|
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY AND AMONG
U.S. DRY CLEANING
CORPORATION,
CLEANERS CLUB, INC.,
CLEANERS CLUB ACQUISITION SUB,
INC.,
AND
RIAZ CHAUTHANI
December 21, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
Page
|
|
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
|
|
2
|
|
Section 1.1
|
|
Defined Terms
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE II THE MERGER
|
|
7
|
|
Section 2.1
|
|
The Merger
|
|
7
|
|
Section 2.2
|
|
Closing
|
|
7
|
|
Section 2.3
|
|
Effective Time
|
|
8
|
|
Section 2.4
|
|
Effect of the Merger
|
|
8
|
|
Section 2.5
|
|
Articles of Incorporation; Bylaws
|
|
8
|
|
Section 2.6
|
|
Directors; Officers
|
|
8
|
|
Section 2.7
|
|
Effect on Capital Stock
|
|
9
|
|
Section 2.8
|
|
Exchange of Certificates
|
|
9
|
|
Section 2.9
|
|
No Further Ownership Rights in Company Common
Stock
|
|
9
|
|
Section 2.10
|
|
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates
|
|
9
|
|
Section 2.11
|
|
Taking of Necessary Action; Further
Action
|
|
10
|
|
Section 2.12
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
COMPANY
|
|
10
|
|
Section 3.1
|
|
Organization, Standing and Power
|
|
11
|
|
Section 3.2
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
11
|
|
Section 3.3
|
|
Capitalization; Title to the Shares
|
|
11
|
|
Section 3.4
|
|
Authority
|
|
12
|
|
Section 3.5
|
|
Financial Statements
|
|
12
|
|
Section 3.6
|
|
Absence of Certain Changes
|
|
13
|
|
Section 3.7
|
|
Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities
|
|
15
|
|
Section 3.8
|
|
Litigation
|
|
15
|
|
Section 3.9
|
|
Restrictions on Business Activities
|
|
15
|
|
Section 3.10
|
|
Governmental Authorization
|
|
15
|
|
Section 3.11
|
|
Takeover Statutes
|
|
15
|
|
Section 3.12
|
|
Title to Property
|
|
16
|
|
Section 3.13
|
|
Intellectual Property
|
|
16
|
|
Section 3.14
|
|
Environmental Matters
|
|
18
|
|
Section 3.15
|
|
Taxes
|
|
20
|
|
Section 3.16
|
|
Employee Benefit Plans
|
|
23
|
|
Section 3.17
|
|
Employee Matters
|
|
25
|
|
Section 3.18
|
|
Interested Party Transactions
|
|
27
|
|
Section 3.19
|
|
Leased Property
|
|
28
|
|
Section 3.20
|
|
Insurance
|
|
28
|
|
Section 3.21
|
|
Compliance With Laws
|
|
29
|
|
Section 3.22
|
|
Minute Books
|
|
29
|
|
Section 3.23
|
|
Internal Controls
|
|
29
|
|
Section 3.24
|
|
Complete Copies of Materials
|
|
29
|
|
Section 3.25
|
|
Brokers' and Finders' Fees
|
|
30
|
|
Section 3.26
|
|
Board Approval
|
|
30
|
|
Section 3.27
|
|
Customers and Suppliers
|
|
30
|
|
Section 3.28
|
|
Material Contracts
|
|
30
|
|
Section 3.29
|
|
No Breach of Material Contracts
|
|
32
|
|
Section 3.30
|
|
Third Party Consents
|
|
32
|
|
Section 3.31
|
|
Accounts Receivable and Payable
|
|
32
|
|
Section 3.32
|
|
Inventory
|
|
32
|
|
Section 3.33
|
|
Propriety of Past Payments
|
|
33
|
|
Section 3.34
|
|
Representations Complete
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND
MERGER SUB
|
|
34
|
|
Section 4.1
|
|
Organization, Standing and Power
|
|
34
|
|
Section 4.2
|
|
Authority
|
|
34
|
|
Section 4.3
|
|
Brokers’ and Finders’ Fees
|
|
35
|
|
Section 4.4
|
|
Board Approval
|
|
35
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE V CONDUCT PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE
|
|
35
|
|
Section 5.1
|
|
Conduct of Business of the Company
|
|
35
|
|
Section 5.2
|
|
Restriction on Conduct of Business of the
Company
|
|
35
|
|
Section 5.3
|
|
No Solicitation
|
|
38
|
|
Section 5.4
|
|
Further Information
|
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
|
|
40
|
|
Section 6.1
|
|
Public Disclosure
|
|
40
|
ii
|
Section 6.2
|
|
Consents; Cooperation
|
|
40
|
|
Section 6.3
|
|
Legal Requirements
|
|
40
|
|
Section 6.4
|
|
Best Efforts and Further Assurances
|
|
41
|
|
Section 6.5
|
|
Termination of Plans
|
|
41
|
|
Section 6.6
|
|
Tax Certificate
|
|
41
|
|
Section 6.7
|
|
Withholding
|
|
41
|
|
Section 6.8
|
|
Payment of Certain Indebtedness
|
|
42
|
|
Section 6.9
|
|
Company Disclosure Schedule
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO THE CLOSING
|
|
42
|
|
Section 7.1
|
|
Conditions to Obligations of Each Party to Effect
the Merger
|
|
42
|
|
Section 7.2
|
|
Additional Conditions to Obligations of the
Company
|
|
43
|
|
Section 7.3
|
|
Additional Conditions to the Obligations of
Parent and Merger Sub
|
|
43
|
|
Section 7.4
|
|
Frustration of Conditions
|
|
45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND
WAIVER
|
|
46
|
|
Section 8.1
|
|
Termination
|
|
46
|
|
Section 8.2
|
|
Effect of Termination
|
|
47
|
|
Section 8.3
|
|
Expenses
|
|
47
|
|
Section 8.4
|
|
Amendment
|
|
47
|
|
Section 8.5
|
|
Extension; Waiver
|
|
47
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION
|
|
48
|
|
Section 9.1
|
|
Indemnification
|
|
48
|
|
Section 9.2
|
|
Claims; Resolution of Conflicts;
Arbitration
|
|
49
|
|
Section 9.3
|
|
Third-Party Claims
|
|
50
|
|
Section 9.4
|
|
No Right of Contribution
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE X GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
|
51
|
|
Section 10.1
|
|
Survival
|
|
51
|
|
Section 10.2
|
|
Notices
|
|
51
|
|
Section 10.3
|
|
Interpretation
|
|
52
|
|
Section 10.4
|
|
Counterparts
|
|
53
|
|
Section 10.5
|
|
Entire Agreement; Nonassignability; Parties in
Interest
|
|
53
|
|
Section 10.6
|
|
Severability
|
|
53
|
|
Section 10.7
|
|
Governing Law
|
|
53
|
|
Section 10.8
|
|
Rules of Construction
|
|
54
|
iii
|
Section 10.9
|
|
Specific Performance
|
|
54
|
|
Section 10.10
|
|
Descriptive Headings
|
|
54
|
|
Section 10.11
|
|
Force Majeure
|
|
54
|
|
Section 10.12
|
|
Attorneys’ Fees
|
|
54
|
EXHIBITS
|
Exhibit A
|
|
Form of Agreement of Merger
|
|
Exhibit B
|
|
Form of Articles of Incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation
|
|
Exhibit C
|
|
Form of Bylaws of the Surviving
Corporation
|
|
Exhibit D
|
|
Form of Company Counsel Legal Opinion
|
|
Exhibit E
|
|
Form of Non-Compete Agreement
|
|
Exhibit F
|
|
Form of Consulting Agreement
|
|
Exhibit G
|
|
Form of Registration Rights Agreement
|
COMPANY DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES
iv
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this "
Agreement "), dated as of December 21, 2006, by and
among U.S. Dry Cleaning Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("
Parent "), Cleaners Club Acquisition Sub, Inc., a California
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (" Merger
Sub "), Cleaners Club, Inc., a California corporation (the "
Company "), and, solely for the purposes of ARTICLE
IX and ARTICLE X of this Agreement, Riaz Chauthani, the
sole shareholder of the Company (" Sole Shareholder
").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of
Parent, Merger Sub and the Company has adopted, and deems it
advisable and in the best interests of its respective shareholders
to consummate, the merger (the " Merger ") of the Company
with and into Merger Sub, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of
Parent, Merger Sub and the Company has unanimously adopted this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Merger, in accordance with the provisions of the General
Corporation Law of the State of California (" California Law
") and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company
has unanimously determined that the consideration to be paid to the
Sole Shareholder is fair to the Sole Shareholder and has resolved
to recommend to the Sole Shareholder the approval of this Agreement
and the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this
Agreement, and as a condition and inducement to Parent’s
willingness to enter into this Agreement, the Sole Shareholder has
approved this Agreement, the Agreement of Merger, the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with
California Law; and
WHEREAS, the sole shareholder of Merger Sub has
approved this Agreement, the Agreement of Merger and the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with the
provisions of California Law.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants
and representations set forth herein, and for other good and
valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1
Defined Terms
As used herein, the terms below shall have the
following meanings. Any of such terms, unless the context otherwise
requires, may be used in the singular or plural, depending upon the
reference.
" 401(k) Plan " has the meaning set forth
in Section 6.5 .
" Acquisition Transaction " means any
transaction or series of related transactions involving: (i) the
sale, license, disposition or acquisition of all or a material
portion of the business or assets of the Company; (ii) the sale,
issuance, grant, disposition or acquisition of (A) the Company
Common Stock or other equity security of the Company, (B) any
option, call, warrant or right (whether or not immediately
exercisable) to acquire any Company Common Stock or other equity
security of the Company, or (C) any security, instrument or
obligation that is or may become convertible into or exchangeable
for any Company Common Stock or other equity security of the
Company; or (iii) any merger, consolidation, business
combination, tender offer, share exchange, reorganization or
similar transaction involving the Company; provided,
however , the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement will not be deemed an Acquisition
Transaction in any case.
" Agreement " has the meaning set forth in
the preamble.
" Agreement of Merger " has the meaning
set forth in Section 2.3 .
" Annual Financial Statements " means the
audited balance sheet of the Company at December 31, 2005 and
December 31, 2006, together with the related statements of income,
shareholders’ equity and cash flows, including the notes
thereto.
" Audit " means any audit, assessment of
Taxes, other examination by any Tax Authority, or any
administrative or judicial proceeding or appeal of such proceeding
relating to Taxes.
" Business Day " means any day that is not
a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which banks are required or
authorized by Law to be closed in California.
" California Law " has the meaning set
forth in the recitals.
" Closing " has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2 .
" Closing Balance Sheet " means the
unaudited balance sheet of the Company as at the close of business
on the day prior to the Closing Date, including the notes
thereto.
" Closing Date " has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.2 .
" Closing Statement " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.12(a) .
2
" COBRA " has the meaning set forth in
Section 3.17(d) .
" Code " means the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
" Company " has the meaning set forth in
the preamble.
" Company Articles " means the Articles of
Incorporation of the Company as in effect on the date
hereof.
" Company Authorization " has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.10 .
" Company Board " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.6 .
" Company Bylaws " means the Bylaws of the
Company as in effect on the date hereof.
" Company Certificate " means a
certificate or certificates representing shares of Company Common
Stock.
" Company Common Stock "
means all shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the
Company.
" Company Debt " means all Indebtedness of
the Company.
" Company Disclosure Schedule " has the
meaning set forth in ARTICLE III .
" Company Employee Plans " has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.16(a) .
" Company Financial Statements " means the
Annual Financial Statements of the Company, the Interim Financial
Statement and the Monthly Financial Statements.
" Company Intellectual Property " means
the Intellectual Property used in or necessary for the conduct of
the business of the Company as currently conducted and as currently
proposed to be conducted.
" Company Owned Intellectual Property "
means any Company Intellectual Property (including all of the
intellectual property set forth in Section 3.13(b) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule) which the Company represents
herein to Parent is owned by the Company.
" Company Subsidiary " means any
corporation, association, business entity, partnership, limited
liability company or other entity of which the Company, either
alone or together with one or more such entities, (i) directly or
indirectly owns or controls securities or other interests
representing more than fifty (50%) of the voting power of such
entity, or (ii) is entitled, by contract or otherwise, to elect,
appoint or designate directors constituting a majority of the
members of such entity’s board of directors or other
governing body.
" Confidential Information " has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.13(f) .
" Damages " has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.1(a) .
3
" Dollars " or " $ " means the
lawful currency of the United States of America.
" Effective Time " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.3 .
" Environmental Claim " has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.14(f)(1).
" Environmental Laws " has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.14(f)(2) .
" ERISA " has the meaning set forth in
Section 3.16(a) .
" ERISA Affiliate " has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.16(a).
" Exchange Ratio " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.7(a).
" Final Date " has the meaning set forth
in Section 8.1(b) .
" Financial Statements " means the Annual
Financial Statements, the Interim Financial Statements and the
Monthly Financial Statements.
" GAAP " means the United States generally
accepted accounting principles.
" Governmental Entity " means any
arbitrator, court, agency, commission, tribunal, nation,
government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and
any entity exercising or entitled to exercise executive,
legislative, judicial, regulatory, taxing or administrative power
or authority of any nature whatsoever, in each case, whether
foreign or domestic.
" Indebtedness " means (i) all
indebtedness for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price
of property or services (other than current liabilities incurred in
the ordinary course of business and payable in accordance with
customary practices), (ii) any other indebtedness that is
evidenced by a note, bond, debenture or similar instrument,
(iii) all obligations under financing leases, (iv) all
obligations in respect of acceptances issued or created,
(v) all liabilities secured by any Lien on any property and
(vi) all guarantee obligations.
" Indemnitee " has the meaning set forth
in Section 9.2(a) .
" Indemnitor " has the meaning set forth
in Section 9.2(a) .
" Intellectual Property " means all
patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks, Internet domain
names, copyrights, and any applications therefor, trade secrets,
know-how, technology, inventions (whether patentable or
unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practice), algorithms,
processes, computer software programs or applications (in source
code and/or object code form), databases, schematics, designs and
tangible or intangible proprietary information or
material.
" Interim Balance Sheet " means the
unaudited balance sheet of the Company as at September 30,
2006, including the notes thereto.
4
" Interim Financial Statements " means the
Interim Balance Sheet and the related statements of income,
shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company for the
nine (9) months ended September 30, 2006, including the notes
thereto.
" IRS " means the Internal Revenue
Service.
" Knowledge " means (i) with respect to
any natural person, the actual knowledge of such person after due
and diligent inquiry, or (ii) with respect to the Company, Parent
or Merger Sub the actual knowledge of such party’s directors
and officers or other management-level personnel having
responsibility for the matters represented after due and diligent
inquiry. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be
deemed to have Knowledge of a particular fact if and only if, Brian
Walker (a) actually knows of such fact or event, (b) fails to
discose such fact or event on the Company Disclosure Schedule, if
required, and (c) no other director, officer or other management
level personnel having responsibility for the matters represented
has actual knowledge of such fact or event after due and diligent
inquiry.
" Law " or " Laws " has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.21 .
" Lease Agreements " has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.19 .
" Lien " means, with respect to any asset
(including any security), any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge,
security interest, encumbrance or restriction of any kind in
respect of such asset; provided, however
, that the term "Lien" shall not include (i)
statutory liens for Taxes, which are not yet due and payable or are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and
disclosed in Section 3.16 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, (ii) statutory or common law liens to secure landlords,
lessors or renters under leases or rental agreements confined to
the premises rented, (iii) deposits or pledges made in connection
with, or to secure payment of, workers’ compensation,
unemployment insurance, old age pension or other social security
programs mandated under applicable Laws, (iv) statutory or common
law liens in favor of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics to secure
claims for labor, materials or supplies incurred in the ordinary
course of business and (x) not yet delinquent or (y) being
contested in good faith and other like liens, and (v) restrictions
on transfer of securities imposed by applicable state and federal
securities laws.
" Material Adverse Effect " means, with
respect to any entity or group of entities, any event, change or
effect that (x) is, or is reasonably expected to be, materially
adverse to the condition (financial or otherwise), properties,
assets (including intangible assets), prospects, liabilities,
business, operations or results of operations of such entity and
its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (y) would prevent or
materially alter or delay any of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
" Material Contracts " has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.28 .
" Materials of Environmental Concern " has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.14(f)(3
).
" Merger " has the meaning set forth in
the recitals.
" Merger Sub " has the meaning set forth
in the preamble.
5
" Merger Shares " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.7(a) .
" Monthly Financial Statements " means the
unaudited balance sheets of the Company for each fiscal month
completed prior to the Closing Date, beginning with the month ended
September 30, 2006 and the related statements of income,
shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the monthly periods
then ended.
" Net Working Capital " means the (x) cash
less (y) total current accounts payable based on Company’s
existing terms, in each case, as of the close of business on the
day before the Closing Date.
" Officer’s Certificate " has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.2(a ).
" Parent " has the meaning set forth in
the preamble.
" Parent Common Stock "
means all shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of
Parent.
" Purchaser Damages " has the meaning set
forth in Section 9.1(a) .
" Representatives " means officers,
directors, employees, attorneys, accountants, advisors, agents,
distributors, licensees, shareholders, subsidiaries and lenders of
a party.
" Secretary of State " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.3 .
" Seller Damages " has the meaning set
forth in Section 9.1(b) .
" Sole Shareholder " has the meaning set
forth in the preamble.
" Superior Offer " means an unsolicited,
bona fide written offer made by a third party to acquire, directly
or indirectly, pursuant to a tender offer, exchange offer, merger,
consolidation or other business combination, all or substantially
all of the assets of the Company or a majority of the total
outstanding voting securities of the Company, on terms that the
Company Board has in good faith concluded (after the receipt of
advice of its outside legal counsel and its financial adviser),
taking into account, among other things, all legal, financial,
regulatory and other aspects of the offer and the person making the
offer, including the likelihood of consummation, to be more
favorable, from a financial point of view, to the Sole Shareholder
than the terms of the Merger.
" Store EBITDA " means the Company’s
EBITDA less the Company headquarters general and administrative
expenses calculated in accordance with GAAP and consistent with
industry standards.
" Surviving Corporation " has the meaning
set forth in Section 2.1 .
" Tax " or " Taxes " means all
United States federal, state, local and foreign taxes, and other
assessments of a similar nature including, without limitation: (i)
taxes or other charges on or with respect to income, franchises,
windfall or other profits, gross receipts, profits, sales, use,
capital stock, payroll, employment, social security, workers’
compensation, unemployment compensation or net worth;
(ii) taxes or other charges in the nature of excise,
withholding, ad valorem ,
stamp, transfer, value added or gains taxes; (iii) license,
registration and documentation fees; and (iv) customs duties,
tariffs and similar charges, in each case, whether imposed directly
or through withholding, and including any interest, additions to
tax, or penalties applicable thereto.
6
" Tax Authority " means the IRS and any
other national, regional, state, municipal, foreign or other
governmental or regulatory authority or administrative body
responsible for the administration of any Taxes.
" Tax Return " means all United States
federal, state, local and foreign tax returns, declarations,
statements, reports, schedules, forms and information returns or
other documents and any amendments thereto required to be filed
with a Tax Authority.
" Third Party Claim " has the meaning set
forth in Section 9.3 .
" Transaction Expenses " has the meaning
set forth in Section 8.3 .
" Treasury Regulations " has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.17(b) .
" Voting Debt " has the meaning set forth
in Section 3.3(b) .
" WARN Act " means the Worker Adjustment
and Retraining Notification Act.
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
Section 2.1 The
Merger
At the Effective Time and subject to and upon the
terms and conditions of this Agreement and the applicable
provisions of California Law, the Company shall be merged with and
into Merger Sub, the separate corporate existence of the Company
shall cease and Merger Sub shall continue as the surviving
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. Merger Sub, as
the surviving corporation after the Merger, is hereinafter referred
to as the " Surviving Corporation ."
Section 2.2
Closing
The closing of the Merger (the " Closing
") shall take place at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time, on a date to be
specified by the parties, which shall be no later than three (3)
Business Days after satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions
set forth in ARTICLE VII of this Agreement (other than
conditions which can be satisfied only by the delivery of
certificates or other documents at the Closing) (the " Closing
Date ") at the offices of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, located at
650 Town Center Drive, Suite 1700, Costa Mesa, California, unless
another time, date or place is agreed to by the parties hereto.
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is their intention
that the Closing occur (subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement) as soon as practicable following the satisfaction or
waiver of the conditions set forth in ARTICLE VII
.
7
Section 2.3
Effective Time
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in this Agreement, at the Closing, the parties hereto shall
file the agreement of merger in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A (the " Agreement of Merger ") and the
officers’ certificates of the Company and Merger Sub, in each
case, in such forms as are required by California Law with the
Secretary of State of the State of California (the " Secretary
of State "), whereupon the Company shall be merged with and
into Merger Sub, which shall survive the Merger, pursuant to the
provisions of California Law. The parties hereto shall make all
other filings, recordings or publications required by California
Law in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become
effective upon the filing of the Agreement of Merger with the
Secretary of State pursuant to California Law or at such later time
as shall be agreed upon by the parties and specified in the
Agreement of Merger (the " Effective Time ").
Section 2.4 Effect
of the Merger
From and after the Effective Time, the effect of
the Merger shall be as provided in this Agreement and the
applicable provisions of California Law.
Section 2.5
Articles of Incorporation; Bylaws
(a) Immediately after the Effective Time, the articles of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation shall be the articles of
incorporation of Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the
Effective Time and as set forth in Exhibit B to this
Agreement, and such articles of incorporation shall be the articles
of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter
amended as provided by Law and such articles of
incorporation.
(b) Immediately after the Effective Time, the bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation shall be the bylaws of Merger Sub as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time and as set forth in
Exhibit C to this Agreement, and such bylaws shall be the
bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended as
provided by Law and such bylaws.
Section 2.6
Directors; Officers
(a) Immediately after the Effective Time, the directors of Merger
Sub at 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. In furtherance thereof, the Company shall
secure, effective at the Effective Time, resignations of all of its
incumbent directors (the " Company Board "), and the Company
shall take all actions available to the Company to cause the
directors of Merger Sub to be so elected or appointed at the
Effective Time.
(b) Immediately after the Effective Time, the officers of Merger
Sub at 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 appointed.
8
Section 2.7 Effect
on Capital Stock
(a) Conversion of Stock . Each share of Company Common Stock
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time,
other than shares of Company Common Stock to be canceled pursuant
to Section 2.7(c) , shall be converted into the right to
receive 780 (the "Exchange Ratio") fully paid and nonassessable
shares of Parent Common Stock (collectively, the " Merger
Shares "); provided, that in no event shall the number of
shares of Parent Common Stock issuable in accordance with this
section exceed 780,000 shares.
(b) Capital
Stock of Merger Sub . As of the Effective Time, by virtue of
the Merger and without any action on the part of any of the parties
hereto or any holder of securities of Merger Sub, each share of
common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
converted into and exchanged for one validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation.
Each stock certificate of Merger Sub evidencing ownership of any
such shares of common stock shall evidence ownership of such shares
of capital stock of the Surviving Corporation.
(c) Cancellation of Company Common Stock Owned by Parent .
As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any
action on the part of any of the parties hereto, all shares of
Company Common Stock that are owned by Parent or by any direct or
indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be canceled and extinguished without any
conversion thereof.
Section 2.8
Exchange of Certificates
At the Closing, the Sole Shareholder shall
surrender the Company Certificate(s) held by him, together with a
duly completed and validly executed letter of transmittal in such
form as Parent may reasonably request, and, as soon as practicable
following the Closing, Parent shall deliver the Merger Shares to
the Sole Shareholder, and the Company Certificate so surrendered
shall forthwith be canceled.
Section 2.9 No
Further Ownership Rights in Company Common Stock
At the Effective Time, the stock transfer books
of the Company shall be closed and thereafter there shall be no
further registration of transfers of any shares of Company Common
Stock on the records of the Company.
Section 2.10 Lost,
Stolen or Destroyed Certificates
In the event that any Company Certificates shall
have been lost, stolen or destroyed, Parent shall cause to be paid
in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Company
Certificates, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the
Sole Shareholder, such payment of Parent Common Stock as may be
required pursuant to this ARTICLE II ; provided,
however , that Parent may, in its discretion
and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the
Sole Shareholder to deliver a bond in such sum as it may reasonably
direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against
Parent or the Surviving Corporation with respect to the Company
Certificates alleged to have been lost, stolen or
destroyed.
9
Section 2.11
Taking of Necessary Action; Further
Action
If, at any time after the Effective Time, any
further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes
of this Agreement and to vest the Surviving Corporation with full
right, title and possession to all assets, property, rights,
privileges, powers and franchises of the Company, the officers and
directors of Parent, the Company and the Surviving Corporation are
fully authorized in the name of their respective corporations to
take, and will take, all such lawful and necessary action, so long
as such action is not inconsistent with this Agreement.
Section 2.12
Adjustments
(a) On the day
prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to Parent a
statement (the " Closing Statement ") in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Parent setting forth the Net Working
Capital, Store EBITDA, Company Revenues and Company Debt as of the
Closing Date. No later than two (2) Business Days prior to Closing,
the Company shall deliver to Parent a draft Closing Statement
setting forth the Company’s best estimate of the Net Working
Capital, Store EBITDA, Company Revenues and Company Debt as of the
Closing Date.
(b) In the
event the Net Working Capital as set forth in the Closing Statement
is less than One Dollar ($1.00), the Sole Shareholder shall pay to
Parent an amount equal to the amount by which Net Working Capital
Amount is less than One Dollar ($1.00).
(c) In the
event the Company Debt as set forth in the Closing Statement is
greater than Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($800,000), the Sole
Shareholder shall pay to Parent an amount equal to the amount by
which the Company Debt is greater than Eight-Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($800,000).
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
COMPANY
Any reference to any event, change, condition or
effect being "material" with respect to any entity or group of
entities means any event, change, condition or effect which
(i) is or would reasonably be expected to be material to the
condition (financial or otherwise), properties, assets (including
intangible assets), prospects, liabilities, business, operations or
results of operations of such entity or group of entities, taken as
a whole or (ii) would or would reasonably be expected to
prevent or materially alter or delay any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
Each statement contained in any certificate
signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to Parent
pursuant to Section 7.3(b) shall constitute a
representation and warranty hereunder by the Company to Parent as
to the matters covered thereby.
10
Except as disclosed in that section of the
document to be delivered by the Company to Parent after the
execution and delivery of this Agreement (the " Company
Disclosure Schedule ") corresponding to the Section of this
Agreement to which the following representations or warranties
pertain, the Company represents and warrants to Parent as of the
Closing Date as follows:
Section 3.1
Organization, Standing and Power
The Company is a corporation duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State
of California. The Company has the requisite corporate power to own
its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted
and as currently proposed to be conducted and is duly qualified to
do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would or would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company. The Company has delivered a true and correct copy of the
Company Articles and Company Bylaws, each as amended to date and as
currently in effect, to Parent. The Company is not in violation of
any of the provisions of the Company Articles or Company
Bylaws.
Section 3.2
Subsidiaries
The Company does not directly or indirectly own
any equity or similar interest in, or any interest convertible or
exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interest in,
any corporation, association, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company, business association or other entity.
Section 3.3
Capitalization; Title to the Shares
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of
(i) 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Since inception, the
Company has never authorized the issuance of any preferred stock,
option plan, warrants or other securities exercisable or
convertible into capital stock of the Company. As of the date
hereof, 1,000 shares of Company Common Stock are issued and
outstanding and all outstanding shares of Company Common Stock are
issued to the Sole Shareholder. All of the outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable.
(b) Except as
set forth above, as of the date hereof and, as of the Closing
(i) there are no shares of capital stock or any other
securities of the Company authorized, issued or outstanding;
(ii) there are no existing options, warrants, calls,
preemptive rights, Indebtedness having general voting rights or
debt convertible into securities having such rights (" Voting
Debt ") or subscriptions or other rights, agreements,
arrangements or commitments of any character (including any
shareholder rights plan or similar plan commonly referred to as a
"poison pill"), relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of
the Company obligating the Company to issue, transfer or sell or
cause to be issued, transferred or sold any shares of capital stock
or Voting Debt of, or other equity interest in, the Company or
securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares or
equity interests, or obligating the Company to make any payment
linked to the value of the Company Common Stock or the sale price
of the Company, or obligating the Company to grant, extend or enter
into any such option, warrant, call, subscription or other right,
agreement, arrangement or commitment; and (iii) there are no
outstanding contractual obligations of the Company to repurchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire the Common Stock, or other capital
stock of the Company or to provide funds to make any investment (in
the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in any other
entity.
11
(c) There are
no voting trusts or other agreements or understandings to which the
Company is a party with respect to the voting of the Company Common
Stock.
Section 3.4
Authority
The Company has the requisite corporate power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company. This Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the
valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against
the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that
enforceability may be limited by the effect, if any, of any
applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or
other Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally
or any general principles of equity, regardless of whether such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity.
Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement
nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
conflict with, or result in any breach or violation of, or default
under (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both), or give
rise to a right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of any
obligation or loss of any benefit under (i) any provision of
the Company Articles or the Company Bylaws, (ii) any contract,
agreement, license or understanding to which the Company is a party
or to which any of its properties or assets are bound or
(iii) any Law applicable to the Company, or any of its
properties or assets, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii)
above, any such conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults, rights
or losses which could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company. No notice to, filing with,
and no permit, authorization, consent or approval of, any
Governmental Entity, or any other person is necessary for the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company or, except
for the filing and recordation of the Agreement of Merger in
accordance with the requirements of California Law, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section 3.5
Financial Statements
Attached hereto as Section 3.5 of the
Company Disclosure Schedule are true and correct copies of the
Financial Statements. The Financial Statements have been prepared
in accordance with the Company’s past practice and fairly
present in all material respects the financial position as at such
dates and the results of operations and cash flows for such periods
of the Company. As of the Closing, the Closing Balance Sheet has
been prepared in accordance with the Company’s past practice
and fairly presents in all material respects the financial position
of the Company as at the day before the Closing Date.
12
Section 3.6
Absence of Certain Changes
Except as and to the extent set forth in the
Financial Statements, from the date of the Interim Balance Sheet to
the date of this Agreement, the Company has conducted its business
in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and has
not:
(a) suffered
any Material Adverse Effect;
(b) incurred
any liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, contingent or
otherwise), except for non-material items incurred in the ordinary
course of business, consistent with past practice or Transaction
Expenses, that have been paid by the Company, or increased, or
experienced any change in any assumptions underlying or methods of
calculating, any bad debt, contingency or other
reserves;
(c) paid,
discharged or satisfied any claims, liabilities or obligations
(absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) other than the
payment, discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary course of
business, consistent with past practice, of liabilities and
obligations reflected or reserved against in the Interim Balance
Sheet or incurred in the ordinary course of business, consistent
with past practice;
(d) initiated
or settled any litigation;
(e) permitted
or allowed any of its properties or assets (real, personal or
mixed, tangible or intangible) to be subjected to any
Liens;
(f) written
down the value of any inventory or written off as uncollectible any
notes or accounts receivable, except for immaterial write-downs and
write-offs in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past
practice;
(g) cancelled
any debts or waived any claims or rights of substantial
value;
(h) sold,
transferred, or otherwise disposed of any of its properties or
assets (real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible), except in
the ordinary course of business, consistent with past
practice;
(i) granted or
acquired, agreed to grant to or acquire from any person or entity
any licenses of Intellectual Property, abandoned, disposed of or
permitted to lapse any rights to the use of any Intellectual
Property, or disposed of or disclosed to any person other than
representatives of Parent any trade secret, formula, process or
know-how or other Intellectual Property not theretofore a matter of
public knowledge;
(j) increased
in any manner (including acceleration or funding provisions) the
compensation or benefits of any current or former director,
officer, employee or consultant of the Company (including any such
increase pursuant to any bonus, pension, profit sharing, incentive
compensation or other plan, policy, program, agreement, arrangement
or commitment) or increased in any manner (including acceleration
or funding provisions) the compensation or benefits payable or to
become payable to any current or former director, officer, employee
or consultant of the Company, except, in the case of employees
other than officers of the Company, for such increases in
compensation or benefits made in the ordinary course of business,
consistent with past practice;
13
(k) adopted,
entered into or amended any bonus, pension, profit sharing,
incentive compensation, employment, consulting, severance,
termination, deferred compensation or other plan, program, policy,
agreement, arrangement or commitment, other than as required
pursuant to applicable Law, or made any change in any change in
control, severance or termination plan, policy, practice, program,
agreement or arrangement;
(l) entered
into or amended any Material Contract;
(m) entered
into any operating lease or operating license for property or
assets;
(n) made
capital expenditures or commitments or acquired any property, plant
and equipment that would be treated as a capital expenditure in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied for a cost in excess of
an aggregate amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000);
(o) declared,
paid or set aside for payment any dividend or other distribution in
respect of its capital stock or redeemed, purchased or otherwise
acquired, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock or
other securities of the Company;
(p) made or
changed an election in respect of Taxes, adopted or changed any
accounting method in respect of Taxes, failed to file, on a timely
basis, with the appropriate Tax Authorities, all Tax Returns
required to be filed for taxable periods ending on or before the
Closing Date and due on or prior to the Closing Date, which such
Tax Returns shall be true in all material respects, correct and
complete, or failed to pay or remit, on a timely basis, any Taxes
required to be paid, amended any Tax Return, entered into any
closing agreement, settled or consented to any claim or assessment
in respect of Taxes, consented to any extension or waiver of the
statutory period of limitations applicable to any claim or
assessment in respect of Taxes, or other made any Tax payments
outside of the ordinary course of business;
(q) paid,
loaned or advanced any amount to, or sold, transferred or leased
any properties or assets (real, personal or mixed, tangible or
intangible) to, or entered into any agreement or arrangement with,
any of its employees, officers, directors or shareholders or any
affiliate or associate of any of its employees, officers, directors
or shareholders (except for directors' fees and compensation to
officers at rates not inconsistent with the Company's past practice
in connection with business related travel or other expenses
incurred on behalf of the Company) and advances to employees;
or
(r) agreed,
whether in writing or otherwise, to take any action described in
this Section 3.6 .
14
Section 3.7
Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities
Except (i) as disclosed on the Interim
Balance Sheet, (ii) for liabilities and obligations incurred
in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practice since the date of the Interim Balance Sheet, and
(iii) Transaction Expenses that have been paid by the Company,
the Company does not have any liabilities (whether contingent or
absolute, direct or indirect, known or unknown to the Company or
matured or unmatured or otherwise) that would be required by GAAP
consistently applied to be reflected on a balance sheet of the
Company (including the notes thereto). There are no off balance
sheet arrangements to which the Company is a party or otherwise
involving the Company. Except as set forth in
Section 3.7 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
Company does not have any Indebtedness.
Section 3.8
Litigation
There is no private or governmental action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, claim, arbitration or investigation pending
before any agency, court or tribunal, foreign or domestic, or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company, any
of its properties or any of its officers or directors (in their
capacities as such), or which questions or challenges the validity
of this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby;
and to the Knowledge of the Company, there is no valid basis for
any such action, suit, proceeding, claim, arbitration or
investigation. There is no judgment, decree or order against the
Company, or any of its directors or officers (in their capacities
as such), that could prevent, enjoin, or materially alter or delay
any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Company
does not have any litigation pending against any other
party.
Section 3.9
Restrictions on Business Activities
There is no agreement, judgment, injunction,
order or decree binding upon the Company which has or could
reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or
impairing any current business practice of the Company, any
acquisition of property by the Company or the conduct of business
by the Company as currently conducted or as currently proposed to
be conducted.
Section 3.10
Governmental Authorization
The Company has obtained all federal, state,
county, local or foreign governmental consents, licenses, permits,
grants, or other authorizations of a Governmental Entity
(i) pursuant to which the Company currently operates or holds
(or currently proposes to operate or hold) any interest in any of
its properties or (ii) that is required for the operation of
the business of the Company or the holding of any such interest
((i) and (ii) are herein collectively called " Company
Authorizations "). The Company has complied in all respects
with all such Company Authorizations, and all Company
Authorizations are in full force and effect.
Section 3.11
Takeover Statutes
The Company Board has taken all actions so that
any restrictions in any "fair price," "control share acquisition"
or other similar Law, will not apply to Parent or Merger Sub with
respect to the Merger, including the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
15
Section 3.12 Title
to Property
The Company has good and marketable title to all
of its properties, interests in properties and assets that it
purports to own (tangible and intangible), including all the
properties and assets reflected on the Interim Balance Sheet or
acquired after the date of the Interim Balance Sheet (except for
properties, interests in properties and assets having an aggregate
book value not in excess of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) sold or
otherwise disposed of since the date of the Interim Balance Sheet
in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice),
free and clear of all Liens. The property and equipment of the
Company that are used in the operations of business are in good
operating condition and repair, subject to normal wear and tear,
are adequate for the uses to which they are being put and have been
maintained and serviced in accordance with prudent practice and in
material compliance with all applicable Laws. For purposes of this
Section 3.12 only, the terms "property" and "assets" do
not include Intellectual Property.
Section 3.13
Intellectual Property
(a) The
Company owns or is licensed to use all Company Intellectual
Property. The Company Owned Intellectual Property and the conduct
of the business of the Company has not violated, infringed or
misappropriated, do not violate, infringe or misappropriate, and,
to the Knowledge of the Company, will not violate, infringe or
misappropriate, in the ordinary course of business as currently
conducted and as currently proposed to be conducted, any
Intellectual Property of a third party, any right to privacy or
publicity, or any applicable Laws regulating unfair competition or
trade practices.
(b) Section
3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a
complete and accurate listing of all patents and patent
applications, all registered trademarks, service marks, and trade
names and applications therefor, all registered Internet domain
names and applications therefor, and all registered copyrights and
copyright applications owned or purported to be owned by the
Company, including the jurisdictions in which each such
Intellectual Property right subsists, has been issued or registered
or in which any application for such issuance and registration has
been filed. All Company Owned Intellectual Property is solely owned
by the Company free and clear of all Liens, and the Company is
listed in the records of the appropriate United States, state or
foreign agency as the sole owner of record for each issued patent,
and each registered trademark, service mark, trade name, Internet
domain name and copyright, and applications therefor, listed in
Section 3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. The
Company has not received any written notice or claim challenging
the Company's ownership of any of the Company Owned Intellectual
Property or suggesting that any other person has any claim of legal
beneficial ownership thereto. There are no extant forbearances to
sue, consents, settlement agreements, judgments, orders or similar
litigation-related, inter partes or
adversarial-related, or government-imposed obligations to which the
Company is a party or is otherwise bound, that (i) restrict
the rights of the Company to use, transfer, license or enforce any
of its Intellectual Property rights; (ii) restrict the conduct
of the business of the Company in order to accommodate a third
party's Intellectual Property rights; or (iii) grant any third
party any right with respect to any Company Intellectual Property
rights.
16
(c) All issued
patents, registered trademarks, registered copyrights, registered
trade names, registered service marks and registered Internet
domain names set forth in Section 3.13(b) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule are valid and enforceable, have not
expired or been canceled or abandoned, and are not subject to any
pending or, to the Company's Knowledge, threatened judicial or
administrative proceeding involving the validity, enforceability or
scope thereof. To the Knowledge of the Company, no person is
infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating any Company
Owned Intellectual Property or Intellectual Property exclusively
licensed to the Company. The Company has not: (i) received any
written notice of any claim of infringement or misappropriation by
the Company of any Intellectual Property right of any person;
(ii) been sued in any suit, action or proceeding which
involves a claim of infringement or misappropriation by the Company
of any Intellectual Property right of any person;
(iii) brought any action, suit or proceeding for infringement
or misappropriation of Intellectual Property or breach of any
license or agreement involving Intellectual Property against any
person; (iv) delegated, assigned or otherwise transferred any
right to bring a claim or suit against any person for infringement
or misappropriation of Company Intellectual Property; or
(v) entered into any agreement to indemnify any person against
any charge of infringement or misappropriation of any Intellectual
Property in response to an actual or suspected threat of
infringement or misappropriation; and, with respect to (ii) and
(iii) above, no such suit, action or proceeding has been
threatened.
(d) The
Company is not a party to or bound by any agreement containing any
covenant (i) limiting the right of the Company to engage or compete
in any line of business or to compete with any person,
(ii) granting to any person any exclusive rights or
sublicensing rights, (iii) providing "most favored nations" clauses
to any person, or (iv) which otherwise adversely affects or
would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the right of the
Company to sell, distribute or manufacture any Company products or
Company Intellectual Property or to purchase or otherwise obtain
any software, components, parts or subassemblies.
(e) Section
3.13(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all
computer software that is owned, licensed, leased or otherwise used
in the business of the Company (" Company Software "), other
than commercially available, off-the-shelf software with an
acquisition cost of less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500), and
identifies which is owned, licensed, leased or otherwise used, as
the case may be.
(f) The
Company has taken reasonable measures consistent with industry
practice to protect and preserve the confidentiality of all trade
secrets owned, used, appropriated or disclosed by the Company and
not otherwise protected by patents or copyright (" Confidential
Information "). All use, disclosure or appropriation of
Confidential Information owned by the Company by or to a third
party has been pursuant to the terms of an agreement or other legal
obligation between the Company, on the one hand, and such third
party, on the other hand, pursuant to which the third party
undertakes to protect and not disclose such Confidential
Information. All use, disclosure or appropriation by the Company of
Confidential Information not owned by the Company has been pursuant
to the terms of a written agreement between the Company and the
owner of such Confidential Information, or is otherwise lawful.
Neither the Company or any person under the control of the Company
has materially breached any confidentiality agreements that such
person is subject to, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no
other party to any such confidentiality agreement is in material
breach thereof.
17
(g) No current
or former shareholder, member, partner, director, officer or
employee of the Company or any of its predecessors in interest
will, after the consummation of the Merger, own or retain any
rights in, to, or under any of the Company Intellectual
Property.
(h) The
Company has at all times complied in all material respects with all
applicable legal requirements relating to privacy, data protection
and the collection and use of personal information gathered or
accessed in the course of the operations of the Company. The
Company has at all times complied in all material respects with all
rules, policies and procedures established by the Company from time
to time with respect to the foregoing. No claims are pending and,
to the Knowledge of the Company, no claims have been asserted or
threatened against the Company or are likely to be asserted or
threatened against the Company by any person or entity alleging a
violation of such person's or entity's privacy, personal or
confidentiality rights under any such Laws, policies or procedures.
The consummation of the Merger will not breach or otherwise cause
any violation of any such Laws, policies or procedures.
(i) With
respect to all personal information described in
Section 3.13(h) , the Company has taken all steps
reasonably necessary (including, without limitation, implementing
and monitoring compliance with measures with respect to technical
and physical security) to protect the information in a manner
consistent with the Laws, policies or procedures referred to in
Section 3.13(h) . There has been no unauthorized access to
or other misuse of that information.
Section 3.14
Environmental Matters
(a) The
Company is in full compliance with all Environmental Laws, which
compliance includes, but is not limited to, the possession by the
Company of all permits and other governmental authorizations
required under all Environmental Laws, and compliance with the
terms and conditions thereof. The Company has not received any
communication (written or oral), whether from a Governmental
Entity, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that
the Company is not in such full compliance, and there are no
circumstances that may prevent or interfere with such full
compliance in the future. All permits and other governmental
authorizations currently held by the Company pursuant to all
Environmental Laws are identified in Section 3.14 of the
Company Disclosure Schedule.
(b) There is
no Environmental Claim pending or, to the Company's Knowledge,
threatened against the Company or against any person or entity
whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has
retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of
law.
(c) There are
no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions,
events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release,
emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of
Environmental Concern, that could form the basis of any
Environmental Claim against the Company or against any person or
entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has
retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, or
otherwise result in any costs or liabilities under Environmental
Law.
18
(d) Without in
any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) all on-site
and off-site locations where the Company has stored, disposed or
arranged for the disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern are
identified in Section 3.14(d)(i) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, (ii) all underground storage tanks, and the capacity and
contents of such tanks, located on any property owned, leased,
operated or used by the Company are identified in Section
3.14(d)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (iii) except as
set forth in Section 3.14(d)(iii) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, there is no asbestos contained in or forming part of any
building, building component, structure or office space owned by
the Company or by any affiliate of the Company or Sole Shareholder,
(iv) except as set forth in Section 3.14(d)(iv) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, to the Knowledge of the Company, there
is no asbestos contained in or forming part of any building,
building component, structure or office space leased, operated or
used by the Company and (v) except as set forth in Section
3.14(d)(v) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no
polychlorinated biphenyls or polychlorinated biphenyl-containing
items are used or stored at any property owned, leased, operated or
used by the Company.
(e) The
Company has provided to Parent all written assessments, reports,
data, results of investigations or Audits, and other information
that is in the possession of or reasonably available to the Company
regarding environmental matters pertaining to or the environmental
condition of the business of the Company or the compliance (or
noncompliance) by the Company with any Environmental
Laws.
(f) The
Company is not required by virtue of the transactions set forth
herein and contemplated hereby, or as a condition to the
effectiveness of any transactions contemplated hereby, (i) to
perform a site assessment for Materials of Environmental Concern,
(ii) to remove or remediate Materials of Environmental
Concern, (iii) to give notice to or receive approval from any
Governmental Entity pursuant to any Environmental Law, or
(iv) to record or deliver to any person or entity any
disclosure document or statement pertaining to environmental
matters.
For purposes of this Agreement:
(1) "Environmental Claim" means any claim, action, cause of action,
suit, proceeding, investigation, order, demand or notice (written
or oral) by any person or entity alleging potential liability
(including, without limitation, potential liability for
investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental response costs,
natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, or
penalties) arising out of, based on or resulting from (a) the
presence, or release into the environment, of, or exposure to, any
Material of Environmental Concern at any location, whether or not
owned or operated by the Company or (b) circumstances forming the
basis of any violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental
Law.
(2) "Environmental Laws" means all federal, state, local and
foreign laws, regulations, ordinances, requirements of governmental
authorities, and common law in effect as of the date hereof,
relating to pollution or protection of human health or the
environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface
water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata, and natural
resources), including, without limitation, Laws relating to (i)
emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of, or
exposure to, Materials of Environmental Concern, (ii) the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental
Concern, (iii) recordkeeping, notification, disclosure and
reporting requirements regarding Materials of Environmental
Concern, and (iv) endangered or threatened species of fish,
wildlife and plant and the management or use of natural
resources.
19
(3) "Materials
of Environmental Concern" means chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances,
petroleum and petroleum products, asbestos or asbestos-containing
materials or products, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead or
lead-based paints or materials, radon, fungus, mold, mycotoxins or
other substances that may have an adverse effect on human health or
the environment.
Section 3.15
Taxes
(a) The
Company has filed all Tax Returns required to be filed by it, and
all such Tax Returns were true, complete and correct in all
material respects. All Taxes required to be paid by the Company
have been timely paid other than those (i) currently payable
without penalty or interest, or (ii) being contested in good faith
by appropriate proceedings and for which, in the case of both
clauses (i) and (ii), adequate reserves have been established on
the books and records of the Company in accordance with the
Company’s past practice. The Company does not have any
liability for unpaid Taxes accruing after the date of the Interim
Balance Sheets other than unpaid Taxes arising in the ordinary
course of business.
(b) There are
no Liens for Taxes upon any property or assets of the
Company.
(c) The
Company has not made any change in accounting methods, received a
ruling from any taxing authority or signed an agreement with
respect thereto or signed any closing agreement with respect to any
Tax year.
(d) The
Company has complied in all respects with all applicable Laws,
rules and regulations relating to the payment and withholding of
Taxes (including withholding of Taxes pursuant to Sections 1441 and
1442 of the Code or similar provisions under any foreign Laws) and
has, within the time and the manner prescribed by Law, withheld and
paid over to the proper taxing authorities all amounts required to
be so withheld and paid over under applicable Laws.
(e) The
Company is not required to include in income any adjustment
pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code by reason of any voluntary
change in accounting method (nor has any Governmental Entity
proposed in writing any such adjustment or change of accounting
method).
20
(f) No Audits
are presently pending with regard to any Taxes or Tax Returns of
the Company and a list of all Audits commenced or completed with
respect to the Company with respect to taxable periods ending after
January 1, 1999 is set forth in Section 3.15(f) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule. No written notification has been
received by the Company that such an Audit is pending or threatened
with respect to any Taxes due from or with respect to or
attributable to the Company or any Tax Return filed by or with
respect to the Company.
(g) All Tax
deficiencies that have been claimed, proposed or asserted against
the Company have been fully paid or finally settled, and no issue
has been raised in any examination by any taxing authority that, by
application of similar principles, could reasonably be expected to
result in the proposal or assertion of a Tax deficiency for another
year not so examined.
(h) There are
no outstanding requests, agreements, consents or waivers to extend
the statutory period of limitations applicable to the assessment of
any Taxes or deficiencies against the Company.
(i) No power
of attorney has been granted by or with respect to the Company with
respect to any matter relating to Taxes.
(j) The
Company is not a party to, is not bound by or has any obligation
under any Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification, or Tax
allocation agreement or similar agreement, contract or arrangement,
and the Company does not have any potential liability or obligation
to any person as a result of, or pursuant to, any such agreement,
contract or arrangement.
(k) The
Company is not a party to any agreement, plan, contract or
arrangement (whether oral or in writing) that could result,
separately or in the aggregate, in the payment of any "excess
parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G of the
Code.
(l) The
deductibility of compensation paid by the Company will not be
limited by Section 162(m) of the Code.
(m) All
transactions that could give rise to an understatement of the
federal income tax liability of the Company within the meaning of
Section 6662(d) of the Code are adequately disclosed on Tax Returns
in accordance with Section 6662(d)(2)(B) of the Code if there is or
was no substantial authority for the treatment giving rise to such
understatement.
(n) The
Company is not and has not been a U.S. real property holding
company (as defined in Section 897(c)(2) of the Code) during the
applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the
Code.
(o) There are
no unresolved questions or claims concerning Tax liability of the
Company.
(p) Other than
any Tax Returns that have not yet been required to be filed, the
Company has made available to Parent true, correct and complete
copies of the United States federal income Tax Return and any
state, local or foreign Tax Return for the Company for any
jurisdiction for each of the taxable periods ended
December 31, 2001 through December 31, 2005.
21
(q) The net
operating loss and credit carryovers, if any, available to the
Company, and their expiration dates, is set forth in the Disclosure
Schedule. As of the date of this Agreement, none of such net
operating loss and credit carryovers are subject to the limitations
imposed by Sections 382, 383 or 384 of the Code (or any predecessor
thereto) or otherwise.
(r) Section
3.15(r) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth (i) all
elections with respect to Taxes made by the Company and (ii) all
foreign, state and local jurisdictions in which the Company is or
has been subject to Tax and each type of Tax payable in such
jurisdiction during the taxable year ending December 31,
2005.
(s) The
Company has delivered or made available to Parent complete and
accurate copies of each of (i) all Audit reports, letter rulings,
technical advice memoranda and similar documents issued by a
Governmental Entity relating to the United States or foreign Taxes
due
|