Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION COPY
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
dated as of
April 15,
2007
among
SLM
CORPORATION,
MUSTANG HOLDING
COMPANY INC.
and
MUSTANG MERGER
SUB, INC.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
PAGE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
1
|
|
DEFINITIONS
|
|
Section
|
1.01.
|
|
Definitions
|
|
1
|
|
Section
|
1.02.
|
|
Other Definitional and
Interpretative Provisions
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
2
|
|
THE
MERGER
|
|
Section
|
2.01.
|
|
The Merger
|
|
8
|
|
Section
|
2.02.
|
|
Conversion of
Shares
|
|
8
|
|
Section
|
2.03.
|
|
Surrender and
Payment
|
|
9
|
|
Section
|
2.04.
|
|
Stock Options; Restricted
Stock Units; Restricted Stock and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equivalents
|
|
10
|
|
Section
|
2.05.
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
11
|
|
Section
|
2.06.
|
|
Withholding
Rights
|
|
11
|
|
Section
|
2.07.
|
|
Lost
Certificates
|
|
12
|
|
Section
|
2.08.
|
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
|
12
|
|
Section
|
2.09.
|
|
Preferred Stock
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
3
|
|
THE SURVIVING
CORPORATION
|
|
Section
|
3.01.
|
|
Certificate of
Incorporation
|
|
13
|
|
Section
|
3.02.
|
|
Bylaws
|
|
13
|
|
Section
|
3.03.
|
|
Directors and
Officers
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
4
|
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
|
Section
|
4.01.
|
|
Corporate Existence and
Power
|
|
13
|
|
Section
|
4.02.
|
|
Corporate
Authorization
|
|
14
|
|
Section
|
4.03.
|
|
Governmental
Authorization
|
|
14
|
|
Section
|
4.04.
|
|
Non-Contravention
|
|
15
|
|
Section
|
4.05.
|
|
Capitalization
|
|
15
|
|
Section
|
4.06.
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
16
|
|
Section
|
4.07.
|
|
SEC Filings and the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
|
|
16
|
|
Section
|
4.08.
|
|
Financial
Statements
|
|
18
|
|
Section
|
4.09.
|
|
Disclosure
Documents
|
|
18
|
|
Section
|
4.10.
|
|
Absence of Certain
Changes
|
|
18
|
|
Section
|
4.11.
|
|
No Undisclosed Material
Liabilities
|
|
18
|
|
Section
|
4.12.
|
|
Compliance with Laws and Court
Orders
|
|
19
|
|
Section
|
4.13.
|
|
Litigation
|
|
19
|
|
Section
|
4.14.
|
|
Finders’
Fees
|
|
19
|
i
|
Section
|
4.15.
|
|
Opinions of Financial
Advisors
|
|
19
|
|
Section
|
4.16.
|
|
Taxes
|
|
19
|
|
Section
|
4.17.
|
|
Employee Benefit
Plans
|
|
21
|
|
Section
|
4.18.
|
|
Environmental
Matters
|
|
23
|
|
Section
|
4.19.
|
|
Real Property
|
|
23
|
|
Section
|
4.20.
|
|
Material
Contracts
|
|
24
|
|
Section
|
4.21.
|
|
Anti-Takeover
Statutes
|
|
24
|
|
Section
|
4.22.
|
|
Insurance
|
|
24
|
|
Section
|
4.23.
|
|
Derivative
Transactions
|
|
25
|
|
Section
|
4.24.
|
|
Agreements with
Regulators
|
|
25
|
|
Section
|
4.25.
|
|
Securitizations
|
|
26
|
|
Section
|
4.26.
|
|
Student Loan
Portfolio
|
|
26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
5
|
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT
|
|
Section
|
5.01.
|
|
Corporate Existence and
Power
|
|
27
|
|
Section
|
5.02.
|
|
Corporate
Authorization
|
|
27
|
|
Section
|
5.03.
|
|
Governmental
Authorization
|
|
28
|
|
Section
|
5.04.
|
|
Non-Contravention
|
|
28
|
|
Section
|
5.05.
|
|
Disclosure
Documents
|
|
28
|
|
Section
|
5.06.
|
|
Litigation
|
|
28
|
|
Section
|
5.07.
|
|
Finders’
Fees
|
|
29
|
|
Section
|
5.08.
|
|
Financial
Activities
|
|
29
|
|
Section
|
5.09.
|
|
Financing
|
|
29
|
|
Section
|
5.10.
|
|
Solvency
|
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
6
|
|
COVENANTS OF THE
COMPANY
|
|
Section
|
6.01.
|
|
Conduct of the
Company
|
|
30
|
|
Section
|
6.02.
|
|
Stockholder Meeting; Proxy
Material
|
|
33
|
|
Section
|
6.03.
|
|
Solicitation; Other
Offers
|
|
33
|
|
Section
|
6.04.
|
|
No Control of Other
Party’s Business
|
|
36
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
7
|
|
COVENANTS OF
PARENT
|
|
Section
|
7.01.
|
|
Conduct of Parent and Merger
Subsidiary
|
|
37
|
|
Section
|
7.02.
|
|
Obligations of Merger
Subsidiary
|
|
37
|
|
Section
|
7.03.
|
|
Voting of
Shares
|
|
37
|
|
Section
|
7.04.
|
|
Director and Officer
Liability
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
8
|
|
COVENANTS OF
PARENT AND THE COMPANY
|
|
Section
|
8.01.
|
|
Reasonable Best
Efforts
|
|
39
|
ii
|
Section
|
8.02.
|
|
Certain Filings
|
|
41
|
|
Section
|
8.03.
|
|
Public
Announcements
|
|
42
|
|
Section
|
8.04.
|
|
Further
Assurances
|
|
42
|
|
Section
|
8.05.
|
|
Access to
Information
|
|
42
|
|
Section
|
8.06.
|
|
Notices of Certain
Events
|
|
42
|
|
Section
|
8.07.
|
|
Confidentiality
|
|
43
|
|
Section
|
8.08.
|
|
Employee
Matters
|
|
43
|
|
Section
|
8.09.
|
|
Financing
|
|
44
|
|
Section
|
8.10.
|
|
Convertible
Notes
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
9
|
|
CONDITIONS TO THE
MERGER
|
|
Section
|
9.01.
|
|
Conditions to the Obligations
of Each Party
|
|
48
|
|
Section
|
9.02.
|
|
Conditions to the Obligations
of Parent and Merger
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
49
|
|
Section
|
9.03.
|
|
Conditions to the Obligations
of the Company
|
|
49
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
10
|
|
TERMINATION
|
|
Section
|
10.01.
|
|
Termination
|
|
49
|
|
Section
|
10.02.
|
|
Effect of
Termination
|
|
51
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE
11
|
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
|
Section
|
11.01.
|
|
Standard
|
|
52
|
|
Section
|
11.02.
|
|
Notices
|
|
52
|
|
Section
|
11.03.
|
|
Survival of Representations
and Warranties
|
|
53
|
|
Section
|
11.04.
|
|
Amendments and
Waivers
|
|
53
|
|
Section
|
11.05.
|
|
Expenses
|
|
53
|
|
Section
|
11.06.
|
|
Disclosure Schedule
References
|
|
54
|
|
Section
|
11.07.
|
|
Binding Effect; Benefit;
Assignment
|
|
55
|
|
Section
|
11.08.
|
|
Governing Law
|
|
55
|
|
Section
|
11.09.
|
|
Jurisdiction
|
|
55
|
|
Section
|
11.10.
|
|
WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
|
|
55
|
|
Section
|
11.11.
|
|
Counterparts;
Effectiveness
|
|
55
|
|
Section
|
11.12.
|
|
Entire
Agreement
|
|
56
|
|
Section
|
11.13.
|
|
Severability
|
|
56
|
|
Section
|
11.14.
|
|
Specific
Performance
|
|
56
|
iii
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
(this “ Agreement ”) dated as of April 15, 2007
among SLM Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”), Mustang Holding Company Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“ Parent ”), and Mustang Merger
Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent (“ Merger Subsidiary ”).
W I T N E S S E T
H
WHEREAS, the parties intend
that Merger Subsidiary be merged with and into the Company (the
“ Merger ”), with the Company surviving the
Merger as a subsidiary of Parent;
WHEREAS, the Board of
Directors of the Company, acting upon the recommendation of the
Transaction Committee, has (i) determined that it is in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders, and declared it
advisable, to enter into this Agreement, (ii) approved the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Merger and (iii) resolved to recommend adoption of this Agreement
by the stockholders of the Company;
WHEREAS, the Boards of
Directors of Parent and Merger Subsidiary have approved this
Agreement and declared it advisable for Parent and Merger
Subsidiary, respectively, to enter into this Agreement;
and
WHEREAS, the Company, Parent
and Merger Subsidiary desire to make certain representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Merger
and also to prescribe certain conditions to the Merger, as set
forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing and the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements contained herein, intending to be legally
bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01 .
Definitions. (a) As used herein, the following terms have the
following meanings:
“ Acquisition
Proposal ” means, other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, any offer, proposal or inquiry from
any Third Party relating to (A) any acquisition or purchase, direct
or indirect, of 25% or more of the consolidated assets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries or 25% or more of any class of equity
or voting securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries
whose assets,
individually or in the aggregate, constitute 25% or more of the
consolidated assets of the Company, (B) any tender offer (including
a self-tender offer) or exchange offer that, if consummated, would
result in such Third Party’s beneficially owning 25% or more
of any class of equity or voting securities of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate,
constitute 25% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company or
(C) a merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination,
sale of substantially all the assets, reorganization,
recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar
transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose
assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 25% or more of
the consolidated assets of the Company.
“ Affiliate
” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with such Person.
“ Applicable Law
” means, with respect to any Person, any federal, state or
local law (statutory, common or otherwise), constitution, treaty,
convention, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, order, injunction,
judgment, decree, ruling or other similar requirement enacted,
adopted, promulgated or applied by a Governmental Authority that is
binding upon or applicable to such Person, as amended unless
expressly specified otherwise.
“ Business Day
” means a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on
which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or
required by Applicable Law to close.
“ Closing Date
” means the date on which the Effective Time
occurs.
“ Code ”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“ Company Balance
Sheet ” means the consolidated balance sheet of the
Company as of December 31, 2006 and the footnotes thereto set forth
in the Company 10-K.
“ Company Balance
Sheet Date ” means December 31, 2006.
“ Company Bank
” means Sallie Mae Bank.
“ Company Disclosure
Schedule ” means the disclosure schedule dated the date
hereof regarding this Agreement that has been provided by the
Company to Parent and Merger Subsidiary prior to the execution and
delivery of this Agreement.
“ Company Stock
” means the common stock, $0.20 par value, of the
Company.
“ Company Stock
Plan ” means the Company’s Board of Directors Stock
Option Plan, 1993-1998 Stock Option Plan, Directors Stock Plan,
Employee
2
Stock Option
Plan, Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Management
Incentive Plan, the Deferred Compensation Plans, the SLM
Corporation Incentive Plan and any other Employee Plan providing
for the grant or award of Company Stock, options to purchase
Company Stock, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or other
equity-based awards.
“ Company 10-K
” means the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 as filed with the SEC on
March 1, 2007.
“ Confidentiality
Agreements ” means the confidentiality agreements entered
into prior to the date hereof between the Company and certain
Affiliates of Parent.
“ Convertible
Notes ” means the SLM Corporation Floating Rate
Convertible Senior Debentures Due 2035 issued pursuant to the
Indenture, dated as of May 20, 2003 between the Company and
JPMorgan Chase Bank as Trustee.
“ Deferred
Compensation Plans ” means the Company’s Deferred
Compensation Plan for Key Employees and the Student Loan Marketing
Association Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors.
“ Delaware Law
” means the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware.
“ Environmental
Laws ” means any Applicable Law relating to the
environment, or pollutants, contaminants, wastes or chemicals or
any toxic, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise
hazardous substances, wastes or materials.
“ ERISA ”
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974.
“ ERISA
Affiliate ” of any entity means any other entity that,
together with such entity, would be treated as a single employer
under Section 414 of the Code.
“ GAAP ”
means generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States.
“ Governmental
Authority ” means any transnational, domestic or foreign,
federal, state or local, governmental authority, department, court,
agency or official, including any political subdivision
thereof.
“ HSR Act
” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of
1976.
“ knowledge
” means, (i) with respect to the Company, the actual
knowledge of the individuals listed on Section 1.01 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule and (ii) with respect to Parent, the actual
knowledge of the individuals listed on Section 1.01 of the Parent
Disclosure Schedule.
3
“ Lien ”
means, with respect to any property or asset, any mortgage, lien,
pledge, charge, security interest, encumbrance or other adverse
claim of any kind in respect of such property or asset. For
purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject
to a Lien any property or asset that it has acquired or holds
subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional
sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement
relating to such property or asset.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means a material adverse effect on the financial
condition, business, or results of operations of the Company and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except to the extent any such
effect results from: (a) changes in GAAP or changes in regulatory
accounting requirements applicable to any industry in which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries operate; (b) changes in
Applicable Law ( provided that, for purposes of this
definition, “changes in Applicable Law” shall not
include any changes in Applicable Law relating specifically to the
education finance industry that are in the aggregate more adverse
to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, than the
legislative and budget proposals described under the heading
“Recent Developments” in the Company 10-K, in each case
in the form proposed publicly as of the date of the Company 10-K)
or interpretations thereof by any Governmental Authority; (c)
changes in global, national or regional political conditions
(including the outbreak of war or acts of terrorism) or in general
economic, business, regulatory, political or market conditions or
in national or global financial markets; provided that such
changes do not disproportionately affect the Company relative to
similarly sized financial services companies and provided
that this exception shall not include changes excluded from clause
(b) of this definition pursuant to the proviso contained therein;
(d) any proposed law, rule or regulation, or any proposed amendment
to any existing law, rule or regulation, in each case affecting the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries and not enacted into law prior
to the Closing Date; (e) changes affecting the financial services
industry generally; provided that such changes do not
disproportionately affect the Company relative to similarly sized
financial services companies and provided that this
exception shall not include changes excluded from clause (b) of
this definition pursuant to the proviso contained therein; (f)
public disclosure of this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the initiation of litigation by any
Person with respect to this Agreement; (g) any change in the debt
ratings of the Company or any debt securities of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries in and of itself (it being agreed that this
exception does not cover the underlying reason for such change,
except to the extent such reason is within the scope of any other
exception within this definition); (h) any actions taken (or
omitted to be taken) at the written request of Parent; or (i) any
action taken by the Company, or which the Company causes to be
taken by any of its Subsidiaries, in each case which is required
pursuant to this Agreement.
“ 1933 Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933.
“ 1934 Act
” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
4
“ Parent Disclosure
Schedule ” means the disclosure schedule dated the date
hereof regarding this Agreement that has been provided by Parent to
the Company prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement.
“ Person ”
means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, association, trust or other entity or organization,
including a government or political subdivision or an agency or
instrumentality thereof.
“ Preferred
Stock ” means the preferred stock, $0.20 par value, of
the Company.
“ Sarbanes-Oxley
Act ” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
“ SEC ”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Series A Preferred
Stock ” means the 6.97% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred
Stock.
“ Series B Preferred
Stock ” means the Floating-Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred
Stock.
“ Solvent
” when used with respect to any Person, means that, as of any
date of determination, (a) the amount of the “fair saleable
value” of the assets of such Person will, as of such date,
exceed (i) the value of all “liabilities of such Person,
including contingent and other liabilities,” as of such date,
as such quoted terms are generally determined in accordance with
applicable federal laws governing determinations of the insolvency
of debtors, and (ii) the amount that will be required to pay the
probable liabilities of such Person on its existing debts
(including contingent liabilities) as such debts become absolute
and matured, (b) such Person will not have, as of such date, an
unreasonably small amount of capital for the operation of the
businesses in which it is engaged or proposed to be engaged
following such date, and (c) such Person will be able to pay its
liabilities, including contingent and other liabilities, as they
mature.
“ Subsidiary
” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which
securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting
power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other
persons performing similar functions are at any time directly or
indirectly owned by such Person.
“ Third Party
” means any Person, including as defined in Section 13(d) of
the 1934 Act, other than the Company or Parent or any of their
respective Affiliates.
“ Transaction
Committee ” means a committee of the Company’s
Board of Directors formed for the purpose of, among other things,
evaluating, and making a recommendation to the Board of Directors
of the Company with respect to, this Agreement and the
Merger.
5
“ Unencumbered
Assets ” means assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
that are not subject to any Lien, other than any non-consensual
Lien arising as a matter of law.
(b) Each of the following
terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such
term:
|
Term
|
|
Section
|
|
Acceptable Confidentiality
Agreement
|
|
6.03(g)
|
|
Act
|
|
4.26(a)
|
|
Adverse Recommendation
Change
|
|
6.03(b)
|
|
Agreement
|
|
Preamble
|
|
Certificates
|
|
2.03(a)
|
|
Commitment Letters
|
|
5.09
|
|
Company
|
|
Preamble
|
|
Company Board
Recommendation
|
|
4.02(b)
|
|
Company Proxy
Statement
|
|
4.09
|
|
Company Regulatory
Agreement
|
|
4.24
|
|
Company
Representatives
|
|
6.03(b)
|
|
Company SEC
Documents
|
|
4.07
|
|
Company Securities
|
|
4.05(b)
|
|
Company Stock
Option
|
|
2.04(a)
|
|
Company Stockholder
Approval
|
|
4.02(a)
|
|
Company Stockholder
Meeting
|
|
6.02
|
|
Company Subsidiary
Securities
|
|
4.06(b)
|
|
D&O Insurance
|
|
7.04(b)
|
|
Debt Commitment
Letter
|
|
5.09
|
|
Debt Financing
|
|
5.09
|
|
Deferred Stock
Units
|
|
2.04(b)
|
|
Derivative
Transactions
|
|
4.23
|
|
Dissenting Shares
|
|
2.08
|
|
Effective Time
|
|
2.01(b)
|
|
Employee Plans
|
|
4.17(a)
|
|
End Date
|
|
10.01(b)
|
|
Equity Commitment
Letters
|
|
5.09
|
|
Equity Financing
|
|
5.09
|
|
Equity Syndication
|
|
8.09(a)
|
|
ESPP
|
|
2.04(e)
|
|
Exchange Agent
|
|
2.03(a)
|
|
FDIC
|
|
4.03
|
|
FFELP Loan
|
|
4.26(a)
|
|
Financing
|
|
5.09
|
|
High-Yield
Financing
|
|
8.09(a)
|
|
Indemnified Person
|
|
7.04(a)
|
|
internal controls
|
|
4.07(f)
|
|
Leased Properties
|
|
4.19(b)
|
6
|
Term
|
|
Section
|
|
Marketing Period
|
|
8.09(a)
|
|
Material Contract
|
|
4.20
|
|
Merger
|
|
Recitals
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
|
2.02(a)
|
|
Merger Subsidiary
|
|
Preamble
|
|
Multiemployer Plan
|
|
4.17(c)
|
|
NASD
|
|
4.03
|
|
Notice Period
|
|
6.03(d)
|
|
Owned Properties
|
|
4.19(a)
|
|
Parent
|
|
Preamble
|
|
Parent Termination
Fee
|
|
11.05(c)
|
|
Payment Event
|
|
11.05(b)
|
|
PBGC
|
|
4.17(b)
|
|
Permitted
Encumbrances
|
|
4.19(a)
|
|
Private Loans
|
|
4.26(b)
|
|
Real Property
|
|
4.19(b)
|
|
Required
Information
|
|
8.09(b)
|
|
Restricted Stock
|
|
2.04(c)
|
|
Restricted Stock
Units
|
|
2.04(b)
|
|
Securitization Disclosure
Documents
|
|
4.25(b)
|
|
Securitization
Transaction
|
|
4.25(a)
|
|
Student Loans
|
|
4.26(b)
|
|
Specified Actions
|
|
8.01(a)
|
|
Superior Proposal
|
|
6.03(g)
|
|
Surviving
Corporation
|
|
2.01(a)
|
|
Tax
|
|
4.16(d)
|
|
Taxing Authority
|
|
4.16(d)
|
|
Tax Return
|
|
4.16(d)
|
|
Termination Fee
|
|
11.05(b)
|
|
Uncertificated
Shares
|
|
2.03(a)
|
|
Utah Commissioner
|
|
4.03
|
Section 1.02 . Other
Definitional and Interpretative Provisions. The words
“hereof”, “herein” and
“hereunder” and words of like import used in this
Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular provision of this Agreement. The captions herein are
included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in
the construction or interpretation hereof. References to Articles,
Sections, Exhibits and Schedules are to Articles, Sections,
Exhibits and Schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise
specified. All Exhibits and Schedules annexed hereto or referred to
herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement
as if set forth in full herein. Any capitalized terms used in any
Exhibit or Schedule but not otherwise defined therein, shall have
the meaning as defined in this Agreement. Any singular term in this
Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural
term the singular. Whenever the words “include”,
“includes” or “including” are used
in
7
this Agreement,
they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without
limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by
those words or words of like import. “Writing”,
“written” and comparable terms refer to printing,
typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic
media) in a non-transient visible form. References to any agreement
or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms
hereof and thereof. References to any Person include the successors
and permitted assigns of that Person. References from or through
any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or
through and including, respectively. References to a particular
statute or law shall be to such statute or law, as amended from
time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
ARTICLE 2
THE
MERGER
Section 2.01 . The
Merger. (a) At the Effective Time (as herein defined), Merger
Subsidiary shall be merged with and into the Company in accordance
with Delaware Law, whereupon the separate existence of Merger
Subsidiary shall cease, and the Company shall be the surviving
corporation (the “ Surviving Corporation
”).
(b) As soon as practicable
(and in no event later than three Business Days) after satisfaction
or, to the extent permitted hereunder, waiver of all conditions to
the Merger, the Company and Merger Subsidiary shall file a
certificate of merger with the Delaware Secretary of State and make
all other filings or recordings required by Delaware Law in
connection with the Merger; provided , however , that
if the foregoing would occur on a date prior to the end of the
Marketing Period (as herein defined), such actions shall instead
occur on the earliest to occur of (i) a date during the Marketing
Period specified by Parent on no less than three (3) Business
Days’ notice to the Company and (ii) the final day of the
Marketing Period (subject in each case to the satisfaction or, to
the extent permitted hereunder, waiver of all conditions set forth
in Article 9). The Merger shall become effective at such time (the
“ Effective Time ”) as the certificate of merger
is duly filed with the Delaware Secretary of State (or at such
later time as may be specified in the certificate of
merger).
(c) From and after the
Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall possess all the
rights, powers, privileges and franchises and be subject to all of
the obligations, liabilities, restrictions and disabilities of the
Company and Merger Subsidiary, all as provided under Delaware
Law.
Section 2.02. Conversion
of Shares. At the Effective Time:
(a) except (i) as otherwise
provided in Section 2.02(b) or (ii) for Dissenting Shares (as
herein defined), each share of Company Stock outstanding
8
immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into the right to
receive $60.00 in cash, without interest (the “ Merger
Consideration ”);
(b) each share of Company
Stock held by the Company as treasury stock (other than shares in
an Employee Plan of the Company) or owned by Parent or Merger
Subsidiary immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
canceled, and no payment shall be made with respect thereto;
and
(c) each share of common
stock of Merger Subsidiary outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be converted into and become one share of
common stock of the Surviving Corporation with the same rights,
powers and privileges as the shares so converted and shall
constitute the only outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Surviving Corporation.
Section 2.03 . Surrender
and Payment. (a) Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall
appoint a bank or trust company reasonably acceptable to the
Company to act as the exchange agent in the Merger (the “
Exchange Agent ”). Prior to or at the Effective Time,
Parent shall deposit with the Exchange Agent cash in an amount
equal to the aggregate amounts payable under Section 2.02(a) and
Section 2.04. The funds so deposited with the Exchange Agent shall
be held by the Exchange Agent and applied by it in accordance with
this Section 2.03 and Section 2.04 for the purpose of exchanging
for the Merger Consideration (i) certificates representing shares
of Company Stock (the “ Certificates ”) or (ii)
uncertificated shares of Company Stock (the “
Uncertificated Shares ”). Promptly after the Effective
Time, Parent shall send, or shall cause the Exchange Agent to send,
to each holder of shares of Company Stock at the Effective Time a
letter of transmittal and instructions (which shall specify that
the delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title shall
pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates or transfer of
the Uncertificated Shares to the Exchange Agent) for use in such
exchange.
(b) Each holder of shares of
Company Stock that have been converted into the right to receive
the Merger Consideration shall be entitled to receive, upon (i)
surrender to the Exchange Agent of a Certificate, together with a
properly completed letter of transmittal, or (ii) receipt of an
“agent’s message” by the Exchange Agent (or such
other evidence, if any, of transfer as the Exchange Agent may
reasonably request) in the case of a book-entry transfer of
Uncertificated Shares, the Merger Consideration in respect of the
Company Stock represented by a Certificate or Uncertificated Share.
Until so surrendered or transferred, as the case may be, each such
Certificate or Uncertificated Share shall represent after the
Effective Time for all purposes only the right to receive such
Merger Consideration.
(c) If any portion of the
Merger Consideration is to be paid to a Person other than the
Person in whose name the surrendered Certificate or the transferred
Uncertificated Share is registered, it shall be a condition to such
payment that (i) either such Certificate shall be properly endorsed
or shall otherwise be in proper
9
form for
transfer or such Uncertificated Share shall be properly transferred
and (ii) the Person requesting such payment shall pay to the
Exchange Agent any transfer or other taxes required as a result of
such payment to a Person other than the registered holder of such
Certificate or Uncertificated Share or establish to the
satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such tax has been paid or
is not payable.
(d) After the Effective Time,
there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of
Company Stock. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates or
Uncertificated Shares are presented to the Surviving Corporation,
they shall be canceled and exchanged for the Merger Consideration
provided for, and in accordance with the procedures set forth, in
this Article 2.
(e) Any portion of the Merger
Consideration made available to the Exchange Agent pursuant to
Section 2.03(a) that remains unclaimed by the holders of shares of
Company Stock six months after the Effective Time shall be returned
to Parent, upon demand, and any such holder who has not exchanged
shares of Company Stock for the Merger Consideration in accordance
with this Section 2.03 prior to that time shall thereafter look
only to Parent for payment of the Merger Consideration.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent shall not be liable to any
holder of shares of Company Stock for any amounts paid to a public
official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or
similar laws.
Section 2.04 . Stock
Options; Restricted Stock Units; Restricted Stock and
Equivalents. Except as may otherwise be agreed between Parent
and a holder of a Company Stock Option (as herein defined),
Restricted Stock Unit (as herein defined), Restricted Stock (as
herein defined) or Deferred Stock Units (as herein
defined):
(a) As of the Effective Time,
each option to acquire shares of Company Stock (each, a “
Company Stock Option ”) that then remains outstanding
and originally was granted under any Company Stock Plan (other than
the ESPP, which shall be governed by Section 2.04(e) below),
whether or not then vested or exercisable, automatically shall be
terminated at the Effective Time and converted into the right of
the holder thereof to receive thereupon in full satisfaction of
such Company Stock Option as of the Effective Time, an amount in
cash (subject to any applicable withholding taxes) equal to the
product of (x) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration over
the applicable exercise price of such Company Stock Option and (y)
the number of shares of Company Stock issuable upon exercise of
such Company Stock Option.
(b) As of the Effective Time,
each issued and outstanding restricted stock unit or similar
equity-based awards (whether vested or unvested) granted under any
Company Stock Plan (the “ Restricted Stock Units
”) shall be terminated and converted into the right to
receive the Merger Consideration (subject to applicable withholding
taxes) payable with respect to the number of shares of Company
Stock represented by such unit or similar equity-based award. As of
the Effective Time, all amounts held in participant accounts under
the
10
Deferred
Compensation Plans that are denominated in Company Stock shall be
converted into an obligation to pay cash with a value equal to the
product of (i) the Merger Consideration and (ii) the number of
shares of Company Stock deemed held in such participant accounts
(“ Deferred Stock Units ”). Such obligation
shall be payable or distributable in accordance with the terms of
the Deferred Compensation Plans (as amended to comply with Section
409A of the Code) and, prior to the time of any distribution, such
deferred amounts shall be permitted to be deemed invested in
another investment option under the applicable Plan.
(c) As of the Effective Time,
each issued and outstanding share of restricted stock (whether
vested or unvested) granted under any Company Stock Plan (the
“ Restricted Stock ”) shall be terminated and
converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration
(subject to applicable withholding taxes) payable with respect to
the number of shares of Company Stock represented by such share of
Restricted Stock.
(d) Prior to the Effective
Time, the Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts
to obtain all consents of Third Parties and make all amendments, if
any, to the terms of the Company Stock Plans and each outstanding
award agreement issued pursuant to the Company Stock Plans, as
applicable, and shall take all other actions within the control of
the Company or its Subsidiaries, that are necessary to give effect
to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04. Parent shall
direct the Surviving Corporation to make the payments required
under this Section 2.04 as promptly as practicable following the
Effective Time.
(e) The Company shall take
all action as is necessary to cause the Company’s Amended and
Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ ESPP
”) to be suspended effective as of a date not later than the
end of the calendar month of the date of this Agreement, such that
the current “offering period” will end on April 30,
2007 and will be the final offering period under the ESPP, and, as
of the Effective Time and subject to the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Company shall
terminate the ESPP.
Section 2.05 .
Adjustments. If, during the period between the date of this
Agreement and the Effective Time, any change in the outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company shall occur, including by
reason of any reclassification, recapitalization, stock split or
combination, exchange or readjustment of shares, or any stock
dividend thereon with a record date during such period, but
excluding any change that results from any exercise of options
outstanding as of the date hereof to purchase shares of Company
Stock granted under the Company’s stock option or
compensation plans or arrangements, the Merger Consideration shall
be appropriately adjusted.
Section 2.06 . Withholding
Rights. Each of the Surviving Corporation, Parent and the
Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from
the
11
consideration
otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this Article 2 such
amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to
the making of such payment under any provision of federal, state,
local or foreign tax law. If the Surviving Corporation, Parent or
the Exchange Agent, as the case may be, so deducts and withholds
amounts, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this
Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the shares of
Company Stock in respect of which the Surviving Corporation or
Parent, as the case may be, made such deduction and
withholding.
Section 2.07 . Lost
Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen
or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the
Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed
and, if required by the Surviving Corporation, the posting by such
Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as the Surviving
Corporation may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be
made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange
Agent will issue, in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificate, the Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of the
shares of Company Stock represented by such Certificate, as
contemplated by this Article 2.
Section 2.08 . Dissenting
Shares. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, if required by Delaware Law (but only to the extent
required thereby), shares of Company Stock that are issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than
shares of Company Stock to be canceled pursuant to Section 2.02(b))
and that are held by holders of such shares who have not voted in
favor of the adoption of this Agreement or consented thereto in
writing and who have properly exercised appraisal rights with
respect thereto in accordance with, and who have complied with,
Section 262 of Delaware Law (the “ Dissenting Shares
”) will not be convertible into the right to receive the
Merger Consideration, and holders of such Dissenting Shares will be
entitled to receive payment of the fair value of such Dissenting
Shares in accordance with the provisions of such Section 262 unless
and until any such holder fails to perfect or effectively withdraws
or loses its rights to appraisal and payment under Delaware Law.
If, after the Effective Time, any such holder fails to perfect or
effectively withdraws or loses such right, such Dissenting Shares
will thereupon be treated as if they had been converted into and
have become exchangeable for, at the Effective Time, the right to
receive the Merger Consideration, without any interest thereon, and
the Surviving Corporation shall remain liable for payment of the
Merger Consideration for such shares. At the Effective Time, any
holder of Dissenting Shares shall cease to have any rights with
respect thereto, except the rights provided in Section 262 of
Delaware Law and as provided in the previous sentence. The Company
will give Parent (i) notice of any demands received by the Company
for appraisals and (ii) the opportunity to participate in and
direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to such
notices and demands. The Company shall not, except with the prior
written consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to any
demands for appraisal or settle any such demands.
12
Section 2.09 . Preferred
Stock. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock and Series B
Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall remain issued and outstanding and shall have the rights and
privileges as set forth in the Surviving Corporation’s
certificate of incorporation.
ARTICLE 3
THE SURVIVING
CORPORATION
Section 3.01 . Certificate
of Incorporation. The certificate of incorporation of the
Company in effect at the Effective Time shall be the certificate of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended
in accordance with Applicable Law.
Section 3.02 . Bylaws.
The bylaws of Merger Subsidiary in effect at the Effective Time
shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter
amended in accordance with Applicable Law.
Section 3.03 . Directors
and Officers. From and after the Effective Time, until
successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified in
accordance with Applicable Law, (i) the directors of Merger
Subsidiary at the Effective Time shall be the directors of the
Surviving Corporation and (ii) the officers of the Company at the
Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving
Corporation.
ARTICLE 4
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as disclosed in (i)
the Company 10-K, the Company’s Proxy Statement on Schedule
14A filed with the SEC on April 9, 2007 or the Company’s
Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC since January 1,
2007 but prior to the date hereof (excluding any risk factor
disclosures contained in such documents under the heading
“Risk Factors” and any disclosure of risks included in
any “forward-looking statements” disclaimer or other
statements that are similarly non-specific and are predictive or
forward-looking in nature) if the relevance of such disclosure as
an exception to one or more of the following representations and
warranties is reasonably apparent, or (ii) the Company Disclosure
Schedule, the Company represents and warrants to Parent
that:
Section 4.01 . Corporate
Existence and Power. The Company is a corporation duly
incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the State of Delaware and has all corporate powers and all
governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and
approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted,
except for those licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and
approvals the absence of which would not be reasonably expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
The Company
13
is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is
necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so
qualified would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.02 . Corporate
Authorization. (a) The execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated hereby are within the
Company’s corporate powers and, except for the required
approval of the Company’s stockholders in connection with the
consummation of the Merger, have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of Company Stock is the only vote of the holders of any of
the Company’s capital stock necessary in connection with the
consummation of the Merger (the “ Company Stockholder
Approval ”). This Agreement constitutes a valid and
binding agreement of the Company.
(b) At a meeting duly called
and held, the Company’s Board of Directors, acting upon the
unanimous recommendation of the Transaction Committee, has (i)
determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby are fair to and in the best interests of the Company’s
stockholders, (ii) approved and adopted this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby and (iii) resolved (subject to
Section 6.03) to recommend approval and adoption of this Agreement
by its stockholders (such recommendation, the “ Company
Board Recommendation ”). Such determination, approval and
resolution is in effect and has not been rescinded or modified as
of the date hereof.
Section 4.03 .
Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and
performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby require no
action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental
Authority other than (i) the filing of a certificate of merger with
respect to the Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State and
appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states
in which the Company is qualified to do business; (ii) compliance
with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act; (iii) compliance
with any applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and any other
applicable U.S. state or federal securities laws; (iv) the approval
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “
FDIC ”) under the Change in Bank Control Act; (v) the
approval of the Utah Commissioner of Financial Institutions
(“ Utah Commissioner ”) under the Utah Financial
Institutions Act; (vi) the approval of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “ NASD ”); (vii)
any required approvals of any state licensing authorities having
jurisdiction over the Company and any of its Subsidiaries; and
(viii) any actions or filings the absence of which would not be
reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect.
14
Section 4.04 .
Non-Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i)
contravene, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of
any provision of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the
Company, (ii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in
Section 4.03, contravene, conflict with or result in a violation or
breach of any provision of any Applicable Law, (iii) require any
consent or other action by any Person under, constitute a default,
or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute a default, under, or cause or permit the
termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any
right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled under any provision of any
agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or (iv) result in the creation or imposition of
any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
with such exceptions, in the case of each of clauses (ii) through
(iv), as would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.05 .
Capitalization. (a) The authorized capital stock of the Company
consists of (i) 1,125,000,000 shares of Company Stock and (ii)
20,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, of which 3,450,000 shares
have been designated as Series A Preferred Stock and 4,000,000
shares have been designated as Series B Preferred Stock. As of
April 9, 2007, there were outstanding 411,024,600 voting shares of
Company Stock (which includes all outstanding shares of Restricted
Stock), 3,300,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, 4,000,000
shares of Series B Preferred Stock, Company Stock Options to
purchase an aggregate of 43,046,601 shares of Company Stock (of
which Company Stock Options to purchase an aggregate of 25,550,133
shares of Company Stock were exercisable), 689,071.62 Restricted
Stock Units and 949,378 deferred stock units credited to
employees’ and directors’ accounts under the Deferred
Compensation Plans. The Company has an obligation to issue up to
40,800 shares of Company Stock to participants in the ESPP in
respect of the offering period thereunder ending April 30, 2007.
All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable. Section 4.05(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule
sets forth, as of the date hereof, the (i) aggregate number of
Restricted Stock Units outstanding and (ii) aggregate number of
Company Stock Options and the weighted average exercise price
thereof.
(b) Except as set forth in
Section 4.05(a) and for changes since April 9, 2007 resulting from
the exercise of employee and director stock options outstanding on
such date, as of the date hereof there are no outstanding (i)
shares of capital stock or 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 or
(iii) options or other rights to acquire from the Company, or other
obligation of the Company to issue, any capital stock,
voting
15
securities or
securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or
voting securities of the Company (the items in clauses (i), (ii),
and (iii) being referred to collectively as the “ Company
Securities ”). There are no outstanding obligations of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any of the Company Securities. To the knowledge
of the Company, no shares of Common Stock are held by any
Subsidiary of the Company.
Section 4.06 .
Subsidiaries. (a) Each Subsidiary of the Company is a
corporation or other entity duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization,
has all corporate or other powers and all governmental licenses,
authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry
on its business as now conducted, except where the failure to be so
organized, existing and in good standing or the failure to have all
such licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals
would not be reasonably expected to have, individually and in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is
necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so
qualified would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. All material
Subsidiaries of the Company are identified on Section 4.06(a) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule.
(b) All of the outstanding
capital stock of, or other voting securities or ownership interests
in, each Subsidiary of the Company, is owned by the Company,
directly or indirectly, free and clear of any Lien and free of any
other limitation or restriction (including any restriction on the
right to vote, sell or otherwise dispose of such capital stock or
other voting securities or ownership interests). There are no
outstanding (i) securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital
stock or other voting securities or ownership interests in any
Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) options or other rights to
acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or other
obligation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any
capital stock or other voting securities or ownership interests in,
or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any capital
stock or other voting securities or ownership interests in, any
Subsidiary of the Company (the items in clauses (i) and (ii) being
referred to collectively as the “ Company Subsidiary
Securities ”). There are no outstanding obligations of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any of the Company Subsidiary
Securities.
Section 4.07 . SEC Filings
and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. (a) The Company has delivered or
made available (for purposes of this Agreement, filings that are
publicly available prior to the date hereof on the EDGAR system of
the SEC under the name of the Company or of a Company Subsidiary
are deemed to have been made available) to Parent each final
registration statement, prospectus, report, schedule and definitive
proxy statement filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company
pursuant to the 1933 Act or 1934 Act since January 1, 2006
and
16
prior to the
date of this Agreement (the documents referred to in this Section
4.07(a), collectively, the “ Company SEC Documents
”).
(b) As of its filing date,
each Company SEC Document complied as to form in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the
1934 Act, as the case may be.
(c) As of its filing date,
each Company SEC Document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act did not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(d) Each Company SEC Document
that is a registration statement, as amended or supplemented, if
applicable, filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, as of the date such
registration statement or amendment became effective, did not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading.
(e) The Company has
established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act). Such disclosure
controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company, including its consolidated
Subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal
executive officer and its principal financial officer by others
within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the
periodic reports required under the 1934 Act are being prepared.
Such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely
alerting the Company’s principal executive officer and
principal financial officer to material information required to be
included in the Company’s periodic reports required under the
1934 Act.
(f) The Company and its
Subsidiaries have established and maintained a system of internal
control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under
the 1934 Act) (“ internal controls ”). Such
internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of the Company’s financial
reporting and the preparation of Company financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company has
disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of internal controls
prior to the date hereof, to the Company’s auditors and audit
committee (x) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses
in the design or operation of internal controls which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability
to record, process, summarize and report financial information and
(y) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in internal controls.
The Company has made available to Parent a summary of any such
disclosure made by management to the Company’s auditors and
audit committee since December 31, 2005.
(g) There are no outstanding
loans or other extensions of credit made by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries to any executive officer (as defined in
17
Rule 3b-7 under
the 1934 Act) or director of the Company other than those made in
the ordinary course of the Company’s business and on
substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the time for
comparable transactions with persons not related to the Company.
The Company has not, since the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act,
taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act.
Section 4.08 . Financial
Statements. The audited consolidated financial statements and
unaudited consolidated interim financial statements of the Company
included in the Company SEC Documents fairly present, in conformity
with GAAP applied on a consistent basis (except as may be indicated
in the notes thereto), the consolidated financial position of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof
and their consolidated results of operations, changes in
stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods then
ended (subject to normal year-end adjustments in amounts consistent
with past experience and the absence of footnotes in the case of
any unaudited interim financial statements). The books and records
of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been, and are being,
maintained in all material respects in accordance with GAAP and any
other applicable legal and accounting requirements and reflect only
actual transactions.
Section 4.09 . Disclosure
Documents. The proxy statement of the Company to be filed with
the SEC in connection with the Merger (the “ Company Proxy
Statement ”) and any amendments or supplements thereto
will, when filed, comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable requirements of the 1934 Act.At the time the Company
Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is first
mailed to stockholders of the Company, and at the time such
stockholders vote on adoption of this Agreement and at the
Effective Time, the Company Proxy Statement, as supplemented or
amended, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order
to make the statements made therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
representations and warranties contained in this Section 4.09 will
not apply to statements or omissions included in the Company Proxy
Statement based upon information furnished to the Company by Parent
specifically for use therein.
Section 4.10 . Absence of
Certain Changes. Since the Company Balance Sheet Date, (i) the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been conducted
only in the ordinary course consistent with past practices and (ii)
there has not been any event, occurrence, development or state of
circumstances or facts that has had or would be reasonably expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 4.11 . No
Undisclosed Material Liabilities. There are no liabilities or
obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind
whatsoever, whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined,
determinable or otherwise, other than:
18
(a) liabilities or
obligations disclosed and provided for in the Company Balance Sheet
or in the notes thereto;
(b) liabilities or
obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business since the
Company Balance Sheet Date; and
(c) liabilities or
obligations that would not be reasonably expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 4.12 . Compliance
with Laws and Court Orders . The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries is, and since January 1, 2005 has been, in compliance
with, and to the knowledge of the Company is not under
investigation with respect to and has not been threatened to be
charged with or given notice of any violation of, any Applicable
Law, except for failures to comply or violations that have not had
and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.13 .
Litigation. Other than any matter addressed in the next
sentence, there is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding
pending against, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened
against or otherwise affecting, the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries before any Governmental Authority or arbitrator, that
would be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. As of the date hereof, there
is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending against,
or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or
affecting, the Company that in any manner challenges or seeks to
prevent, enjoin, alter or materially delay the Merger or any of the
other transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 4.14 .
Finders’ Fees. Except for UBS Securities LLC, Greenhill
& Co., LLC and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.,
there are no investment bankers, brokers, finders or other
intermediaries that have been retained by, or authorized to act on
behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who might be
entitled to any fee or commission from the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement. True and complete copies of the engagement letters
of UBS Securities LLC, Greenhill & Co., LLC and Sandler
O’Neill & Partners, L.P., relating to the foregoing have
previously been provided to Parent.
Section 4.15 . Opinions of
Financial Advisors. The Transaction Committee and the Board of
Directors of the Company have received the separate opinions of
each of UBS Securities LLC and Greenhill & Co., LLC, financial
advisors to the Transaction Committee, to the effect that, as of
the date of this Agreement, the Merger Consideration is fair to the
holders of Company Stock from a financial point of view, subject to
the limitations set forth therein.
Section 4.16 . Taxes .
(a) All material Tax Returns (as herein defined) required by
Applicable Law to be filed with any Taxing Authority (as
herein
19
defined) by, or
on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been
filed when due in accordance with all Applicable Law (taking into
account any applicable extensions), and all such filed Tax Returns
are, or shall be at the time of filing, true and complete in all
material respects.
(b) The Company and each of
its Subsidiaries has paid (or has had paid on its behalf) or has
withheld and remitted to the appropriate Taxing Authority all
material Taxes due and payable, or, where payment is not yet due,
has established in accordance with GAAP an adequate accrual for all
material Taxes through the end of the last period for which the
Company and its Subsidiaries ordinarily record items on their
respective books.
(c) There is no claim, audit,
action, suit, proceeding or investigation now pending or, to the
Company’s knowledge, threatened against or with respect to
the Company or its Subsidiaries in respect of any material Tax or
Tax asset.
(d) Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any Tax
sharing, allocation or agreement or arrangement, other than such an
agreement or arrangement exclusively between or among the Company
and its Subsidiaries.
(e) Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has within the past two years, or otherwise
as part of a “plan (or series of related transactions)”
(within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) of which the
Merger is also a part, been a “distributing
corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in a
distribution intended to qualify under Section 355(a) of the
Code.
(f) Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has participated in a “reportable
transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations
Section 1.6011-4(b) that has not been disclosed on the relevant Tax
Return.
(g) “ Tax
” means (i) any tax, governmental fee or other like
assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever (including withholding
on amounts paid to or by any Person), together with any interest,
penalty, addition to tax or additional amount imposed by any
Governmental Authority (a “ Taxing Authority ”)
responsible for the imposition of any such tax (domestic or
foreign), and any liability for any of the foregoing as transferee,
and (ii) in the case of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
liability for the payment of any amount of the type described in
clause (i) as a result of being or having been before the Effective
Time a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary
group, or a party to any agreement or arrangement, as a result of
which liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to a
Taxing Authority is determined or taken into account with reference
to the activities of any other Person. “ Tax Return
” means any report, return, document, declaration or other
information or filing supplied or required to be supplied to any
Taxing Authority with respect to Taxes, including information
returns, any documents with respect to or accompanying payments of
estimated Taxes, or with respect to or accompanying requests for
the
20
extension of
time in which to file any such report, return, document,
declaration or other information.
Section 4.17 . Employee
Benefit Plans. (a) Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule contains a correct and complete list identifying each
material “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section
3(3) of ERISA and each material written employment, severance or
similar contract, plan, arrangement or policy and each other
material written plan or arrangement providing for compensation,
bonuses, profit-sharing, stock option or other stock related rights
or other forms of incentive or deferred compensation, vacation
benefits, insurance (including any self-insured arrangements),
health or medical benefits, employee assistance program, disability
or sick leave benefits, workers’ compensation, supplemental
unemployment benefits, severance benefits and post-employment or
retirement benefits (including compensation, pension, health,
medical or life insurance benefits) which is maintained,
administered or contributed to by the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate and covers any employee or former employee of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, or with respect to which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries has any material liability. Copies of such
plans (and, if applicable, related trust or funding agreements or
insurance policies) and all amendments thereto have been made
available to Parent together with the most recent annual report
(Form 5500 including, if applicable, Schedule B thereto) and tax
return (Form 990) prepared in connection with any such plan or
trust. Such plans are referred to collectively herein as the
“ Employee Plans ”.
(b) Except as would not be
reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect, no “accumulated funding
deficiency,” as defined in Section 412 of the Code, has been
incurred with respect to any Employee Plan subject to Section 412
of the Code, whether or not waived. No “reportable
event,” within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA, other
than a “reportable event” that would not be reasonably
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect, and no event described in Section 4062 or 4063 of
ERISA, has occurred in connection with any Employee Plan. Except as
would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) all premiums to the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“ PBGC ”)
have been timely paid in full, (ii) no liability (other than for
premiums to the PBGC) under Title IV of ERISA has been or is
expected to be incurred by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or (iii) the PBGC has not instituted proceedings to terminate any
such Plan.
(c) Neither the Company nor
any ERISA Affiliate nor any predecessor thereof contributes to, or
has in the past five years contributed to, any multiemployer plan,
as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA (a “ Multiemployer
Plan ”) or a plan that has two or more contributing
sponsors at least two of whom are not under common control, within
the meaning of Section 4063 of ERISA.
(d) Each Employee Plan which
is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has
received a favorable determination letter, or has
21
pending or has
time remaining in which to file, an application for such
determination from the Internal Revenue Service, and the Company is
not aware of any reason why any such determination letter should be
revoked or not be reissued. The Company has made available to
Parent copies of the most recent Internal Revenue Service
determination letters with respect to each such Employee Plan. Each
Employee Plan has been maintained in material compliance with its
terms and with the requirements prescribed by any and all statutes,
orders, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Code, which
are applicable to such Employee Plan. Except as would not be
reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect, no events have occurred with respect to
any Employee Plan that could result in payment or assessment by or
against the Company of any material excise taxes under the
Code.
(e) Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has any material liability in respect of
post-retirement health, medical or life insurance benefits for
retired, former or current employees of the Company or its
Subsidiaries except as required to avoid excise tax under Section
4980B of the Code.
(f) There has been no
amendment to, written interpretation or announcement by the Company
or any of its Affiliates relating to, or change in employee
participation or coverage under, an Employee Plan which would
increase materially the expense of maintaining such Employee Plan
above the level of the expense incurred in respect thereof for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2006.
(g) Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or subject to, or is
currently negotiating in connection with entering into, any
collective bargaining agreement or other contract or understanding
with a labor union or organization.
(h) All contributions and
payments accrued under each Employee Plan, determined in accordance
with prior funding and accrual practices, as adjusted to include
proportional accruals for the period ending as of the date hereof,
have been discharged and paid on or prior to the date hereof except
to the extent reflected as a liability on the Company Balance
Sheet.
(i) There is no action, suit,
investigation, audit or proceeding pending against or involving or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving,
any Employee Plan before any Governmental Authority.
(j) Neither the execution and
delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby will (either alone or in conjunction with any
other event) result in, cause the accelerated vesting, funding or
delivery of, or increase the amount or value of, any payment or
benefit to any employee, officer or director of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, or result in any limitation on the right of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to amend,
22
merge,
terminate or receive a reversion of assets from any Employee Plan
or related trust.
(k) Since the Company Balance
Sheet Date, the Company has not taken any action that would have
been constrained by the provisions of Section 6.01(k) with respect
to any director or executive officer of the Company had such action
occurred after the date hereof.
Section 4.18 .
Environmental Matters. Except as would not be reasonably
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect:
(i) no written notice, order,
complaint or penalty has been received by the Company or any
Subsidiary arising out of any Environmental Law, and there are no
judicial, administrative or other actions, suits or proceedings
pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened which
allege a violation by the Company or any Subsidiary of any
Environmental Laws;
(ii) the Company and each
Subsidiary have all environmental permits necessary for their
operations to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and are
in compliance with the terms of such permits; and
(iii) the operations of the
Company and each Subsidiary are in compliance with the terms of
applicable Environmental Laws.
Section 4.19 . Real
Property. Except as would not be reasonably expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, the
Company or one of its Subsidiaries:
(a) has good and marketable
title to all the real property reflected in the Company Balance
Sheet as being owned by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or
acquired after the date thereof (except properties sold or
otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the ordinary course
of business) (the “ Owned Properties ”), free
and clear of all Liens of, except (i) statutory Liens securing
payments not yet due, (ii) statutory Liens for real property Taxes
not yet due and payable, (iii) easements, righ