall have failed to include the Company Recommendation in the
Proxy Statement or shall have effected a Change of Recommendation, (B) the
Company Board shall have approved or recommended, or proposed publicly to
approve or recommend, any Alternative Acquisition Agreement other than this
Agreement, and/or permitted the Company to enter into an Alrenative Acquisition
Agreement related to an Acquisition Proposal, (C) the Company shall have failed
to call the Company Shareholders Meeting in accordance with Section 6.9 or shall
have failed to deliver the Proxy Statement in accordance with Section 6.8 in
material breach of such Sections and such failure shall not be due to any
material breach by Parent or Merger Sub of their obligations under Section 6.8(b), or
(D) a tender offer or exchange offer for outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall have been commenced (other than by Parent or Merger Sub or their
respective Affiliates) and the Company Board recommends that the shareholders of
the Company tender their shares in such tender or exchange offer or within ten
Business Days after the commencement of such tender or exchange offer, the
Company Board fails to recommend rejection (or subsequently modifies a
recommendation of rejection) of such offer.
Section
8.2 Effect of
Termination
. In
the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1, this
Agreement shall forthwith become void, and there shall be no liability under
this Agreement on the part of any party hereto except (i) as provided in Section
8.3, and (ii) each party will be fully liable for any liabilities incurred or
direct damages actually suffered (excluding any indirect, punitive,
consequential, special or incidental damages) and incurred by the other parties
as a result of such first party’s willful failure to perform its covenants or
willful breach of its representations or warranties contained in this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of Section 6.3(b), this Section
8.2, Section 8.3 and Article IX shall survive any such
termination).
Section
8.3 Fees and
Expenses.
(a) Except as
provided in Section
8.3(c), all fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring
such fees and expenses, whether or not the Merger or any other transaction
contemplated hereby are consummated; provided, however, that the
fees and expenses incurred in connection with or related to (x) the preparation,
printing, filing and mailing (excluding legal and accounting fees and expenses))
of the Proxy Statement shall be borne equally by Parent and the Company, and (y)
any required merger notifications or obtaining any governmental clearances or
approvals required for Closing under any Antitrust Laws (including the HSR Act),
shall be borne equally by Parent and the Company.
47
(b) The
Company shall pay to such Person or Person(s) as shall be designated in writing
by Parent the Termination Fee, if:
(i) this
Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section
8.1(d)(ii);
(ii) this
Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(c)(ii);
or
(iii) if (A)
(x) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(b)(i)
(provided, that the
Termination Fee shall not be payable if Parent’s or Merger Sub’s failure to
fulfill any obligation under this Agreement has been the primary cause of the
failure of the Merger to occur on or prior to the Termination Date), Section 8.1(b)(iii)
or Section
8.1(d)(i) and (y) at any time after the date hereof
and prior to such termination (1) any Acquisition Proposal shall have
been made known to the Company or publicly disclosed or (2) any Person actively
makes a non-exempt “solicitation” under Rule 14a-1(l) of the Exchange Act in
opposition to the adoption of this Agreement by the shareholders of the Company,
and (B) within 12 months after any such termination, the Company Board shall
have recommended or the Company or any of its Affiliates consummates, or becomes
a party to, any Alternative Acquisition Agreement with respect to, any
Acquisition Proposal (which need not be the same Acquisition Proposal that was
made or publicly disclosed prior to the Company Meeting).
For
purposes of this Agreement, “Termination
Fee” shall mean $9,600,000
The Termination Fee due under Section 8.3(b)(i)
shall be paid by the Company to Parent, or such Person or Person as shall be
designated in writing by Parent, by wire transfer of same-day funds within two
Business Days following termination of this Agreement. The
Termination Fee due under Section 8.3(b)(ii)
shall be paid by the Company to Parent, or such Person or Person as shall be
designated in writing by Parent, immediately prior to termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section
8.1(c)(ii). The Termination Fee due under Section 8.3(b)(iii)
shall be paid to Parent, or such Person or Person as shall be designated in
writing by Parent, by wire transfer of same-day funds within two Business Days
following the recommendation of the Company Board to enter into, or the actual
entry into the Alternative Acquisition Agreement or, in the absence thereof, the
consummation of the Acquisition Proposal, as applicable.
(c) In the
event that this Agreement is terminated under the circumstances described in
Section 8.3(b)(iii)(A) (provided, that the
requirements of clause (y) of Section 8.3(b)(iii)(A) shall
be disregarded for this purpose in the event this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section
8.1(b)(iii)), then the Company shall pay to Parent, within three Business
Days of such termination, an amount equal to the reasonable and documented
out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including, all legal, accounting, financial and
tax, environmental, appraisals, insurance and benefits, consulting and expert
opinions, background investigations, technology, travel expenses and other
expenses such as research, telecommunications charges, photocopying, delivery
and postage) incurred by Parent and Merger Sub after the date hereof in
connection with the investigation, negotiation, documentation and closing of
48
the
Merger up to a maximum of $2,000,000, as such amount may be increased by mutual
agreement of Parent and the Company Board (the “Parent
Expenses”) (provided, that in the event
this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(b)(iii),
the phrase “after the date hereof” in the definition of “Parent Expenses” shall
be ignored for this purpose only); provided, however, the
existence of circumstances that could require the Termination Fee to become
subsequently payable by the Company pursuant to Section 8.3(b) shall
not relieve the Company of its obligations to pay the Parent Expenses pursuant
to this Section
8.3(c) or Section 8.3(a); provided, further, however,
that the payment by the Company of Parent Expenses pursuant to this Section 8.3(c) or
Section 8.3(a)
shall not relieve the Company of any subsequent obligation to pay the
Termination Fee pursuant to Section 8.3(b) (but
the Company shall be entitled to deduct from the Termination Fee payable the
amount of any Parent Expenses previously paid to Parent pursuant to this Section 8.3(c) or
Section
8.3(a)).
(d) For
purposes of this Section 8.3, the
references to “10%” in the definition of Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed to
be references to “50%.”
(e) If the
Company fails to pay when due any amounts payable to the other under this Section 8.3 within
the specified times for any such payment, then (i) then the Company shall
reimburse Parent for all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable
fees and expenses of counsel) incurred in connection with the collection of such
overdue amount and the enforcement by Parent of its rights under this Section 8.3, and (ii)
the Company shall pay to Parent interest on such overdue amount (for the period
commencing as of the date such overdue amount was originally required to be paid
and ending on the date such overdue amount is actually paid in full) at a rate
per annum equal to 3% over the “prime rate” (as announced by The Wall Street
Journal) in effect on the date such overdue amount was originally required to be
paid.
(f) The
parties acknowledge that the agreements contained in this Section 8.3 are an
integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that,
without these agreements, the parties would not enter into this
Agreement. Payment of the Termination Fee described in Section 8.3(b) shall
not be in lieu of damages incurred in the event of a breach of this Agreement
described in clause (ii) of Section 8.2, but is
otherwise the sole and exclusive remedy of Parent and Merger Sub and any of
their respective former, current, or future general or limited partners,
stockholders, managers, members, directors, officers, Affiliates or agents for
any loss suffered as a result of the failure of the Merger to be
consummated. For the avoidance of doubt, other than as provided in
clause (ii) of Section
8.2, the maximum aggregate liability of the Company shall be limited
to an amount equal to the Termination Fee, plus any amounts that become due
under Section
8.3(f), and in no event shall Parent, Merger Sub or any of their
respective Affiliates seek (i) any damages in excess of such amounts, (ii) any
damages in any amount if the Termination Fee has been paid or (iii) any other
recovery, judgment, or damages of any kind, including equitable relief or
consequential, indirect, or punitive damages, against the Company or any of its
Affiliates in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
ARTICLE
IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
9.1 Non Survival of
Representations, Warranties and Covenants
. The
representations, warranties and covenants in this Agreement and in any
certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall terminate at the Effective Time;
provided, however, that
this Section
9.1 shall not limit any covenant or agreement of the parties which by its
terms contemplates performance after the Effective Time.
49
Section
9.2 Notices
. All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing in the English language and shall be given (and shall be deemed to
have been duly given upon confirmation of receipt) by delivery in person, by a
nationally recognized next day courier service, or by facsimile
transmission. In addition, notices, claims, demands and other
communications hereunder may be given by email with pdf attachments (and shall
be deemed to have been duly given upon confirmation of receipt), provided that
such email notice shall be deemed to be duly given only if all copies required
hereunder were also given and receipt confirmed. All notices
hereunder shall be delivered to the respective parties at the following
addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a
notice given in accordance with this Section 9.2):
(a) if to
Parent or Merger Sub:
Microchip Technology Incorporated
0000 X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxx.
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile
No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer
email: xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
with a
copy to:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx,
P.C.
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile
No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
email: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
(b) if to the
Company:
Strategic
Committee of the Board of Directors of Silicon Storage Technology,
Inc.
0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile
No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Chairman of the Strategic Committee
email:
xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
with a
copy to:
Shearman
& Sterling LLP
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile
No: (000) 000 0000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
email: xxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
50
Section
9.3 Severability
. If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced by any rule of 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 hereto shall
negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in
order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally
contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
Section
9.4 Entire Agreement;
Assignment
. This
Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement
among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof
and supersede all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral,
among the parties hereto, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter
hereof and thereof. This Agreement shall not be assigned (whether
pursuant to a merger, by operation of Law or otherwise), except that Parent and
Merger Sub may assign all or any of their rights and obligations hereunder to
any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent; provided, however, that no
such assignment shall relieve the assigning party of its obligations hereunder
if such assignee does not perform such obligations.
Section
9.5 Third Party
Beneficiaries
. Except
for (i) the provisions set forth in Section 6.7,
(ii) the right of the Company’s shareholders to receive the Merger Consideration
at the Effective Time, and (iii) the right of the holders of Options to receive
the Per Share Option Consideration at the Effective Time, this Agreement is not
intended to confer upon any Person other than the parties hereto any rights or
remedies hereunder.
Section
9.6 Specific
Performance
. Each
of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that, in the event of any breach
of this Agreement, each nonbreaching party would be irreparably and immediately
harmed and could not be made whole by monetary damages. It is
accordingly agreed that the parties hereto (a) will waive, in any action for
specific performance, the defense of adequacy of a remedy at law and (b) shall
be entitled, in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at
law or in equity, to compel specific performance of this Agreement in any action
instituted in accordance with Section 9.7 without
bond or other security being required.
51
Section 9.7 Governing Law
. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of
the State of Delaware applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed in
that State; provided,
however, that provisions that are required under the Laws of the State of
California to be governed by the Laws of the State of California will be so
governed. All actions arising out of or relating to this Agreement
shall be heard and determined exclusively in the Delaware Court of
Chancery. The parties hereto hereby (a) submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery for the purpose of any action
arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party hereto, and
(b) irrevocably waive, and agree not to assert by way of motion, defense, or
otherwise, in any such action, any claim that it is not subject personally to
the jurisdiction of the above-named court, that its property is exempt or immune
from attachment or execution, that the action is brought in an inconvenient
forum, that the venue of the action is improper, or that this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby may not be enforced in or by the above-named
court.
Section
9.8 Waiver of Jury
Trial
. Each
of the parties hereto hereby waives to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable Law any right it may have to a trial by jury with respect to any
litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the
parties hereto (a) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any
other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would
not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce that foregoing waiver and (b)
acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter
into this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, as applicable, by,
among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this Section 9.8.
Section
9.9 Amendment
. This
Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto by action taken by or on behalf
of their respective boards of directors or partners at any time prior to the
Effective Time; provided,
however, that, after the Company Shareholder Approval of the Company
Voting Proposal, no amendment shall be made which by Law requires further
approval by such shareholders without such further approval. This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by each
of the parties hereto.
Section
9.10 Waiver
. At
any time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may (a) extend the time
for the performance of any obligation or other act of any other party hereto,
(b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of any other
party contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto and (c)
waive compliance with any agreement of any other party or any condition to its
own obligations contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall
be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties
to be bound thereby.
52
Section
9.11 Headings
. The
descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.
Section
9.12 Counterparts
. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission) in
two or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate
counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but
all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Signatures of the parties transmitted by facsimile, PDF or other electronic file
shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes and the
exchange of copies of this Agreement and of signature pages by facsimile
transmission, PDF or other electronic file shall constitute effective execution
and delivery of this Agreement as to the parties and may be used in lieu of the
original Agreement for all purposes. At the request of any party hereto, all
parties hereto agree to execute an original of this Agreement as well as any
facsimile, telecopy, PDF or other reproduction hereof.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank.]
53
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company, Parent and Merger Sub have caused this Agreement
to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the
date first written above.
COMPANY
Silicon
Storage Technology, Inc.
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title:
President
|
PARENT
Microchip
Technology Incorporated
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name:
President
Title:
Chairman, President and CEO
|
MERGER
SUB
Sun
Acquisition Corporation
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Title:
Director, and CFO
|