Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
AMONG
CDRSVM TOPCO,
INC.,
CDRSVM ACQUISITION CO.,
INC.
AND
THE SERVICEMASTER
COMPANY
DATED AS OF MARCH 18,
2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION
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Page
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Section 1.1
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Definitions
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2
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Section 1.2
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Interpretation
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9
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ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
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Section 2.1
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The Merger
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10
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Section 2.2
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Closing
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10
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Section 2.3
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Effective Time
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10
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Section 2.4
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Effects of the Merger
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10
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Section 2.5
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Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws;
Officers and Directors.
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11
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ARTICLE III
EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT
CORPORATIONS; SURRENDER OF CERTIFICATES
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Section 3.1
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Effect on Stock
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11
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Section 3.2
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Surrender of Certificates
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12
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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
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Section 4.1
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Organization
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14
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Section 4.2
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Subsidiaries
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14
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Section 4.3
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Capital Structure
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15
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Section 4.4
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Authority
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16
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Section 4.5
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Consents and Approvals; No Violations
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17
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Section 4.6
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SEC Documents and Other Reports
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17
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Section 4.7
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Absence of Material Adverse Change
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18
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Section 4.8
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Information Supplied
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19
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Section 4.9
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Compliance with Laws
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19
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Section 4.10
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Tax Matters
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19
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Section 4.11
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Liabilities
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20
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Section 4.12
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Litigation
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20
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Section 4.13
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Benefit Plans
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20
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Section 4.14
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State Takeover Statutes
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21
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Section 4.15
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Intellectual Property
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22
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Section 4.16
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Material Contracts
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22
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Section 4.17
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Labor and Employment
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22
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Section 4.18
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Real Estate
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23
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Section 4.19
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Environmental Matters
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23
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Section 4.20
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Affiliate Transactions
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24
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Section 4.21
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Required Vote of Company Stockholders
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24
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Section 4.22
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Opinions of Financial Advisors
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24
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A-i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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Section 4.23
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Brokers
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24
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ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND SUB
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Section 5.1
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Organization
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25
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Section 5.2
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Authority
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25
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Section 5.3
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Consents and Approvals; No Violations
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25
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Section 5.4
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Information Supplied
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26
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Section 5.5
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Litigation
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26
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Section 5.6
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Capitalization and Interim Operations of
Sub
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26
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Section 5.7
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Financing Commitments
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26
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Section 5.8
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Brokers
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27
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Section 5.9
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Lack of Ownership of Company Common
Stock
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27
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Section 5.10
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Guaranty
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27
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Section 5.11
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Absence of Arrangements with
Management
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27
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ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
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Section 6.1
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Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the
Merger
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28
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Section 6.2
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No Solicitation
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30
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Section 6.3
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Conduct of Parent and Sub Pending the
Merger
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32
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ARTICLE VII
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
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Section 7.1
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Employee Benefits
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32
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Section 7.2
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Treatment of Stock-Based Awards
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35
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Section 7.3
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Stockholder Approval; Preparation of Proxy
Statement
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36
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Section 7.4
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Access to Information
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37
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Section 7.5
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Fees and Expenses
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37
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Section 7.6
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Public Announcements
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38
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Section 7.7
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Transfer Taxes
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39
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Section 7.8
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State Takeover Laws
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39
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Section 7.9
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Indemnification; Directors and Officers
Insurance
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39
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Section 7.10
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Reasonable Best Efforts
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40
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Section 7.11
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Notification of Certain Matters
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41
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Section 7.12
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Financing
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41
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Section 7.13
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Solvency Letter
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44
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Section 7.14
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Exchange Rights Agreement
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44
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ARTICLE VIII
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
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Section 8.1
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Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to
Effect the Merger
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44
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Section 8.2
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Conditions to the Obligations of the Company to
Effect the Merger
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45
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Section 8.3
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Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Sub
to Effect the Merger
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46
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A-ii
ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT
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Page
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Section 9.1
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Termination
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46
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Section 9.2
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Effect of Termination
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48
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Section 9.3
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Amendment
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48
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Section 9.4
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Extension; Waiver
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49
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ARTICLE X
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Section 10.1
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Non-Survival of Representations and Warranties
and Agreements
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49
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Section 10.2
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Notices
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49
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Section 10.3
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Counterparts
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50
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Section 10.4
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Entire Agreement; No Third-Party
Beneficiaries
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50
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Section 10.5
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Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of Jury
Trial
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51
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Section 10.6
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Assignment
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52
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Section 10.7
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Severability
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52
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Section 10.8
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Enforcement of this Agreement
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52
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Section 10.9
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Obligations of Subsidiaries
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52
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Section 10.10
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Construction
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52
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A-iii
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER , dated as of
March 18, 2007 (this “ Agreement ”), among
CDRSVM Topco, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent
”), CDRSVM Acquisition Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation and
a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“ Sub ”),
and The ServiceMaster Company, a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”) (Sub and the Company being hereinafter
collectively referred to as the “ Constituent
Corporations ”). Except as otherwise set forth
herein, capitalized (and certain other) terms used herein shall
have the meanings set forth in Section 1.1 .
W I T N E S S E T
H:
WHEREAS, the respective Boards of
Directors of Parent, Sub and the Company have each approved the
merger of Sub with and into the Company (the “ Merger
”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
this Agreement, whereby each issued and outstanding share of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “
Company Common Stock ” or the “ Shares
”), other than Dissenting Shares (as defined herein) and
Shares owned directly or indirectly by Parent or the Company, will
be converted into the right to receive cash as set forth
herein;
WHEREAS, the respective Boards of
Directors of the Company and Sub have each determined that this
Agreement and the Merger are advisable and in the best interests of
their respective stockholders and recommended that their respective
stockholders adopt this Agreement;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement, and as a condition to the willingness
of the Company to enter into this Agreement, each of BAS Capital
Funding Corporation, Citigroup Capital Partners II 2007 Citigroup
Investment, L.P., Citigroup Capital Partners II Employee Master
Fund, L.P., Citigroup Capital Partners II Onshore, L.P., Citigroup
Capital Partners II Cayman Holdings, L.P., CGI CPE LLC, Clayton,
Dubilier & Rice Fund VII, L.P., Clayton Dubilier & Rice
Fund VII (Co-Investment), L.P. and J.P. Morgan Ventures Corporation
(the “ Guarantors ”) is entering into a guaranty
with the Company in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A
(the “ Guaranty ”) pursuant to which the
Guarantors are guaranteeing certain obligations of Parent and Sub
in connection with this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, each of Parent, Sub and the
Company desires to make certain representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements in connection with the Merger and also to
prescribe various conditions to the Merger.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, each of
Parent, Sub and the Company hereby agrees as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS;
INTERPRETATION
Section
1.1 Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings specified or referred to in this
Section 1.1 and shall be equally applicable to both the
singular and plural forms.
“ Acquisition Agreement
” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(c)
.
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that, at the
time of determination, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries Controls, is Controlled by or is under Common
Control with such Person.
“ Agreement ” has
the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
“ Benefit Plan ”
means any material bonus, pension, profit sharing, deferred
compensation, incentive compensation, stock ownership, stock
purchase, stock option, phantom stock, retirement, vacation,
severance, disability, death benefit, hospitalization, medical,
stock appreciation, restricted stock or other material employee
benefit plan providing benefits to any current or former employee,
officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or,
in the case of any stock purchase plan, any franchisee or employee
of a franchisee.
“ Business Day ”
means any day ending at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) other than a
Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banks are required or
authorized to close in the City of New York.
“ By-laws ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b) .
“ Certificate ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c) .
“ Certificate of
Incorporation ” means the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as in effect
immediately prior to the Effective Time.
“ Certificate of Merger
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3
.
“ Closing ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 .
“ Closing Date ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 .
“ Code ” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“ Commitment Letter
” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.7
.
“ Company ” has
the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
“ Company 401(k) Plan
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(e)
.
“ Company Awards
” means, collectively, Company Stock Options, Company SARs
and Company Stock Units.
2
“ Company Common Stock
” has the meaning set forth in the first recital of this
Agreement.
“ Company Credit
Agreement ” means the $500,000,000 Credit Agreement,
dated as of May 19, 2004, as amended as of May 6, 2005, among the
Company, the lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and
Bank of America, N.A. as syndication agents, SunTrust Bank as
administrative agent, and U.S. Bank National Association and
Wachovia Bank, N.A. as documentation agents.
“ Company DCP ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(f) .
“ Company Employment
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.13(b) .
“ Company Leased Real
Property ” means all leasehold or subleasehold estates
and other rights to use or occupy any land, buildings, structures,
improvements, fixtures, or other interest in real property of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“ Company Leases
” means all leases, subleases, licenses, concessions and
other agreements (written or oral), including all amendments,
extensions, renewals, guaranties, and other agreements with respect
thereto, pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
holds all or any portion of any Company Leased Real
Property.
“ Company Letter
” means the letter from the Company to Parent dated the date
hereof, which letter relates to this Agreement and is designated
therein as the Company Letter.
“ Company Lines of
Credit ” means, collectively, (i) the Company’s
$20,000,000 line of credit with Banca Di Roma, as evidenced by that
certain letter agreement, dated as of January 21, 2005, between the
Company and Banca Di Roma, (ii) the Company’s $25,000,000
line of credit with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as
evidenced by that certain Agreement, dated as of May 18, 2005,
between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, and
(iii) the Company’s $15,000,000 line of credit with Regions
Bank, as evidenced by the Negotiated Rate Promissory Note, dated as
of November 9, 2005, between the Company and Regions Bank, in each
case as amended or extended prior top the date hereof.
“ Company Material
Contract ” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.16 .
“ Company Owned Real
Property ” means all land, together with all buildings,
structures, improvements, and fixtures located thereon, and all
easements and other rights and interests appurtenant thereto, owned
by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.
“ Company Permits
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.9
.
“ Company Preferred
Stock ” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.3(a) .
“ Company Real Property
” means, collectively, the Company Leased Real Property and
the Company Owned Real Property.
“ Company Restricted
Shares ” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.3(d) .
3
“ Company SARs ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b)(v) .
“ Company SEC Documents
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6
.
“ Company Stock Incentive
Plans ” means the Company’s 2003 Equity Incentive
Plan, 2001 Directors Stock Plan, 2000 Equity Incentive Plan, 1998
Non-Employee Directors Discounted Stock Option Plan, 1998 Equity
Incentive Plan, 10 Plus Option Plan, 1997 Share Option Plan, 1994
Non-Employee Directors Share Option Plan, 1996 Incentive Plan of
American Residential Services, Inc., LandCare USA, Inc. 1998
Long-Term Incentive Plan and WeServeHomes.com, Inc. 2000 Stock
Option/Stock Issuance Plan.
“ Company Stock Options
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b)(iii)
.
“ Company Stock Purchase
Plans ” means the Company’s 2004 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan and the Franchisee Share Purchase Plan.
“ Company Stock Units
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b)(vi)
.
“ Company Stockholder
Approval ” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.3(a) .
“ Company Termination
Fee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(b)
.
“ Confidentiality
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.4 .
“ Constituent
Corporations ” has the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
“ Control ”
means, as to any Person, the power to direct or cause the direction
of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. The
terms “Controlled by,” “under Common Control
with” and “Controlling” have correlative
meanings.
“ Current Premium
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.9(b)
.
“ D&O Insurance
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.9(b)
.
“ Debt Financing
” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.7
.
“ DGCL ” means
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
“ Directors Plan
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(g)
.
“ Dissenting Shares
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(d)
.
“ Dissenting
Stockholder ” has the meaning set forth in Section
3.1(d) .
“ Effective Time
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3
.
4
“ Environmental Law
” means any applicable statute, law, ordinance, regulation,
rule, judgment, decree or order of any Governmental Entity relating
to any matter of pollution, protection of human health and the
environment or environmental regulation or control or regarding
Hazardous Substances.
“ Environmental Permits
” means any permit, approval, authorization, license,
variance or permission required from a Governmental Entity under
any applicable Environmental Laws.
“ Equity Funding
Letters ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.7
.
“ Equity Interest
” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a)
.
“ ERISA ” means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ ERISA Benefit Plan
” means a U.S. Benefit Plan maintained as of the date of this
Agreement that is also an “employee pension benefit
plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) or that is also
an “employee welfare benefit plan” (as defined in
Section 3(1) of ERISA).
“ Exchange Act ”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
“ Exchange Fund ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(a) .
“ Exchange Rights
Agreement ” means the Exchange Rights Agreement
referred to in Section 4.3(b) of the Company Letter
“ Expenses ”
means documented and reasonable out-of-pocket fees and expenses
incurred or paid by or on behalf of Parent in connection with the
Merger or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, including all documented and reasonable fees and
expenses of law firms, commercial banks, investment banking firms,
accountants, experts and consultants to Parent.
“ Financing ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.7 .
“ GAAP ” means
United States generally accepted accounting principles.
“ Goldman Sachs ”
means Goldman, Sachs & Co.
“ Governmental Entity
” means any federal, state, local or foreign government or
any court, tribunal, administrative agency or commission or other
governmental or other regulatory authority or agency, domestic,
foreign or supranational, any stock exchange or any self-regulating
entity supervising, organizing and supporting any stock
exchange.
“ Greenhill ”
means Greenhill & Co., LLC.
“ Guarantors ”
has the meaning set forth in the third recital of this
Agreement.
“ Guaranty ” has
the meaning set forth in the third recital of this
Agreement.
5
“ Hazardous Substance
” means any material defined as toxic or hazardous, including
any petroleum and petroleum products, under any applicable
Environmental Law.
“ HSR Act ” means
the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of
1976.
“ Indemnified Person
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.9(a)
.
“ Intellectual Property
” means all trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade
dress, including all goodwill associated with the foregoing, domain
names, copyrights, software and computer programs, internet web
sites, mask works and other semiconductor chip rights, and similar
rights, and registrations and applications to register or renew the
registration of any of the foregoing, patents and patent
applications and rights, trade secrets and all similar intellectual
property rights.
“ Intervening Event
” means a material event relating to the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole (other than an increase in the market
price of the Company Common Stock and any event resulting from a
breach of this Agreement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries)
that was neither known to the Board of Directors of the Company nor
reasonably foreseeable as of or prior to the date hereof (and not
relating to or resulting from any Takeover Proposal), which becomes
known to the Company prior to the Company Stockholder
Approval.
“ IRS ” means the
United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ Knowledge ”
means the actual knowledge of the officers of the Company set forth
in Section 1.1 of the Company Letter or the officers of Parent set
forth in Section 1.1 of the Parent Letter, as the case may
be.
“ Liens ” means
any pledges, claims, liens, charges, encumbrances, defects of
title, restrictions on transfer, and security interests of
any kind or nature whatsoever, except in the case of securities,
for limitations on transfer imposed by federal or state securities
laws.
“ Marketing Period
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(a)
.
“ Material Adverse
Change ” or “ Material Adverse Effect
” means, when used in connection with the Company or Parent,
as the case may be, any change, effect or circumstance that,
individually or in the aggregate, is or would reasonably be
expected to be materially adverse to the business, properties,
assets, financial condition or results of operations of the Company
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or Parent and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, as the case may be; provided
, however , that to the extent any change, effect or
circumstance is caused by or results from any of the following, it
shall not be taken into account in determining whether there has
been a “Material Adverse Change” or “Material
Adverse Effect” with respect to the Company or Parent, as the
case may be: (i) except with respect to the representations
and warranties set forth in Section 4.5 or Section
5.3 , the announcement of the execution of this Agreement
(including losses or threatened losses of the relationships of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries with customers, distributors,
suppliers or franchisees), actions contemplated by this Agreement
or the performance of obligations under this Agreement, (ii) the
identity of Parent or any of its Affiliates as the acquiror of the
Company, (iii) changes affecting the United States economy or
financial or securities markets as a whole or changes that are the
result of
6
factors generally affecting the
industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct their
business, (iv) failure to meet internal or analyst financial
forecasts, (v) any change in the market price or trading volume of
the equity securities of the Company on or after the date hereof,
(vi) the suspension of trading in securities generally on the NYSE
or the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (vii)
any change in any applicable law, rule or regulation or GAAP or
interpretation thereof after the date hereof, (viii) the
availability or cost of financing to Parent or Sub, and (ix) the
commencement, occurrence or continuation of any war, armed
hostilities or acts of terrorism involving or affecting the United
States of America or any part thereof, except (A) in the case of
the foregoing clause (iii) only, to the extent such changes do not
materially disproportionately impact the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other companies in the
industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct their
business and (B) the events underlying changes, effects and
circumstances described in the foregoing clauses (iv) and (v) are
not included within the scope of such clauses.
“ Merger ” has
the meaning set forth in the first recital of this
Agreement.
“ Merger Consideration
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c)
.
“ Morgan Stanley
” means Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated.
“ New Financing
Commitments ” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.12(a) .
“ NYSE ” means
The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
“ Parent ” has
the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
“ Parent Letter ”
means the letter from Parent to the Company dated the date hereof,
which letter relates to this Agreement and is designated therein as
the Parent Letter.
“ Parent Termination
Fee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(c)
.
“ Paying Agent ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(a) .
“ Person ” means
an individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership,
limited liability partnership, limited liability company, joint
venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization or other
entity (including any person as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act).
“ principal executive
officer ” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.6(b) .
“ principal financial
officer ” has the meaning set forth in Section
4.6(b) .
“ Proxy Statement
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8
.
“ Qualifying
Confidentiality Agreement ” means an executed agreement
with provisions requiring any Person receiving nonpublic
information with respect to the Company, which provisions to keep
such information confidential are no less restrictive in the
aggregate to such Person than the Confidentiality Agreement is to
Parent, its Affiliates, and their respective
7
personnel and representatives (it
being understood that such agreement with such Person need not have
comparable standstill provisions), provided that no such
confidentiality agreement shall conflict with any rights of Parent
or Sub or obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries under
this Agreement.
“ Required Financial
Information ” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.12(b) .
“ Retained Employees
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(b)
.
“ Sarbanes-Oxley Act
” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
“ SEC ” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933.
“ Shares ” has
the meaning set forth in the first recital of this
Agreement.
“ Solvent ” when
used with respect to any Person means that, as of any date of
determination, (i) the amount of the “present fair saleable
value” of the assets of such Person will, as of such date,
exceed the amount of all “liabilities of such Person,
contingent or otherwise”, as of such date, as such quoted
terms are generally determined in accordance with applicable
federal laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors,
(ii) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person
will, as of such date, be greater than the amount that will be
required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as such
debts become absolute and matured, (iii) such Person will not have,
as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which
to conduct its business and (iv) such Person will be able to pay
its debts as they mature. For purposes of this definition, (a)
“debt” means liability on a “claim,” and
(b) “claim” means any (1) right to payment, whether or
not such a right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated,
fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal,
equitable, secured or unsecured or (2) right to an equitable remedy
for breach of performance if such breach gives rise to a right to
payment, whether or not such right to an equitable remedy is
reduced to judgment, fixed, contingent, matured or unmatured,
disputed, undisputed, secured or unsecured.
“ Stockholders Meeting
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a)
.
“ Sub ” has the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
“ Subsidiary ” of
any Person means another Person, of which securities or ownership
interests (i) having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect
a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing
similar functions are owned or controlled directly or indirectly by
such first Person and/or by one or more of its Subsidiaries or (ii)
representing at least 50% of such securities or ownership interests
are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such first Person
and/or by one or more of its Subsidiaries.
“ Superior Proposal
” means any bona fide written proposal or offer from any
Person (other than Parent and its Affiliates) not solicited in
violation of Section 6.2(a) relating to any direct or
indirect acquisition or purchase, for consideration consisting of
cash and/or securities,
8
of 50% or more of the consolidated
assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or more than 50% of the
voting power of the Shares then outstanding, including by means of
any tender or exchange offer that if consummated would result in
any Person (other than Parent and its Affiliates) beneficially
owning Shares with more than 50% of the voting power of the Shares
then outstanding and, in each case, that is on terms that the Board
of Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment
(after consultation with a financial advisor of nationally
recognized reputation, such as Goldman Sachs, Greenhill or Morgan
Stanley) to be more favorable to the Company’s stockholders
than the transactions contemplated hereby, taking into account all
relevant aspects of such offer (in comparison with the terms of
this Agreement and any revised offer by Parent), including
financial considerations (including additional transaction costs
and the effect of any termination fee, expenses or amounts payable
hereunder) and the likelihood that the proposed transaction would
be consummated.
“ Surviving Corporation
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1
.
“ Takeover Proposal
” means any proposal or offer from any Person (other than
Parent and its Affiliates) relating to (i) any direct or indirect
acquisition or purchase of 20% or more of the assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries or 20% or more of the voting power of the
Shares then outstanding, including any tender offer or exchange
offer that if consummated would result in any Person (other than
Parent and its Affiliates) beneficially owning Shares with 20% or
more of the voting power of the Shares then outstanding, or (ii)
any merger, consolidation, business combination, recapitalization,
reorganization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction
involving the Company pursuant to which any Person or the
stockholders of any Person would own 20% or more of any class of
equity securities of the Company or of any resulting parent company
of the Company, in each case other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“ Tax ” and
“ Taxes ” means any federal, state, local or
foreign net income, gross income, gross receipts, windfall profit,
severance, property, production, sales, use, license, excise,
franchise, employment, payroll, withholding, alternative or add-on
minimum or any other tax, custom, duty, governmental fee or other
like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together with any
interest or penalty, addition to tax or additional amount imposed
by any Governmental Entity.
“ Tax Return ”
means any return, report or similar statement required to be filed
with respect to any Tax including any information return, claim for
refund, amended return or declaration of estimated Tax.
“ Termination Date
” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(b)(i)
.
“ Terminix
International ” means The Terminix International Company,
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
“ Transfer Taxes
” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.7
.
Section
1.2 Interpretation . For purposes of this
Agreement, (i) the words “include,”
“includes” and “including” shall be deemed
to be followed by the words “without limitation,” (ii)
the word “or” is not exclusive and (iii) the words
“herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,”
“hereto” and
9
“hereunder” refer
to this Agreement as a whole. Unless the context otherwise
requires, a reference herein: (i) to an Article or Section
means an Article and Section of this Agreement, (ii) to an
agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement,
instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified
from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof
and by this Agreement, (iii) to a statute means such statute as
amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation
thereto and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder and
(iv) all references to “dollars” or “$” or
any similar reference or designation contained therein means United
States dollars. Titles to Articles and headings of Sections
are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be
deemed a part of or to affect the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
Section
2.1 The Merger . Upon the terms and subject to
the conditions hereof, and in accordance with the DGCL, Sub shall
be merged with and into the Company at the Effective Time.
Following the Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of
Sub shall cease and the Company shall continue as the surviving
corporation (the “Surviving Corporation”) and shall
succeed to and assume all the rights and obligations of Sub and the
Company in accordance with Section 259 of the DGCL.
Section
2.2 Closing . The closing of the Merger (the
“ Closing ”) will take place at 10:00 a.m. on a
date mutually agreed to by Parent and the Company (the “
Closing Date ”), which shall be no later than the
fifth Business Day after satisfaction or waiver of the conditions
set forth in Article VIII (other than those conditions that
by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to
the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions), at the offices of
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, 919 Third Avenue, New York, New York
10022, unless another date, time or place is agreed to in writing
by the parties hereto, provided that notwithstanding the
satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article
VIII , (i) Parent and Sub will not be required to effect the
Closing until the earlier of (a) the final day of the Marketing
Period and (b) the Termination Date and (ii) the Company shall not
be required to effect the Closing without at least five Business
Days’ notice specified by Parent.
Section
2.3 Effective Time . The Merger shall become
effective when a Certificate of Merger (the “Certificate of
Merger”), executed in accordance with the relevant provisions
of the DGCL, is duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware, or at such later time as Sub and the Company shall
agree and is specified in the Certificate of Merger. When
used in this Agreement, the term “ Effective Time
” shall mean the later of the date and time at which the
Certificate of Merger is duly filed with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware or such later time established by the
Certificate of Merger. The filing of the Certificate of
Merger shall be made as soon as practicable after the satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article
VIII (but in no event on a date prior to the date of the
Closing).
Section
2.4 Effects of the Merger . The Merger shall
have the effects set forth in the DGCL.
10
Section
2.5 Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws; Officers and
Directors .
(a) The
certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation shall be
as set forth on Exhibit B hereto, until thereafter changed
or amended as provided therein or by applicable law.
(b) The
By-laws of the Company (the “ By-laws ”), as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the
by-laws of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter changed or
amended as provided by the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
of the Surviving Corporation or by applicable law.
(c) The
directors of Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
the directors of the Surviving Corporation, until the earlier of
their resignation or removal or until their respective successors
are duly elected and qualified, as the case may be.
(d) The
officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation until the
earlier of their resignation or removal or until their respective
successors are duly elected and qualified, as the case may
be.
ARTICLE III
EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE STOCK OF THE
CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS; SURRENDER OF CERTIFICATES
Section
3.1 Effect on Stock . As of the Effective Time,
by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of any
of Parent, Sub, the Company or the holders of any securities of the
Constituent Corporations:
(a)
Capital Stock of Sub . Each issued and outstanding
share of capital stock of Sub shall be converted into and become
one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common
stock, $0.01 par value, of the Surviving Corporation.
(b)
Treasury Stock and Parent Owned Stock . Each Share
that is owned by the Company or by any wholly owned Subsidiary of
the Company and each Share that is owned by Parent, Sub or any
other wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent shall automatically be
cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist, and no
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c)
Conversion of Shares . Subject to Section
3.1(d) , each Share issued and outstanding (other than Shares
to be cancelled in accordance with Section 3.1(b) and
Dissenting Shares), shall be cancelled and be converted into the
right to receive in cash, without interest, $15.625 per Share (the
“ Merger Consideration ”). As of the
Effective Time, all such Shares shall be cancelled in accordance
with this Section 3.1(c) , and when so cancelled, shall no
longer be outstanding and shall automatically be retired and shall
cease to exist, and each holder of a certificate representing any
such Shares (a “ Certificate ”) shall cease to
have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive
the Merger Consideration for each such Share, without
interest.
(d)
Shares of Dissenting Stockholders . Any issued and
outstanding Shares held by a Person (a “ Dissenting
Stockholder ”) who has not voted in favor of or consented
to the adoption of this Agreement and the Merger and has complied
with all the provisions of the DGCL concerning the right of holders
of Shares to require appraisal of their Shares (“
Dissenting
11
Shares
”) shall
not be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration
as described in Section 3.1(c) , but shall be converted into
the right to receive such consideration as may be determined to be
due to such Dissenting Stockholder pursuant to the procedures set
forth in Section 262 of the DGCL. If such Dissenting
Stockholder withdraws its demand for appraisal or fails to perfect
or otherwise loses its right of appraisal, in any case pursuant to
the DGCL, its Shares shall be deemed to be converted as of the
Effective Time into the right to receive the Merger Consideration
for each such Share, without interest. The Company shall give
Parent prompt notice of any demands for appraisal of Shares
received by the Company. The Company shall not, without the
prior written consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to,
or settle or offer to settle, any such demands.
Section
3.2 Surrender of Certificates .
(a) Paying Agent . Prior to the
Effective Time, Parent shall designate a bank or trust company that
shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company to act as paying
agent in the Merger (the “ Paying Agent ”), and,
as of the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit, or cause the
Surviving Corporation to deposit, with the Paying Agent a cash
amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of the
Merger Consideration and the number of Shares issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (exclusive of
any Shares to be cancelled pursuant to Section 3.1(b) and
any Dissenting Shares) (the “ Exchange Fund
”). Funds made available to the Paying Agent shall be
invested by the Paying Agent as directed by Sub or, after the
Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation; provided ,
however , that such investments shall only be in obligations
of or guaranteed by the United States of America, in commercial
paper obligations receiving the highest rating from Moody’s
Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Corporation
or a combination of the foregoing and, in any such case, no such
instrument shall have a maturity exceeding three months (it being
understood that any and all interest or income earned on funds made
available to the Paying Agent pursuant to this Agreement shall be
remitted to Parent). To the extent that there are losses with
respect to such investments, or the Exchange Fund diminishes for
other reasons below the level required to make prompt cash payment
of the Merger Consideration as contemplated hereby, Parent shall
promptly replace or restore the cash in the Exchange Fund lost
through such investments or other events so as to ensure that the
Exchange Fund is at all times maintained at a level sufficient to
make such cash payments.
(b)
Exchange Procedure . As soon as practicable after the
Effective Time (and in any event within three (3) Business Days
thereof), the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Paying Agent to
mail to each holder of record of a Certificate (i) a letter of
transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only
upon delivery of the Certificates (or the making of affidavits of
loss in lieu thereof) to the Paying Agent and shall be in a form
and have such other customary provisions as Parent and the Company
may reasonably agree) and (ii) instructions for use in effecting
the surrender of the Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu
thereof) in exchange for the Merger Consideration as provided in
Section 3.1 . Upon surrender of a Certificate (or an
affidavit of loss in lieu thereof) for cancellation to the Paying
Agent, together with such letter of transmittal, duly executed, and
such other documents as may reasonably be required by the Paying
Agent pursuant to such instructions, the holder of such Certificate
shall be entitled to receive promptly in exchange therefor the
amount of cash, without interest, into which the Shares theretofore
represented by such Certificate shall have been converted pursuant
to Section 3.1 , and the Certificate so surrendered shall
forthwith be cancelled. In the event of a transfer of
ownership of Shares that is
12
not registered in
the transfer records of the Company, payment may be made to a
Person other than the Person in whose name the Certificate so
surrendered is registered, if such Certificate shall be properly
endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for transfer and the Person
requesting such payment shall pay any transfer or other Taxes
required by reason of the payment to a Person other than the
registered holder of such Certificate or establish to the
satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that such Tax has been
paid or is not applicable. Until surrendered as contemplated
by this Section 3.2 , each Certificate shall be deemed at
any time after the Effective Time to represent only the right to
receive upon such surrender the amount of cash, without interest,
into which the Shares theretofore represented by such Certificate
shall have been converted pursuant to Section 3.1 . No
interest will be paid or will accrue on the cash payable upon the
surrender of any Certificate (or an affidavit of loss in lieu
thereof). Parent or the Paying Agent shall be entitled to
deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable
pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Shares such amounts as
Parent or the Paying Agent is required to deduct and withhold with
respect to the making of such payment under the Code or under any
provision of state, local or foreign Tax law. To the extent
that amounts are so withheld by Parent or the Paying Agent, such
withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this
Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Shares in
respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by Parent
or the Paying Agent.
(c) No
Further Ownership Rights in Shares . All Merger
Consideration paid upon the surrender of Certificates (or
affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) in accordance with the terms of
this Article III shall be deemed to have been paid in full
satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the Shares theretofore
represented by such Certificates. At the Effective Time, the
stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed, and there
shall be no further registration of transfers on the stock transfer
books of the Surviving Corporation of the Shares that were
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. If,
after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the
Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent for any reason, they
shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this Article
III .
(d)
Termination of Exchange Fund . Any portion of the
Exchange Fund that remains undistributed to the holders of Shares
for twelve months after the Effective Time shall be delivered to
Parent, upon demand, and any holders of Shares (other than Shares
to be cancelled in accordance with Section 3.1(b) and
Dissenting Shares) who have not theretofore complied with this
Article III and the instructions set forth in the letter of
transmittal mailed to such holders after the Effective Time shall
thereafter look only to the Surviving Corporation (subject to
abandoned property, escheat or other similar laws) for payment of
the Merger Consideration to which they are entitled, without
interest.
(e) No
Liability . None of Parent, Sub, the Company or the
Paying Agent shall be liable to any Person in respect of any Merger
Consideration delivered to a public official pursuant to any
applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.
(f)
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . If any
Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the
making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such
Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by 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
13
Paying Agent will
issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate
the cash payment into which the Shares represented by such
Certificate shall have been converted pursuant to Section
3.1 .
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except (i) as set forth in the
corresponding section of the Company Letter, it being understood
that matters disclosed pursuant to one section of the Company
Letter shall be deemed disclosed with respect to any other section
of the Company Letter where it is reasonably apparent that the
matters so disclosed are applicable to such other section, (ii) as
specifically disclosed in the Company SEC Documents filed with or
furnished to the SEC on or after December 31, 2005 and prior to the
date hereof (excluding any disclosures set forth in any risk factor
section or forward looking statements contained therein) or (iii)
as expressly contemplated or expressly permitted under this
Agreement or any agreement contemplated hereby, the Company hereby
represents and warrants to Parent and Sub as follows:
Section
4.1 Organization . The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and
has the requisite corporate, partnership or limited liability
company (as the case may be) power and authority to carry on its
business as now being conducted, except where the failure to be in
good standing or to have such corporate, partnership or limited
liability company (as the case may be) power and authority has not
had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Company. The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business and in
good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its
business or the ownership or leasing of its properties makes such
qualification or licensing necessary, except in such jurisdictions
where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good
standing has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company or prevent or materially
delay the consummation of the Merger. The Company has made
available to Parent complete and correct copies of the Certificate
of Incorporation and the By-laws and the charter and by-laws (or
similar organizational documents), as amended through the date
hereof, of each of its Subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006.
Section
4.2 Subsidiaries . All of the outstanding shares
of capital stock of each Subsidiary of the Company that is a
corporation have been validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock
or other equity interests of each Subsidiary of the Company are
owned by the Company, by one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or
by the Company and one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, free
and clear of all Liens. No shares of preferred stock of any
Subsidiary of the Company are issued and outstanding. Except
for the capital stock and other equity interests of its
Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any
capital stock or other ownership interest in any corporation,
partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other
entity that is material to the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
14
Section
4.3 Capital Structure . (a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 1,000,000,000
shares of Company Common Stock and 11,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Company Preferred
Stock ”).
(b) At the
close of business on March 15, 2007 (March 16, 2007, in the case of
clauses (vi) and (vii)):
(i)
291,683,841 shares of Company Common Stock were issued and
outstanding, all of which were validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights;
(ii)
36,278,986 shares of Company Common Stock were held by the Company
in its treasury;
(iii)
16,483,895 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for
issuance pursuant to outstanding options to purchase Company Common
Stock granted under the Company Stock Incentive Plans or listed in
Section 4.3(b)(iii) of the Company Letter (collectively, the
“ Company Stock Options ”);
(iv)
1,555,782 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance
in accordance with the Company Stock Purchase Plans;
(v)
421,190 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance
pursuant to outstanding, free-standing stock appreciation rights
with respect to 4,635,375 shares of Company Common Stock granted
under the Company Stock Incentive Plans (collectively, the “
Company SARs ”);
(vi)
47,526 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance
pursuant to outstanding stock units and restricted stock units
granted under the Company Stock Incentive Plans (collectively, the
“ Company Stock Units ”); and
(vii)
8,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance
upon the exchange of Class B Limited Partnership Units in Terminix
International pursuant to the Exchange Rights
Agreement.
(c) No
shares of Company Preferred Stock are issued and
outstanding.
(d) The
Company has delivered to Parent a correct and complete list as of
the close of business on March 15, 2007 of (i) each outstanding
Company Stock Option, Company SAR and Company Stock Unit and (ii)
each outstanding share of restricted Company Common Stock that is
still subject to forfeiture conditions (collectively, the “
Company Restricted Shares ”) granted under the Company
Stock Incentive Plans, including the date of grant, exercise price
or base price (if applicable), number of shares of Company Common
Stock subject thereto, the Company Stock Incentive Plan under which
such Company Stock Option, Company SAR, Company Stock Unit or
Company Restricted Share, as the case may be, was granted and, with
respect to any Company Stock Option or Company SAR, whether it is
exercisable and, with respect to any Company Stock Unit, whether it
is vested.
15
(e) Since
the close of business on March 15, 2007, the Company has not issued
or reserved for issuance any shares of Company Common Stock other
than (i) pursuant to the Company Stock Purchase Plans, (ii) upon
the exercise of Company Stock Options or Company SARs reflected in
the list referred to in Section 4.3(d) or (iii) upon the
settlement of Company Stock Units reflected in the list referred to
in Section 4.3(d) .
(f) Except
as set forth in Section 4.3(b) , as of the date of this
Agreement, there are no securities, options, warrants, calls,
rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements, undertakings or
contractual rights the value of which are based on the value of the
capital stock or other securities of the Company of any kind to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which
any of them is bound obligating the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (whether through any convertible or exchangeable
securities or otherwise) to issue, deliver or sell or create, or
cause to be issued, delivered or sold or created, additional shares
of capital stock or other securities of the Company or of any of
its Subsidiaries or obligating the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such
security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement,
arrangement, undertaking or contractual right.
(g) As of
the date of this Agreement, except pursuant to the Exchange Rights
Agreement referred to in Section 4.3(b) of the Company Letter and
the terms of the Company Stock Incentive Plans, there are no
outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Equity
Interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(h) There
are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness
of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or
exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any
matter on which the Company’s stockholders may
vote.
Section
4.4 Authority . (a) The Company has
the requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and, subject to adoption of this Agreement by the
Company’s stockholders, 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 Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
on the part of the Company, subject to adoption of this Agreement
by the Company’s stockholders. This Agreement has been
duly executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming the valid
authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent
and Sub) constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except that such enforceability (i) may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’
rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles of
equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law).
(b) The
Board of Directors of the Company, at a meeting duly called and
held, subject to the terms and conditions set forth elsewhere in
this Agreement, has unanimously (with one member absent) (i)
approved and declared this Agreement, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby advisable and in the best
interests of the Company’s stockholders and (ii) resolved to
recommend to the stockholders of the Company that they adopt this
Agreement, and has not subsequently rescinded or modified such
approval or resolution in any way, subject to the
16
right of the
Board of Directors of the Company to withdraw or modify its
recommendation in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
Section
4.5 Consents and Approvals; No Violations .
Except (a) for filings, permits, authorizations, consents and
approvals as may be required under, and other applicable
requirements of, the Exchange Act, the HSR Act, the DGCL, the laws
of other states in which the Company is qualified to do or is doing
business and state takeover laws, (b) foreign and supranational
laws relating to antitrust and anticompetition clearances listed in
Section 4.5 of the Company Letter, (c) other approvals of
Governmental Entities listed in Section 4.5 of the Company Letter
and (d) as may be required in connection with the Taxes described
in Section 7.7 , neither the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i)
result in any breach of any provision of the Certificate of
Incorporation or the By-laws or of the similar organizational
documents of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, (ii) require
any filing with, or the obtaining of any permit, authorization,
consent or approval of, any Governmental Entity (except where the
failure to make such filings or to obtain such permits,
authorizations, consents or approvals, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company or prevent or materially delay the
consummation of the Merger), (iii) result in a breach of, or
constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a
default (or give rise to or permit any right of termination,
amendment, cancellation or acceleration or other changes of any
right or obligation or the loss of any benefits) under, any of the
terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, lease, license, contract, agreement or other instrument
or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which any of them or any of their properties or assets
are bound or result in the creation of any Lien on any property or
asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) violate any
order, writ, injunction, decree, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
properties or assets, except, in the case of clause (iii), for
breaches, defaults, terminations, amendments, cancellations,
accelerations, changes, losses, Liens or violations that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or prevent or
materially delay the consummation of the Merger.
Section
4.6 SEC Documents and Other Reports .
(a) The Company has filed with the SEC all documents
required to be filed by it since December 31, 2005 under the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act (the “ Company SEC
Documents ”). As of their respective filing dates
(or, if amended prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the
respective filing date of such amendment), the Company SEC
Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements
of the NYSE, the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case
may be, each as in effect on the date so filed, and at the time
filed with the SEC (or, if amended prior to the date of this
Agreement, as of the respective filing date of such amendment),
none of the Company SEC Documents contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted 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 financial statements of the Company included
in the Company SEC Documents (if amended prior to the date of this
Agreement, as amended) complied as of their respective dates in all
material respects with the then applicable accounting requirements
and the published rules and regulations of the SEC and the NYSE
with respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP
(except in the case of the unaudited
17
statements, as
permitted by Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act) applied on a
consistent basis during 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
consolidated Subsidiaries as at the dates thereof and the
consolidated results of their operations and their consolidated
cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of
unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and to
any other adjustments described therein).
(b) The
Company is in compliance in all material respects with the
applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Each current
and former principal executive officer of the Company and principal
financial officer of the Company has made all certifications
required by Rule 13a-14 or 15d-14 under the Exchange Act or
Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as applicable, with
respect to the Company SEC Documents, and the statements contained
in such certifications were true and accurate as of the date they
were made. For purposes of this Agreement, “
principal executive officer ” and “ principal
financial officer ” have the meanings given to such terms
in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(c) The
Company’s system of internal control over financial reporting
provides reasonable assurance (i) that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with GAAP, (ii) that receipts and expenditures are made
only in accordance with the authorization of management and (iii)
regarding prevention or timely detection of the unauthorized
acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that
could materially affect the Company’s financial
statements.
(d) The
Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures”
(as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange
Act) are reasonably designed to ensure that (i) material
information (both financial and non-financial) required to be
disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms
of the SEC and (ii) all such information is accumulated and
communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to
allow timely decisions regarding disclosure and to make the
certifications of the principal executive officer and principal
financial officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act
with respect to such reports. The Company has disclosed,
based on its most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and
procedures prior to the date hereof to its independent auditors and
the audit committee of its Board of Directors (a) any significant
deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of
the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting that
are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information and (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that
involves management or other employees of members of the Company
who have a significant role in the Company’s internal
controls over financial reporting. The Company has made
available to Parent any such disclosure made by management to the
Company’s independent auditors and the audit committee of the
Company’s Board of Directors.
Section
4.7 Absence of Material Adverse Change . Since
December 31, 2006, the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted
their respective businesses in all material respects in the
ordinary course, and there has not been (a) any Material Adverse
Change with respect to the Company or any change with respect to
the Company that would reasonably be expected to prevent or
materially delay the consummation of the Merger, (b) any
declaration, setting aside or
18
payment of any
dividend or other distribution with respect to its capital stock or
any redemption, purchase or other acquisition of any of its capital
stock (other than regular, quarterly cash dividends in the amount
of not more than $0.12 per Share), (c) any split, combination or
reclassification of any of its capital stock or any issuance or the
authorization of any issuance of any other securities in respect
of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of its capital stock,
or (d) any change in accounting methods, principles or practices
used by the Company materially affecting its assets, liabilities or
business, except insofar as may have been required by a change in
GAAP.
Section
4.8 Information Supplied . None of the
information supplied or to be supplied by the Company specifically
for inclusion in the proxy statement relating to the Stockholders
Meeting (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the
“ Proxy Statement ”) will, at the time the Proxy
Statement is first mailed to the Company’s stockholders, at
the time of the Stockholders Meeting and at the time of any
amendments or supplements thereto, contain any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made,
not misleading. The Proxy Statement will comply as to form in
all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act,
except that no representation or warranty is made by the Company
with respect to statements made therein based on information
supplied by Parent or Sub or any of their representatives
specifically for inclusion therein.
Section
4.9 Compliance with Laws . None of the Company
and its Subsidiaries is, and none of their businesses are being
conducted, in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any
Governmental Entity, except for any violations that, individually
or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company or prevent or materially
delay the consummation of the Merger. Each of the Company and
its Subsidiaries has in full force and effect all federal, state,
local and foreign governmental licenses, authorizations, consents,
permits, registrations and approvals, and has otherwise satisfied
all applicable legal or regulatory requirements, necessary for it
to own, lease or operate its properties and assets and to carry on
its business as now conducted (collectively, “ Company
Permits ”), and no default has occurred under any such
Company Permit, except for the absence of Company Permits and for
defaults under Company Permits that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company and its
Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable law relating to
the offer and sale of franchises and the relationship of its
Subsidiaries with their respective franchisees, except where the
failure to so comply, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company or prevent or materially delay the consummation of the
Merger.
Section
4.10 Tax Matters . The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries has timely filed (after taking into account all
applicable extensions) all Tax Returns required to be filed by
them, except where the failure to timely file would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
All such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all
respects, except where the failure of such Tax Returns to be true,
correct or complete would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Each of the Company
and its Subsidiaries has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes shown
as due on such Tax Returns and all Taxes owed by the Company and
its Subsidiaries for which no return was required to be filed,
except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected
to have a
19
Material Adverse
Effect on the Company. No deficiencies for any Taxes have
been asserted in writing, proposed in writing or assessed in
writing against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that have
not been paid or otherwise settled or are not otherwise being
challenged under appropriate procedures, except for deficiencies
that, if finally resolved in a manner adverse to the Company or
relevant Subsidiary, would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company. No written requests
for waivers of the time to assess any material Taxes of the Company
or its Subsidiaries are pending. During the two-year period
ending on the date hereof, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
has constituted either a “distributing corporation” or
a “controlled corporation” (within the meaning of
Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a transaction qualifying for
beneficial treatment under Section 355(a)(1). Any
participation by the Company or any Subsidiary in a “listed
transaction” (as defined for purposes of Section 6011 of the
Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations thereunder) has been
properly disclosed to the IRS.
Section
4.11 Liabilities . Neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any
nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise)
required by GAAP to be set forth on a consolidated balance sheet of
the Company and its Subsidiaries or in the notes thereto, other
than liabilities and obligations (a) set forth in the
Company’s consolidated balance sheet for the year ended
December 31, 2006 included in the Company SEC Documents, (b)
incurred in the ordinary course of business since December 31,
2006, (c) incurred in connection with the Merger or any other
transaction or agreement contemplated by this Agreement or (d) that
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
Section
4.12 Litigation . As of the date of this
Agreement, there is no suit, action, proceeding or investigation
pending, or to the Knowledge of the Company threatened, against the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective properties,
assets or rights that would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company or prevent or materially
delay the consummation of the Merger. Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties,
assets or rights is subject to any outstanding judgment, order,
writ, injunction or decree that, individually or in the aggregate,
would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company or prevent or materially delay the consummation of the
Merger.
Section
4.13 Benefit Plans . (a) Each
Benefit Plan is listed in Section 4.13(a) of the Company
Letter. With respect to each Benefit Plan, the Company has
made available to Parent a true and correct copy (or description in
the case of an oral agreement) of: (i) each such Benefit Plan that
has been reduced to writing and all amendments thereto; (ii) each
trust, insurance or administrative agreement relating to each such
Benefit Plan; (iii) the most recent summary plan description or
other written explanation of each Benefit Plan provided to
participants; (iv) the most recent annual report (Form 5500) filed
with the IRS; and (v) the most recent determination letter, if
any, issued by the IRS with respect to any Benefit Plan intended to
be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code.
(b) Set
forth in Section 4.13(b) of the Company Letter is a list of each
employment, severance or termination agreement between the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries and any current or former officer or
director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in effect as of
the
20
date of this
Agreement, other than agreements that provide for the payment of an
annual base salary or a cash severance benefit in an amount less
than $200,000 (each listed agreement, a “ Company
Employment Agreement ”).
(c) Except
as required by law or as the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
deemed advisable due to changes in law and that has previously been
disclosed or made available to Parent, neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has adopted or amended in any material respect
any Benefit Plan or Company Employment Agreement since the date of
the most recent audited financial statements included in the
Company SEC Documents.
(d) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company, each ERISA Benefit Plan maintained
by the Company or any of its Affiliates has been maintained and
operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Code
and ERISA. There is no Person (other than the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries) that together with the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries would be treated as a single employer under Section
414 of the Code or Section 4001(b) of ERISA. Neither the
Company nor any of its Affiliates has at any time during the
six-year period preceding the date hereof maintained, contributed
to or incurred any liability under any “multiemployer
plan” (as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA) or any Benefit
Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the
Code (or comparable provision of non-U.S. law).
(e) As of
the date of this Agreement there are no pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened disputes, arbitrations,
claims, suits or grievances involving a Benefit Plan (other than
routine claims for benefits payable under any such Benefit Plan)
that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
(f) All
Benefit Plans that are intended by their terms to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code have been determined by the IRS to
be so qualified, or a timely application for such determination is
now pending, and the Company has no Knowledge of any reason why any
such Benefit Plan is not so qualified in operation. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liability or
obligation under any welfare plan or agreement to provide benefits
after termination of employment to any employee or dependent other
than as required by Section 4980B of the Code or the terms of a
separation plan or agreement that has previously been disclosed or
made available to Parent.
(g) The
performance of the obligations under this Agreement by the Company
or its Subsidiaries will not, by itself or in connection with other
events, result in any payment under any Benefit Plan or under any
Company Employment Agreement that would constitute an “excess
parachute payment” for purposes of Section 280G or 4999 of
the Code.
Section
4.14 State Takeover Statutes . The action of the
Board of Directors of the Company in approving the Merger, this
Agreement and the other transactions contemplated hereby is
sufficient to render the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL
inapplicable to the Merger and this Agreement.
21
Section
4.15 Intellectual Property . The Company and its
Subsidiaries exclusively own free and clear of any Liens, or are
validly licensed or otherwise have the right to use as currently
used, all Intellectual Property used in the conduct of the business
of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except for
such Intellectual Property where the failure to so own, be validly
licensed or have the right to use, individually or in the
aggregate, and for such Liens as, would not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company
and its Subsidiaries have taken all actions reasonably necessary to
ensure full protection of their respective owned Intellectual
Property under all applicable laws, except where the failure to
take any such actions, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company. No claims are pending that allege that the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is infringing or otherwise adversely
affecting the rights of any Person with regard to any Intellectual
Property other than claims that, individually or in the aggregate,
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company. To the Knowledge of the Company, no Person is
infringing the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
with respect to any Intellectual Property in a manner that,
individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
Section 4.16 Material
Contracts . As of the date hereof, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any contract,
agreement or other instrument (a) that is a “material
contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of
Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), (b) that limits or
restricts the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from engaging in
any line of business or in any geographic area in any material
respect, (c) under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
directly or indirectly guaranteed any liabilities or obligations of
a third party (other than ordinary course endorsements for
collection) in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate, (d) relating
to indebtedness for borrowed money, whether incurred, assumed,
guaranteed or secured by any asset, or (e) involving continuing
monetary (contingent or otherwise) obligations (other than
immaterial ones) of the Company and its Subsidiaries relating to
the acquisition or disposition of any business for an amount in
excess of $10,000,000 (other than obligations under commercial
contracts assumed in connection with asset acquisitions and other
than obligations to the extent reflected on the consolidated
balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries). Each
contract of the type described in the first sentence of this
Section 4.16 is referred to herein as a “
Company Material Contract .” Each Company
Material Contract is valid and in full force and effect and
enforceable against the Company or one of its Subsidiaries and, to
the Knowledge of the Company, the counterparty to such Company
Material Contract, except to the extent that the failure to be
valid and in full force and enforceable, individually or in the
aggregate, has not had, and would not reasonably be expected to
have, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has Knowledge of, or has
received notice of, any default under (or any condition which with
or without the giving of notice, the passage of time or both would
cause such a default under) any Company Material Contract to which
it is a party or by which it or any of its assets is bound, except
for such defaults that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section 4.17 Labor and
Employment . (a) The Company and its
Subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable labor and employment
laws regarding their employees including the National Labor
Relations Act of 1935, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, the Age
22
Discrimination in Employment Act of
1967, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938,
the Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act of 2006 and comparable
state and local laws, except for failures to be in compliance
which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
(b) The Company and its
Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable employment and
collective bargaining agreements, except for failures to be in
compliance which, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section 4.18 Real
Estate . (a) The Company Real Property
is sufficient for the operation of the business of the Company and
its Subsidiaries as currently conducted in all material
respects.
(b) The
Company has, subject to the terms of the Company Leases, the right
to access, use and occupy the Company Leased Real Property for the
full term of the Company Lease relating thereto, except for any
failure to have such right which, individually or in the aggregate,
would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company. Each Company Lease constitutes a legal, valid
and binding agreement of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as
applicable, and is enforceable against such Person in accordance
with its terms, except that such enforceability (x) may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and (y) is subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law). To the Knowledge of the
Company, there is no default under any Company Lease (or any
condition or event, which, after notice or a lapse of time or both
would constitute a default thereunder) which, individually or in
the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company.
(c) The
Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, has good
and insurable fee title to the Company Owned Real Property.
The Company Owned Real Property has sufficient access to and from
adjoining public right of ways, that is necessary to the conduct of
the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as presently
conducted thereon, except for any failure to have such access
which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
There are no violations of any covenant, condition, or restriction
which would materially impair the rights to use and occupancy with
respect to the Company Owned Real Property for such purposes
necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as presently conducted thereon, except for any failure
to have such right which, individually or in the aggregate, would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section
4.19 Environmental Matters . Except for matters
that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) the
Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; (ii) no property
currently (or, to the Knowledge of the Company) formerly owned or
leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been the
subject of any investigation by any Governmental Entity or of any
third party demand alleging the presence of
23
any Hazardous Substances that would
require remediation pursuant to any Environmental Law; (iii)
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any
written notice, demand, letter, claim or request for information
alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be in
violation of or subject to liability under any Environmental Law;
and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
subject to any written order, decree, injunction or indemnity with
any Governmental Entity or any third Person relating to liability
under any Environmental Law or relating to contamination of any
property by Hazardous Substances. This
Section 4.19 and Sections 4.6 , 4.7 ,
4.9 and 4.12 set forth the sole representations and
warranties of the Company with respect to environmental or
workplace health or safety matters, including all matters arising
under Environmental Laws.
Section
4.20 Affiliate Transactions . Except
pursuant to any employment or separation agreement with any officer
of the Company, there are no transactions of the type that would be
required to be disclosed by the Company under Item 404
of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC.
Section
4.21 Required Vote of Company Stockholders . The
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of
Company Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the
Stockholders Meeting adopting this Agreement is the only vote of
the holders of any class or series of the Company’s capital
stock necessary to approve this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby.
Section
4.22 Opinions of Financial Advisors . The Board
of Directors of the Company has received the opinion of each of
Goldman Sachs, Greenhill and Morgan Stanley to the effect that, as
of the date of such opinion and based upon and subject to the
matters set forth therein, the $15.625 per Share in cash to be
received by the holders of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant
to this Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to such
holders.
Section
4.23 Brokers . No broker, investment banker,
financial advisor or other Person, other than Goldman Sachs,
Greenhill and Morgan Stanley, the fees and expenses of which will
be paid by the Company, is entitled to any broker’s,
finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or
commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the
Company.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND SUB
Except (i) as set forth in the
corresponding section of the Parent Letter, it being understood
that matters disclosed pursuant to one section of the Parent Letter
shall be deemed disclosed with respect to any other section of the
Parent Letter where it is reasonably apparent that the matters so
disclosed are applicable to such other section, or (ii) as
expressly contemplated or expressly permitted under this Agreement
or any agreement contemplated hereby, each of Parent and Sub,
jointly and severally, hereby represents and warrants to the
Company as follows:
24
Section
5.1 Organization . Each of Parent and Sub is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the
requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business as
now being conducted, except where the failure to be in good
standing or to have such power and authority has not had and would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Parent.
Section
5.2 Authority . Each of Parent and Sub has the
requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to consummate the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement by Parent and Sub and the consummation by each of
Parent and Sub of the Merger and of the other transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of each of Parent and Sub. This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of Parent
and Sub and (assuming the valid authorization, execution and
delivery of this Agreement by the Company) constitutes the valid
and binding obligation of each of Parent and Sub enforceable
against each of them in accordance with its terms, except that such
enforceability (i) may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting or
relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally
and (ii) is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of
whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
Section
5.3 Consents and Approvals; No Violations .
Except (a) for filings, permits, authorizations, consents and
approvals as may be required under, and other applicable
requirements of, the Exchange Act, the HSR Act, the DGCL, the laws
of other states in which Parent is qualified to do or is doing
business and state takeover laws, (b) foreign and supranational
laws relating to antitrust and anticompetition clearances listed in
Section 5.3 of the Parent Letter, (c) other approvals of
Governmental Entities listed in Section 5.3 of the Parent Letter
and (d) as may be required in connection with the Taxes described
in Section 7.7, neither the execution, delivery or performance of
this Agreement by Parent and Sub nor the consummation by Parent and
Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) result in
any breach of any provision of the respective certificate of
incorporation or by-laws of Parent or Sub, (ii) require any
filing with, or the obtaining of any permit, authorization, consent
or approval of, any Governmental Entity (except where the failure
to make such filings or to obtain such permits, authorizations,
consents or approvals, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent
or prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Merger),
(iii) result in a breach of, or constitute (with or without
due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any
right of termination, amendment, cancellation or acceleration)
under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note,
bond, mortgage, indenture, license, lease, contract, agreement or
other instrument or obligation to which Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their
properties or assets are bound or result in the creation of any
Lien on any property or asset of Parent or Sub or (iv) violate
any order, writ, injunction, decree, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
properties or assets, except, in the case of clause (iii), for
breaches, defaults, terminations, amendments, cancellations,
accelerations or violations that, individually or in the aggregate,
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
on Parent or prevent or materially delay the consummation of the
Merger.
25
Section
5.4 Information Supplied . None of the
information supplied or to be supplied by Parent or Sub or any of
their representatives specifically for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement, at the time the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the
Company’s stockholders or at the time of the Stockholders
Meeting or at the time of any amendments or supplements thereto,
will 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 made therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, except
that no representation or warranty is made by Parent or Sub in
connection with any of the foregoing with respect to statements
made therein based on information supplied by the Company or any of
its representatives specifically for inclusion therein.
Section
5.5 Litigation . As of the date of this
Agreement, there is no suit, action, proceeding or investigation
pending, or to the Knowledge of Parent threatened, against Parent,
Sub or any of their Subsidiaries or their respective properties,
assets or rights that would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on Parent or prevent or materially delay
the consummation of the Merger. None of Parent, Sub or any of
their Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties, assets
or rights is subject to any outstanding judgment, order, writ,
injunction or decree that, individually or in the aggregate, would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent
or prevent or materially delay the consummation of the
Merger.
Section
5.6 Capitalization and Interim Operations of Sub
. The authorized capital stock of Sub consists solely of
1,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, all of
which are validly issued and outstanding. All of the issued
and outstanding shares of capital stock of Sub (a) are, and as of
the Effective Time will be, owned by Parent or a direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent and (b) have been, and as of the
Effective Time will be, duly authorized and validly issued and are,
and as of the Effective Time will be, fully paid and nonassessable
and free of preemptive or other similar rights. Sub has no
outstanding option, warrant, right or other agreement pursuant to
which any Person (other than Parent) may acquire any equity
security of Sub. Sub has not conducted any business prior to
the date hereof and has no, and prior to the Effective Time will
have no, assets, liabilities or obligations of any nature other
than those incident to its formation or contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section
5.7 Financing Commitments . Parent has delivered
to the Company true and complete copies of (a) an executed
commitment letter from each of the Guarantors to provide equity
financing in an aggregate amount set forth therein (the “
Equity Funding Letters ”) and (b) an executed debt
commitment letter (the “ Commitment Letter ”)
from J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC,
Banc of America Bridge LLC and Bank of America, N.A. to provide
debt financing in an aggregate amount set forth therein (the
“ Debt Financing ,” and, together with the
financing referred to in clause (a), the “ Financing
”). As of the date hereof, each of the Equity Funding
Letters and the Commitment Letter, in the form so delivered, is a
legal, valid and binding obligation of Parent or Sub and, to the
Knowledge of Parent, the other parties thereto and (assuming that
such Equity Funding Letters and Commitment Letter constitute such
obligations of such other parties) is in full force and effect.
Other than as permitted pursuant to Section 7.12(a) , none
of the Equity Funding Letters or Commitment Letter has been amended
or modified and the respective commitments contained in such
letters have not been withdrawn,
26
rescinded or terminated in any
respect, and as of the date hereof (x) neither Parent nor Sub is in
breach of any of the terms or conditions set forth therein and
(y) to the Knowledge of Parent, no event has occurred which,
with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would reasonably be
expected to constitute a breach or failure to satisfy a condition
precedent set forth therein. Parent or Sub has paid any and all
commitment or other fees required by the Equity Funding Letters or
the Commitment Letter that are due as of the date hereof and will
pay, after the date hereof, all such commitments and fees as they
become due. Except for the payment of customary fees, there are no
conditions precedent or other similar contractual contingencies
related to the funding of the full amount of the Financing, other
than as set forth in or contemplated by the Equity Funding Letters
or the Commitment Letter. The aggregate proceeds contemplated
by the Equity Funding Letters and the Commitment Letter will be
sufficient for Sub and the Surviving Corporation to pay the
aggregate Merger Consideration as contemplated by
Section 3.1 , to make any payments required or
contemplated by Section 7.1 or Section 7.2
and to make any other repayment or refinancing of debt contemplated
in the Equity Funding Letters or the Commitment Letter and to pay
all related fees and expenses. As of the date of this
Agreement, assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties set forth in Article IV, Parent 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 Sub
on the Closing Date.
Section
5.8 Brokers . No broker, investment banker,
financial advisor or other Person, other than as set forth in
Section 5.8 of the Parent Letter, the fees and expenses of which
will be paid by Parent or its Affiliates, is entitled to any
broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other
similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or
on behalf of Parent or Sub.
Section
5.9 Lack of Ownership of Company Common Stock .
Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries beneficially owns or,
since January 1, 2004 has beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, any shares of Company Common Stock or other securities
convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for shares of
Company Common Stock. There are no voting trusts or other
agreements or understandings to which Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of the capital
stock or other equity interest of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
Section
5.10 Guaranty . Concurrently with the execution
of this Agreement, Parent has caused each of the Guarantors
to deliver to
the Company its duly executed Guaranty. Each Guaranty is in
full force and effect and is the valid, binding and enforceable
obligation of the applicable Guarantor and no event has occurred,
which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would
constitute a default on the part of such Guarantor under such
Guaranty.
Section 5.11 Absence of
Arrangements with Management . Other than this Agreement,
as of the date hereof, there are no contracts, undertakings,
commitments, agreements or obligations or understandings between
Parent or Sub or any of their Affiliates, on the one hand, and any
member of the Company’s management or Board of Directors, on
the other hand, relating to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the operations of the Company after the Effective
Time.
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ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Section
6.1 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the
Merger . Except as (x) required by applicable law or by a
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction, (y) expressly
contemplated by this Agreement (including as permitted or required
by Section 7.10 ) or (z) set forth in Section 6.1 of the
Company Letter, during the period from the date of this Agreement
until the Effective Time, the Company shall, and shall cause each
of its Subsidiaries to carry on its business in the ordinary course
as currently conducted and to use their commercially reasonable
efforts to retain the services of its key officers and employees
and to maintain relationships that are at least as favorable as
those currently existing with suppliers, customers, franchisees,
employees and others having material relationships with the Company
and its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, during such period, except as (x) required by applicable
law or by a Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction, (y)
expressly contemplated by this Agreement (including as permitted or
required by Section 7.10 ) or (z) set forth in Section 6.1
of the Company Letter, the Company shall not, and shall not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, without the prior written consent of
Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed):
(a) (i)
declare, set aside or pay any dividends on, or make any other
distributions in respect of, any of its capital stock or
partnership, limited liability or other equity interests (any such
stock or interest, an “ Equity Interest ”),
except for (A) dividends by a wholly owned Subsidiary of the
Company to its parent, (B) distributions required to be made under
the partnership agreement of Terminix International and (C)
regular, quarterly cash dividends of the Company in an amount not
more than $0.12 per Share, or (ii) other than in the case of any
wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, adjust, split, combine or
reclassify any of its Equity Interests or issue or authorize the
issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in
substitution for any Equity Interests;
(b) issue,
deliver, sell, pledge or otherwise encumber any Equity Interest,
any other voting securities or any securities convertible into, or
any rights, warrants or options to acquire, any such Equity
Interests, voting securities or convertible securities, or make any
changes (by combination, merger, consolidation, reorganization,
liquidation or otherwise) in the capital structure of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, other than (i) the issuance of shares
of Company Common Stock pursuant to Company Awards outstanding as
of the date of this Agreement, (ii) the issuance by any direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company of its capital
stock to the Company or another wholly owned Subsidiary of the
Company, and (iii) the issuance of shares of Company Common Stock
pursuant to the Company Stock Purchase Plans (it being the
Company’s expectation that for the March and April purchase
periods not more than $1,800,000 (including not more than $300,000
representing the Company’s contribution)) will be applied to
the purchase of Company Common Stock thereunder);
(c) amend
or waive any provision of its Certificate of Incorporation or
By-laws or similar organizational documents or, in the case of the
Company, enter into any agreement with any stockholder in such
Person’s capacity as stockholder;
28
(d) other
than (i) capital expenditures permitted by Section 6.1(e)
and purchases of inventory, raw materials and supplies in the
ordinary course of business, and (ii) consolidation program
acquisitions with purchase prices up to $67 million in the
aggregate, acquire any assets or properties, including any Equity
Interests of any Person;
(e) make
or agree to make any new capital expenditure, other than capital
expenditures (i) approved by the Board of Directors of the Company
prior to the date hereof or within the Company’s capital
budget for fiscal 2007 and previously made available to Parent or
(ii) to the extent not covered in clause (i), in an aggregate
amount not to exceed $10,000,000;
(f) other
than transactions that are in the ordinary course of business,
sell, lease, license, encumber by Lien or otherwise, or otherwise
dispose of, or agree to sell, lease, license, encumber or otherwise
dispose of, any of assets having a fair market value in excess of
$10,000,000 in the aggregate;
(g) incur
any indebtedness for borrowed money, other than (i) indebtedness
for borrowed money existing solely between the Company and its
wholly owned Subsidiaries (which term, for purposes of this
Section 6.1(g)(i) , shall include Terminix International) or
between such wholly owned Subsidiaries, (ii) indebtedness for
borrowed money incurred in the ordinary course of business under
the Company Credit Agreement or the Company Lines of Credit in an
amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the sum of
$110,000,000 (being the approximate principal amount outstanding
thereunder as of March 16, 2007) plus $75,000,000 through
July 31, 2007 or plus $100,000,000 from August 1, 2007
thereafter, (iii) indebtedness for borrowed money incurred in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in
connection with transactions described in Section 6.1(d)(ii)
or (iv) capital leases entered into in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice with aggregate obligations
not in excess of $10,000,000;
(h) other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice, modify or amend in any material respect or terminate any
Company Material Contract or enter into, modify or amend any new
agreement that would have been considered a Company Material
Contract had it been entered into at or prior to the date
hereof;
(i) settle
or compromise any material action, claim, demand, suit,
investigation, arbitration, litigation or similar judicial or
regulatory matter;
(j) (i)
increase the salary, wages or benefits payable or to become payable
to its directors, officers or employees, or any benefits provided
under the Company Stock Purchase Plans, except for (A) increases
required under employment agreements existing on the date hereof
and (B) increases for officers and employees in the ordinary course
of business; or (ii) enter into any employment, retention or
severance agreement with, or establish, adopt, enter into or amend
any bonus, profit sharing, thrift, stock option, restricted stock,
pension, retirement, deferred compensation, retention, employment,
termination or severance plan, agreement, policy or arrangement for
the benefit of, any director, officer or employee, except, in each
case, as may be required by the terms of any such plan, agreement,
policy or arrangement or to comply with applicable law;
29
(k) (i)
except as may be required by GAAP or as a result of a change in
law, make any change in its method of accounting, or (ii) conduct
any Tax affairs relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
other than in the ordinary course of business, in compliance with
applicable law and in substantially the same manner as heretofore
conducted and in good faith in substantially the same manner as
such affairs would have been conducted if this Agreement had not
been entered into or (iii) make or change any material Tax
election, settle or compromise any material liability for Taxes,
obtain any Tax ruling or amend any Tax Return; or
(l) enter
into any contract or agreement to, or resolve to,
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