AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER AMONG WM. WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY, MARS, INCORPORATED, NEW UNO HOLDINGS CORPORATION AND NEW UNO ACQUISITION CORPORATION Dated as of April 28, 2008
EXECUTION
VERSION
__________________________________________________________
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
AMONG
WM.
WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY,
MARS,
INCORPORATED,
NEW
UNO HOLDINGS CORPORATION
AND
NEW
UNO ACQUISITION CORPORATION
Dated
as of April 28, 2008
__________________________________________________________
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE
I THE MERGER
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1
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SECTION
1.1 The Merger
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1
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SECTION
1.2 Closing; Effective Time
|
1
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SECTION
1.3 Effects of the Merger
|
2
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|
SECTION
1.4 Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws
|
2
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|
SECTION
1.5 Directors and Officers
|
2
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ARTICLE
II EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE
|
||
CONSTITUENT
CORPORATIONS
|
3
|
|
SECTION
2.1 Conversion of Securities
|
3
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|
SECTION
2.2 Treatment of Options, Restricted Shares, Stock Units,
and
|
||
Deferred
Compensation Plans
|
3
|
|
SECTION
2.3 Surrender of Shares
|
5
|
|
SECTION
2.4 Adjustments
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7
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|
SECTION
2.5 Dissenting Shares
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7
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|
ARTICLE
III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
8
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|
SECTION
3.1 Organization and Qualification;
Subsidiaries.
|
8
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|
SECTION
3.2 Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
|
9
|
|
SECTION
3.3 Capitalization
|
9
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|
SECTION
3.4 Authority
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11
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|
SECTION
3.5 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents
|
12
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|
SECTION
3.6 Compliance
|
12
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|
SECTION
3.7 SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Undisclosed
Liabilities
|
13
|
|
SECTION
3.8 Absence of Certain Changes or Events
|
14
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|
SECTION
3.9 Absence of Litigation
|
15
|
|
SECTION
3.10 Employee Benefit Plans
|
15
|
|
SECTION
3.11 Labor and Employment Matters
|
18
|
-i-
SECTION
3.12 Insurance
|
18
|
|
SECTION
3.13 Properties
|
18
|
|
SECTION
3.14 Tax Matters
|
19
|
|
SECTION
3.15 Proxy Statement
|
20
|
|
SECTION
3.16 Opinion of Financial Advisors
|
21
|
|
SECTION
3.17 Brokers
|
21
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|
SECTION
3.18 Takeover Statutes; Rights Plans
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21
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|
SECTION
3.19 Intellectual Property
|
21
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|
SECTION
3.20 Environmental Matters
|
22
|
|
SECTION
3.21 Contracts
|
23
|
|
SECTION
3.22 Affiliate Transactions
|
24
|
|
SECTION
3.23 No Additional Representations
|
24
|
|
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF HOLDINGS AND
|
||
MERGER
SUB
|
25
|
|
SECTION
4.1 Organization.
|
25
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|
SECTION
4.2 Authority
|
25
|
|
SECTION
4.3 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents
|
25
|
|
SECTION
4.4 Absence of Litigation
|
26
|
|
SECTION
4.5 Proxy Statement
|
26
|
|
SECTION
4.6 Brokers
|
26
|
|
SECTION
4.7 Financing
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26
|
|
SECTION
4.8 Operations of Holdings and Merger Sub
|
28
|
|
SECTION
4.9 Solvency
|
28
|
|
SECTION
4.10 Share Ownership
|
28
|
|
SECTION
4.11 No Additional Representations
|
28
|
|
ARTICLE
IVA REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT
|
28
|
|
SECTION
4.1A Authority
|
28
|
|
SECTION
4.2A No Conflict
|
29
|
|
SECTION
4.3A Consents
|
29
|
|
SECTION
4.4A No Additional Representations
|
29
|
|
ARTICLE
V CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
|
29
|
|
SECTION
5.1 Conduct of Business of the Company Pending the
Merger
|
29
|
-ii-
SECTION
5.2 Conduct of Business of Holdings and Merger Sub Pending
the
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||
Merger
|
33
|
|
SECTION
5.3 No Control of Other Party's Business
|
34
|
|
ARTICLE
VI ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
|
34
|
|
SECTION
6.1 Stockholders Meeting
|
34
|
|
SECTION
6.2 Proxy Statement
|
35
|
|
SECTION
6.3 Resignation of Directors
|
35
|
|
SECTION
6.4 Access to Information; Confidentiality
|
35
|
|
SECTION
6.5 Acquisition Proposals
|
36
|
|
SECTION
6.6 Employment and Employee Benefits Matters
|
39
|
|
SECTION
6.7 Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification and
Insurance
|
40
|
|
SECTION
6.8 Further Action; Efforts
|
41
|
|
SECTION
6.9 Public Announcements
|
43
|
|
SECTION
6.10 Financing
|
43
|
|
SECTION
6.11 Debt Tender Offers.
|
46
|
|
SECTION
6.12 Notification of Certain Matters
|
48
|
|
SECTION
6.13 Section 16 Matters
|
48
|
|
SECTION
6.14 Filings
|
48
|
|
SECTION
6.15 Anti-Takeover Statute
|
49
|
|
SECTION
6.16 Stockholder Litigation
|
49
|
|
SECTION
6.17 Name; Headquarters
|
49
|
|
ARTICLE
VII CONDITIONS OF MERGER
|
50
|
|
SECTION
7.1 Conditions to Obligation of the Company, Holdings and
Merger
|
||
Sub
to Effect the Merger
|
50
|
|
SECTION
7.2 Conditions to Obligations of Holdings and Merger
Sub
|
50
|
|
SECTION
7.3 Conditions to Obligations of the Company
|
51
|
|
ARTICLE
VIII TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
|
51
|
|
SECTION
8.1 Termination
|
51
|
|
SECTION
8.2 Effect of Termination
|
53
|
|
SECTION
8.3 Expenses
|
56
|
|
SECTION
8.4 Amendment
|
56
|
|
SECTION
8.5 Waiver
|
57
|
|
ARTICLE
IX GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
57
|
-iii-
SECTION
9.1 Non-Survival of Representations, Warranties, Covenants
and
|
||
Agreements
|
57
|
|
SECTION
9.2 Notices
|
57
|
|
SECTION
9.3 Certain Definitions
|
58
|
|
SECTION
9.4 Severability
|
60
|
|
SECTION
9.5 Entire Agreement; Assignment
|
60
|
|
SECTION
9.6 Parties in Interest
|
60
|
|
SECTION
9.7 Governing Law
|
61
|
|
SECTION
9.8 Headings
|
61
|
|
SECTION
9.9 Counterparts
|
61
|
|
SECTION
9.10 Specific Performance
|
61
|
|
SECTION
9.11 No Recourse
|
61
|
|
SECTION
9.12 Jurisdiction
|
62
|
|
SECTION
9.13 Interpretation
|
62
|
|
SECTION
9.14 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
|
63
|
-iv-
INDEX
OF DEFINED TERMS
Acquisition
Proposal
|
36
|
DGCL
|
1
|
|
Acquisition
Proposal Documentation
|
38
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
7
|
|
Actions
|
15
|
DOJ
|
42
|
|
affiliate
|
58
|
Effective
Time
|
2
|
|
Agreement
|
1
|
employee
benefit plan
|
15
|
|
Alternative
Financing
|
44
|
Environmental
Laws
|
22
|
|
Anti-Takeover
Statutes
|
21
|
Environmental
Permits
|
23
|
|
Antitrust
Law
|
42
|
Equity
Financing
|
27
|
|
Book-Entry
Shares
|
3
|
Equity
Financing Commitment Letters
|
27
|
|
business
day
|
58
|
ERISA
|
15
|
|
Bylaws
|
9
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
16
|
|
Certificate
of Incorporation
|
9
|
Exchange
Act
|
12
|
|
Certificate
of Merger
|
2
|
Filed
SEC Reports
|
13
|
|
Certificates
|
3
|
Financial
Advisors
|
21
|
|
Change
of Recommendation
|
34
|
Financing
|
27
|
|
Class
B Common Shares
|
3
|
Financing
Commitment Letters
|
27
|
|
Class
B Common Stock
|
3
|
Foreign
Antitrust Laws
|
12
|
|
Closing
|
1
|
FTC
|
42
|
|
Closing
Date
|
2
|
generally
accepted accounting principles
|
58
|
|
Code
|
16
|
Governmental
Entity
|
12
|
|
Common
Shares
|
3
|
Holdings
|
1
|
|
Common
Stock
|
3
|
Holdings
Disclosure Schedule
|
25
|
|
Company
|
1
|
HSR
Act
|
12
|
|
Company
Common Stock
|
3
|
Indemnified
Parties
|
40
|
|
Company
Disclosure Schedule
|
8
|
Indenture
|
11
|
|
Company
Employees
|
15
|
Infringe
|
21
|
|
Company
Plan
|
15
|
Intellectual
Property
|
22
|
|
Company
Requisite Votes
|
11
|
IRS
|
16
|
|
Company
Rights
|
9
|
knowledge
|
59
|
|
Company
Securities
|
10
|
Law
|
12
|
|
Company
Stock Plans
|
4
|
Leases
|
19
|
|
Company
Termination Fee
|
53
|
Liability
Limitation
|
55
|
|
Confidentiality
Agreement
|
36
|
Licenses
|
13
|
|
Continuing
Employee
|
39
|
Lien
|
10
|
|
Contract
|
12
|
Marketing
Period
|
44
|
|
control
|
58
|
Material
Adverse Effect
|
8
|
|
controlled
|
58
|
Material
Contract
|
24
|
|
controlled
by
|
58
|
Materials
of Environmental Concern
|
23
|
|
Costs
|
40
|
Merger
|
1
|
|
D&O
Insurance
|
41
|
Merger
Consideration
|
3
|
|
Debt
Financing
|
27
|
Merger
Sub
|
1
|
|
Debt
Financing Commitment Letters
|
27
|
Multiemployer
Plan
|
15
|
|
Debt
Tender Offer
|
46
|
Non-US
Plans
|
15
|
|
Deferred
Compensation Plans
|
5
|
Notes
|
10
|
|
Deferred
Payment
|
5
|
Notice
of Superior Proposal
|
38
|
-v-
Notice
Period
|
38
|
Rights
Plan
|
9
|
|
Option
|
3
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
|
13
|
|
Option
Cash Payment
|
4
|
SEC
|
13
|
|
Order
|
12
|
SEC
Reports
|
13
|
|
Owned
Real Property
|
19
|
Securities
Act
|
12
|
|
Parent
|
1
|
Senior
Debt Commitment Letter
|
27
|
|
Parent
Equity Commitment Letter
|
27
|
Shares
|
3
|
|
Parent
Obligations
|
55
|
Stock
Unit Payment
|
4
|
|
Paying
Agent
|
5
|
Stock
Units
|
4
|
|
PBGC
|
17
|
Stockholders
Meeting
|
34
|
|
Permitted
Liens
|
59
|
subsidiaries
|
59
|
|
person
|
59
|
subsidiary
|
59
|
|
Preferred
Stock
|
9
|
Subsidiary
Securities
|
10
|
|
Proxy
Statement
|
20
|
Superior
Proposal
|
38
|
|
Recommendation
|
34
|
Surviving
Corporation
|
1
|
|
Related
Persons
|
55
|
Surviving
Corporation Plan
|
39
|
|
Release
|
23
|
Tax
Return
|
60
|
|
Representatives
|
36
|
Taxes
|
59
|
|
Required
Information
|
46
|
Termination
Date
|
52
|
|
Restricted
Shares
|
4
|
under
common control with
|
58
|
|
Reverse
Termination Fee
|
00
|
XXXX
|
00
|
-xx-
XXXXXXXXX
AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of April 28, 2008 (this “Agreement”), among
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Mars,
Incorporated, a Delaware Corporation (“Parent”), New Uno
Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”) and New
Uno Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Merger
Sub”).
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Company has unanimously (i) determined that
it is in the best interests of the Company and the stockholders of the Company,
and declared it advisable, to enter into this Agreement with Parent, Holdings
and Merger Sub providing for the merger (the “Merger”) of Merger
Sub with and into the Company in accordance with the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, (ii) approved this
Agreement in accordance with the DGCL, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein, and (iii) resolved to recommend the adoption
of this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company; and
WHEREAS,
the Boards of Directors of Parent, Holdings and Merger Sub have each approved
this Agreement and declared it advisable for Parent, Holdings and Merger Sub,
respectively, to enter into this Agreement providing for the Merger in
accordance with the DGCL, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, and intending to be
legally bound hereby, Parent, Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company hereby agree
as follows:
ARTICLE
I
THE
MERGER
SECTION 1.1 The
Merger. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with
the DGCL, at the Effective Time (as defined below), Merger Sub shall be merged
with and into the Company. As a result of the Merger, the separate
corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and the Company shall continue as
the surviving corporation of the Merger (the “Surviving
Corporation”).
SECTION 1.2 Closing; Effective
Time. Subject
to the provisions of Article VII, the closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take
place at the offices of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than
the third business day after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set
forth in Article VII (excluding conditions that, by their terms, cannot be
satisfied until the Closing, but the Closing shall be subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of those conditions); provided, however, that
notwithstanding the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in
Article VII, Holdings and Merger Sub shall not be required to effect the Closing
until the earlier of (a) a date during
the
Marketing Period specified by Holdings on no less than three business days’
notice to the Company and (b) the final day of the Marketing Period (or the
Closing may be consummated at such other place or on such other date as Holdings
and the Company may mutually agree). The date on which the Closing
actually occurs is hereinafter referred to as the “Closing
Date”. At the Closing, the parties hereto shall cause the
Merger to be consummated by filing a certificate of merger (the “Certificate of
Merger”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, in such
form as required by, and executed in accordance with, the relevant provisions of
the DGCL (the date and time of the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, or such later time as is specified
in the Certificate of Merger and as is agreed to by the parties hereto, being
hereinafter referred to as the “Effective Time”) and
shall make all other filings or recordings required under the DGCL or other
applicable law in connection with the Merger.
SECTION 1.3 Effects of the
Merger. The
Merger shall have the effects set forth herein and in the applicable provisions
of the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and
subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the property, rights, privileges,
immunities, powers and franchises of the Company and Merger Sub shall vest in
the Surviving Corporation and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company
and Merger Sub shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving
Corporation.
SECTION 1.4 Certificate of
Incorporation; Bylaws.
(a) At
the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation of the Company shall be
amended as a result of the Merger so as to read in its entirety as set forth in
Exhibit A
hereto, and, as so amended, shall be the certificate of incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with its terms and
as provided by law.
(b) At
the Effective Time, the bylaws of the Company shall be amended so as to read in
their entirety as set forth in Exhibit B hereto,
and, as so amended, shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until
thereafter amended in accordance with their terms, the certificate of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation and as provided by law.
SECTION 1.5 Directors and
Officers. The
directors of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall submit
their resignations to be effective as of the Effective Time. Upon the
Effective Time, the directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation, each to hold office in
accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving
Corporation. The officers of the Company immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation, each
to hold office until the earlier of his or her resignation or
removal.
-2-
ARTICLE
II
EFFECT
OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK
OF
THE CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS
SECTION 2.1 Conversion of
Securities. At
the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of any party hereto or the holders of any of the following
securities:
(a) Each
share of Common Stock, no par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and
Class B Common Stock, no par value per share, of the Company (the “Class B Common Stock”
and together with the Common Stock, the “Company Common
Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time,
other than any shares of Common Stock (“Common Shares”) or
shares of Class B Common Stock (“Class B Common
Shares” and together with the Common Shares, the “Shares”) to
be canceled pursuant to Section 2.1(b) or to remain outstanding pursuant to
Section 2.1(c) and any Dissenting Shares, shall be converted into the right to
receive $80.00 in cash (the “Merger
Consideration”) payable to the holder thereof, without interest, upon
surrender of such Shares in the manner provided in Section 2.4, less any
required withholding taxes.
(b) Each
Share held in the treasury of the Company or owned by Holdings or Merger Sub
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled and shall cease to
exist without any conversion thereof and no payment or distribution shall be
made with respect thereto.
(c) Each
Share owned by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall remain outstanding following the Effective Time and no
Merger Consideration shall be delivered with respect to such
Shares.
(d) Each
share of common stock of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall be converted into one share of common stock of the
Surviving Corporation.
(e) Except
as set forth in Sections 2.1(b) and (c) and Section 2.5, (i) at the Effective
Time, all Shares (including Restricted Shares (as defined below)) shall cease to
be outstanding, shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist and
(ii) the holders of certificates (the “Certificates”) or
book entry shares (“Book-Entry Shares”)
which immediately prior to the Effective Time represented such Shares (including
Restricted Shares) shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except
the right to receive, upon surrender of such Certificates or Book-Entry Shares
in accordance with Section 2.3, the Merger Consideration.
SECTION 2.2 Treatment of Options,
Restricted Shares, Stock Units, and Deferred Compensation
Plans.
(a) The
Company shall take all action necessary so that, immediately prior to the
Effective Time, each option to purchase Shares (an “Option”) granted
under the Company’s 2007 Management Incentive Plan or the Company’s 1997
Management Incentive Plan
-3-
(collectively,
the “Company Stock
Plans”) that, in each case, is outstanding and unexercised as of the
Effective Time (whether vested or unvested) shall be adjusted by the Company
Stock Plan committee or the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of
Directors (pursuant to its authority under Section 1.7 of the Company’s 2007
Management Incentive Plan and Section 1.6 of the Company’s 1997 Management
Incentive Plan) as of the Effective Time and shall be converted into the right
of the holder to receive from the Surviving Corporation an amount in cash equal
to the product of (A) the total number of Shares previously subject to such
Option and (B) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration over the exercise
price per Share set forth in such Option, less any required withholding taxes
(the “Option Cash
Payment”) and as of the Effective Time shall cease to represent an option
to purchase Shares, shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically cease
to exist, and each holder of an Option shall cease to have any rights with
respect thereto, except the right to receive the Option Cash Payment. The Option
Cash Payment shall be made promptly (and in any event within 15 business days)
following the Effective Time.
(b) The
Company shall take all action necessary so that each Share granted subject to
vesting or other lapse restrictions pursuant to any Company Stock Plan
(collectively, “Restricted Shares”)
which is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall vest and
become free of such restrictions as of the Effective Time and at the Effective
Time the holder thereof shall, subject to this Article II, be entitled to
receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.1(a).
(c) The
Company shall take all action necessary so that, immediately prior to the
Effective Time, each award of a right under any Company Stock Plan (other than
awards of Options or Restricted Shares, the treatment of which is specified in
Section 2.2(a) and Section 2.2(b), respectively) (including the Company’s Long
Term Stock Grant Program) entitling the holder thereof to Shares or cash equal
to or based on the value of Shares (such awards, collectively, “Stock Units”) that,
in each case, is outstanding or payable as of the Effective Time pursuant to the
applicable program under the Company’s Stock Plan, shall be adjusted by the
Company Stock Plan committee as of the Effective Time and shall be converted
into the right of the holder to receive an amount in cash equal to the product
of (A) the number of Shares subject to such Stock Unit, to the extent earned and
satisfying the applicable performance conditions at the Effective Time in
respect of the portion of the applicable performance or grant cycle that has
elapsed through the Effective Time (or, in the case of Stock Units subject to
time-based vesting conditions that, by the terms of the award documents,
automatically vest in full or in part upon the Effective Time, the number of
such Shares subject to such Stock Unit that so vest by such terms), and (B) the
Merger Consideration, less any required withholding taxes (the “Stock Unit Payment”),
and shall cease to represent a right to receive a number of Shares or cash equal
to or based on the value of Shares. The Stock Unit Payment shall be
made promptly (and in any case within 15 business days) following the Effective
Time. The Company shall take all action necessary so that, as of the
Effective Time, all Stock Units shall no longer be outstanding and shall
automatically cease to exist, and each holder of a Stock Unit shall cease to
have any rights with respect to Shares or cash equal to or based on the value of
Shares, except the right to receive the Stock Unit Payment, and so that no
portion of any outstanding performance or grant cycle shall continue after the
Effective Time and no Stock Units shall be or become earned in respect thereof,
and all unearned or unvested Stock Units shall be cancelled.
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(d) The
Company shall take all action necessary so that all account balances (whether or
not vested) under any Company Plan that provides for the deferral of
compensation and represents amounts notionally invested in a number of Shares or
otherwise provides for distributions or benefits that are calculated based on
the value of a Share (collectively, the “Deferred Compensation
Plans”), shall be adjusted by the applicable Company Plan committee as of
the Effective Time, and shall be converted into a right of the holder to
receive, at the time specified in the applicable Company Plan and related
deferral documents, an amount in cash equal to the product of (A) the number of
Shares previously deemed invested under or otherwise referenced by such account
and (B) the Merger Consideration, less any required withholding taxes (the
“Deferred
Payment”) and shall cease to represent a right to receive a number of
Shares or cash equal to or based on the value of a number of
Shares. The Company shall take all action necessary so that, as of
the Effective Time, each holder of any such account shall cease to have any
rights with respect to Shares or cash equal to or based on the value of Shares,
except the right to receive the Deferred Payment.
SECTION 2.3 Surrender of
Shares.
(a) Prior
to the Effective Time, Holdings shall designate a paying agent (the “Paying Agent”)
reasonably acceptable to the Company for the payment of the Merger Consideration
as provided in Section 2.1(a). At or prior to the Closing, Holdings
shall deposit (or cause to be deposited) with the Paying Agent, for the benefit
(from and after the Effective Time) of the holders of Certificates or Book-Entry
Shares, cash in an amount sufficient to make all payments pursuant to Section
2.3(b). Such funds may be invested by the Paying Agent as directed by
Holdings or, after the Closing, the Surviving Corporation; provided that (a) no
such investment or losses thereon shall affect the Merger Consideration payable
to the holders of Company Common Stock, and following any losses Holdings or the
Surviving Corporation shall promptly deposit (or cause to be deposited)
additional funds to the Paying Agent for the benefit of the stockholders of the
Company in the amount of any such losses, and (b) such investments shall be in
short-term obligations of the United States of America with maturities of no
more than 30 days or guaranteed by the United States of America and backed by
the full faith and credit of the United States of America or in commercial paper
obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by Xxxxx'x Investors Service, Inc. or
Standard & Poor's Corporation, respectively. Any interest or
income produced by such investments will be payable to the Surviving Corporation
or Holdings, as Holdings directs.
(b) Promptly
after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall cause to be mailed to
each record holder, as of the Effective Time, of a Certificate or a Book-Entry
Share (other than Certificates or Book-Entry Shares representing Shares to be
canceled pursuant to Section 2.1(b) or to remain outstanding pursuant to Section
2.1(c)), a letter of transmittal (which shall be in customary form and shall
specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the
Certificates shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the
Paying Agent or, in the case of Book-Entry Shares, upon adherence to the
procedures set forth in the letter of transmittal) and instructions for use in
effecting the surrender of the Certificates or, in the case of Book-Entry
Shares, the surrender of such Shares for payment of the Merger Consideration
therefor. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent of a Certificate or of
Book-Entry Shares, together with such letter of transmittal, duly completed and
validly executed in
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accordance
with the instructions thereto, and such other documents as may be required
pursuant to such instructions, the holder of such Certificate or Book-Entry
Shares shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor cash in an amount equal
to the Merger Consideration for each Share formerly represented by such
Certificate or Book-Entry Shares (less any required withholding taxes) and such
Certificate or Book-Entry Shares shall then be canceled. No interest
shall be paid or accrued for the benefit of holders of the Certificates or
Book-Entry Shares on the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the
Certificates or Book-Entry Shares. If payment of the Merger
Consideration is to be made to a person other than the person in whose name the
surrendered Certificate or Book-Entry Share is registered, it shall be a
condition of payment that the Certificate or Book-Entry Share so surrendered
shall be properly endorsed or shall be otherwise in proper form for transfer and
that the person requesting such payment shall have paid any transfer and other
taxes required by reason of the payment of the Merger Consideration to a person
other than the registered holder of the Certificate or Book-Entry Share
surrendered or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Surviving
Corporation that such tax either has been paid or is not
applicable. Until surrendered as contemplated by, and in accordance
with, this Section 2.3(b), each Certificate and each Book-Entry Share (other
than Certificates or Book-Entry Shares representing Shares to be canceled
pursuant to Section 2.1(b) or to remain outstanding pursuant to Section 2.1(c)
or the Dissenting Shares) shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time
to represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the applicable Merger
Consideration as contemplated by this Article II.
(c) At
any time following the date that is twelve months after the Effective Time, the
Surviving Corporation shall be entitled to require the Paying Agent to deliver
to it any funds (including any interest received with respect thereto) which
have been deposited with the Paying Agent and which have not been disbursed to
holders of Certificates or Book-Entry Shares and thereafter such holders shall
be entitled to look to the Surviving Corporation (subject to abandoned property,
escheat or other similar laws) only as general creditors thereof with respect to
the Merger Consideration payable (without interest) upon due surrender of their
Certificates or Book-Entry Shares. The Surviving Corporation shall
pay all charges and expenses, including those of the Paying Agent, in connection
with the exchange of Shares for the Merger Consideration. None of
Parent, Holdings, Merger Sub, the Company, Surviving Corporation or the Paying
Agent shall be liable to any person in respect of any cash delivered to a public
official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar
law. Any Merger Consideration remaining unclaimed as of a date which
is immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise escheat to or
become property of any Governmental Entity shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, become the property of the Surviving Corporation free and clear
of any claims or interests of any person previously entitled
thereto. The Merger Consideration paid in accordance with the terms
of this Article II in respect of Certificates or Book-Entry Shares that have
been surrendered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed
to have been paid in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the Shares
represented thereby.
(d) After
the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and
thereafter there shall be no further registration of transfers of Shares that
were outstanding prior to the Effective Time. After the Effective
Time, Certificates or Book-Entry Shares presented to the Surviving Corporation
for transfer shall be canceled and exchanged for
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the
Merger Consideration provided for, and in accordance with the procedures set
forth in, this Article II.
(e) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Holdings, the Surviving Corporation
and the Paying Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the
consideration otherwise payable to any former holder of Shares, Options,
Restricted Shares, Stock Units or accounts under a Deferred Compensation Plan
pursuant to this Agreement any amount as may be required to be deducted and
withheld with respect to the making of such payment under applicable Tax (as
defined below) laws. To the extent that amounts are so properly
withheld by Holdings, the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent, as the case
may be, and are paid over to the appropriate Governmental Entity in accordance
with applicable law, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of
this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Shares, Options,
Restricted Shares, Stock Units or accounts under a Deferred Compensation
Plan in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by
Holdings, the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent, as the case may
be.
(f) In
the event that any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon
the holder's compliance with the replacement requirements established by the
Paying Agent, including, if necessary, the posting by the holder of a bond in
customary amount as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with
respect to the Certificate, the Paying Agent will deliver in exchange for the
lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the applicable Merger Consideration
payable in respect of the Shares represented by such Certificate pursuant to
this Article II.
SECTION 2.4 Adjustments. Without
limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, if at any time during the
period between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, any change in
the number of outstanding Shares (or securities convertible or exchangeable into
or exercisable for Shares) shall occur as a result of a reclassification,
recapitalization, stock split (including a reverse stock split), or combination,
exchange or readjustment of shares, merger or any stock dividend or stock
distribution with a record date during such period, the Merger Consideration
shall be correspondingly adjusted to reflect such change.
SECTION 2.5 Dissenting
Shares.
(a) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Shares that are issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and which are held by
holders of Shares who have not voted such Shares in favor of adoption of the
Merger Agreement and who have properly demanded and perfected their rights to be
paid the fair value of such Shares in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL
(the “Dissenting
Shares”) shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger
Consideration, and the holders thereof shall be entitled to only such rights as
are granted by Section 262 of the DGCL; provided, however, that if any
such holder shall fail to perfect or shall effectively waive, withdraw or lose
such holder’s rights under Section 262 of the DGCL, such holder’s Shares shall
thereupon be deemed to have been converted, at the Effective Time, into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration, as set forth in Section 2.1 of this
Agreement, without any interest thereon.
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(b) The
Company shall give Holdings (i) prompt notice of any appraisal demands
received by the Company, withdrawals thereof and any other instruments served
pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL and received by the Company and (ii) the
opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to
the exercise of appraisal rights (or offers or attempts to settle the same)
under Section 262 of the DGCL. The Company shall not, except with the
prior written consent of Holdings, make any payment with respect to any such
exercise of appraisal rights or offer to settle or settle any such
rights.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The
Company hereby represents and warrants to Holdings and Merger Sub that, (i)
except as set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule delivered by the Company
to Holdings and Merger Sub prior to the execution of this Agreement
(the “Company
Disclosure Schedule”), it being understood and agreed that each item in a
particular section of the Company Disclosure Schedule applies only to such
section and to any other section to which its relevance is reasonably apparent
and (ii) other than with respect to Sections 3.3(a), 3.7(a), 3.7(b) and Section
3.8(a), except as disclosed in the Filed SEC Reports (as defined below) filed
prior to the date of this Agreement (excluding any disclosures set forth in any
section of a Filed SEC Report entitled “Risk Factor” or “Forward-Looking
Statements” or any other disclosures included in such filings to the extent that
they are cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature):
SECTION 3.1 Organization and
Qualification; Subsidiaries. Each
of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing (with respect to jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good
standing) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has all
requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, except, in
the case of any subsidiary of the Company, where any such failure to be so
organized, existing or in good standing or to have such power or authority would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect (as
defined below). Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly
qualified or licensed to do business in each jurisdiction where the character of
its properties owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of its activities
makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except for any such failure to
be so qualified or licensed which would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect. “Material Adverse
Effect” means any change, effect, event or circumstance that is, or would
reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, materially
adverse to the business, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, other than any
change, effect or circumstance to the extent resulting from (i) changes in
general economic, financial market or geopolitical conditions, (ii) general
changes or developments in the industry in which the Company and its
subsidiaries operate, (iii) the announcement of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including any termination of, reduction in or
similar negative impact on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with any
customers, suppliers, distributors, partners or employees of the Company and its
subsidiaries to the extent due to the announcement and performance of this
Agreement or the
-8-
identity
of Parent or Holdings, or the performance of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including compliance with the covenants set forth herein
(in each case, other than in respect of Section 3.5), (iv) any actions required
under this Agreement to obtain any approval or authorization required under
applicable antitrust or competition laws for the consummation of the
Merger, (v) changes in any
applicable laws or regulations or applicable accounting regulations or
principles or interpretations thereof, (vi) any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or war or any act of terrorism or (vii) any failure by the Company
to meet any published analyst estimates or expectations of the Company's
revenue, earnings or other financial performance or results of operations for
any period, in and of itself, or any failure by the Company to meet its internal
or published projections, budgets, plans or forecasts of its revenues, earnings
or other financial performance or results of operations, in and of itself (it
being understood that the facts or occurrences giving rise or contributing to
such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of a “Material
Adverse Effect” may be taken into account in determining whether there has been
a Material Adverse Effect); provided that, in the case of the immediately
preceding clauses (i), (ii), (v) and (vi), such changes, effects or
circumstances do not affect the Company or its subsidiaries disproportionately
relative to other companies operating in the same industry.
SECTION 3.2 Certificate of Incorporation
and Bylaws. The
Company has heretofore furnished or otherwise made available to Holdings a
complete and correct copy of the restated certificate of incorporation, as
amended to date (the “Certificate of
Incorporation”), and the bylaws (the “Bylaws”) of the
Company as currently in effect. The Certificate of Incorporation and
the Bylaws are in full force and effect and no other organizational documents
are applicable to or binding upon the Company. The Company is not in
violation of any provisions of its Certificate of Incorporation or
Bylaws.
SECTION 3.3 Capitalization
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 1,000,000,000
Common Shares, (ii) 300,000,000 Class B Common Shares, and (iii) 20,000,000
shares of preferred stock, no par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of
which (x) 1,000,000 of such shares are designated as Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and have been reserved for issuance upon the
exercise of the rights distributed to the holders of Company Common Stock (the
“Company
Rights”) pursuant to the Company's Rights Agreement, dated as of June 1,
2001 (the “Rights
Plan”), between the Company and ComputerShare Trust Company N.A. (as
successor to EquiServe, L.P.), as Rights Agent. As of April 15, 2008,
(i) 215,935,235 shares of Common Stock were issued and outstanding, all of which
were validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and were issued free of
preemptive rights, (ii) 55,811,742 shares of Class B Common Stock were issued
and outstanding, all of which were validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
and were issued free of preemptive rights, (iii) no shares of Preferred Stock
were outstanding, (iv) an aggregate of 1,570,914 Common Shares were subject to or
otherwise deliverable (including in the form of cash equal to or based on the
value of Common Shares) in connection with outstanding Stock Units issued
pursuant to the Company Stock Plans and (v) an aggregate of 14,434,460 Common
Shares were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding Options issued pursuant to
the Company Stock Plans, with a weighted average exercise price of $50.16 per
share. From the close of business on April 15, 2008 until the date of
this Agreement, no
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options
to purchase shares of Company Common Stock or Preferred Stock have been granted
and no shares of Company Common Stock or Preferred Stock have been issued,
except for Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of Options in accordance with
their terms (and the issuance of Company Rights attached to such
Shares). Except as set forth above, as of the date of this Agreement,
(A) there are not outstanding or authorized any (I) shares of capital stock or
other voting securities of the Company, (II) securities of the Company
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or voting
securities of the Company (other than the Company Rights) or (III) options or
other rights to acquire from the Company and no obligation of the Company to
issue, any capital stock, voting securities or securities convertible into or
exchangeable for capital stock or voting securities of the Company (other than
the Company Rights) (collectively, “Company Securities”),
(B) there are no outstanding obligations of the Company to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any Company Securities and (C) there are no other options,
calls, warrants or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any
character (or securities or other rights entitling the holder thereof to cash
equal to or based on the value of capital stock of the Company) relating to the
issued or unissued capital stock of the Company to which the Company is a party
(other than the Company Rights).
(b) All
of the outstanding capital stock or equivalent equity interests of the Company's
subsidiaries are owned by the Company or another wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Company free and clear of all security interests, liens, claims, pledges,
agreements, limitations in voting rights, charges or other encumbrances of any
nature whatsoever (each, a “Lien”). Except
for the Company's subsidiaries and except as set forth on Section 3.3(b)(i) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company does not own any capital stock of
or other equity interest in, or any interest convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for any capital stock of or other equity interest in, any other
person. Each of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of
the Company's subsidiaries is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, except where any such failure to be duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable does not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 3.3(b)(ii) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of each subsidiary of
the Company and its jurisdiction of incorporation or
organization. There are no outstanding (i) options or other rights to
acquire from the Company or any of its subsidiaries and no obligation of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries to issue, any capital stock, voting
securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or
voting securities of any of the Company’s subsidiaries (collectively, “Subsidiary
Securities”), (ii) obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Subsidiary Securities or (iii)
other options, calls, warrants or other rights, agreements, arrangements or
commitments of any character (or securities or other rights entitling the holder
thereof to cash equal to or based on the value of capital stock of any
subsidiary of the Company) relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of
any subsidiary of the Company to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party. No Shares are held by any subsidiary of the
Company.
(c) As
of the date of this Agreement, the only principal amount of outstanding
indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company and its subsidiaries (other than
intercompany amounts or operating or capital leases) is $500,000,000 of the
Company’s 4.30% senior notes due July 15, 2010 and $500,000,000 of the Company’s
4.65% senior notes due July 15, 2015 (collectively, the “Notes”), which in
each case were issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture,
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dated
as of July 14, 2005, by and between the Company and X.X. Xxxxxx Trust Company,
National Association as trustee (the “Indenture”). As
of the date of this Agreement, there is no amount outstanding under the
$600,000,000 Credit Agreement, dated as of July 14, 2005, among the Company, the
lenders thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and there
is $382,000,000 outstanding under the Issuing and Paying Agency Agreement, dated
April 29, 2005, between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(d) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
each Option, Restricted Share and Stock Unit (i) was granted in compliance with
(A) all applicable Laws and (B) the terms and conditions of the Company Stock
Plan and applicable award document pursuant to which it was issued, (ii)
qualifies for the tax and accounting treatment afforded to such Option,
Restricted Share and Stock Unit in the Company's tax returns and the Company's
financial statements, respectively and (iii) has a per share exercise price
determined in accordance with the applicable Company Stock Plan and that was
equal to the fair market value of a Share on the applicable date on which the
related grant was by its terms to be effective.
SECTION 3.4 Authority. The
Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by
all necessary corporate action and no other corporate proceedings on the part of
the Company are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement or to consummate the transactions so contemplated (other than
the adoption of this Agreement by the holders of (a) (i) not less than
two-thirds of the outstanding Common Shares and (ii) not less than two-thirds of
the outstanding Class B Common Shares, each voting as a separate class, (b) not
less than two-thirds of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
of each class entitled to vote in the election of directors, voting together as
a single class, and (c) not less than a majority in voting power of the
outstanding capital stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon (the “Company Requisite
Votes”), and the filing with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware of the Certificate of Merger as required by the DGCL). This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and,
assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by Parent,
Holdings and Merger Sub, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of
the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally and general equitable principles (whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law). The Board of Directors of the
Company, by resolutions duly adopted prior to the execution of this Agreement,
has unanimously (i) determined that the Merger is in the best interests of
the Company and the stockholders of the Company, and declared advisable this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the
Merger), (ii) approved this Agreement in accordance with the DGCL and (iii)
resolved to recommend the adoption of this Agreement by the stockholders of the
Company and to submit this Agreement for adoption by the stockholders of the
Company. The only votes of the stockholders of the Company required
to adopt this Agreement and approve the transactions contemplated hereby are the
Company Requisite Votes.
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SECTION 3.5 No Conflict; Required
Filings and Consents.
(a) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company do not and
will not (i) conflict with or violate the Certificate of Incorporation or
Bylaws of the Company, (ii) assuming that all consents, approvals and
authorizations contemplated by clauses (i) through (v) of subsection (b) below
have been obtained, and all filings described in such clauses have been made,
conflict with or violate any statute, treaty, directive, law, rule or regulation
of any Governmental Entity, stock exchange or industry self-regulatory
organization (“Law”) or any order,
writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation or award by, of or subject to
any Governmental Entity (“Order”) applicable to
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or by which its or any of their
respective assets, rights or properties are bound or (iii) result in any breach
or violation of or constitute a default (or an event which with or without
notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) or result in the loss of
a benefit under, or give rise to the creation of any Lien on any of the assets,
rights or properties of the Company or its subsidiaries under, or any right of
termination, cancellation, amendment or acceleration of, any note, bond,
mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit or other
instrument or obligation (each, a “Contract”) to which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries or its or any of their respective assets, rights or
properties are bound or affected, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and
(iii), for any such conflict, violation, breach, default, loss, right or other
occurrence which would not, individually or in the aggregate, (A) prevent,
materially delay or materially impede the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or (B) have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the
consummation of the Merger by the Company do not and will not require any
consent, approval, authorization or permit of, action by, filing with or
notification to, any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory
(including stock exchange) authority, agency, court, commission, or other
governmental body (each, a “Governmental
Entity”), except for (i) applicable requirements of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including the filing of the
Proxy Statement (as defined below)) and the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), (ii) the
applicable requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, (iii) the filing
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate of
Merger as required by the DGCL, (iv) the applicable requirements of
antitrust or other competition laws of jurisdictions other than the United
States or investment laws relating to foreign ownership (“Foreign Antitrust
Laws”) and (v) any consent, approval, authorization, permit, action,
filing or notification the failure of which to make or obtain would not,
individually or in the aggregate, (A) prevent, materially delay or materially
impede the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
(B) have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.6 Compliance. (a)
Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (and has not been since
January 1, 2006) in violation of any Law or Order applicable to the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or by which its or any of their respective assets,
rights or
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properties
are bound, except for any such violation which would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) the Company and its
subsidiaries have all permits, licenses, certificates, authorizations,
exemptions, orders, consents, approvals and franchises from Governmental
Entities (“Licenses”) required
to conduct their respective businesses as now being conducted and all such
Licenses are in full force and effect, except for any such Licenses the absence
of which, or the failure of which to be in full force and effect, would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.7 SEC Filings; Financial
Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) The
Company has filed or otherwise transmitted all forms, reports, statements,
certifications and other documents (including all exhibits, amendments and
supplements thereto) required to be filed by it with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) since January
1, 2005 (all such forms, reports, statements, certificates and other documents
filed since January 1, 2005, collectively, the “SEC Reports” and all
such SEC Reports filed by the Company and publicly available prior to the date
of this Agreement, the “Filed SEC
Reports”). No subsidiary of the Company is required to file,
or files, any form, report or other document with the SEC. Each of
the SEC Reports, as amended prior to the date of this Agreement, complied in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the Exchange Act and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder, each as in effect on the date so
filed. None of the SEC Reports contained, when filed or, if amended
prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the date of such amendment, any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated or incorporated by reference therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(b) The
audited consolidated financial statements of the Company (including any related
notes thereto) included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes
thereto) and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial
position of the Company and its subsidiaries at the respective dates thereof and
the consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and stockholders' equity
for the periods indicated.
(c) Since
the enactment of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”),
the Company, in all material respects, has been and is in compliance with (A)
the applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and (B) the applicable
listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the NYSE.
(d) The
Company has designed and implemented disclosure controls and procedures (as such
terms are defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), as required by Rule
13a-15(a) under the Exchange Act to ensure that material information relating to
the Company, including its subsidiaries, is made known to the chief executive
officer and the chief financial officer of the Company by others within those
entities.
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(e) The
Company has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date of
this Agreement, to the Company's auditors and the audit committee of the
Company's Board of Directors (A) any significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect in any material
respect the Company's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information and (B) any fraud or allegation of fraud, whether or not material,
that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
Company's internal controls over financial reporting.
(f) Except
(a) as reflected, accrued or reserved against in the financial statements
(including the notes thereto) included in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K filed prior to the date of this Agreement for the year ended December 31,
2007, (b) for liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice since December 31, 2007, (c) for
liabilities or obligations which have been discharged or paid in full prior to
the date of this Agreement and (d) for liabilities or obligations incurred
pursuant to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has any liabilities, commitments or obligations,
asserted or unasserted, known or unknown, absolute or contingent, whether or not
accrued, matured or un-matured or otherwise, that would be required to be
reflected or reserved against in a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, other than those which have not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.8 Absence of Certain Changes
or Events.
(a) Since
January 1, 2008, there has not been any change, effect, event or circumstance
that has resulted in or constituted a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Since
January 1, 2008, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement and except
as set forth on Section 3.8(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company
and its subsidiaries have conducted their business in all material respects in
the ordinary course consistent with past practice and, without limiting the
foregoing, since that date, there has not been: (i) prior to the date of this
Agreement, any declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or other
distribution in cash, stock, property or otherwise in respect of the Company's
or any of its subsidiaries' capital stock, except for (x) regular quarterly cash
dividends on Company Common Stock and (y) any dividend or distribution by a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company; (ii) prior to the date of this
Agreement, any redemption, repurchase or other acquisition of any shares of
capital stock of the Company of any of its subsidiaries, other than pursuant to
the Company's stock repurchase program disclosed in the Filed SEC Reports; (iii)
prior to the date of this Agreement, any granting by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries to any of their directors, executive officers or employees of any
increase in compensation (including bonus opportunities) or fringe benefits,
except for increases in the ordinary course of business with respect to
employees who are not directors, executive officers or parties to a severance
agreement with the Company, (y) any granting by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries to any director, executive officer or employee of the right to
receive any severance or termination pay, or (z) any entry by the Company or any
of its subsidiaries into any
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employment,
consulting, change-in-control or severance agreement or arrangement with any
director, officer, employee, consultant or contractor, except in the ordinary
course of business to employees who are not directors or officers of the Company
or any subsidiary, or any material amendment of any Company Plan; (iv) prior to
the date of this Agreement, any material change by the Company in its accounting
principles, except as may be required to conform to changes in statutory or
regulatory accounting rules or generally accepted accounting principles or
regulatory requirements with respect thereto; (v) prior to the date of this
Agreement, any material Tax election made or revoked by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries or any settlement or compromise of any material Tax liability
by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (vi) prior to the date of this
Agreement, any material change in tax accounting principles by the Company or
any of its subsidiaries, except insofar as may have been required by applicable
law.
SECTION 3.9 Absence of
Litigation. There
are no suits, claims, actions, proceedings, arbitrations, mediations or
investigations (“Actions”) pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, other than any such Action that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this
Agreement, there are no Actions pending, or to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries that would prevent,
materially delay or materially impede the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries nor any of their respective assets, rights or properties is or are
subject to any Order except for those that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this
Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of their
respective assets, rights or properties is or are subject to any Order that
would prevent, materially delay or materially impede the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. As of the date of this
Agreement, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no SEC inquiries or
investigations, other governmental inquiries or investigations or internal
investigations pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, in each
case regarding any accounting practices of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any malfeasance by any executive officer of the
Company.
SECTION 3.10 Employee Benefit
Plans.
(a) Section
3.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list, as
of the date of this Agreement, of each material Company Plan; provided, however, that any
such plan that is maintained primarily for the benefit of Company Employees
based outside of the United States (referred to as “Non-US Plans”) shall
be identified and listed on the Company Disclosure Schedule within 20 business
days following the date of this Agreement. As used herein, the term
“Company Plan”
shall mean each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)), including
any plan that is a “multiemployer plan,” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA
(“Multiemployer
Plan”), and each other equity incentive, compensation, severance,
employment, change-in-control, retention, fringe benefit, collective bargaining,
bonus, incentive, savings, retirement, deferred compensation, or other benefit
plan, agreement, program, policy or arrangement, whether or not subject to ERISA
(including any related funding mechanism), under which (i) any current or former
employee, officer, director, contractor or consultant of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries (“Company Employees”)
has any present or
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future
right to benefits and which are entered into, contributed to, sponsored by or
maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (ii) the Company or any
of its subsidiaries has any present or future liability.
(b) With
respect to each material Company Plan, the Company has made available to
Holdings a current, accurate and complete copy thereof (or, if a plan is not
written, a written description thereof) and, to the extent applicable,
(i) any related trust agreement or other funding instrument, (ii) the
most recent determination letter, if any, received from the Internal Revenue
Service (the “IRS”), (iii) any
summary plan description and, with respect to retiree welfare arrangements, any
other communication by the Company or any of its subsidiaries concerning the
extent of such benefits, and (iv) for the most recent year (A) the Form
5500 and attached schedules, (B) audited financial statements and
(C) actuarial valuation reports, if any; provided, however, that with
respect to any material Non-U.S. Plans, the Company will make such material
Non-U.S. Plans available to Holdings within twenty (20) business days following
the date of this Agreement.
(c) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect:
(i) Each
Company Plan has been established and administered in accordance with its terms
and in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and other
applicable laws, rules and regulations;
(ii) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any entity that is a member of
their respective “controlled groups” (within the meaning of Section 414 of the
Code (an “ERISA
Affiliate”)) has any liability with respect to, or has at any time
contributed or had an obligation to contribute to, any Multiemployer
Plan;
(iii) Each
Company Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code
is so qualified and has received a determination letter to that effect from the
Internal Revenue Service and, to the knowledge of the Company, no circumstances
exist which would reasonably be expected to adversely affect such qualification
or exemption;
(iv) Each
Company Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as defined
under Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code) has been operated and administered in good
faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and related Treasury guidance
thereunder;
(v) No
event has occurred and no condition exists that would subject the Company or any
of its subsidiaries, either directly or by reason of their affiliation with any
of their respective ERISA Affiliates, to any tax, fine, lien, penalty or other
liability imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable Laws; no “reportable
event” (as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA), no nonexempt
“prohibited transaction” (as such term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA
and Section 4975 of the Code), and no “accumulated funding deficiency” or
failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of
Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code (whether or not
waived)) has occurred with respect to any Company
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Plan;
and there has been no determination that any Company Plan is, or is expected to
be, in “at risk” status within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA;
(vi) All
contributions to Company Plans that were required to be made under such Company
Plans have been made, and all benefits accrued under any unfunded Company Plan
have been paid, accrued or otherwise adequately reserved to the extent required
by, and in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles, and the
Company has performed all obligations required to be performed under all Company
Plans; and with respect to each Company Plan that is funded wholly or partially
through an insurance policy, all premiums required to have been paid under the
insurance policy have been paid; and
(vii) (A)
Each Non-U.S. Plan has been operated in accordance, and is in compliance, in all
respects, with all applicable laws and has been operated in accordance, and are
in compliance, with its terms; (B) each Non-U.S. Plan that is required to be
funded is funded to the extent required by applicable law, and with respect to
all other Non-U.S. Plans, adequate reserves therefore have been established on
the accounting statements of the applicable Company or subsidiary entity; and
(C) no liability or obligation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists
with respect to such Non-U.S. Plans that has not been disclosed on Section
3.10(c)(vii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
(d) With
respect to each Company Plan, (A) no Actions (other than routine claims for
benefits in the ordinary course) are pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened, (B) no facts or circumstances exist that could give rise to
any such Actions, (C) no written or oral communication has been received
from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”) (or comparable
agency under non-U.S. Law) in respect of any Company Plan subject to
Title IV of ERISA (or a comparable scheme under non-U.S. Law) concerning
the funded status of any such plan or any transfer of assets and liabilities
from any such plan in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, and
(D) no administrative investigation, audit or other administrative
proceeding (including amnesty proceedings) by the Department of Labor, the PBGC,
the Internal Revenue Service or any other governmental agencies (U.S. or
non-U.S.) are pending, threatened or in progress (including, without limitation,
any routine requests for information from the PBGC).
(e) Except
as set forth on Section 3.10(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
execution of, delivery of, or performance by the Company of its obligations in
respect of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement will not (either
alone or in connection with any other event) (A) result in any severance pay or
any increase in severance pay, (B) accelerate the time of payment, funding
(through a grantor trust or otherwise), or vesting of any compensation or
benefits, result in any payment or funding (through a grantor trust or
otherwise) of any compensation or benefits, or increase the amount payable under
or result in any other material obligation pursuant to any of the Company Plans,
or (C) result in any prohibited transaction described in Section 406 of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code for which an exemption is not available.
(f) Except
as identified on Section 3.10(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are
no Company Plans and there are no other Contracts, plans, agreements or
arrangements (written or otherwise) covering any current or former employee,
director, officer,
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consultant,
stockholder or independent contractor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
that, individually or collectively, could give rise to the payment of any amount
or benefit that would not be deductible pursuant to the terms of Section 280G of
the Code, or that could give rise to the imposition of an excise tax under
Section 4999 of the Code.
SECTION 3.11 Labor and Employment
Matters.
(a) Neither
the Company nor any subsidiary is a party to any collective bargaining agreement
with any labor organization or other representative of any Company Employees,
nor is any such agreement presently being negotiated by the
Company. As of the date of this Agreement, to the knowledge of the
Company, there are no union organizing activities concerning any Company
Employees. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect, there are no unfair labor practice charges,
grievances or complaints pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries
before the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal
or authority, domestic or foreign. Except as would not, individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, there are no strikes, work
stoppages, slowdowns, lockouts, arbitrations or grievances, or other labor
disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing
against or involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(b) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
during the preceding two (2) years, the Company has not effectuated a “plant
closing” (as defined in Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act,
“WARN”) or a
“mass lay-off” (as defined in WARN), in either case affecting any site of
employment or facility of the Company, except in accordance with
WARN.
SECTION 3.12 Insurance. Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
all material insurance policies of the Company and its subsidiaries (a) are in
full force and effect and provide insurance in such amounts and against such
risks as is sufficient to comply with applicable law, (b) neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries is in breach or default, and neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries has taken any action or failed to take any action which,
with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default, or
permit termination or modification of, any of such insurance policies, and (c)
no notice of cancellation or termination has been received with respect to any
such policy other than those received in the ordinary course of
business.
SECTION 3.13 Properties.
(a) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
the Company or one of its subsidiaries has good title to all the properties and
assets reflected in the latest audited balance sheet included in the SEC Reports
as being owned by the Company or one of its subsidiaries or acquired after the
date thereof that are material to the Company's business on a consolidated basis
(except properties sold or otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), free and clear of
all Liens other than Permitted Liens.
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(b) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) each lease, sublease or license pursuant to which the Company and its
subsidiaries leases, subleases or licenses any real property (the “Leases”) is a valid
and binding obligation on the Company and each of its subsidiaries party thereto
and, to the knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto and is in full
force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms; (ii) there is no
breach or default under any Lease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or,
to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto; (iii) no event has
occurred that with or without the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both
would constitute a breach or default under any Lease by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto;
and (iv) the Company or one of its subsidiaries that is either the tenant,
subtenant or licensee named under the Lease has a good and valid leasehold
interest in each parcel of real property which is subject to a Lease and is in
possession of the properties purported to be leased, subleased or licensed
thereunder.
(c) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) the Company or one of its Subsidiaries has good and marketable fee simple
title to all real property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (the
“Owned Real
Property”) and to all of the buildings, structures and other improvements
thereon free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens; (ii) neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries has leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise granted any
person the right to use or occupy the Owned Real Property which lease, license
or grant is currently in effect or collaterally assigned or granted any other
security interest in the Owned Real Property which assignment or security
interest is currently in effect; (iii) there are no outstanding agreements,
options, rights of first offer or rights of first refusal on the part of any
party to purchase any Owned Real Property; and (iv) there is not pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened any condemnation proceedings related to
any of the Owned Real Property.
SECTION 3.14 Tax
Matters.
(a) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) all Tax Returns required to be filed (taking into account applicable
extensions) by the Company or any of its subsidiaries have been properly filed
and all such Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate; (ii) all Taxes due
from the Company or any of its subsidiaries have been timely paid (whether or
not shown on any Tax Return) or, where payment is not yet due, the Company has
made adequate provision for such Taxes in the Company’s financial statements (in
accordance with generally accepted accounting practices); (iii) there are no
Liens for Taxes on any asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other
than for current Taxes not yet due and payable or for Taxes that are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate
reserves in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles have been
made in the Company’s financial statements; and (iv) all amounts required to
have been collected or withheld from any payment by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries have been duly collected or withheld, and have been duly remitted
or deposited in accordance with law.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim
with respect to any liability for Taxes of the Company or any of its
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subsidiaries
or with respect to any failure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to
properly prepare or file any Tax Returns, which claim remains unpaid or
unsettled. No unresolved written claim has been made by any
Governmental Entity in any jurisdiction in which the Company or any subsidiary
does not currently file Tax Returns that the Company or such subsidiary may be
subject to Tax in that jurisdiction. There is no pending or
threatened action, audit, proceeding or investigation relating to Taxes of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or with respect to compliance with Tax Return
requirements by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) has been a member of a group filing
Tax Returns on a consolidated, combined, unitary or similar basis (other than a
consolidated group of which the Company was the common parent), (ii) has any
liability for Taxes of any person (other than the Company, or any subsidiary of
the Company) under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar
provision of state, local or foreign law), as a transferee or successor, by
contract or otherwise or (iii) is a party to, bound by or has any liability
under any Tax sharing, allocation or indemnification agreement or
arrangement.
(d) There
is no outstanding written request, with respect to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, for any extension of time within which to pay any Taxes or file or
provide any Tax Returns. There is no outstanding waiver, with respect
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, of any statute of limitations for the
assessment or collection of any material Taxes. There are no requests
for rulings in respect of Taxes in relation to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries that are pending with any Governmental Entity. Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have received a ruling from any
Governmental Entity regarding Taxes which remains in effect.
(e) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is required to include in income any
adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code or any similar provision of state,
local or foreign Law by reason of a change in accounting method.
(f) Since
January 1, 2003, the Company has not been the “distributing corporation” (within
the meaning of Section 355(e)(2) of the Code) with respect to a transaction
described in Section 355 of the Code.
(g) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has participated in a “listed
transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section
1.6011-4(b).
SECTION 3.15 Proxy
Statement. None
of the information supplied or to be supplied by the Company for inclusion or
incorporation by reference in the proxy statement to be sent to the stockholders
of the Company in connection with the Stockholders Meeting (such proxy
statement, as amended or supplemented, the “Proxy Statement”)
will, at the date it is first mailed to the stockholders of the Company and at
the time of the Stockholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The Proxy
Statement will, at the date it is first mailed to stockholders and at the time
of the Stockholders Meeting, comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no
representation
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or
warranty with respect to any information supplied by Holdings or Merger Sub or
any of their respective affiliates or representatives which is contained or
incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement.
SECTION 3.16 Opinion of Financial
Advisors. Each
of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Company, L.L.C. (the “Financial Advisors”)
has delivered to the Board of Directors of the Company its written opinion (or
an oral opinion to be confirmed in writing) that, as of the date of this
Agreement, the Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to
the holders of the Common Stock and the Class B Common Stock (excluding Parent
and its affiliates).
SECTION 3.17 Brokers. No
broker, finder or investment banker (other than the Financial Advisors) is
entitled to any brokerage, finder's or other fee or commission in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements
made by and on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The
Company has made available to Holdings complete and correct copies of the
agreements between the Company and the Financial Advisors pursuant to which the
Financial Advisors would be entitled to any payments relating to this Agreement,
the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and such
agreements are the only agreements providing for the payment of any
consideration to the Financial Advisors with respect to this Agreement, the
Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
SECTION 3.18 Takeover Statutes; Rights
Plans.
(a) No
“fair price”, “moratorium”, “control share acquisition”, “business combination”
or other similar antitakeover statute or regulation (including Section 203 of
the DGCL) enacted under any federal, state, local or foreign laws applicable to
the Company (collectively, the “Anti-Takeover
Statutes”) or any anti-takeover provision in the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws is applicable to this Agreement, the Merger or the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) The
Company has amended the Rights Plan, effective as of the execution of this
Agreement, in accordance with its terms (i) to render the Rights Plan
inapplicable to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) so that
the Company Rights will expire immediately prior to the Effective Time, provided
that, in the case of this clause (ii), no Distribution Date (as defined in the
Rights Plan) or Stock Acquisition Date (as defined in the Rights Plan) shall
have occurred.
SECTION 3.19 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
(i) the Company and its subsidiaries own or have the right to use all
Intellectual Property used in their businesses as currently conducted, free and
clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens) and will have the same rights
after the Closing Date; (ii) all Intellectual Property registrations and
applications owned by the Company and its subsidiaries are subsisting and
unexpired, not cancelled or abandoned, and are valid; (iii) the conduct of the
Company
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and
its subsidiaries’ businesses does not infringe, dilute, misappropriate or
violate (“Infringe”) the
Intellectual Property of any person and their Intellectual Property is not being
Infringed by any person; (iv) the Company and its subsidiaries take commercially
reasonable efforts to protect the confidentiality of their trade secrets; (v) no
Action is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened (including
“cease and desist” letters or invitations to take a patent license) against the
Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to Intellectual Property; and
(vi) the Company and its subsidiaries use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause all persons who contribute to material proprietary Intellectual Property
owned by the Company or its subsidiaries to assign to the Company or its
subsidiaries all of their rights therein that do not vest in the Company or its
subsidiaries by operation of Law.
(b) “Intellectual
Property” means all intellectual property, including all (i) patents,
utility models, inventions, proprietary technology and know-how; (ii)
trademarks, trade names, trade dress, logos, corporate names, domain names,
service marks and other source indicators, including all goodwill associated
therewith; (iii) copyrights (including copyrights in software, databases,
product artwork, website content and advertising and promotional materials); and
(iv) trade secrets and confidential or proprietary recipes, processes, formulae,
techniques, product research and information.
SECTION 3.20 Environmental
Matters.
(a) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries comply and have since January
1, 2006 complied with all applicable Environmental Laws (as defined below), and
possess and comply with all applicable Environmental Permits (as defined below)
required to carry on their businesses as they are now being conducted;
(ii) there are no Materials of Environmental Concern (as defined below)
at, in or under or that have been Released (as defined below) to or from any
property currently or, to the knowledge of the Company, formerly owned, leased
or operated by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, under circumstances that
have resulted in or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries under any applicable Environmental Law;
(iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any
unresolved written notification alleging that it is liable for any Release or
threatened Release of Materials of Environmental Concern at any location;
(iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any
written claim or complaint, or is subject to any proceeding, relating to
noncompliance with Environmental Laws or any other liabilities pursuant to
Environmental Laws, and no such matter has been threatened in writing to the
knowledge of the Company; and (v) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has agreed to indemnify or hold harmless or, to the knowledge of
the Company, assumed responsibility for any person for any liability or
obligation, arising under or relating to Environmental Laws.
(b) For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned
below:
“Environmental Laws”
shall mean all foreign, federal, state, local or provincial, civil and criminal
Laws and Orders relating to the protection of health (to the extent relating to
exposure to Materials of Environmental Concern) or the environment (including
air, soil, surface water or groundwater), worker health (to the extent relating
to exposure to Materials of
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Environmental
Concern) or governing the handling, use, generation, treatment, storage,
transportation, disposal, manufacture, distribution, formulation, packaging,
labeling, or Release of or exposure to Materials of Environmental
Concern.
“Environmental
Permits” shall mean all permits, licenses, registrations, and other
authorizations required under applicable Environmental Laws.
“Materials of Environmental
Concern” shall mean petroleum, petroleum hydrocarbons or petroleum
products, petroleum by-products, radioactive materials, asbestos or
asbestos-containing materials, pesticides, radon, urea formaldehyde, toxic mold,
lead or lead-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls; and any other
chemicals, materials, substances or wastes in any amount or concentration which
are included in the definition of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous materials,”
“hazardous wastes,” “extremely hazardous wastes,” “restricted hazardous wastes,”
“toxic substances,” “toxic pollutants,” “pollutants,” “solid wastes,” or
“contaminants” or words of similar import under any applicable Environmental
Law.
“Release” means any
spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting,
escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing of a Material of Environmental
Concern.
SECTION 3.21 Contracts.
(a) Section
3.21(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists the following Contracts to
which, as of the date of this Agreement, the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or by which any of them is bound: (i) any Contract that is required
to be filed by the Company as a “material contract” pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)
of Regulation S-K; (ii) any Contract of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(other than purchase orders for the purchases of inventory, services or
equipment in the ordinary course of business, this Agreement or Contracts
subject to clause (iv) below) having an aggregate value per Contract, or
involving payments by or to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, of more than
$50,000,000 on an annual basis or $100,000,000 over the term of the Contract,
except for any such Contract that may be canceled without penalty by the Company
or any of its subsidiaries upon notice of 60 days or less; (iii) any Contract
containing covenants binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that
restricts the ability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or which,
following the consummation of the Merger, could restrict the ability of the
Surviving Corporation or any of its affiliates) to compete in any business, or
with any person or in any geographic area where, in each case, such restrictions
are material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for
any such Contract that may be canceled without penalty by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries upon notice of 60 days or less; (iv) any Contract with respect
to any joint venture, partnership or similar arrangements that is material to
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (v) any Contract that
prohibits the payment of dividends or distributions in respect of capital stock
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, prohibits the pledging of capital
stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or prohibits the issuance of
guarantees by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (vi) any Contract pursuant
to which any indebtedness for borrowed money with a principal amount in excess
of $20,000,000 of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is outstanding or may
be incurred, and all guarantees by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any
indebtedness for borrowed money with a
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principal
amount in excess of $20,000,000 of any person (other than the Company or any
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company); (vii) any Contract (or a related series
of Contracts) for the acquisition or disposition by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries of assets with a value of more than $20,000,000 or with respect to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has continuing indemnification,
“earn-out” or other contingent payment obligations, in each case, that would
reasonably be expected to result in payments in excess of $50,000,000; and
(viii) any Contract that would prevent, materially delay or materially impede
the Company's ability to consummate the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Each such Contract described in
clauses (i) through (viii) is referred to herein as a “Material
Contract”.
(b) Each
of the Material Contracts is valid and binding on the Company and each of its
subsidiaries party thereto and is in full force and effect, except for such
failures to be valid and binding or to be in full force and effect that would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There is
no breach or default under any Material Contract by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto and no
event has occurred that with or without the lapse of time or the giving of
notice or both would constitute a breach or default thereunder by the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party
thereto, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.22 Affiliate
Transactions. No
executive officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
person owning 5% or more of the Common Shares or Class B Common Shares (or any
of such person’s immediate family members or affiliates or associates) is a
party to any Contract with or binding upon the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their respective assets, rights or properties or has any
interest in any property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or has
engaged in any transaction with any of the foregoing within the last twelve
months, in each case, that is of the type that would be required to be disclosed
under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.
SECTION 3.23 No Additional
Representations. Except
as otherwise expressly set forth in this Article III, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries nor any other person acting on their behalf makes any
representations or warranties of any kind or nature, express or implied in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has made
or makes any representation or warranty with respect to any projections,
estimates or budgets made available to Holdings, Merger Sub or their affiliates
of future revenues, future results of operations (or any component thereof),
future cash flows or future financial condition (or any component thereof) of
the Company and its subsidiaries or the future business and operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries unless any such information is expressly included
in a representation or warranty contained in this Article III.
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ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF
HOLDINGS
AND MERGER SUB
Holdings
and Merger Sub hereby, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the
Company that, except as set forth on the Disclosure Schedule delivered by
Holdings and Merger Sub to the Company prior to the execution of this Agreement
(the “Holdings
Disclosure Schedule”), it being understood and agreed that each item in a
particular section of the Holdings Disclosure Schedule applies only to such
section and to any other section to which its relevance is reasonably
apparent:
SECTION 4.1 Organization. Each
of Holdings and Merger Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and
in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is
incorporated and has the requisite corporate power and authority to own, operate
or lease its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being
conducted, except where the failure to be so organized, existing or in good
standing or to have such power or authority would not prevent, materially delay
or materially impede the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. As of the date of this Agreement, Holdings owns
beneficially and of record all of the outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub
free and clear of any Liens.
SECTION 4.2 Authority. Each
of Holdings and Merger Sub has all necessary corporate power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of Holdings and Merger Sub
and the consummation by each of Holdings and Merger Sub of the transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary
action by the respective Boards of Directors of Holdings and Merger Sub and,
prior to the Effective Time, will be duly and validly authorized by all
necessary action by Holdings as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, and no other
corporate proceedings on the part of Holdings or Merger Sub or their affiliates
are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by Holdings and
Merger Sub and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by
the Company, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of
Holdings and Merger Sub enforceable against each of Holdings and Merger Sub in
accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
SECTION 4.3 No Conflict; Required
Filings and Consents.
(a) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Holdings
and Merger Sub do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate the
respective certificates of incorporation or bylaws of Holdings or Merger Sub,
(ii) assuming that all consents, approvals and authorizations contemplated by
clauses (i) through (v) of subsection (b) below have been obtained, and all
filings described in such clauses have been made, conflict with or violate any
Law or Order applicable to Holdings or Merger Sub or by which either of them or
any of their
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respective
assets, rights or properties are bound or (iii) result in any breach or
violation of or constitute a default (or an event which with or without notice
or lapse of time or both would become a default) or result in the loss of a
benefit under, or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation, amendment
or acceleration of, any Contracts to which Holdings or Merger Sub is a party or
by which Holdings or Merger Sub or any of their respective assets, rights or
properties are bound or affected, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii),
for any such conflict, violation, breach, default, acceleration, loss, right or
other occurrence which would not prevent, materially delay or materially impede
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of Holdings and
Merger Sub and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by each
of Holdings and Merger Sub do not and will not require any consent, approval,
authorization or permit of, action by, filing with or notification to, any
Governmental Entity, except for (i) the applicable requirements, if any, of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the HSR
Act, (ii) the applicable requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, (iii) the
filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate
of Merger as required by the DGCL, (iv) the applicable requirements of Foreign
Antitrust Laws and (v) any such consent, approval, authorization, permit,
action, filing or notification the failure of which to make or obtain would not
prevent, materially delay or materially impede the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 4.4 Absence of
Litigation. As
of the date of this Agreement, there are no Actions pending or, to the knowledge
of Holdings, threatened against Holdings or any of its subsidiaries, other than
any such Action that would not prevent, materially delay or materially impede
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. As of the
date of this Agreement, neither Holdings nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of
their respective assets, rights or properties is or are subject to any Order
that would prevent, materially delay or materially impede the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 4.5 Proxy
Statement. None
of the information supplied or to be supplied by Holdings or Merger Sub for
inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement will, at the date
it is first mailed to the stockholders of the Company and at the time of the
Stockholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
are made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Holdings and
Merger Sub make no representation or warranty with respect to any information
supplied by the Company or any of its representatives which is contained or
incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement.
SECTION 4.6 Brokers. No
broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder's or
other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement based upon arrangements made by and on behalf of Holdings or Merger
Sub or any of their affiliates for which the Company could have any liability
prior to the Effective Time.
SECTION 4.7 Financing. Holdings
has delivered to the Company true and complete fully executed copies of (i) the
commitment letter, dated as of April 28, 2008, between
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Holdings
and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Credit Partners L.P., including all exhibits, schedules and
amendments to such letter in effect as of the date of this Agreement (the “Senior Debt Commitment
Letter”), and the commitment letter, dated as of April 28, 2008, between
Parent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., including all
exhibits, schedules and amendments to such letter in effect as of the date of
this Agreement (together with the Senior Debt Commitment Letter, the “Debt Financing Commitment
Letters”), pursuant to which and subject to the terms and conditions
thereof each of the parties thereto (other than Holdings and Parent) has agreed
to lend the amounts set forth therein (the “Debt Financing”) for
the purpose of funding the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (ii)
the equity commitment letter, dated as of April 28, 2008, by and between
Holdings and Parent, including all exhibits, schedules and amendments to such
letter in effect as of the date of this Agreement (the “Parent Equity Commitment
Letter”), pursuant to which and subject to the terms and conditions
thereof Parent has committed to invest the amount set forth therein, and the
commitment letter, dated as of April 25, 2008, by Berkshire Hathaway Inc.,
including all exhibits, schedules and amendments to such letter in effect as of
the date of this Agreement (together with the Parent Equity Commitment Letter,
the “Equity Financing
Commitment Letters” and together with the Debt Financing Commitment
Letters, the “Financing Commitments
Letters”), pursuant to which and subject to the terms and conditions
thereof Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has committed to invest the amounts set forth
therein (the “Equity
Financing” and together with the Debt Financing, the “Financing”). None
of the Financing Commitment Letters has been amended, restated or otherwise
modified prior to the date of this Agreement, and the respective commitments
contained in the Financing Commitment Letters have not been withdrawn, modified
or rescinded in any respect prior to the date of this Agreement. As
of the date of this Agreement, each of the Financing Commitment Letters is in
full force and effect and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations
of each of Holdings and Parent, as applicable, and, to the knowledge of
Holdings, the other parties thereto. There are no conditions
precedent (including pursuant to any “flex” provisions) related to the funding
of the full amount of the Financing, other than as expressly set forth in the
Financing Commitment Letters. Subject to the terms and conditions of
the Financing Commitment Letters, assuming the accuracy of the Company’s
representations and warranties contained in Section 3.3 and Section 3.17 and
assuming compliance by the Company with its covenants contained in Sections
5.1(b), (c), (d) and (h) herein, the aggregate proceeds to be disbursed pursuant
to the agreements contemplated by the Financing Commitment Letters will be
sufficient for Holdings and the Surviving Corporation to pay the aggregate
Merger Consideration and to pay all related fees and expenses, including payment
of all amounts under Article II of this Agreement. As of the date of
this Agreement, (i) assuming the accuracy of the Company’s representations and
warranties contained in Section 3.8(a) hereof, no event has occurred which would
constitute a breach or default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time
or both would constitute a default), in each case, on the part of Holdings or
Parent under the Financing Commitment Letters or, to the knowledge of Holdings
and Merger Sub, any other party to the Financing Commitment Letters, and (ii)
subject to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in Sections 7.1 and 7.2,
Holdings does not have any reason to believe that any of the conditions to the
Financing will not be satisfied or that the Financing will not be available to
Holdings on the Closing Date. Holdings and Parent have fully paid all
commitment fees or other fees required to be paid prior to the date of this
Agreement pursuant to the Financing Commitment Letters.
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SECTION 4.8 Operations of Holdings and
Merger Sub. Each
of Holdings and Merger Sub has been formed solely for the purpose of engaging in
the transactions contemplated hereby and prior to the Effective Time will have
engaged in no other business activities and will have incurred no liabilities or
obligations other than as contemplated herein.
SECTION 4.9 Solvency. As
of the Effective Time, assuming (A) satisfaction of the conditions to Holdings’
and Merger Sub’s obligation to consummate the Merger, or waiver of such
conditions, (B) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
Company set forth in Article III hereof (for such purposes, such representations
and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects without giving
effect to any “knowledge”, materiality or “Material Adverse Effect”
qualification or exception), and (C) any estimates, projections or forecasts
provided by the Company to Holdings prior to the Effective Time have been
prepared in good faith on assumptions that were and continue to be reasonable,
immediately after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including the Financing, the payment of the Merger Consideration, the
funding of any obligations of the Surviving Corporation or its subsidiaries
which become due or payable by the Surviving Corporation or its subsidiaries in
connection with, or as a result of, the Merger, and the payment of all related
fees and expenses), (i) the Surviving Corporation will not have incurred debts
beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature or become due, (ii) the then
present fair saleable value of the assets of the Surviving Corporation and its
subsidiaries will exceed the amount that will be required to pay their existing
debts (including the probable amount of all contingent liabilities) as such
debts become absolute and matured, (iii) the assets of the Surviving Corporation
and its subsidiaries at a fair valuation will exceed their debts (including the
probable amount of all contingent liabilities) and (iv) the Surviving
Corporation will not have unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as
proposed to be conducted following the Closing Date. No transfer of
property is being made and no obligation is being incurred in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereby, in either case, with the intent to hinder,
delay or defraud either present or future creditors of Holdings, Merger Sub, the
Company or any subsidiary of the Company.
SECTION 4.10 Share
Ownership. As
of the date of this Agreement, except as set forth in Section 4.10 of the
Holdings Disclosure Schedule, Holdings, Merger Sub and their respective
affiliates do not beneficially own, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the
Exchange Act, any Shares.
SECTION 4.11 No Additional
Representations. Except
as otherwise expressly set forth in this Article IV, neither Holdings, Merger
Sub nor any other person acting on behalf of Holdings or Merger Sub makes any
representations or warranties of any kind or nature, express or implied, in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE
IVA
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT
Parent
hereby represents and warrants to the Company that:
SECTION
4.1A Authority. Parent
has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. The
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execution
and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and the performance of its obligations
hereunder have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary action by the
Board of Directors of Parent, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of
Parent is necessary to authorize the execution or delivery of this Agreement or
the performance of its obligations hereunder by Parent. This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by Parent and,
assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Company,
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Parent enforceable against
Parent in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar
laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
SECTION
4.2A No
Conflict. The execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by Parent do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate the
certificate of incorporation or bylaws of Parent, (ii) conflict with or violate
any Law or Order applicable to Parent or by which it or any of its assets,
rights or properties are bound or (iii) result in any breach or violation of or
constitute a default (or an event which with or without notice or lapse of time
or both would become a default) or result in the loss of a benefit under, or
give rise to any right of termination, cancellation, amendment or acceleration
of, any Contracts to which Parent is a party or by which Parent or any of its
assets, rights or properties are bound or affected.
SECTION
4.3A Consents. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Parent do not and will
not require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, action by, filing
with or notification to, any Governmental Entity.
SECTION
4.4A No
Additional Representations. Except as otherwise expressly set
forth in this Article IVA, neither Parent nor any other person acting on behalf
of Parent makes any representations or warranties of any kind or nature, express
or implied, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
V
CONDUCT
OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
SECTION 5.1 Conduct of Business of the
Company Pending the Merger. The
Company covenants and agrees that, during the period from the date of this
Agreement until the Effective Time, except as expressly contemplated by this
Agreement or as required by Law, or unless Holdings shall otherwise consent in
writing, the business of the Company and its subsidiaries shall only be
conducted in its ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and
the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve
substantially intact its and its subsidiaries' business organization, to keep
available the services of its and its subsidiaries’ current officers and
employees, to preserve its and its subsidiaries’ present relationships with
customers, suppliers, distributors and other persons with which it has material
business relations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, except as otherwise
expressly contemplated by this
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Agreement,
as set forth in Section 5.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or as required by
Law, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall, directly or
indirectly, without the prior written consent of Holdings:
(a) amend
or otherwise change its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or any similar
governing instruments;
(b) except
for transactions solely between the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries,
or between wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company (other than such
transactions that would be reasonably expected to result in a material increase
in the net Tax liability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole),
issue, deliver, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant, award or encumber any shares of
capital stock, ownership interests or voting securities, or any options,
warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire or
receive any shares of capital stock, any other ownership interests or any voting
securities (including restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, phantom
stock or similar instruments), of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (except
for (A) the issuance of Shares upon the exercise of Options or in respect of the
settlement of Stock Units, in each case outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement and as required by the terms of any Company Plan, or (B) issuances in
accordance with the Rights Plan), or take any action to cause to be exercisable
any otherwise unexercisable options outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement;
(c) declare,
authorize, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in
cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock
(except for (i) regular quarterly cash dividends on Company Common Stock in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with declaration,
record and payment dates substantially the same as, but no earlier than, such
dates for the comparable quarterly period in the fiscal year ended December 31,
2007, not to exceed, in the case of any such quarterly dividend, $0.335 per
Share) or (ii) any dividend or distribution by a subsidiary of the Company to
the Company or wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company); provided that no
quarterly dividend shall be declared with respect to the fiscal quarter in which
the Effective Time occurs unless the Effective Time will occur after the record
date which would be the record date for such regularly quarterly dividend in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(d) adjust,
recapitalize, reclassify, combine, split, subdivide, redeem, purchase or
otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of the Company or any subsidiary
that is not wholly-owned (other than the acquisition of Shares tendered by
employees or former employees in connection with a cashless exercise of Options
or in order to pay taxes, or for the Company to satisfy withholding obligations
in respect of such taxes, in connection with the exercise of Options or the
lapse of restrictions in respect of Restricted Stock or Stock Units, in each
case pursuant to the terms of a Company Plan), or adjust, recapitalize,
reclassify,
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combine,
split or subdivide any capital stock or other ownership interests of any of the
Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries;
(e) (i)
acquire (whether by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets or
otherwise) any corporation, partnership or other business organization or
division thereof or any assets if the aggregate amount of the consideration paid
in connection with all such transactions, would exceed $50,000,000, other than
purchases of inventory in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice or pursuant to a Contract set forth on Section 5.1(e)(i) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, and for the avoidance of doubt, other than capital
expenditure permitted pursuant to clause (iii) of this paragraph;
(ii) sell, assign, transfer, lease, license or otherwise dispose of
(whether by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets or
otherwise) or mortgage or pledge, or suffer to exist any Lien on, any
corporation, partnership or other business organization or division thereof or
any other assets if the value of the assets included in any such transaction
would exceed $25,000,000, or the aggregate value of the assets included in all
such transactions would exceed $50,000,000, other than sales or dispositions of
inventory in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(iii) other than capital expenditures, in the aggregate, not to exceed
$10,000,000, authorize or make any capital expenditures (A) during fiscal year
2008 in excess of the amount reflected in the Company’s capital expenditure
budget attached to Section 5.1(e)(iii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or (B)
during fiscal year 2009, or portion thereof, in excess of an amount equal to the
portion of fiscal year 2009 that has elapsed multiplied by the amount of capital
expenditures for fiscal year 2008 as reflected in the Company’s capital
expenditure budget attached to Section 5.1(e)(iii) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule; or (iv) enter into any new line of business;
(f) make
any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other
person in excess of $15,000,000 in the aggregate, other than by the Company or
any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company to or in the Company or any
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company;
(g)
(i) enter into, amend in any material respect, modify in any material respect,
or terminate any Contract that is a Material Contract or would have been a
Material Contract if it had been in effect on the date of this Agreement, other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii)
enter into, amend in any respect, modify in any respect or terminate or engage
in any transactions with any executive officer or director of the Company, any
person owning 5% or more of the Common Shares or Class B Common Shares or any
relative of any such person or any entity directly or indirectly controlled by
such person;
(h) incur
or modify in any material respect the terms of any indebtedness for borrowed
money, or assume, guarantee or endorse, or otherwise as an accommodation become
responsible for, the obligations of any person, other than a
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wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company and other than pursuant to the Company’s existing
commercial paper program so long as the borrowings outstanding under such
program do not exceed $432,000,000 at any time;
(i) except
(i) as set forth in Section 5.1(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or (ii) to
the extent required under any Company Plan as in effect on the date of this
Agreement or as required by applicable law, (a) increase the compensation
(including bonus opportunities) or fringe benefits of any of its directors,
executive officers or employees (except in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice with respect to employees who are not directors,
executive officers or parties to a severance agreement with the Company), (b)
grant any severance or termination pay, (c) enter into any employment,
consulting, change-in-control or severance agreement or arrangement with any of
its present or former directors, executive officers, or employees (except in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with respect to
employees who are not directors, executive officers or parties to a severance
agreement with the Company), (d) establish, adopt, enter into, freeze or amend
in any material respect or terminate any Company Plan; (e) pay, accrue or
certify performance level achievements at levels in excess of actually achieved
performance in respect of any component of an incentive-based award, or take any
affirmative action to amend or waive any performance or vesting criteria or
accelerate vesting, exercisability, distribution, settlement or funding under
any Company Plan; (f) take any action with respect to salary, compensation,
benefits or other terms and conditions of employment that would result in the
holder of a change in control or similar agreement having “good reason” to
terminate employment and collect severance payments and benefits pursuant to
such agreement; or (g) terminate the employment of any holder of a change in
control or similar agreement other than for “cause” (within the meaning of such
agreement);
(j) make
any material change in any accounting principles, except as may be required by
changes in statutory or regulatory accounting rules or generally accepted
accounting principles or regulatory requirements with respect
thereto;
(k) except
as required by applicable law, (i) prepare or file any material Tax Return
inconsistent with past practice or, on any such Tax Return, take any position,
make any election, or adopt any method of accounting that is materially
inconsistent with positions taken, elections made or methods of accounting used
in preparing or filing similar Tax Returns in prior periods; (ii) enter into any
settlement or compromise of any material Tax liability; (iii) file any material
amended Tax Return; (iv) change any annual Tax accounting period; (v) enter into
any closing agreement relating to any material amount of Taxes or consent to any
material claim or audit relating to Taxes; or (vi) surrender any right to claim
any material Tax refund;
(l) subject
to Section 6.16, settle or compromise any Action other than settlements or
compromises of any matter where (x) the amount paid in settlement
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or
compromise of such matter, in each case, does not exceed $2,000,000 (less the
amount reserved for such matters by the Company and any insurance coverage
applicable thereto) and (y) such settlement or compromise only involves monetary
relief;
(m) release
or permit the release of any person from, waive or permit the waiver of any
right under, fail to enforce any provision of, or grant any consent or make any
election under, any confidentiality, “standstill” or similar agreement to which
the Company or any subsidiary thereof is a party or take any action to redeem
the Company Rights or render the Company Rights inapplicable to an Acquisition
Proposal or the transactions contemplated thereby or take any action to exempt
any person other than Merger Sub and its affiliates from the restrictions on
“business combinations” contained in Section 203 of the DGCL, except, in each
case, to the extent the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined
in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that failure
to take such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under
applicable law, but in such case only after providing Holdings with prior
written notice of such determination;
(n) fail
to use reasonable best efforts to renew or maintain material existing insurance
policies or comparable replacement policies, other than in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice;
(o) (i)
adopt or enter into any plan of complete or partial liquidation or dissolution
of the Company or (ii) adopt or enter into any plan of complete or partial
liquidation or dissolution of any subsidiaries of the Company if, in the case of
this clause (ii), such liquidation or dissolution would (A) cause any material
amount of assets of any subsidiary of the Company to be held by any person other
than the Company or any of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries or (B) be
reasonably expected to result in a material increase in the net Tax liability of
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(p) take
any action that would, or would reasonably be expected to, individually or in
the aggregate, prevent, materially delay or materially impede the consummation
of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
or
(q) agree
to take (whether by Contract or otherwise) or authorize any of the actions
described in Sections 5.1(a) through 5.1(p).
SECTION 5.2 Conduct of Business of
Holdings and Merger Sub Pending the Merger. Each
of Holdings and Merger Sub agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and
the Effective Time, it shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action
(including requesting the Company to waive conditions to the Debt Tender Offers
or make changes to the Debt Tender Offers contemplated by Section 6.11(a)), if
the taking of such action would reasonably be expected to, individually or in
the aggregate, prevent, materially delay or materially impede the consummation
of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
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SECTION 5.3 No Control of Other Party's
Business. Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall give Holdings, directly or indirectly, the
right to control or direct the Company's or its subsidiaries' operations prior
to the Effective Time, and nothing contained in this Agreement shall give the
Company, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct Holdings’ or its
subsidiaries’ operations prior to the Effective Time. Prior to the
Effective Time, each of the Company and Holdings shall exercise, consistent with
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision
over its and its subsidiaries' respective operations.
ARTICLE
VI
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
SECTION 6.1 Stockholders
Meeting. As
soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, the
Company, acting through its Board of Directors, shall (a) take all action
necessary to duly call, give notice of, convene and hold a meeting of its
stockholders for the purpose of adopting this Agreement (the “Stockholders
Meeting”), (b) include in the Proxy Statement (i) that the Board of
Directors of the Company has determined that the Merger is in the best interests
of the Company and the stockholders of the Company, and declared advisable this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the
Merger), (ii) that the Board of Directors of the Company has approved this
Agreement in accordance with the DGCL, (iii) that the Board of Directors of the
Company recommends the adoption of this Agreement by the stockholders of the
Company (such recommendation described in this clause (iii), the “Recommendation”)
(except to the extent that the Company has effected a Change of Recommendation
in accordance with this Section 6.1) and (iv) subject to the consent of each of
the Financial Advisors, as applicable, the written opinions of the Financial
Advisors, dated as of the date of this Agreement, that, as of such date, the
Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of
the Company Common Stock and (c) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the
Company Requisite Votes (except to the extent that the Company has effected a
Change of Recommendation in accordance with this Section 6.1). The
Company will use reasonable best efforts to solicit from its stockholders
proxies in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and will take all other
action reasonably necessary or advisable to secure the Company Requisite Votes
(except to the extent that the Company has effected a Change of Recommendation
in accordance with this Section 6.1). The Company shall keep Holdings
and Merger Sub updated with respect to proxy solicitation results as reasonably
requested by Holdings or Merger Sub. Neither the Board of Directors
of the Company nor any committee thereof shall, directly or indirectly, withdraw
(or modify or qualify in a manner adverse to Holdings or Merger Sub), or
publicly propose to withdraw (or modify or qualify in a manner adverse to
Holdings or Merger Sub), the Recommendation (any such action being referred to
as a “Change of
Recommendation”); it being understood that any “stop, look and listen” or
similar communication of the type contemplated by Rule 14d-9(f) of the Exchange
Act shall not be deemed to be a Change of Recommendation); provided, that at any
time prior to obtaining the Company Requisite Votes, the Board of Directors of
the Company may effect a Change of Recommendation if (i) the Board of Directors
shall have determined in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal
counsel,
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that
such action is necessary in order for the Board of Directors to act in a manner
consistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law, and (ii) the Company
has provided Holdings with at least three business days' prior written notice of
such Change of Recommendation. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, unless this Agreement is terminated in
accordance with Section 8.1, the obligation of the Company to call, give notice
of, convene and hold the Stockholders Meeting as promptly as practicable after
the date of this Agreement shall not be limited or otherwise affected by the
commencement, disclosure, announcement or submission to it of any Acquisition
Proposal or by a Change of Recommendation.
SECTION 6.2 Proxy
Statement. As
soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, the Company
shall prepare and file with the SEC the Proxy Statement. Holdings,
Merger Sub and the Company will cooperate and consult with each other in the
preparation of the Proxy Statement. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, each of Holdings and Merger Sub will furnish to the Company
the information relating to it required by the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder to be set forth in the Proxy
Statement. The Company shall not file the preliminary Proxy
Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, without providing Holdings a
reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon (which comments shall be
reasonably considered by the Company). The Company shall use its
reasonable best efforts to resolve all SEC comments with respect to the Proxy
Statement as promptly as practicable after receipt thereof and to cause the
Proxy Statement in definitive form to be cleared by the SEC and mailed to the
Company’s stockholders as promptly as reasonably practicable following filing
with the SEC. The Company agrees to consult with Holdings prior to
responding to SEC comments with respect to the preliminary Proxy
Statement. Each of Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company agree to
correct any information provided by it for use in the Proxy Statement which
shall have become false or misleading. The Company shall as soon as
reasonably practicable (i) notify Holdings of the receipt of any comments from
the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement and any request by the SEC for any
amendment to the Proxy Statement or for additional information and (ii) provide
Holdings with copies of all written correspondence between the Company and its
Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC, on the other hand, with respect
to the Proxy Statement.
SECTION 6.3 Resignation of
Directors. At
the Closing, the Company shall deliver to Holdings evidence reasonably
satisfactory to Holdings of the resignation of all directors of the Company and,
as specified by Holdings reasonably in advance of the Closing, all directors of
each subsidiary of the Company, in each case, effective at the Effective
Time.
SECTION 6.4 Access to Information;
Confidentiality.
(a) From
the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time or the earlier termination of
this Agreement, upon reasonable prior written notice, the Company shall, and
shall cause its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and Representatives
to, afford the officers, employees and Representatives of Holdings and its
financing sources (and their Representatives) reasonable access, consistent with
applicable law, at all reasonable times to its officers, employees,
Representatives, properties, offices, and other facilities and to all books and
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records,
and shall furnish Holdings with all financial, operating and other data and
information as Holdings, through its officers, employees or Representatives, may
from time to time reasonably request in writing. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any such investigation or consultation shall be conducted in such a
manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the business or operations of the
Company or its subsidiaries or otherwise result in any significant interference
with the prompt and timely discharge by such employees of their normal
duties. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall be
required to provide access to or to disclose information where such access or
disclosure would jeopardize the attorney-client privilege of the Company or its
subsidiaries or contravene any Law or Order (it being agreed that the parties
shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause such information to be provided
in a manner that would not result in such jeopardy or
contravention).
(b) Each
of Holdings and Merger Sub will hold and treat and will cause its officers,
employees and Representatives to hold and treat in confidence all documents and
information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries furnished to Holdings or
Merger Sub or their affiliates in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement in accordance with the Confidentiality Agreement, dated April
18, 2008, between the Company and Parent (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”) which Confidentiality Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect in accordance with its terms.
SECTION 6.5 Acquisition
Proposals.
(a) The
Company agrees that (i) it and its officers and directors shall not,
(ii) its subsidiaries and its subsidiaries’ officers and directors shall
not and (iii) it shall use reasonable best efforts to ensure that its and
its subsidiaries’ investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, agents and other
representatives (“Representatives”)
shall not, (A) directly or indirectly, initiate, solicit or knowingly encourage
or facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer with respect
to (x) a tender offer or exchange offer, proposal for a merger, consolidation or
other business combination involving the Company and/or any of its
material subsidiaries or (y) any proposal or offer to acquire in any manner an
equity interest representing a 20% or greater economic or voting interest in the
Company or any of its material subsidiaries or the assets, securities or other
ownership interests of or in the Company or any of its subsidiaries representing
20% or more of the consolidated assets or net income of the Company and its
subsidiaries, other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (any
such proposal or offer being hereinafter referred to as an “Acquisition
Proposal”), or (B) directly or indirectly, engage in any negotiations or
discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, books and records
or any confidential information or data to, any person relating to an
Acquisition Proposal. The Company agrees that it will, and it will
cause its subsidiaries and Representatives to, immediately cease and cause to be
terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any persons
conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Proposal. The
Company shall (I) promptly (and in no event later than forty-eight (48) hours
after receipt) notify Holdings in writing of the receipt of any Acquisition
Proposal (or any request for information or other inquiry or request that could
reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal) after the date of
this Agreement, which notice shall include the identity of the person making
such Acquisition Proposal and set forth in reasonable details the material terms
and conditions thereof, (II) keep Holdings reasonably informed on a current
basis
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(and
in any event within forty-eight (48) hours of the occurrence of any material
changes, developments, discussions or negotiations, unless any such material
changes, developments, discussions or negotiations are received by the Company
in writing, then such time period shall be reduced to twenty-four (24) hours) of
the status and details (including any change to the financial or other material
terms thereof) of any such Acquisition Proposal, inquiry or request and (III)
provide Holdings as soon as practicable (and in any event within 24 hours) after
receipt thereof copies of any written Acquisition Proposal, inquiry or request
(including any amendments, modifications or supplements
thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this
Agreement shall prevent the Company or its Board of Directors from: (i) taking
and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 and
Rule 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any similar communication
to stockholders in connection with the making or amendment of a tender offer or
exchange offer) or from making any legally required disclosure to stockholders
with regard to an Acquisition Proposal (provided that neither the Company nor
its Board of Directors may make any Change of Recommendation unless permitted by
Section 6.1); (ii) prior to obtaining the Company Requisite Votes, providing
access to its properties, books and records and providing information or data
(provided that, to the extent not previously given to Holdings, such access,
information or data is also given to Holdings promptly after providing access
thereto to any person in accordance with this Section 6.5(a), unless providing
such access, information or data to Holdings would reasonably be expected to
make it more difficult in any material respect to obtain all requisite
clearances, approvals and authorizations for the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement under the HSR Act or other Antitrust Law) in response to a
request therefor by a person who has made an unsolicited bona fide written
Acquisition Proposal if the Board of Directors receives from the person so
requesting such information an executed confidentiality agreement on terms no
more favorable to such person than those contained in the Confidentiality
Agreement (except for such changes specifically necessary in order for the
Company to be able to comply with its obligations under this Agreement); (iii)
prior to obtaining the Company Requisite Votes, contacting or engaging in any
discussions with any person who has made an unsolicited bona fide written
Acquisition Proposal solely for the purpose of clarifying such Acquisition
Proposal and any material terms thereof and the conditions to consummation so as
to determine whether such Acquisition Proposal would reasonably be expected to
lead to a Superior Proposal; and (iv) prior to obtaining the Company Requisite
Votes, contacting or engaging in any negotiations or discussions with any person
who has made an unsolicited bona fide written Acquisition Proposal (which
negotiations and discussions are not solely for clarification purposes), if and
only to the extent that in connection with the foregoing clauses (ii) or (iv),
(1) the Company has not breached its obligations under this Section 6.5(a), (2)
the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined in good faith, after
consultation with its outside legal counsel and its financial advisors that, (x)
such Acquisition Proposal constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to
constitute or result in, a Superior Proposal, and (y) that the failure to take
such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law
and (3) prior to taking such action, the Company shall provide written notice to
Holdings of such matter. The Company shall not, and shall cause its
subsidiaries not to, enter into any confidentiality or similar agreement with
any person which prohibits the Company from providing to Holdings any of the
information required to be provided to Holdings under this Section 6.5 within
the time periods contemplated hereby.
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(b) Neither
the Board of Directors of the Company nor any committee thereof shall (i)
recommend, adopt or approve, or propose publicly to recommend, adopt or approve,
any Acquisition Proposal or Acquisition Proposal Documentation (as defined
below) or (ii) execute (or allow the Company or any of its subsidiaries to
execute) any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in
principle, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement, joint
venture agreement, partnership agreement or other similar agreement constituting
an Acquisition Proposal (other than a confidentiality agreement pursuant to
Section 6.5(a)) (any such documentation, “Acquisition Proposal
Documentation”). Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other
provision of this Section 6.5 to the contrary, if, at any time prior to
obtaining the Company Requisite Votes (but after the expiration of the Notice
Period (as defined below)), the Company’s Board of Directors determines, in
response to an Acquisition Proposal that was unsolicited and that did not
otherwise result from a breach of Section 6.5(a) in any material respect, that
such Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Proposal (after giving effect to all of
the adjustments to this Agreement which may be offered by Holdings prior to or
during the Notice Period), (1) the Company may terminate this Agreement, (2) the
Company’s Board of Directors may approve or recommend such Superior Proposal to
its stockholders (it being understood that any such approval or recommendation
shall constitute a Change of Recommendation) and/or (3) immediately prior to or
concurrently with the termination of this Agreement, the Company may enter into
or execute any Acquisition Proposal Documentation with respect to such Superior
Proposal; provided, however, that the
Company may not terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 6.5(b), and
any such termination shall be void and of no force or effect, unless the Company
prior to or concurrently with such termination pays to Holdings the fee payable
pursuant to Section 8.2(b); and provided, further, that the
Company may not terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 6.5(b) unless
(x) the Company has provided a written notice to Holdings (a “Notice of Superior
Proposal”) advising Holdings that the Company has received a Superior
Proposal and specifying the identity of the person making such Superior Proposal
and the material terms thereof, together with copies of any written offer or
proposal in respect of such Superior Proposal (it being understood that neither
the delivery of a Notice of Superior Proposal nor any subsequent public
announcement thereof, in each case in and of itself, shall entitle Holdings to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1(e)(ii)), and (y) Holdings does
not, within four business days following its receipt of the Notice of Superior
Proposal (the “Notice
Period”), make an offer that, as determined by the Board of Directors of
the Company, results in the applicable Acquisition Proposal no longer being a
Superior Proposal (provided that, during
the Notice Period, the Company shall, if so requested by Holdings, negotiate in
good faith with Holdings with respect to any revised proposal from Holdings in
respect of the terms of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), it
being further understood and agreed that any amendment to the financial terms or
other material terms of such Superior Proposal shall require the delivery to
Holdings of a new Notice of Superior Proposal and a new Notice
Period.
(c) For
purposes of this Agreement, “Superior Proposal”
shall mean any Acquisition Proposal for more than 80% of the outstanding equity
interests in the Company or more than 80% of the consolidated assets of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, on terms that the Board of
Directors of the Company determined in good faith, after consultation with the
Company's outside legal and financial advisors (taking into account such factors
as the Board of Directors of the Company considers to be appropriate including
the conditionality,
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timing
and likelihood of consummation of such Acquisition Proposal) are more favorable
to the Company’s stockholders from a financial point of view than the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Without
limiting any other rights of Holdings under this Agreement, neither any Change
of Recommendation nor any termination of this Agreement shall have any effect on
any of the approvals or other actions referred to herein for the purpose of
causing the Anti-Takeover Statutes to be inapplicable to this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 6.6 Employment and Employee
Benefits Matters.
(a) The
Surviving Corporation and each of its subsidiaries, for the period commencing at
the Effective Time and ending on the second anniversary thereof, shall (i)
maintain, for any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (including
but not limited to inactive employees on short-term disability or paid or unpaid
leave of absence status, including medical family leave) who remains employed by
the Surviving Corporation or one of its subsidiaries, for so long as such
employee remains so employed following the Effective Time (each a “Continuing
Employee”), annual base salary or wages and annual cash target bonus
opportunities that are, in the aggregate, no less favorable than those in effect
immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) maintain employee benefits
(excluding equity-based programs) for Continuing Employees providing welfare and
retirement benefits that are, in the aggregate, no less favorable than those
provided to such Continuing Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time
and (iii) establish a long-term cash incentive bonus program for the benefit of
Continuing Employees who received equity-based awards under any of the Company
Stock Plans, which shall provide such employees with a bonus opportunity that is
designed to be no less favorable than the bonus opportunity provided to
similarly situated employees of Parent or any of its subsidiaries; provided, however, subject to
the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the amendment or termination of any
Company Plan or interfere with the Surviving Corporation’s or any Company
subsidiary’s right or obligation to make such changes as are necessary to
conform with applicable law.
(b) As
of and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation will give Continuing
Employees full credit for purposes of eligibility to participate and vesting and
benefit accruals, under any employee benefit plans maintained for the benefit of
Continuing Employees as of and after the Effective Time by the Surviving
Corporation (each, a “Surviving Corporation
Plan”) for the Continuing Employees’ service with the Company, its
subsidiaries and their predecessor entities to the same extent recognized by the
Company in connection with the Company Plans immediately prior to the Effective
Time (except to the extent this credit would result in a duplication of benefit
accruals for the same period of service under any defined benefit pension
plans). With respect to each Surviving Corporation Plan that is a
“welfare benefit plan” under Section 3(1) of ERISA which are made available to
Continuing Employees in the plan year in which the Effective Time occurs, the
Surviving Corporation or its subsidiaries shall (i) cause there to be
waived any pre-existing condition or eligibility limitations and (ii) give
effect, in determining any deductible and maximum out-of-pocket limitations, to
claims incurred
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and
amounts paid by, and amounts reimbursed to, Company Employees under similar
plans maintained by the Company and its subsidiaries immediately prior to the
Effective Time.
(c) The
provisions of this Section 6.6 are solely for the benefit of the respective
parties to this Agreement and nothing in this Section 6.6, express or implied,
shall confer upon any Company Employee, or legal representative or beneficiary
thereof, any rights or remedies, including any right to employment or continued
employment for any specified period, or compensation or benefits of any nature
or kind whatsoever under this Agreement. Nothing in this Section 6.6,
expressed or implied, shall be construed to prevent the Surviving Corporation or
any of its affiliates from terminating or modifying to any extent or in any
respect any benefit plan that the Surviving Corporation or any of its affiliates
may establish or maintain.
SECTION 6.7 Directors’ and Officers’
Indemnification and Insurance.
(a) Without
limiting any additional rights that any employee may have under any employment
agreement or Company Plan, from the Effective Time through the sixth anniversary
of the date on which the Effective Time occurs, Holdings and the Surviving
Corporation shall, jointly and severally, indemnify and hold harmless each
present (as of the Effective Time) and former officer or director of the Company
and its subsidiaries in their capacity as such (the “Indemnified
Parties”), against all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, judgments,
inquiries, fines and reasonable fees, costs and expenses, including attorneys'
fees and disbursements (collectively, “Costs”), incurred in
connection with any Action, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (including with respect to matters existing or occurring at or
prior to the Effective Time (including this Agreement and the transactions and
actions contemplated hereby)), arising out of or pertaining to the fact that the
Indemnified Party is or was an officer, director, fiduciary or agent of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or
after the Effective Time, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable
law. In the event of any such Action, (x) each Indemnified Party will
be entitled to advancement of expenses incurred in the defense of any Action
from Holdings or the Surviving Corporation within ten business days of receipt
by Holdings from the Indemnified Party of a request therefor; provided that any
person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking, if and only to the
extent required by the DGCL or the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or
Bylaws, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that such person
is not entitled to indemnification, (y) neither Holdings nor the Surviving
Corporation shall settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in
any proceeding or threatened Action (and in 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 (z) the Surviving Corporation shall cooperate in the defense of
any such matter.
(b) The
certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation shall
contain provisions no less favorable with respect to indemnification,
advancement of expenses and exculpation of former or present directors and
officers than are presently set forth in the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation and Bylaws, 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 adversely affect the rights thereunder of any such
individuals.
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(c) The
Surviving Corporation shall maintain, at no expense to the beneficiaries, for a
period of not less than six years after the Effective Time for the persons who,
as of the date of this Agreement, are covered by the Company's directors' and
officers' liability insurance policies, directors' and officers' liability
insurance policies that provide coverage for events occurring at or prior to the
Effective Time (the “D&O Insurance”)
that are no less favorable in both amount and terms and conditions of coverage
than the existing policies of the Company (true and complete copies of which
have previously been made available to Holdings) or, if substantially equivalent
insurance coverage is unavailable, the best available coverage, in either case
from insurance carriers with financial strength ratings equal to or greater than
the financial strength ratings of the Company's existing directors' and
officers' liability insurance carriers; provided, however, that, in
lieu of the foregoing, the Company or the Surviving Corporation may, or if
requested by Holdings, the Company shall, purchase a six-year “tail” coverage
(provided that only the cost of the Side A coverage for Indemnified Parties
where the existing policies also include coverage for the Company shall be taken
into account for purposes of calculating the 300% threshold below) that is no
less favorable in both amount and terms and conditions of coverage than the
existing policies of the Company from insurance carriers with financial strength
ratings equal to or greater than the financial strength ratings of the Company's
existing directors' and officers' liability insurance carriers; provided further that in no
event shall the Surviving Corporation be required to, and the Company shall not
be permitted to, pay aggregate premiums for insurance under this Section 6.7(c)
in excess of 300% of the amount of the aggregate premiums paid by the Company in
respect of such coverage for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, further, that if the
aggregate premiums of such insurance coverage exceed such amount, the Surviving
Corporation shall be obligated to obtain policies with the greatest coverage
available for a cost not exceeding such amount.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, if any Action (whether arising before, at or
after the Effective Time) is brought against any Indemnified Party on or prior
to the sixth anniversary of the Effective Time, the provisions of this Section
6.7 shall continue in effect until the final disposition of such
Action.
(e) This
covenant is intended to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each
of the Indemnified Parties and their respective heirs and legal
representatives. The indemnification provided for herein shall not be
deemed exclusive of any other rights to which an Indemnified Party is entitled,
whether pursuant to law, contract or otherwise.
(f) In
the event that the Surviving Corporation or Holdings 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 or conveys all or a majority of its
assets and properties to any person, then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the Surviving
Corporation or Holdings, as the case may be, shall succeed to the obligations
set forth in this Section 6.7. In addition, the Surviving Corporation
shall not distribute, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets
in a manner that would reasonably be expected to render the Surviving
Corporation unable to satisfy its obligations under this Section
6.7.
SECTION 6.8 Further Action;
Efforts.
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(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each party will use its
reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or
cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable
laws and regulations to consummate the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and to cause the conditions to Closing to be
satisfied as promptly as practicable. In furtherance and not in
limitation of the foregoing, each party hereto agrees to make an appropriate
filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act and all Foreign
Antitrust Laws with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby as promptly
as practicable and in any event prior to the expiration of any applicable legal
deadline (provided that the filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to
the HSR Act will be made within 20 business days of the date of this Agreement)
and to supply as promptly as reasonably practicable any additional information
and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act or any
other Antitrust Law and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the
expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods under the HSR Act
and the receipt of the requisite clearances, approvals and authorizations under
any other Antitrust Law.
(b) Each
of Holdings and Merger Sub, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand,
shall, in connection with the efforts referenced in Section 6.8(a) to obtain all
requisite clearances, approvals and authorizations for the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement under the HSR Act or any other Antitrust Law, use
its reasonable best efforts to (i) cooperate in all respects with each
other in connection with any filing or submission and in connection with any
investigation or other inquiry, including any proceeding initiated by a private
party; (ii) keep the other party reasonably informed of any communication
received by such party from, or given by such party to, the Federal Trade
Commission (the “FTC”), the Antitrust
Division of the Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) or any other
U.S. or foreign Governmental Entity and of any communication received or given
in connection with any proceeding by a private party, in each case regarding any
of the transactions contemplated hereby; and (iii) permit the other party
to review any communication given by it to, and consult with each other in
advance of any meeting or conference with, the FTC, the DOJ or any other
Governmental Entity or, in connection with any proceeding by a private party,
with any other person, and to the extent permitted by the FTC, the DOJ or such
other applicable Governmental Entity or other person, give the other party the
opportunity to attend and participate in such meetings and
conferences. For purposes of this Agreement, “Antitrust Law” means
the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the HSR Act, as
amended, the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all other federal,
state and foreign, if any, Laws and Orders that are designed or intended to
prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of
monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger
or acquisition.
(c) In
the event that any administrative or judicial action or proceeding is instituted
(or threatened to be instituted) by a Governmental Entity or private party
challenging the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement,
or any other agreement contemplated hereby, the Company shall cooperate in all
respects with Holdings and Merger Sub and shall use its reasonable best efforts
to contest and resist any such action or proceeding and to have vacated, lifted,
reversed or overturned any Order, whether temporary, preliminary or permanent,
that is in effect and that prohibits, prevents or restricts consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement
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to
the contrary, none of Holdings, Merger Sub or any of their affiliates shall be
required to defend, contest or resist any action or proceeding, whether judicial
or administrative, or to take any action to have vacated, lifted, reversed or
overturned any Order, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, none of Holdings, Merger Sub or any
of their affiliates shall be required to, and the Company may not, without the
prior written consent of Holdings, become subject to, consent to, or offer or
agree to, or otherwise take any action with respect to, any requirement,
condition, limitation, understanding, agreement or order to (i) sell, license,
assign, transfer, divest, hold separate or otherwise dispose of any assets,
business or portion of business of the Company, the Surviving Corporation,
Holdings, Merger Sub or any of their respective affiliates, (ii) conduct,
restrict, operate, invest or otherwise change the assets, business or portion of
business of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Holdings, Merger Sub or any
of their respective affiliates in any manner, or (iii) impose any restriction,
requirement or limitation on the operation of the business or portion of the
business of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Holdings, Merger Sub or any
of their respective affiliates; provided that, if
requested by Holdings, the Company will become subject to, consent to, or offer
or agree to, or otherwise take any action with respect to, any such requirement,
condition, limitation, understanding, agreement or order so long as such
requirement, condition, limitation, understanding, agreement or order is only
binding on the Company in the event the Closing occurs.
(e) Notwithstanding
the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, nothing in this Section
6.8 shall limit a party’s right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section
8.1(b) so long as such party has, prior to such termination, complied in all
material respects with its obligations under this Section 6.8.
SECTION 6.9 Public
Announcements. The
initial press release with respect to this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be a release mutually agreed to by the Company and
Holdings. Thereafter, each of the Company, Holdings and Merger Sub
agrees that no public release or announcement concerning the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be issued by any party without the prior written
consent of the Company and Holdings (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed), except as such release or announcement may be required by
law or the rules or regulations of any applicable United States securities
exchange or regulatory or governmental body to which the relevant party is
subject, wherever situated, in which case the party required to make the release
or announcement shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide the other party
reasonable time to comment on such release or announcement in advance of such
issuance.
SECTION 6.10 Financing.
(a) (i) Holdings
shall use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions
and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable to
consummate and obtain the Financing on the terms and conditions described in the
Financing Commitment Letters (or on revised terms no less favorable in any
material respect to Holdings (as determined in the reasonable judgment of
Holdings)) which terms do not contain any provisions which would reasonably be
expected to prevent, materially delay or materially
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impede
the consummation of the Financing or the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including using reasonable best efforts to (A) maintain in effect the
Financing Commitment Letters, (B) satisfy on a timely basis all conditions
applicable to Holdings and Merger Sub obtaining the Debt Financing that are
within their control, (C) negotiate definitive agreements with respect thereto
on the terms and conditions contained in the Financing Commitment Letters
(including any “flex” provisions) and (D) consummate the Financing at or prior
to the Closing; provided that in no
circumstance shall Holdings, Merger Sub or any of their affiliates be required
to commence litigation or bring any other Action against the lenders and other
persons providing Financing to seek to enforce Holdings’, Merger Sub’s or any of
their affiliates’ rights under the Financing Commitment Letters or
otherwise. Holdings shall not, and shall not permit Merger Sub to,
agree to or permit any amendment, replacements, supplement or other modification
of, or waive any of its material rights under, any Financing Commitment Letters
or any definitive agreements related to the Financing Commitment Letters
(including any and all fee letters), in each case, without the Company's prior
written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed),
except any such amendment, replacement, supplement or other modification to or
waiver of any provision of the Financing Commitment Letters or any definitive
agreements relating thereto, including any and all fee letters, that amends the
Financing in a manner that would not reasonably be expected to prevent,
materially delay or materially impede the consummation of the Financing or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and provided that, for
the avoidance of doubt, Holdings and Merger Sub may replace and amend the Debt
Financing Commitment Letters to add lenders, lead arrangers, book runners,
syndication agents or similar entities who had not executed Debt Financing
Commitment Letters as of the date of this Agreement so long as any such addition
would not reasonably be expected to prevent, materially hinder or materially
delay the consummation of the Debt Financing or the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement. Upon any such amendment, replacement, supplement or
modification of any of the Financing Commitment Letters in accordance with this
Section 6.10(a), the term “Financing Commitment Letters” shall mean the
Financing Commitment Letters as so amended, replaced, supplemented or modified
in accordance with this Section 6.10(a) and, in the event that Holdings or
Merger Sub obtains Alternative Financing in accordance with this Section
6.10(a), the term “Financing Commitment Letters” shall mean the commitment
letter or letters (as amended, replaced, supplemented or modified in accordance
with this Section 6.10(a)) related to the Alternative Financing.
(ii) In
the event all or any portion of the Debt Financing becomes unavailable on the
terms and conditions described in or contemplated by the Debt Financing
Commitment Letters for any reason, Holdings shall use its reasonable best
efforts to arrange to obtain, as promptly as practicable following the
occurrence of such event but no later than the final day of the Marketing
Period, alternative financing from alternative sources (the “Alternative
Financing”) in an amount sufficient to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement which would not involve terms that are less
favorable in any material respect to Holdings (as determined in the reasonable
judgment of Holdings) and which would not contain any provisions which would
reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impede the
consummation of the Financing or the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. In the event that Alternative Financing shall be obtained
pursuant to this Section 6.10(a)(ii), Holdings shall comply with its covenants
in Section 6.10(a)(i) with respect to such Alternative Financing. For
purposes of this Agreement, “Marketing Period”
shall mean the first period of 30
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consecutive
days throughout and at the end of which (A) Holdings shall have (and its
financing sources shall have access to) the Required Information that the
Company is required to provide to Holdings pursuant to Section 6.10(b), (B) the
conditions set forth in Section 7.1 shall be satisfied or, solely in the event
that the Marketing Period has not commenced prior to March 30, 2009, then only
the condition set forth in Section 7.1(a) need be satisfied throughout such 30
consecutive days (it being understood that all of the conditions set forth in
Section 7.l shall nevertheless be required to be satisfied at the end of such 30
consecutive day period) and (C) nothing has occurred and no condition exists
that would cause any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a), 7.2(b) or
7.2(c) to fail to be satisfied assuming the Closing were to be scheduled for any
time during such 30 consecutive day period; provided that (i) if
the Marketing Period has not ended on or prior to August 14, 2008, the Marketing
Period shall commence no earlier than September 2, 2008, (ii) if the Marketing
Period has not ended on or prior to December 16, 2008, the Marketing Period
shall commence no earlier than January 3, 2009 and (iii) the Marketing Period
shall not be deemed to have commenced if Ernst & Young LLP shall have
withdrawn its audit opinion with respect to any financial statements contained
in the Filed SEC Reports unless and until a new unqualified audit opinion is
issued with respect to the consolidated financial statements for the applicable
periods by Ernst & Young LLP or another independent registered accounting
firm reasonably acceptable to Holdings.
(iii) Holdings
shall give the Company prompt written notice of any material breach by any party
of any of the Financing Commitment Letters (or commitments for any Alternative
Financing obtained in accordance with this Section 6.10(a)) of which Holdings
becomes aware or any termination of any of the Financing Commitment Letters (or
commitments for any Alternative Financing obtained in accordance with this
Section 6.10(a)). Holdings shall keep the Company informed on a
reasonably current basis in reasonable detail of the status of its efforts to
arrange and consummate the Financing (or Alternative Financing obtained in
accordance with this Section 6.10(a)).
(b) Prior
to the Closing, the Company shall provide to Holdings and Merger Sub, and shall
cause its subsidiaries to, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause
the respective officers, employees and Representatives of the Company and its
subsidiaries to, provide to Holdings and Merger Sub all cooperation reasonably
requested by Holdings that is necessary or reasonably required in connection
with the Financing, including the following: (i) using reasonable best efforts
to cause the Company’s senior officers and other Representatives to participate
in meetings, presentations, road shows, due diligence sessions (including
accounting due diligence sessions), drafting sessions and sessions with rating
agencies; (ii) assisting with the preparation of appropriate and customary
materials for rating agency presentations, offering documents, bank information
memoranda (including the delivery of customary representation letters as
contemplated by the Senior Debt Commitment Letter) and similar documents
reasonably required in connection with the Financing; (iii) using its reasonable
best efforts to assist with the preparation of any pledge and security
documents, any loan agreement, currency or interest hedging agreement, other
definitive financing documents on terms satisfactory to Holdings, or other
certificates, legal opinions or documents as may be reasonably requested by
Holdings (including a certificate from the person who will be the Chief
Financial Officer of the Surviving Corporation that the Surviving Corporation
and its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, will be solvent as of the Closing
(after giving effect to the Debt Financing and the other
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transactions
contemplated by this Agreement)), provided that no obligation of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries under any such document or agreement shall be effective
until the Effective Time; (iv) using reasonable best efforts to facilitate the
pledging of collateral, provided that no pledge shall be effective until the
Effective Time; (v) using reasonable best efforts to furnish on a confidential
basis to Holdings and Merger Sub and their financing sources, as promptly as
practicable, with financial and other pertinent information regarding the
Company as may be reasonably requested by Holdings, including all financial
statements and other financial data required by the Debt Financing Commitment
Letters (the “Required
Information”); (vi) providing monthly
financial statements (excluding footnotes) to the extent the Company customarily
prepares such financial statements within the time such statements are
customarily prepared; and (vii) using reasonable best efforts to cause its
independent accountants to cooperate with and assist Holdings in preparing
customary and appropriate information packages and offering materials as the
parties to the Debt Financing Commitment Letters may reasonably request for use
in connection with the offering and/or syndication of debt securities, loan
participations and other matters contemplated by the Debt Financing Commitment
Letters; provided that nothing
in this Agreement shall require such cooperation to the extent it would, in the
Company’s reasonable judgment, interfere unreasonably with the business or
operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; provided further that
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, until the Effective
Time occurs, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall (1) be
required to pay any commitment or other similar fee, (2) have any liability or
obligation under any loan agreement or any related document or any other
agreement or document related to the Financing (or Alternative Financing) or (3)
be required to incur any other liability in connection with the Financing
contemplated by the Financing Commitment Letters (or any Alternative
Financing). Parent shall, promptly upon written request by the
Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket
costs to the extent such costs are incurred by the Company or its subsidiaries
in connection with such cooperation provided by the Company, its subsidiaries,
their respective officers, employees and other Representatives pursuant to the
terms of this Section 6.10(b) or in connection with compliance with its
obligations under this Section 6.10(b) and Parent shall indemnify and hold
harmless the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective officers,
employees and Representatives from and against any and all liabilities or losses
suffered or incurred by them in connection with the arrangement of the Financing
and any information utilized in connection therewith (other than arising from
information provided by the Company or its subsidiaries), except in the event
such liabilities or losses arose out of or result from the willful misconduct of
the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective
Representatives. The Company hereby consents to the use of its and
its subsidiaries’ logos in connection with the Debt Financing; provided that such
logos are used solely in a manner that is not intended or reasonably likely to
harm or disparage the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the reputation or
goodwill of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and its or their
marks.
SECTION 6.11 Debt Tender
Offers.
(a) As
soon as reasonably practicable after the receipt of any written request by
Holdings to do so, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to commence
offers to purchase any or all of the outstanding aggregate amount and all other
amounts due of either or both series of the Notes, on such terms and conditions,
including pricing terms, that are
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specified,
from time to time, by Holdings (each a “Debt Tender Offer”
and collectively, the “Debt Tender Offers”)
and Holdings shall assist the Company in connection therewith; provided that the
Company’s counsel shall provide normal and customary legal opinions (excluding
with respect to federal securities laws) required in connection with the Debt
Tender Offers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the closing of the Debt
Tender Offers shall be conditioned on the occurrence of the Closing, and the
parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Debt Tender Offers
to close on the Closing Date. Subject to the preceding sentence, the
Company shall provide, and shall cause its subsidiaries to, and shall use its
reasonable best efforts to cause their respective Representatives to, provide
all cooperation reasonably requested by Holdings in connection with the Debt
Tender Offers. The Company (i) shall waive any of the conditions to
the Debt Tender Offers (other than the occurrence of the Closing) and make any
change to the Debt Tender Offers, in each case, as may be reasonably requested
by Holdings and (ii) shall not, without the written consent of Holdings, waive
any condition to the Debt Tender Offers or make any changes to the Debt Tender
Offers. Holdings shall ensure that at the Effective Time the
Surviving Corporation has all funds necessary to pay for the Notes that have
been properly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Debt Tender
Offers.
(b) The
dealer manager, solicitation agent, information agent, depositary or other agent
retained in connection with the Debt Tender Offers shall be selected by
Holdings. The Company shall enter into customary agreements
(including indemnities) with such parties so selected and on terms and
conditions acceptable to Holdings.
(c) With
respect to any series of Notes, if requested by Holdings in writing on a timely
basis, in lieu of commencing a Debt Tender Offer for such series (or in addition
thereto), the Company shall, to the extent permitted by the Indenture governing
such series of Notes, (A) issue a notice of redemption providing for the
redemption on a date agreed with Holdings not more than 30 days after the
delivery of such notice of redemption (or such later time required by the
Indenture) for all of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of Notes of
such series pursuant to the requisite provisions of the Indenture, and/or (B)
take any actions reasonably requested by Holdings that are reasonably necessary
to facilitate the defeasance, satisfaction and/or discharge of such series
pursuant to the applicable section of the Indenture, and shall redeem, defease
or satisfy and/or discharge, as applicable, such series in accordance with the
terms of the Indenture at the Effective Time; provided, that the
Company’s counsel shall provide such legal opinions as may be reasonably
requested in connection with any such redemption or satisfaction and
discharge. Holdings shall ensure that at the Effective Time the
Surviving Corporation has all funds necessary in connection with any such
redemption or satisfaction and discharge.
(d) Parent
shall, promptly upon written request by the Company, reimburse the Company for
all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs to the extent such costs are
incurred by the Company or its subsidiaries in connection with it complying with
its obligations under this Section 6.11, and Parent shall indemnify and hold
harmless the Company and its subsidiaries and Representatives from and against
any and all liabilities or losses suffered or incurred by them to the extent
such liabilities or losses arose out of the actions taken by the Company
pursuant to this Section 6.11 (other than arising from information provided by
the Company or its subsidiaries), except in the event such liabilities or losses
arose out of or result
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from
the willful misconduct of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their
respective Representatives.
SECTION 6.12 Notification of Certain
Matters. The
Company shall give prompt written notice to Holdings, and Holdings shall give
prompt written notice to the Company, upon obtaining knowledge of (i) any notice
or other communication received by such party from any Governmental Entity in
connection with this Agreement, the Merger or the transactions contemplated
hereby, or from any person alleging that the consent of such person is or may be
required in connection with the Merger or the transactions contemplated hereby,
(ii) any Actions commenced or, to such party’s knowledge, threatened against,
relating to or involving or otherwise affecting such party or any of its
subsidiaries which relate to this Agreement, the Merger or the transactions
contemplated hereby, and (iii) any fact, event or circumstance known to it that
(a) in the case of the Company, individually or taken together with all other
facts, events and circumstances known to it, has had, or would reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect,
(b) would cause or constitute, or would reasonably be expected to cause or
constitute, a breach in any material respect of any of such person's
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein, (c) would
cause, or would reasonably be expected to cause, the failure of any condition
precedent to Holdings’ or the Company’s obligations under this Agreement or (d)
would reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impede
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however,
that (x) the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 6.12 shall not
limit or otherwise affect any remedies available to Holdings or the Company, as
applicable, or prevent or cure any misrepresentations, breach of warranty or
breach of covenant or the conditions to the obligations of the parties under
this Agreement, and (y) disclosure by the Company or Holdings shall not be
deemed to amend or supplement the Company Disclosure Schedule or the Holdings
Disclosure Schedule, as applicable, or constitute an exception to any
representation or warranty. This Section 6.12 shall not constitute a
covenant or agreement for purposes of Section 7.2(b) or Section
7.3(b).
SECTION 6.13 Section 16
Matters. Prior
to the Effective Time, the Company will take all such steps as may be required
to cause to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act any
dispositions of Shares (including derivative securities with respect to Shares)
that are treated as dispositions under such rule and result from the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement by each director or officer of the
Company who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the
Exchange Act with respect to the Company.
SECTION 6.14 Filings. Until
the Effective Time, the Company will timely file with the SEC each form, report
and document required to be filed by the Company under the Exchange Act and will
promptly make available to Holdings copies of each such report filed with the
SEC. As of their respective dates, none of such reports shall contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The audited
consolidated financial statements and unaudited interim financial statements of
the Company included in such reports shall be prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis (except
to the extent indicated in the notes thereto) and shall fairly present, in all
material respects, the financial
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position
of the Company and its subsidiaries as at the dates thereof and the results of
their operations and changes in financial position for the periods then ended in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
SECTION 6.15 Anti-Takeover
Statute. If
any Anti-Takeover Statute is or may become applicable to this Agreement
(including the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby), each of
the Company, Holdings and Merger Sub and their respective Boards of Directors
shall grant all such approvals and take all such actions as are necessary so
that such transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable hereafter
on the terms contemplated hereby and otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the
effects of such statute or regulation on such transactions.
SECTION 6.16 Stockholder
Litigation. The
Company shall give Holdings the opportunity to participate in, but not control,
the defense or settlement of any stockholder litigation against the Company
and/or any of its directors or officers relating to this Agreement, the Merger
or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, and no such settlement of any
stockholder litigation shall be agreed to without Holdings’ prior written
consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
SECTION 6.17 Name;
Headquarters.
(a) Following
the Effective Time, the name of the Surviving Corporation shall remain Wm.
Wrigley Jr. Company.
(b) Following
the Effective Time, Parent intends to combine its operations and business
associated with the manufacture, marketing and distribution of the Skittles® and
Starburst®
product lines with and into the Surviving Corporation. The Surviving
Corporation, as so constituted, will conduct its business and operations as a
separate, stand-alone business unit operating under Parent.
(c) Following
the Effective Time, the current Executive Chairman of the Company shall be
designated the Executive Chairman (and senior most executive officer) of the
Surviving Corporation, reporting directly to the chief executive officer of
Parent, and with responsibility for the business and operations of the Surviving
Corporation.
(d) Following
the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall continue with civic and
charitable activities and contributions that, in the aggregate, are at the level
and of the general nature consistent with past practice of the
Company.
(e) In
connection with the public announcement of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, the Company and Holdings will publicly disclose the matters set forth
in this Section 6.17.
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ARTICLE
VII
CONDITIONS
OF MERGER
SECTION 7.1 Conditions to Obligation of
the Company, Holdings and Merger Sub to Effect the Merger. The
respective obligations of the Company, Holdings and Merger Sub to effect the
Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the
Effective Time of the following conditions:
(a) this
Agreement shall have been adopted by the stockholders of the Company by the
Company Requisite Votes;
(b) no
federal, state, local or foreign Law or Order (whether temporary, preliminary or
permanent) shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced by any
Governmental Entity which prohibits, restrains or enjoins the consummation of
the Merger; provided, however, that prior
to invoking this condition each party agrees to comply with Section 6.8;
and
(c) (i)
the waiting period (and any extension thereof) applicable to the Merger under
the HSR Act shall have been terminated or expired, (ii) all required approvals
by the European Commission applicable to the Merger under applicable Law shall
have been obtained or any applicable waiting period thereunder shall have been
terminated or expired and (iii) all required approvals under any Antitrust Laws
applicable to the Merger in the jurisdictions listed on Section 7.1(c) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule shall have been obtained or any applicable waiting
period thereunder shall have been terminated or expired.
SECTION 7.2 Conditions to Obligations of
Holdings and Merger Sub. The
obligations of Holdings and Merger Sub to effect the Merger shall be further
subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the Effective Time of the
following conditions:
(a)
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section
Section 3.4 and Section 3.8(a) shall be true and correct in all respects as of
the Effective Time as though made on and as of such time, (ii) the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 3.3(a)
(except for decreases and except for increases of not more than 0.01% in the
number of the Company’s outstanding Shares (including Shares issuable upon
exercise of Options) disclosed in Section 3.3(a)) shall be true and correct as
of the Effective Time as though made on and as of such time and (iii) the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement, other
than those specified in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), shall be true and
correct as of the Effective Time as though made on and as of such date except
where the failure of any such representations and warranties to be so true and
correct (without giving effect to any “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect”
or similar qualifiers set forth therein), individually or in the aggregate, has
not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse
Effect; provided that, for
the purposes of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), any representation or warranty of
the Company set forth in this Agreement that is made only as of a specified date
shall be required to be true and correct (subject to the standard specified in
clause (i), (ii) or (iii), as applicable) only as of such date;
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(b) the
Company shall have performed in all material respects the obligations, and
complied in all material respects with the agreements and covenants, required to
be performed by, or complied with by, it under this Agreement at or prior to the
Effective Time;
(c) Holdings
shall have received a certificate of the Executive Chairman, Chief Executive
Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certifying that the
conditions set forth in Sections 7.2(a) and (b) have been satisfied;
and
(d) all
required approvals under any Antitrust Laws applicable to the Merger in the
jurisdictions listed on Section 7.2(d) of the Holdings Disclosure Schedule shall
have been obtained or any applicable waiting period thereunder shall have been
terminated or expired.
SECTION 7.3 Conditions to Obligations of
the Company. The
obligation of the Company to effect the Merger shall be further subject to the
satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the Effective Time of the following
conditions:
(a) the
representations and warranties of Holdings and Merger Sub set forth in Section
4.2 shall be true and correct in all respects as of the Effective Time as though
made on and as of such time and (ii) the representations and warranties of
Holdings and Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement (other than Section 4.2)
shall be true and correct as of the Effective Time as though made on and as of
such date except where the failure of any such representations and warranties to
be so true and correct (without giving effect to any “materiality” or “Material
Adverse Effect” or similar qualifiers set forth therein), individually or in the
aggregate, does not, and would not reasonably be expected to, prevent,
materially delay or materially impede the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby;
(b) each
of Holdings and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects the
obligations, and complied in all material respects with the agreements and
covenants, required to be performed by or complied with by it under this
Agreement at or prior to the Effective Time; and
(c) the
Company shall have received a certificate of a senior executive officer of each
of Holdings and Merger Sub, certifying that the conditions set forth in Sections
7.3(a) and (b) have been satisfied.
ARTICLE
VIII
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
SECTION 8.1 Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated and the Merger contemplated hereby may be abandoned
at any time prior to the Effective Time, notwithstanding approval thereof by the
stockholders of the Company:
(a) by
mutual written consent of Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company;
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(b) by
Holdings or the Company if any Governmental Entity shall have issued a final
order, decree or ruling or taken any other final action restraining, enjoining
or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such order, decree, ruling or other
action is or shall have become final and nonappealable;
(c) by
either Holdings or the Company if the Effective Time shall not have occurred on
or before April 30, 2009 (the “Termination Date”);
provided,
however, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section
8.1(c) shall not be available to the party seeking to terminate if any action of
such party or the failure of such party to perform any of its obligations under
this Agreement required to be performed at or prior to the Effective Time has
been the cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the Effective Time to occur on
or before the Termination Date and such action or failure to perform constitutes
a breach of this Agreement;
(d) by
the Company:
(i) if
there shall have been a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or
agreement on the part of Holdings or Merger Sub contained in this Agreement such
that the conditions set forth in Section 7.3(a) or 7.3(b) would not be satisfied
and, in either such case, such breach is incapable of being cured by the
Termination Date; provided that the
Company shall have given Holdings at least 30 days written notice prior to such
termination stating the Company's intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this Section 8.1(d)(i); and provided further that
the Company shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
this Section 8.1(d)(i) if the Company is then in material breach of any of its
covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement;
(ii) if
all of the conditions set forth in Sections 7.1 and 7.2 have been satisfied
(other than those conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the
Closing but which conditions would be satisfied if the Closing Date were the
date of such termination) and Holdings has failed to consummate the Merger on or
prior to the final day of the Marketing Period;
(iii) prior
to obtaining the Company Requisite Votes, pursuant to (and subject to the terms
and conditions of) Section 6.5(b);
(e) by
Holdings:
(i) if
there shall have been a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or
agreement on the part of the Company contained in this Agreement such that the
conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) or 7.2(b) would not be satisfied and, in
either such case, such breach is incapable of being cured by the Termination
Date; provided
that Holdings shall have given the Company at least 30 days written notice prior
to such termination stating Holdings’ intention to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 8.1(e)(i); provided, further
that Holdings shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
this Section 8.1(e)(i) if Holdings or Merger Sub is then in material breach of
any of its covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement; or
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(ii) if
the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof (A) shall have
made a Change of Recommendation or (B) shall have recommended, adopted or
approved, or proposed publicly to recommend, adopt or approve, any Acquisition
Proposal or Acquisition Proposal Documentation; or
(f) by
either Holdings or the Company if, upon a vote taken thereon at the Stockholders
Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof, this Agreement shall not
have been adopted by the Company Requisite Votes.
SECTION 8.2 Effect of
Termination.
(a) 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 or
obligation on the part of any party hereto, except with respect to Section
6.4(b), the penultimate sentence of Section 6.10(b), Section 6.11(d), this
Section 8.2, Section 8.3, Section 8.4, Section 8.5 and Article IX, which shall
survive such termination; provided, however, that,
subject to Section 8.2(c)(ii), Section 8.2(c)(iii) and Section 9.11, nothing
herein shall relieve any party from liability for any willful and material
breach of any of its obligations under this Agreement or fraud.
(b) Company Termination
Fee.
(i) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section
8.1(d)(iii) or by Holdings pursuant to Section 8.1(e)(ii), then the Company
shall pay $690,000,000 (the “Company Termination
Fee”) to, or as directed by, Holdings, at or prior to the termination in
the case of a termination pursuant to Section 8.1(d)(iii) or as
promptly as reasonably practicable (and, in any event, within two business days
following such termination) in the case of a termination pursuant to Section
8.1(e)(ii), by wire transfer of same day funds; and
(ii) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by either Holdings or the Company
pursuant to Section 8.1(c) or Section 8.1(f) or by Holdings pursuant to Section
8.1(e)(i) and (A) at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to such
termination (in the case of a termination pursuant to Section 8.1(c)), or prior
to the breach giving rise to Holdings’ right to terminate under Section
8.1(e)(i) (in the case of a termination pursuant to Section 8.1(e)(i)) or prior
to the taking of a vote to adopt this Agreement at the Stockholders Meeting or
any postponement or adjournment thereof (in the case of a termination pursuant
to Section 8.1(f)), an Acquisition Proposal shall have been made or communicated
to the senior management or the Board of Directors of the Company or shall have
been publicly announced or publicly made known to the stockholders of the
Company and shall not have been withdrawn prior to such termination (in the case
of a termination pursuant to Section 8.1(c)), prior to the breach giving rise to
Holdings’ right to terminate under Section 8.1(e)(i) (in the case of a
termination pursuant to Section 8.1(e)(i)) or prior to the taking of a vote to
adopt this Agreement at the Stockholders Meeting or any postponement or
adjournment thereof (in the case of a termination pursuant to Section 8.1(f)),
and (B) within twelve months after such termination, the Company shall have
entered into a definitive agreement with
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respect
to any Acquisition Proposal, or any Acquisition Proposal shall have been
consummated (in each case, whether or not such Acquisition Proposal is the same
as the original Acquisition Proposal made, communicated, publicly made known or
publicly announced), then, in any such event, the Company shall pay to, or as
directed by, Holdings the Company Termination Fee, such payment to be made upon
the earlier of the Company entering into an agreement providing for such
Acquisition Proposal or the consummation of such Acquisition Proposal, by wire
transfer of same day funds. For the purpose of this Section 8.2(b),
all references in the term Acquisition Proposal to “20% or more” or “20% or
greater” will be deemed to be references to “more than 50%”. In no
event shall Holdings be entitled to receive the Company Termination Fee on more
than one occasion.
(c) Reverse Termination
Fee.
(i) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated:
|
(A)
|
by
the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(d)(i) (if at the time of such
termination there is no state of facts or circumstances (other than a
state of facts or circumstances caused by or arising out of a breach of
Holdings’ and Merger Sub’s representations, warranties, covenants or other
agreements set forth in this Agreement) that would reasonably be expected
to cause the conditions set forth in Section 7.1 and Section 7.2 not to be
satisfied on or prior to the Termination
Date);
|
|
(B)
|
by
the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(d)(ii);
or
|
|
(C)
|
by
the Company or Holdings pursuant to (x) Section 8.1(c) for the failure to
satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 7.1(b), Section 7.1(c) or
Section 7.2(d) (subject to the right of Holdings to waive the condition
set forth in Section 7.2(d)) due to the failure to receive any required
consent or clearance under applicable Antitrust Laws from a Governmental
Entity of competent jurisdiction or any action by any Governmental Entity
of competent jurisdiction to prevent the Merger for antitrust reasons or
(y) Section 8.1(b) due to the denial of any approval required under
applicable Antitrust Laws or the taking of any other action by any
antitrust or competition Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction if,
in each of clauses (x) and (y), at the time of such termination all other
conditions to Closing set forth in Sections 7.1 and 7.2 (other than those
conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing but
which conditions would be satisfied if the Closing Date were the date of
such termination) have been
satisfied,
|
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then
in the case of a termination under the circumstances described in clauses (A),
(B) or (C) above, Parent shall pay $1,000,000,000 (the “Reverse Termination
Fee”) to, or as directed by, the Company, as promptly as
reasonably practicable (and, in any event, within two business days following
such termination) by wire transfer of same day funds. In no event
shall the Company be entitled to the Reverse Termination Fee on more than one
occasion.
(ii) The
Company’s right to receive payment of the Reverse Termination Fee from Parent
shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Company and its affiliates against
Parent, Holdings, Merger Sub or any of their respective former, current or
future directors, officers, employees, agents, stockholders, representatives,
affiliates or assignees or any former, current or future director, officer,
employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder,
representative, affiliate or assignee of any of the foregoing (collectively, the
“Related
Persons”) for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the failure of
the Merger to be consummated or for a breach or failure to perform under this
Agreement or otherwise and upon payment of such amount, none of Parent,
Holdings, Merger Sub or any of their respective Related Persons shall have any
further liability or obligation relating to or arising out of this Agreement or
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (except that Holdings shall also
be obligated with respect to Section 6.4(b) and Parent shall also be obligated
with respect to the penultimate sentence of Section 6.10(b), Section 6.11(d) and
the second sentence of Section 8.2(d)).
(iii) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Company agrees that, to the extent it has
incurred losses or damages in connection with this Agreement, (i) the maximum
aggregate liability of Parent, Holdings and Merger Sub for such losses or
damages shall not exceed the Liability Limitation (as defined below), provided that the
sole obligations of Parent under and in respect of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby shall be limited to the express payment and/or
indemnification obligations of Parent to (A) pay the Reverse Termination Fee, if
required, from Parent pursuant to Section 8.2(c)(i), (B) reimburse amounts or
provide indemnification pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 6.10(b)
or Section 6.11(d) and (C) reimburse amounts due from Parent pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 8.2(d) (such payment and indemnification obligations,
collectively, the “Parent Obligations”),
(ii) in no event shall the Company or any of its affiliates seek to recover any
money damages or any other recovery, judgment or damages of any kind, including
rescissory, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages, in connection with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby against Parent (other
than for satisfaction of the Parent Obligations) or against, individually or in
the aggregate, Parent, Holdings or Merger Sub in excess of the Liability
Limitation and (iii) in no event shall the Company or any of its affiliates seek
to recover any money damages or any other recovery, judgment or damages of any
kind, including rescissory, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages, in
connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby against
any of Parent’s, Holdings’ or Merger Sub’s respective Related Persons.
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“Liability Limitation”
means an amount equal to $1,000,000,000 (inclusive of any payment of the Reverse
Termination Fee) plus any amounts to be reimbursed and indemnification payments
pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 6.10(b) or Section 6.11(d) and
the second sentence of Section 8.2(d).
(iv) The
Company acknowledges and agrees that it has no right of recovery against, and no
personal liability shall attach to, any of Parent, Holdings, Merger Sub or their
respective Related Persons, through Holdings, Merger Sub or otherwise, whether
by or through attempted piercing of the corporate, limited partnership or
limited liability company veil, by or through a claim by or on behalf of
Holdings or Merger Sub against Parent or any of their or Parent’s respective
Related Persons, by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or
equitable proceeding, by virtue of any Law or otherwise, except for its right to
recover from Holdings or Merger Sub (but not any of Holding’s or Merger Sub’s
respective Related Persons) to the extent provided in this Agreement, and its
right to receive payment and/or indemnification from Parent pursuant to the
Parent Obligations (as limited by the provisions herein), and subject to the
Liability Limitation and the other limitations described
herein. Notwithstanding anything that may be expressed or implied in
this Agreement or any document or instrument delivered in connection herewith,
the Company hereby agrees and acknowledges that the Company’s right to receive
payment and/or indemnification from Parent pursuant to the Parent Obligations
(as limited by the provisions herein) shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of
the Company and all of its affiliates against Parent and its Related Persons
(other than Holdings and Merger Sub to the extent, and subject to the
limitations, contained in this Agreement) in respect of any liabilities or
obligations arising under, or in connection with, this Agreement, the Financing
Commitment Letters or the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby.
(d) Each
of the Company, Parent, Holdings and Merger Sub acknowledges that the agreements
contained in this Section 8.2 are an integral part of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. In the event that the Company shall
fail to pay the Company Termination Fee when due or Parent shall fail to pay the
Reverse Termination Fee when due, the Company or Parent, as the case may be,
shall reimburse the other party for all reasonable costs and expenses actually
incurred or accrued by such other party (including reasonable fees and expenses
of counsel) in connection with any action (including the filing of any lawsuit)
taken to collect payment of such amounts, together with interest on such unpaid
amounts at the prime lending rate prevailing during such period as published in
The Wall Street Journal, calculated on a daily basis from the date such amounts
were required to be paid to the date of actual payment.
SECTION 8.3 Expenses. Except
as otherwise specifically provided herein, each party shall bear its own
expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby; provided, however, that the
Surviving Corporation shall pay any transfer Taxes imposed in connection with
the Merger.
SECTION 8.4 Amendment. This
Agreement may be amended by Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company by action taken
by or on behalf of their respective Boards of Directors at any time prior to the
Effective Time, whether before or after adoption of this Agreement by the
stockholders of the Company; provided, however, that, after adoption of this
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Agreement
by the stockholders of the Company, no amendment may be made which by Law
requires the further approval of the stockholders of the Company without such
further approval. This Agreement may not be amended except by an
instrument in writing signed by each of Holdings, Merger Sub and the
Company.
SECTION 8.5 Waiver. At
any time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may (i) extend the time
for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties
hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties
contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto and (iii) subject
to the requirements of applicable law, waive compliance with any of the
agreements or conditions 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. The failure or delay of any
party to assert any rights or remedies shall not constitute a waiver of such
rights or remedies.
ARTICLE
IX
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
SECTION 9.1 Non-Survival of
Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Agreements. None
of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in this Agreement
or in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, including any rights
arising out of any breach of such representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements, shall survive the Effective Time, except for (i) those covenants and
agreements contained herein that by their terms apply or are to be performed in
whole or in part after the Effective Time and (ii) this Article IX.
SECTION 9.2 Notices. All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon
receipt) by delivery in person, by facsimile or by registered or certified mail
(postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the
following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified
by like notice):
(a) if
to Parent, Holdings or Merger Sub:
Mars,
Incorporated
0000
Xxx Xxxxxx
XxXxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxx, General Counsel, Tax and Benefits
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
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with
an additional copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
(b) if
to the Company:
Wm.
Wrigley Jr. Company
000
X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Senior Vice President, Secretary and
General
Counsel
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
with
an additional copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
000
X. Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
L.
Xxxxx Xxxxx III, Esq.
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
SECTION 9.3 Certain
Definitions. For
purposes of this Agreement, the term:
(a) “affiliate” of a
person means a person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
first mentioned person;
(b) “business day” means
any day on which the principal offices of the SEC in Washington, D.C. are open
to accept filings or, in the case of determining a date when any payment is due,
any day on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close in New
York, New York;
(c) “control” (including
the terms “controlled”, “controlled by” and
“under common control
with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly or as trustee or
executor, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
policies of a person, whether through the ownership of stock, as trustee or
executor, by contract or credit arrangement or otherwise;
(d) “generally accepted
accounting principles” means the accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States;
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(e) “knowledge”
(i) with respect to the Company means the actual knowledge of any of the
persons listed in Section 9.3(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and (ii)
with respect to Holdings or Merger Sub means the actual knowledge of any of the
persons listed in Section 9.3(e) of the Holdings Disclosure
Schedule;
(f) “Permitted Liens”
means: (A) zoning restrictions, easements, rights-of-way or other restrictions
on the use of real property (provided that such liens and restrictions were
incurred prior to the date hereof and do not, individually or in the aggregate,
materially interfere with the use of such real property or the Company’s or its
subsidiaries' operation of their respective businesses as currently operated);
(B) pledges or deposits by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under
workmen's compensation Laws, unemployment insurance Laws or similar legislation,
or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, Contracts (other than
for the payment of indebtedness) or leases to which such entity is a party, or
deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such entity or to secure
surety or appeal bonds to which such entity is a party, or deposits as security
for contested Taxes, in each case incurred or made in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice; (C) Liens imposed by Law, including
carriers', warehousemen's, landlords' and mechanics' liens, in each case
incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice for
sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
(provided appropriate reserves required pursuant to applicable generally
accepted accounting principles have been made in respect thereof); and (D) Liens
for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges not yet subject to
penalties for non-payment or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings (provided appropriate reserves required pursuant to
applicable generally accepted accounting principles have been made in respect
thereof);
(g) “person” means an
individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association,
trust, unincorporated organization, other entity or group (as defined in Section
13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act);
(h) “subsidiary” or “subsidiaries” of the
Company, the Surviving Corporation, Holdings, Merger Sub or any other person
means any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other legal entity of which
the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Holdings, Merger Sub or such other
person, as the case may be (either alone or through or together with any other
subsidiary), owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the stock or other
equity interests the holder of which is generally entitled to vote for the
election of the board of directors or other governing body of such corporation
or other legal entity;
(i) “Taxes” shall mean any
taxes of any kind, including but not limited to those on or measured by or
referred to as income, gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem,
franchise, profits, license, withholding, payroll, employment, excise,
severance, stamp, occupation, alternative or add-on minimum, transfer, premium,
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value
added, property or windfall profits taxes, customs, duties or similar fees,
assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and
any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any
Governmental Entity, domestic or foreign; and
(j) “Tax Return” shall
mean any return, report or statement (including information returns) required to
be filed with or provided to any Governmental Entity, domestic of foreign, or
other person, or maintained, with respect to Taxes, including any schedule or
attachment thereto or amendment thereof.
SECTION 9.4 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 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 an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated
hereby are fulfilled to the fullest extent possible.
SECTION 9.5 Entire Agreement;
Assignment. This
Agreement, the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Holdings Disclosure Schedule and
the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement among the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with
respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall not be
assigned by operation of Law or otherwise without the prior written consent of
each of the other parties, except that Holdings and Merger Sub may, prior to the
Company Requisite Votes, assign all or any of their respective rights and
obligations hereunder to (i) any direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
Holdings or (ii) to a lender as collateral, in each case after providing written
notice thereof to the Company prior to such assignment; provided, however, that
no such assignment shall relieve the assigning party of its obligations
hereunder.
SECTION 9.6 Parties in
Interest. This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party
hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or
shall confer upon any other person any rights, benefits or remedies of any
nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, other than (a) with
respect to the provisions of Section 6.7, Section 8.2(c)(ii), Section
8.2(c)(iii) and Section 8.2(c)(iv) and Section 9.11 which shall inure to the
benefit of the persons or entities benefiting therefrom who are intended to be
third-party beneficiaries thereof and (b) after the Effective Time, and subject
to Section 9.11, the rights of the holders of Company Common Stock to receive
the Merger Consideration in accordance with the terms and conditions of Article
II of this Agreement and (c) after the Effective Time, and subject to Section
9.11, the rights of the holders of Options, Restricted Shares and Stock Units to
receive the payments contemplated by the applicable provision of Sections
2.2(a), 2.2(b) and 2.2(c).
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SECTION 9.7 Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
the State of Delaware (without giving effect to choice of law principles that
would cause the laws of another jurisdiction to apply).
SECTION 9.8 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 9.9 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile or other
electronic transmission) in one 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.
SECTION 9.10 Specific
Performance. The
parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the
provisions of this Agreement were not performed by the Company in accordance
with their specific terms or were otherwise breached by the
Company. It is accordingly agreed that, prior to the termination of
this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1, Holdings and Merger Sub shall be
entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement
by the Company and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this
Agreement against the Company, this being in addition to any other remedy to
which either such party is entitled at law or in equity. The Company
acknowledges and agrees that it shall not be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent any breaches of this Agreement by Parent, Holdings or
Merger Sub or to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement
or otherwise to obtain any equitable relief or remedy against Parent, Holdings
or Merger Sub and that the Company’s sole and exclusive remedies with respect to
any such breach shall be the remedies set forth in Section 8.2(c); provided, however, that the
Company shall be entitled to any injunction or injunctions solely to prevent any
breach by Holdings or Merger Sub of Section 6.4(b).
SECTION 9.11 No
Recourse. This
Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claims or causes of action that
may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation,
execution or performance of this Agreement may only be made against the entities
that are expressly identified as parties hereto (subject to the next succeeding
sentence), and no past, present or future affiliate, director, officer,
employee, incorporator, stockholder, agent, attorney or Representative of any
party hereto shall have any liability for any obligations or liabilities of the
parties to this Agreement or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason
of, the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company acknowledges
and agrees that (a) Parent’s obligations under and in respect of this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby are limited to the Parent Obligations
(as limited by the provisions hereof), (b) Parent has no obligation to pay (or
to cause Holdings or Merger Sub to pay) any Merger Consideration or other
amounts payable under Section 1.2 or Article II hereof, and (c) Holdings and
Merger Sub have no assets other than cash in a de minimis amount and that no
additional funds are expected to be contributed to Holdings or Merger Sub unless
and until the Closing occurs. The Company further acknowledges and
agrees that the Parent Obligations shall terminate, and Parent shall have no
further obligation or liability under this Agreement or in respect of the
transactions contemplated hereby, as of the earliest of (i) the Effective
Time, (ii)
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satisfaction
of the Parent Obligations, (iii) the termination of this Agreement in accordance
with its terms by mutual consent of Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company or
under circumstances in which, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
Parent would not have any payment or indemnification obligations pursuant to the
Parent Obligations, and (iv) 90 days after any termination of this Agreement in
accordance with its terms under circumstances in which Parent would have any
payment or indemnification obligations pursuant to the Parent Obligations,
except as to a claim for payment or indemnification presented by the Company to
Parent on or prior to such 90th day;
provided, that
such claim shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for such
claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Company
or any of its affiliates asserts in any litigation or other proceeding relating
to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby that the provisions
contained in this Agreement limiting Parent’s obligations to the Parent
Obligations or limiting Parent’s maximum aggregate liability to the Liability
Limitation or that any other provisions in this Agreement limiting the
obligations and liability of Parent and its Related Persons are illegal, invalid
or unenforceable in whole or in part, or asserts any theory of liability against
Parent or any of its Related Persons with respect to this Agreement, the Equity
Financing Commitment Letters or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
other than Parent’s payment or indemnification obligations pursuant to the
Parent Obligations under this Agreement (as limited by the provisions hereof)
then (A) all obligations of Parent under this Agreement shall terminate ab initio and shall thereupon
be null and void, (B) if Parent has previously made any payments or provided
indemnification under this Agreement, it shall be entitled to recover such
payments from the Company, and (C) neither Parent nor any of its Related Persons
shall have any liability to the Company or any of its Affiliates with respect to
this Agreement, the Equity Financing Commitment Letters or the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby.
SECTION 9.12 Jurisdiction. Each
of the parties hereto (i) consents to submit itself to the personal
jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if under
applicable law exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested in the federal
courts, any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware, in the
event any dispute arises out of this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) agrees that it will not attempt to
deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave
from any such court, (iii) agrees that it will not bring any action
relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement in any court other than the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware
or, if under applicable law exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested in
the federal courts, any court of the United States located in the State of
Delaware and (iv) consents to service being made through the notice
procedures set forth in Section 9.2. Each party hereto hereby agrees
that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, service of any process, summons,
notice or document by U.S. registered mail to the respective addresses set forth
in Section 9.2 shall be effective service of process for any suit or proceeding
in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
SECTION 9.13 Interpretation. When
reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such reference shall be to a
Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. Whenever the
words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they
shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The
words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby” and “hereunder” and words of similar import
when used in this Agreement shall refer
-62-
to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this
Agreement. The word “or” shall not be exclusive. This
Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring
construction or interpretation against the party drafting or causing any
instrument to be drafted.
SECTION 9.14 WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL. EACH
OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN
ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR
OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE ACTIONS OF ANY
PARTY HERETO IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
THEREOF.
[Remainder of Page Left Blank
Intentionally]
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company, Parent, Holdings and Merger Sub have caused this
Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective
officers thereunto duly authorized.
WM.
WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Wm. Wrigley Jr.
|
||
Name:
|
Wm.
Wrigley Jr.
|
||
Title:
|
Executive
Chairman and Chairman of the Board
|
||
MARS,
INCORPORATED
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx-Xxxxx
|
||
Name:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx-Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
|
General
Counsel Corporate Development
|
||
NEW
UNO HOLDINGS CORPORATION
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx Mars
|
||
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Mars
|
||
Title:
|
Vice
President
|
||
NEW
UNO ACQUISITION CORPORATION
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx Mars
|
||
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Mars
|
||
Title:
|
Vice
President
|
[Merger Agreement Signature Page]