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Exhibit 2.1
Execution Copy
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this "Agreement"), dated as
of April
4, 2005, is entered into by and among John H. Harland Company, a
Georgia
corporation ("Buyer"), Justice Acquisition Corporation, a
Minnesota corporation
and wholly-owned subsidiary of Buyer ("Sub"), Liberty
Enterprises, Inc., a
Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), the shareholders of the
Company listed on
the signature page hereto (the "Controlling Shareholders") and
David L. Copham
solely in the capacity as the shareholder representative as set
forth in this
Agreement (the "Shareholders' Representative").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of Buyer, Sub and the Company
deem it
advisable and in the best interests of each respective
corporation and its
shareholders that Buyer and the Company combine their businesses
upon the terms
and conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, the combination of Buyer and the Company shall be
effected by
the terms of this Agreement through a transaction in which Sub
will merge with
and into the Company, the Company will become a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Buyer
and the shareholders of the Company (the "Company Shareholders")
will receive
cash (the "Merger"); and
WHEREAS, the parties intend and acknowledge that the Merger will
be
treated in accordance with the election under Section 338(h)(10)
of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained
in this
Agreement, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties
hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
THE MERGER
Section 1.1. Effective Time of the Merger.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, articles of
merger (the
"Articles of Merger") in substantially the form attached hereto
as Exhibit A and
as required by the Minnesota Business Corporation Act
("Minnesota Law") shall be
executed by Sub and the Company and filed with the Secretary of
State of the
State of Minnesota on the Closing Date.
(b) The Merger shall become effective upon the filing of the
Articles
of Merger with the Minnesota Secretary of State (the "Effective
Time").
Section 1.2. Closing. The closing of the Merger (the "Closing")
will
take place at 10:00 a.m., Central time, on the date which is as
soon as
reasonably practicable after the satisfaction or waiver of the
conditions to
Closing set forth in Article VI, but in no event more than 10
days after such
satisfaction or waiver (the "Closing Date"), at the offices of
Maslon Edelman
Borman & Brand, LLP or at such other place and time as may
be mutually agreed
by the Company and Buyer.
Section 1.3. Effects of the Merger.
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(a) At the Effective Time Sub shall merge with and into the
Company,
the separate existence of Sub shall cease, and the Company shall
continue as the
surviving corporation and shall become a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Buyer (the
Company following consummation of the Merger is sometimes
referred to herein as
the "Surviving Corporation"). In addition, the Articles of
Incorporation of the
Sub in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
become the Articles
of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation and the Bylaws of
the Sub in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become the
Bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation.
(b) At the Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall be
as
provided by the applicable provisions of Minnesota Law.
Section 1.4. Directors and Officers. The directors of Sub
immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall become the directors of the
Surviving
Corporation, each to hold office in accordance with the Articles
of
Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation, and the
officers of Sub
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become the
officers of the
Surviving Corporation, in each case until their respective
successors are duly
elected or appointed and qualified.
Section 1.5. Section 338(h)(10) Election; Purchase Price
Allocation.
(a) Election. Buyer and all Company Shareholders shall join in
the
making of a timely election under Section 338(h)(10) of the
Code, Treasury
Regulations 1.338(h)(10)-1T, and similar provisions of state law
with respect
to the purchase and sale of the Common Stock, $.01 par value
("Company Shares"),
of the Company (the "Section 338(h)(10) Election").
(b) Forms. Buyer (at its sole cost and expense) shall prepare,
execute
and deliver to the Shareholders' Representative, who shall
arrange for all
Company Shareholders (with respect to the Company and any
Purchased Entity that
will become a C corporation as a result of the consummation of
the Merger), to
execute and deliver to Buyer, IRS form 8023, which form shall be
prepared,
executed and delivered by Buyer to the Shareholders'
Representative as soon as
practical after the execution of this Agreement. In addition,
Buyer (at its sole
cost and expense) shall prepare, execute and deliver to the
Shareholders'
Representative, who shall arrange for all Company Shareholders
to execute and
deliver to Buyer, such other documents and forms as Buyer shall
reasonably
request or as are required by applicable law for an effective
Section 338(h)(10)
Election, including, without limitation, IRS form 8883 (together
with any
schedules or attachments thereto) or any successor form required
pursuant to
applicable Treasury regulations. The content of any IRS form
8883 to be filed by
the Buyer shall be subject to the terms of Section 1.5(c)
hereof. The content of
any document or form contemplated by this Section 1.5(b), other
than IRS form
8023 or IRS form 8883, shall be subject to the Company
Shareholders' consent,
which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
(c) Purchase Price Allocation. Within 90 days after the Closing
Date,
Buyer shall provide the Shareholders' Representative with an
interim proposed
schedule (the "Allocation Schedule") allocating the Aggregate
Merger
Consideration, as defined in Section 2.1(d), plus any assumed
liabilities and
all other items comprising the "Aggregate Deemed Sale Price" of
the Company's
assets ("ADSP"), in each case that are apportioned to the
purchase of the
Company Shares (the "Section 338(h)(10) Allocable Amount"),
among the assets
deemed to be sold as a result of the making of the Section
338(h)(10) Election.
Such ADSP and Allocation Schedule shall comply with the rules of
Section 338 of
the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder;
provided, however,
that the parties agree that the fair market value of both the
Company's tangible
personal property (other than inventory) and the Company's other
personal
property acquired by the Company prior to the Effective Time
(other than cash,
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accounts receivable, prepaid expenses and the Company's
investment in Cavion LLC
("Cavion")), does not exceed $13,000,000. The Shareholders'
Representative must
either accept or reject the ADSP and the Allocation Schedule
within 30 days of
receipt thereof. If the Shareholders' Representative accepts the
ADSP and the
Allocation Schedule, it shall become final and binding on the
parties hereto. If
the Shareholders' Representative rejects the ADSP and the
Allocation Schedule,
the parties shall in good faith attempt to resolve the dispute
within 15 days
after written notice to Buyer of that rejection. Any such
resolution shall be
final and binding on all of the parties hereto. Any unresolved
disputes shall be
promptly submitted to Ernst & Young LLP or such other
independent accounting
firm of national reputation as may be mutually acceptable to the
Shareholders'
Representative and Buyer (the "Independent Accountants") for
resolution, with
such resolution being final and binding on the parties hereto.
Buyer, on the one
hand, and the Shareholders' Representative (from the Escrow
Fund), on the other
hand, will each pay one-half of the fees and expenses of the
Independent
Accountants. The parties shall cooperate with each other and the
Independent
Accountants in connection with the matters contemplated by this
Section 1.5(c),
including, without limitation, by furnishing such information
and access to
books, records (including, without limitation, accountants work
papers),
personnel and properties as may be reasonably requested.
(d) Revisions. The parties hereto will revise the Allocation
Schedule
to the extent necessary to reflect any indemnification payment
made under
Article VIII hereof or any other post-Closing payment made
pursuant to or in
connection with this Agreement. In the case of any such payment,
Buyer shall
propose a revised Allocation Schedule, and the parties hereto
shall follow the
procedures outlined above with respect to review, dispute and
resolution in
respect of such revision.
(e) Consistent Treatment. Each of the parties hereto agrees to
(a)
prepare and timely file all Tax Returns, as defined in Section
3.9, including,
without limitation, form 8023 (and all supplements thereto) in a
manner
consistent with the Allocation Schedule as finalized and (b) act
in accordance
with the Allocation Schedule for all Tax (as such term is
defined in Section
3.9) purposes.
(f) Taxes Resulting from Election. All Company Shareholders
shall
include any income, gain, loss, deduction or other Tax item
resulting from the
Section 338(h)(10) Election on their Tax Returns to the extent
required by
applicable law. Notwithstanding any other provision to the
contrary in this
Agreement, each Company Shareholder shall be responsible for and
shall pay all
Taxes imposed on such respective Company Shareholder resulting
from the Section
338(h)(10) Election (the "Section 338(h)(10) Election
Taxes").
(g) Expenses of Election. The Company Shareholders, on a
pro-rata
basis, shall reimburse Buyer for all Taxes, costs and expenses
associated with
or resulting from the Section 338(h)(10) Election applicable to
the Company or
any of the Purchased Entities, including but not limited to any
transfer Taxes,
deed Taxes, filing fees, sales Taxes, personal property Taxes,
real estate Taxes
and income Taxes (the "Shareholder Entity Taxes"), other than
any Taxes payable
by the Company Shareholders pursuant to the obligation set forth
in Section
1.5(f) above. The Shareholder Entity Tax obligations will be
satisfied pursuant
to Section 2.1(d).
ARTICLE II
CONVERSION OF STOCK
Section 2.1. Conversion of Common Stock; Merger
Consideration.
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At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any
further approval
of the holders of any shares of capital stock of the Company or
Sub:
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(a) Common Stock of Sub. Each outstanding share of common
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stock of Sub shall be converted into and become one fully paid
and
nonassessable share of common stock of the Surviving
Corporation.
(b) Cancellation of Certain Shares. Any Company Shares that are
owned
immediately prior to the Effective Time by Buyer, Sub, the
Company or any
subsidiary thereof shall be canceled and retired and shall cease
to exist and no
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c) Conversion of Company Shares. Each Company Share
outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than any
Dissenting Shares, as
defined below) shall be converted, without any action on the
part of the holder
thereof, into the right to receive in cash an amount equal to
the final
computation of the Aggregate Merger Consideration (as defined
below) divided by
the number of Company Shares outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time
(including the Dissenting Shares) (the "Per Share Merger
Consideration"),
without interest, and each Dissenting Share shall be converted
into the right to
receive payment from the Surviving Corporation with respect
thereto in
accordance with the provisions of Minnesota Law. No Company
Share shall be
deemed to be outstanding or to have any rights other than those
set forth above
in this Section 2.1(c) after the Effective Time. At and after
the Effective
Time, each Company Shareholder shall cease to have any rights as
a shareholder
of the Company and, until surrendered in accordance with the
provisions of
Section 2.4 below, each certificate representing Company
Shares
("Certificates"), other than Certificates representing
Dissenting Shares, shall
represent for all purposes only the right to receive the Per
Share Merger
Consideration for each Company Share represented thereby.
(d) Merger Consideration. The total consideration payable for
the
Company Shares in the Merger (the "Aggregate Merger
Consideration") shall equal
$160,000,000, plus all cash and cash equivalents held by the
Company as of the
Closing Date, minus: (1) all Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (as
defined below),
(2) the amounts owed by the Company, unless paid prior to the
Closing, as a
result of the Merger pursuant to (i) the engagement agreement
between the
Company and Duff & Phelps, LLC (formerly, Valuemetrics
Capital, L.L.C.) dated
September 2, 2004 and amended on October 25, 2004; (ii) the
Liberty Enterprises,
Inc. Directors' Equity Share Incentive Plan, effective January
1, 2005; (iii)
any executive transaction success bonuses due to the Company's
Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President -
Sales and Executive
Vice President - Marketing as determined by the Company's Board
of Directors
("Success Bonuses") and the project bonuses due two employees in
the aggregate
amount of $40,000; (iv) all fees and expenses payable by the
Company to its
legal, accounting, tax and other professional advisors and, to
the extent
applicable, the amounts payable by the Company to the trustee,
financial advisor
and legal advisor of the Company ESOP (as defined in Section
3.2), all in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
incurred prior
to the Closing Date ("Professional Fees"); (v) the Change of
Control,
Confidentiality and Noncompete Agreement between the Company and
David Copham
dated December 15, 2004 if such agreement is in effect on the
Closing Date; and
(vi) the cost and expense of the Tax Insurance (as defined in
Section 8.1(b)),
and (3) the estimated Shareholder Entity Taxes. To the extent
the Tax Insurance
is paid for by any person other than the Company, the Company
shall reimburse
such person on the Closing Date. The Professional Fees and the
Shareholder
Entity Taxes will be estimated by the Company on the Closing
Date. Within 30
days after the Closing Date the Shareholders' Representative and
Buyer will
determine the final amount of the Professional Fees (the "Final
Expenses"). If
the Final Expenses are less than the Closing estimate, Buyer
shall promptly pay
the difference to the Shareholders' Representative for
distribution to the
Controlling Shareholders. If the Final Expenses are more than
the Closing
estimate, Buyer shall have the right to obtain reimbursement for
the difference
from the Escrow Fund, without giving effect to the Threshold set
forth in
Section 8.1(b). As soon as the Shareholder Entity Taxes are
ascertained and
agreed to by Buyer and the Shareholders' Representative, then if
the final
Shareholder Entity Taxes are less than the Closing estimate,
Buyer will refund
the over-estimate to the Shareholders' Representative for
distribution to the
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Controlling Shareholders and if the final Shareholder Entity
Taxes are more than
the Closing estimate, the Shareholders' Representative will pay
to Buyer the
under-estimate from the Escrow Fund. "Indebtedness for Borrowed
Money" shall
mean (i) the amount owed to Bank One, NA (successor by merger to
Bank One,
Wisconsin) as of the Closing Date pursuant to that certain
Credit and Term Loan
Agreement dated as of August 28, 2000, as amended, between Bank
One, NA and the
Company, and (ii) any other indebtedness for borrowed money of
the Company as of
the Closing Date all of which is set forth on Schedule
2.1(d).
Section 2.2. Escrow Fund. Notwithstanding any provision of
Section
2.1, at the Effective Time, Buyer shall deliver to SunTrust Bank
(the "Escrow
Agent") $8,000,000 in cash (the "Escrow Fund") by wire transfer,
to be held and
distributed by the Escrow Agent pursuant to the terms of the
Escrow Agreement
substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto (the
"Escrow Agreement").
The Escrow Fund shall be withheld pro rata from the Per Share
Merger
Consideration otherwise deliverable to the Controlling
Shareholders in respect
of their Company Shares. The parties agree that the Controlling
Shareholders
are, and shall be treated as, the owners of the Escrow Fund,
together with any
earnings thereon, for federal and state income tax purposes and
that the
Controlling Shareholders shall, except as may otherwise be
provided in the
Escrow Agreement, include in taxable income any earnings on the
Escrow Fund on a
pro-rata basis in accordance with their ownership of Company
Shares prior to the
Effective Time. Each of the parties hereto which is a party to
the Escrow
Agreement agrees to execute and deliver the Escrow Agreement on
the Closing
Date, and Buyer agrees to cause the Escrow Agent to execute and
deliver the
Escrow Agreement on the Closing Date.
Section 2.3. Dissenting Shares.
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(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary,
any Company Shares held by a Company Shareholder who has
exercised such holder's
dissenting rights in accordance with Minnesota Law and who, as
of the Effective
Time, has not effectively withdrawn or lost such dissenting
rights ("Dissenting
Shares"), shall not be converted into or represent the right to
receive any
consideration under this Agreement, and such holder shall only
be entitled to
such rights as are granted by Minnesota Law.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.3(a), if any
holder of
Dissenting Shares, after the Effective Time, withdraws such
holder's demand for
dissenting rights for such Dissenting Shares or waives or loses
dissenting
rights, in either case pursuant to Minnesota Law, such holder's
Dissenting
Shares shall thereupon be deemed to have been converted, as of
the Effective
Time, into the right to receive the Per Share Merger
Consideration with respect
to such Dissenting Shares in accordance with Section 2.1(c),
without interest,
which amount shall be paid by Buyer, subject to Section 2.4,
upon the later of
the Closing or five (5) days after such dissenting rights
lapse.
(c) The Company shall give Buyer (i) prompt notice of any
written
demands for dissenting rights pursuant to Minnesota Law,
withdrawals of such
demands, and any other instruments that relate to such demands
received by the
Company and (ii) subject to Minnesota Law, the opportunity to
participate at its
own expense in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to
demands for
dissenting rights. The Company shall not voluntarily make any
payment with
respect to any demands for dissenting rights or offer to settle
or compromise
any such demands without Buyer's consent.
Section 2.4. Exchange of Certificates.
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(a) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause each holder
of
Company Shares to deliver to Buyer at the Closing such
shareholder's
Certificate. At the Closing, Buyer or the Surviving Corporation
shall deliver to
each Company Shareholder who has previously delivered a
Certificate the Per
Share Merger Consideration issuable in respect of such
shareholder's
Certificate, less, with respect to the Controlling Shareholders
only, such
shareholder's pro-rata share of the Escrow Fund (the "Closing
Per Share Merger
Consideration"), by wire transfer of immediately available funds
to an account
designated in writing by such shareholder to Buyer.
(b) If any Company Shareholder does not deliver his or her
Certificate
at or prior to the Closing, then from and after the Effective
Time, each holder
of an outstanding Certificate shall have the right to surrender
such Certificate
to Buyer and receive promptly (and in any event within 10 days)
in exchange
therefor the Closing Per Share Merger Consideration payable in
respect of such
Certificate. Until surrendered, each outstanding Certificate
that prior to the
Effective Time represented Company Shares shall be deemed for
all corporate
purposes to evidence ownership of the Per Share Merger
Consideration
attributable to the surrendered Company Shares, but shall,
subject to applicable
dissenting rights under Minnesota Law and Section 2.3, have no
other rights.
From and after the Effective Time, there shall be no further
registration of
transfers on the records of the Company of any Company
Shares.
(c) In the event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen
or
destroyed, upon the making of an appropriate affidavit of that
fact, Buyer
shall pay in exchange for such Certificate the Closing Per Share
Merger
Consideration upon receipt of such affidavit and such
shareholder will be
entitled to the Per Share Merger Consideration for each such
Company Share,
subject to the terms of this Agreement and the Escrow
Agreement.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The Company hereby represents and warrants to Buyer that:
Section 3.1. Organization and Standing.
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(a) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) is a
corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the state of
its incorporation, (ii) has all corporate power and authority to
own, lease and
operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business
as presently
conducted, (iii) is qualified as a foreign corporation to do
business and is in
good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which the
conduct of its
business or the ownership or leasing of its properties or assets
requires such
qualification, except for such jurisdictions where the failure
to be so
qualified does not have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined
below), and (iv)
has all necessary government approvals to own, lease and operate
its properties
and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted,
except where the
failure to have such approvals does not have a Material Adverse
Effect. Schedule
3.1 sets forth a complete and accurate list of each of the
Company's
subsidiaries and the jurisdictions in which they are qualified
to do business.
For purposes of this Agreement, a "Material Adverse Effect"
shall mean a
material adverse effect on the financial condition, operations,
assets or
liabilities of the Company or such subsidiary or the ability of
the Company to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
provided, however,
that in no event shall either of the following be deemed to
constitute, nor
shall they be taken into account in determining whether there
has been or will
be a Material Adverse Effect: (i) any changes affecting the
industry in which
the Company operates or any changes in general economic
conditions that do not
disproportionately impact in any material respect the Company,
or (ii) any
action required by this Agreement or to which Buyer has given
its prior written
consent.
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(b) The Company has made available for Buyer's review complete
and
correct copies of its Articles of Incorporation (the "Company
Articles of
Incorporation") and Bylaws (the "Company Bylaws"), each as
amended to date. The
Company Articles of Incorporation and the Company Bylaws are in
full force and
effect, and the Company is not in violation of any material
provision of either
thereof.
(c) The minutes of the meetings of the directors and
shareholders and
the stock records of the Company previously made available for
review by Buyer
are complete and accurate records of such meetings, through the
date hereof.
Section 3.2. Capitalization. The capital stock of the Company
consists
of 10,000,000 authorized shares of capital stock, $.01 par
value, of which
2,300,644 voting and 2,213,775 non-voting common shares are
issued and
outstanding. As of immediately prior to the Effective Time, (i)
the issued and
outstanding Company Shares will be held of record by the
Controlling
Shareholders and by the Employee Stock Ownership Plan component
of the Liberty
Shares Freedom Plan (the "Company ESOP") as set forth in
Schedule 3.2, (ii) such
shares will constitute all of the issued and outstanding capital
stock of the
Company, and (iii) all of such shares will be validly issued,
fully paid and
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. The Company does
not have any
outstanding options, warrants, convertible securities,
subscriptions, stock
appreciation rights, phantom stock rights or other agreements or
commitments
obligating the Company to issue or sell any shares of capital
stock of the
Company. All issuances, transfers, purchases or redemptions of
the capital stock
of the Company have been in compliance in all material respects
with all
applicable agreements and United States federal, state or local
statutes, laws,
rules, regulations, ordinances, codes, orders, decrees or other
requirements or
rules of law ("Laws"). Except as set forth in Schedule 3.2,
there are no
outstanding obligations of the Company to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise
acquire any Company Shares or to pay any dividend or make any
other distribution
in respect thereof.
Section 3.3. Authority for Agreement.
(a) The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority
to
execute and deliver this Agreement, and subject to the approval
of the Merger
by the holders of the Company Shares, to perform its obligations
hereunder and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution, delivery and
performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the
consummation by the
Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly
authorized by
all necessary corporate action, other than the approval of the
Merger and the
adoption of this Agreement by the holders of the Company Shares
and the approval
of the Articles of Merger as contemplated by Section 1.1. This
Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes
a valid and
binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the
Company in accordance
with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by
(i) bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws
affecting the
enforcement of creditors' rights or remedies in general as from
time to time in
effect or (ii) the exercise by courts of equity powers.
(b) The Controlling Shareholders have the right, power and
capacity to
execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate
the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by the
Controlling Shareholders and constitutes a valid and binding
obligation of the
Controlling Shareholders enforceable against each of them in
accordance with its
terms.
Section 3.4. No Conflict.
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(a) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.4, the execution and
delivery of
this Agreement by the Company do not, and, subject to the terms
of this
Agreement, the performance of this Agreement by the Company and
the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, (i) conflict
with or violate
the Company Articles of Incorporation or Company Bylaws, (ii)
conflict with or
violate in any material respect any Law applicable to the
Company or by which
any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected, or
(iii) result in a
breach of or constitute a default under any agreement to which
the Company is a
party or by which it is bound, except for any such breaches or
defaults which in
the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect
on the Company.
(b) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.4, the execution and
delivery of
this Agreement by the Controlling Shareholders do not, and the
performance by
the Controlling Shareholders of their obligations under this
Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not,
(i) violate in
any material respect any provision of any Law applicable to the
Controlling
Shareholders, or (ii) violate or conflict with in any material
respect, or
result in a material breach or default under, any term or
condition of any court
order, agreement, document or other instrument to which any
Controlling
Shareholder is a party or by which any Company Shares held by a
Controlling
Shareholder are bound.
Section 3.5. Required Filings and Consents. The execution
and delivery of this Agreement by the Controlling Shareholders
and the Company
do not, and the performance of this Agreement by the Controlling
Shareholders
and the Company will not, require any consent, approval,
authorization or permit
of, or filing with or notification to, any United States
federal, state or local
or any foreign government or any court, administrative or
regulatory agency or
commission or other governmental authority or agency, domestic
or foreign (a
"Governmental Entity"), except for (i) the filing of the
Articles of Merger with
the Minnesota Secretary of State, (ii) those required by the
Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"),
and (iii) such
other consents, approvals, authorizations, permits, filings or
notifications by
or with any Governmental Entity, which in the aggregate, if not
obtained or
made, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section 3.6. Compliance. The Company (i) has been operated
in
compliance in all material respects with all Laws applicable to
the Company or
by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or
affected, and (ii)
is not in default or violation in any material respect of any
note, mortgage,
indenture, contract, lease, license, permit, franchise or other
agreement to
which the Company is a party or by which any property or asset
of the Company
is bound, except for any noncompliance, defaults or violations
which in the
aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on
the Company.
Section 3.7. Financial Statements; Absence of Undisclosed
Liabilities.
Schedule 3.7 sets forth (i) the audited consolidated balance
sheet of the
Company as of December 31, 2004, the related consolidated
statements of income
and cash flows for the year then ended and the footnotes related
thereto,
together with the audit report of Grant Thornton LLP, and (ii)
the audited
consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31,
2003, the related
consolidated statements of income and cash flows for the year
then ended and the
footnotes related thereto, together with the audit report of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (collectively, the "Financial
Statements"). The
Financial Statements (i) have been prepared in accordance with
generally
accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") consistently applied
throughout the
periods indicated, (ii) have been prepared from, and are in
accordance with,
the books and records of the Company, and (iii) present fairly,
in all material
respects, the financial position of the Company as of each
balance sheet date
and the results of its operations for the periods indicated. To
the Company's
Knowledge (as defined in Section 3.9), the Company has not
incurred any material
debt, Indebtedness for Borrowed Money, liability or obligation
of any nature,
whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, that would
reasonably be
xpected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except (i) as
reflected or reserved
against in the Financial Statements, (ii) those arising in the
ordinary course
of business of the Company, or (iii) as reflected on any
Schedule to this
Agreement.
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Section 3.8. Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as
contemplated by this Agreement or disclosed on Schedule 3.8,
since December 31,
2004 the Company has conducted its business only in the ordinary
course and
consistent with prior practice, and there has not been (i) any
event that has
had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, (ii) any
declaration or payment of any dividend or other distribution
with respect to the
capital stock of the Company other than tax dividends in the
ordinary course of
business, (iii) any material change in accounting methods,
principles or
practices employed by the Company, or (iv) any action of the
type described in
Sections 5.1(b) or 5.1(c) which if taken after the date of this
Agreement would
be in violation of either such Section.
Section 3.9. Tax Matters.
(a) All Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of the
Company
or any of its direct or indirect, partly or wholly-owned
subsidiaries, including
interests in partnerships, trusts and limited liability
companies (collectively
with the Company referred to as "Purchased Entities") have been
duly and timely
filed with the appropriate Governmental Entity in all
jurisdictions in which
such Tax Returns are required to be filed (after giving effect
to any valid
extensions of time in which to make such filings), and all such
Tax Returns are
true, complete and correct in all material respects. All Taxes
(whether or not
shown on any Tax Return) payable by or on behalf of any
Purchased Entity have
been timely paid. With respect to any period for which Tax
Returns of or
relating to any Purchased Entity have not yet been filed or for
which Taxes are
not yet due or owing as of December 31, 2004, the relevant
Purchased Entity has
made adequate accruals for such Taxes on the face of the
December 31, 2004
balance sheet included in the Financial Statements and on its
books and records.
(b) Each Purchased Entity has complied in all material respects
with
all applicable Laws relating to the payment and withholding of
Taxes and has
duly and timely withheld and paid over to the appropriate
Governmental Entity
all amounts required to be so withheld and paid under all
applicable Laws.
(c) Buyer has been given the opportunity to review complete
copies of
all federal, state, local and foreign income or franchise Tax
Returns of each
Purchased Entity that have been filed for the taxable periods
ended December 31,
2001 and thereafter.
(d) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.9(d), there have been no
audits
or notice of pending audits or inquiries by the IRS or any other
Governmental
Entity within the last four years relating to any Taxes due from
or with respect
to any Purchased Entity. No issue has been raised by a
Governmental Entity in
any prior examination of any Purchased Entity that, by
application of the same
or similar principles, could reasonably be expected to result in
a proposed
deficiency for any subsequent taxable period. No claim has been
made or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened by a Governmental Entity in
a jurisdiction
where any Purchased Entity does not file Tax Returns that a
Purchased Entity is
or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction. Except as
set forth on
Schedule 3.9(d), none of the Purchased Entities has consented to
extend the
statute of limitations with respect to any Tax.
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<PAGE>
(e) None of the Controlling Shareholders or the Company ESOP,
the
Purchased Entities or any other person on their behalf has filed
a consent
pursuant to Section 341(f) of the Code (as in effect prior to
the repeal under
the Jobs and Growth Tax Reconciliation Act of 2003) or agreed to
have Section
341(f)(2) of the Code (as in effect prior to the repeal under
the Jobs and
Growth Tax Reconciliation Act of 2003) apply to any disposition
of a subsection
(f) asset (as such term is defined in Section 341(f)(4) of the
Code) owned by
any Purchased Entity.
(f) None of the Controlling Shareholders, the Company ESOP,
the
Purchased Entities or any other person on their behalf: (i) is
required to make
any adjustments pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code or any
similar provision
of Law or has any Knowledge that any Governmental Entity has
proposed any such
adjustment, or has any application pending with any Governmental
Entity
requesting permission for any changes in accounting methods that
relate to any
Purchased Entity, (ii) has executed or entered into a closing
agreement pursuant
to Section 7121 of the Code or any similar provision of Law with
respect to any
Purchased Entity, or (iii) has granted to any Person any power
of attorney that
is currently in force with respect to any Tax matter.
(g) The Company has not been a U.S. real property holding
corporation within the
meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable
period specified
in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.
(h) None of the Purchased Entities is a party to any tax
sharing, allocation,
indemnity or similar agreement or arrangement (whether or not
written) pursuant
to which it will have any obligation to make any payments after
the Closing.
Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.9(h), none of the Purchased
Entities has ever
been a member of any consolidated, combined, affiliated or
unitary group of
corporations for any Tax purposes. None of the Purchased
Entities is subject to
any private letter ruling of the IRS or comparable rulings of
any foreign, state
or local Governmental Entity that has been directed specifically
to the
Purchased Entity.
(i) There are no Liens (as defined below), other than Permitted
Liens (as
defined below), as a result of any unpaid Taxes upon any of the
assets of any
Purchased Entity.
(j) Schedule 3.9(j) sets forth each corporation in which the
Company either
currently or previously has held shares, directly or indirectly.
Except as set
forth in Schedule 3.9(j), each of the entities set forth on
Schedule 3.9(j)
(each, a "Schedule 3.9(j) Entity") is or was (prior to its sale
or dissolution),
as appropriate, a qualified subchapter S subsidiary within the
meaning of
Section 1361(b)(3)(B) of the Code. Except as set forth on
Schedule 3.9(j), each
Schedule 3.9(j) Entity is or was (prior to its sale or
dissolution), as
appropriate, a qualified subchapter S subsidiary in all states
(including the
District of Columbia) that follow Federal income Tax laws
concerning qualified
subchapter S subsidiaries and in which the Company is required
to file a Tax
Return.
(k) Schedule 3.9(k) sets forth each partnership, limited
liability company or
other entity, foreign or domestic, in which the Company has
owned any equity
interest (other than marketable securities) since December 31,
1997. Except as
noted on Schedule 3.9(k), each entity set forth therein is or
was (prior to its
sale or dissolution), as appropriate, either (i) properly
treated as a
disregarded entity under Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-3
and under
similar provisions of state or local law in each jurisdiction
where such entity
is or was required to file a Tax Return, or (ii) properly
treated as a
partnership under Subchapter K of the Code and in each
jurisdiction where such
entity is or was required to file a Tax Return.
(l) The Company has been a validly electing S corporation within
the meaning of
Sections 1361 and 1362 of the Code at all times from December
31, 1997 through
the Closing Date. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.9(l), at all
times from
December 31, 1997 through the Closing Date the Company has been
a valid S
corporation in all states (including the District of Columbia)
that follow
Federal income Tax laws concerning S corporation elections and
in which the
Company is required to file a Tax Return.
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<PAGE>
(m) Schedule 3.9(m) sets forth each trust, estate or any other
person who is not
an individual that has owned any capital stock in the Company
and the period for
which the stock was owned. Each trust listed on Schedule 3.9(m)
is a trust
described in Section 1361(c)(2)(A)(i) or Section 1361(c)(6) of
the Code. All of
the Company Shareholders are permitted shareholders of an S
corporation within
the purview of Section 1361(b)(1)(B) and (C) of the Code.
(n) The Company does not have more than one class of stock
within the meaning of
Section 1361(b)(1)(D) of the Code.
(o) The Company has not, since January 1, 1998, acquired assets
from another
corporation in a transaction in which the Company's Tax basis
for the acquired
assets was determined, in whole or in part, by reference to the
Tax basis of the
acquired assets in the hands of the transferor.
(p) No Purchased Entity has constituted either a "distributing
corporation" or a
"controlled corporation" (within the meaning of Section
355(a)(1)(A) of the
Code) during a distribution of stock qualifying for tax-free
treatment under
Section 355 of the Code (A) in the two years prior to the date
of this Agreement
or (B) in a distribution which could otherwise constitute part
of a "plan" or
"series of related transactions" (within the meaning of Section
355(e) of the
Code) in conjunction with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(q) There is no taxable income of any Purchased Entity that will
be required
under applicable Tax Law to be reported by any Purchased Entity
for a taxable
period beginning after the Closing Date which taxable income was
realized prior
to the Closing Date.
(r) None of the Purchased Entities has participated in any
reportable
transaction, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section
1.6011-4(b)(1), or a
transaction substantially similar to a reportable
transaction.
(s) None of the Purchased Entities has, or has ever had, a
permanent
establishment in any country other than the United States, or
has engaged in a
trade or business in any country other than the United States
that subjected it
to Tax in such country.
(t) The Company is not subject to the tax imposed under Section
1374(a) of the
Code or under similar provisions of state or local law on
recognized built-in
gains arising from its S election effective December 31,
1997.
(u) The Company
has not made and is not required to make any payment that would
constitute an
"excess parachute payment" within the meaning of Section 280G of
the Code.
(v) For purposes of this Agreement:
(i) "Tax" means any applicable federal, state, local or
foreign income, sales, use, gross receipts, license,
payroll,
employment, excise, capital stock, franchise, withholding,
social
security, disability, real or personal property, escheat,
unclaimed
property, value added or other tax or claim of any kind
whatsoever,
including any interest, penalty or addition thereto, as required
by
applicable law.
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<PAGE>
(ii) "Tax Return" means any report, return, declaration or
other information required to be supplied to a Governmental
Entity by
applicable law in connection with Taxes, including estimated
returns,
tax shelter disclosure and reportable transactions regulations
and
reports of every kind with respect to Taxes, as required by
applicable
law.
(iii) "Knowledge" means when used with respect to a natural
person, the actual knowledge of such person. "Knowledge" means
when
used with respect to an entity that is not a natural person, the
actual
knowledge of the executive officers of such entity. With respect
to the
Company, its executive officers for purposes of this definition
of
Knowledge shall mean the Shareholders' Representative and the
current
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Executive
Vice
President - Sales and Executive Vice President - Marketing.
Section 3.10. Title to Properties.
(a) The Company does not own any real property. Schedule 3.10(a)
sets forth a
complete and accurate list of all individual items of property
with a current
book value in excess of $100,000 that the Company owns or leases
(the "Personal
Property").
(b) The Company has title to, or a valid leasehold interest in,
the Personal
Property, in each case free and clear of all mortgages, liens,
pledges, security
interests, charges, and encumbrances on title of any nature
("Liens"), except
for Liens for Taxes accrued but not yet payable, purchase money
security
interests and those mortgages, liens, pledges, security
interests, charges, and
encumbrances on title set forth on Schedule 3.10(b)
(collectively, "Permitted
Liens"). Section 3.11. Change of Control Agreements. Except as
set forth on
Schedule 3.11, or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement,
neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of
the
transactions contemplated hereby will result in, cause the
accelerated vesting
or increase the amount of any payment or benefit to any
director, officer or
employee of the Company.
Section 3.12. Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.12,
(a)
there are no claims, suits, actions, arbitration or other
material proceedings
("Litigation") pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
material Litigation
threatened against the Company, and (b) there are no outstanding
judgments,
orders, injunctions or awards against or relating to the
Company.
Section 3.13. Material Contracts. Schedule 3.13 sets forth a
complete
and accurate list of all executory contracts or contractual
arrangements to
which the Company is a party involving annual payments by the
Company after
January 1, 2005 in excess of $100,000 ("Material Contracts"),
including: (i)
agreements for the purchase or sale of any assets, (ii)
agreements relating to
indebtedness for borrowed money, (iii) contracts or licenses
with customers,
independent contractors, joint venture partners, suppliers,
software developers,
host providers, resellers or others, including all sales and
open purchase
orders, and (iv) leases of any real property or Personal
Property. Schedule 3.13
sets forth a complete and accurate list of all executory
contracts or
contractual arrangements (without reference to the actual
customer) to which the
Company is a party which resulted in billings by the Company to
any of the
Company's current customers in calendar year 2004 in excess of
$250,000
("Customer Contracts"). Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.13,
neither the
Company nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party
thereto is in
default in any material respect under any Material Contract or
Customer
Contract, nor to the Knowledge of the Company has any event
occurred that could
result in any such default. The Company has no "side agreement"
or other
understanding that would give any person the right to modify or
amend any
Material Contract or Customer Contract. Schedule 3.13 identifies
with an
asterisk each Material Contract or Customer Contract set forth
therein that
requires the consent of the other party thereto to avoid any
breach, default or
violation thereof in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
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<PAGE>
Section 3.14. Employee Benefit Plans.
----------------------
(a) Schedule 3.14(a) sets forth all plans, funds, programs,
agreements
or arrangements (whether written or oral) pursuant to which the
Company or any
of its subsidiaries provides benefits or remuneration (other
than salaries and
wages) to its employees, former employees, directors,
independent contractors or
contingent or leased employees or the dependents of any of them,
including any
bonus, incentive compensation, stock option, deferred
compensation, severance or
other compensation plan or employment agreement, any employee
welfare plan or
any defined benefit, profit sharing or savings or other employee
pension benefit
plan (collectively, "Current Benefit Plans").
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Benefit Plan"
includes
each of the Current Benefit Plans and the Past Benefit Plans;
and the term "Past
Benefit Plan" means any plan, fund, program, agreement or
arrangement that would
be a Current Benefit Plan if it were now in effect, and was at
any earlier time
within the past six years sponsored or maintained or required to
be sponsored or
maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to which
the Company or
any of its subsidiaries has made, or had an obligation to make,
contributions
providing for employee benefits or for the remuneration (other
than salaries or
wages), direct or indirect, of their employees, former
employees, directors,
independent contractors, contingent or leased employees, the
spouses or the
dependents of any of them. To the extent applicable, to the
Knowledge of the
Company, the Current Benefit Plans now comply, and the Past
Benefit Plans did
comply when they were in effect, in all material respects with
the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA") and
the Code. Any
Current Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code
has received a favorable determination letter or is an approved
prototype plan
with an opinion letter upon which the Company or a subsidiary is
entitled to
rely, and continues to satisfy in all material respects the
requirements for
such qualification. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the
Company that
would be considered a single employer with the Company or any
subsidiary under
Section 414 of the Code has maintained or contributed in the
past six years to
any Benefit Plan that is or was then covered by Title IV of
ERISA or Section 412
of the Code that could reasonably be expected to result in a
material penalty to
the Company. Neither the Company, any subsidiary nor any Benefit
Plan has
incurred any material liability or penalty under Section 4975 of
the Code or
Section 502(i) of ERISA, or engaged in any transaction that is
reasonably likely
to result in any such liability or penalty. To the Knowledge of
the Company, the
Company has complied in all material respects with the notice
and continuation
requirements of Section 4980B of the Code and the regulations
thereunder
("COBRA"), and with the applicable requirements of the Health
Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. To the Knowledge of
the Company,
except as described in Schedule 3.14(b), each Benefit Plan has
been maintained
and administered during the past six years in material
compliance with its terms
and with all applicable law, including ERISA, the Code and
federal and state
securities laws.
(c) There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened
Litigation involving any Benefit Pla
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