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Exhibit 2.1
[EXECUTION
VERSION]
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
among
AT&T CORP.,
SBC COMMUNICATIONS
INC.
and
TAU MERGER SUB
CORPORATION
Dated as of January 30,
2005
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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| ARTICLE I |
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| THE MERGER; CLOSING; EFFECTIVE
TIME |
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| 1.1. |
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The Merger |
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1 |
| 1.2. |
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Closing |
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2 |
| 1.3. |
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Effective Time |
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2 |
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| ARTICLE II |
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CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
AND BY-LAWS OF THE SURVIVING
CORPORATION
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| 2.1. |
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The Certificate of Incorporation |
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2 |
| 2.2. |
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The By-Laws |
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2 |
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| ARTICLE III |
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| DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS |
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| 3.1. |
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Directors |
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2 |
| 3.2. |
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Officers |
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2 |
| 3.3. |
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Parent’s Board of Directors |
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3 |
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| ARTICLE IV |
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| EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON CAPITAL STOCK;
EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES |
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| 4.1. |
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Effect on Capital Stock |
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3 |
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(a) |
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Merger
Consideration |
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3 |
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(b) |
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Cancellation of Shares |
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4 |
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(c) |
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Merger
Sub |
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4 |
| 4.2. |
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Exchange of Certificates for Shares. |
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4 |
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(a) |
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Exchange
Agent |
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4 |
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(b) |
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Exchange
Procedures |
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4 |
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(c) |
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Distributions with Respect to Unexchanged Shares;
Voting |
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5 |
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(d) |
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Transfers |
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6 |
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(e) |
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No
Fractional Shares |
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6 |
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(f) |
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Termination of Exchange Fund |
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6 |
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(g) |
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Lost,
Stolen or Destroyed Certificates |
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6 |
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(h) |
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Uncertificated Shares |
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6 |
| 4.3. |
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No Dissenters’ Rights |
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7 |
| 4.4. |
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Adjustments to Prevent Dilution |
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7 |
| 4.5. |
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Company Stock Based Plans. |
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7 |
-i-
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| ARTICLE V |
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| REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES |
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5.1.
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Representations and Warranties of the Company |
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9 |
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(a) |
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Organization, Good Standing and Qualification |
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9 |
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(b) |
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Capital
Structure |
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10 |
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(c) |
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Corporate
Authority; Approval and Fairness |
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11 |
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(d) |
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Governmental Filings; No Violations; Certain
Contracts |
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11 |
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(e) |
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Company
Reports; Financial Statements |
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13 |
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(f) |
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Absence
of Certain Changes |
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14 |
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(g) |
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Litigation and Liabilities |
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16 |
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(h) |
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Employee
Benefits. |
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17 |
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(i) |
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Compliance with Laws; Licenses |
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19 |
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(j) |
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Material
Contracts |
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21 |
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(k) |
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Real
Property |
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22 |
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(l) |
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Right-of-Way Agreements |
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23 |
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(m) |
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Takeover
Statutes |
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23 |
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(n) |
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Environmental Matters |
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24 |
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(o) |
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Taxes |
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25 |
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(p) |
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Labor
Matters |
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26 |
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(q) |
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Intellectual Property and IT Assets |
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26 |
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(r) |
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GSA
Action |
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28 |
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(s) |
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Export
Controls and Trade Sanctions |
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28 |
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(t) |
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Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act |
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29 |
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(u) |
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Brokers
and Finders |
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30 |
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5.2.
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Representations and Warranties of Parent and Merger
Sub |
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31 |
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(a) |
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Organization, Good Standing and Qualification |
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31 |
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(b) |
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Capital
Structure of Parent |
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31 |
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(c) |
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Capitalization of Merger Sub |
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32 |
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(d) |
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Corporate
Authority; Approval and Fairness |
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32 |
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(e) |
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Governmental Filings; No Violations; Etc |
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32 |
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(f) |
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Parent
Reports; Financial Statements |
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33 |
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(g) |
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Litigation and Liabilities |
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35 |
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(h) |
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Compliance with Laws |
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36 |
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(i) |
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Absence
of Changes |
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36 |
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| ARTICLE VI |
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| COVENANTS |
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| 6.1. |
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Interim Operations |
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36 |
| 6.2. |
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Acquisition Proposals |
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43 |
| 6.3. |
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Information Supplied |
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45 |
| 6.4. |
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Shareholders Meeting; Subsidiary Preferred Stock |
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45 |
| 6.5. |
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Filings; Other Actions; Notification |
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46 |
| 6.6. |
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Access and Reports |
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48 |
-ii-
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| 6.7. |
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Publicity |
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49 |
| 6.8. |
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Employee Benefits |
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49 |
| 6.9. |
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Expenses |
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51 |
| 6.10. |
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Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’
Insurance |
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51 |
| 6.11. |
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Takeover Statutes |
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54 |
| 6.12. |
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Regulatory Compliance |
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54 |
| 6.13. |
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Potential Sale of Interests |
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54 |
| 6.14. |
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Transfer Taxes |
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55 |
| 6.15. |
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Taxation |
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55 |
| 6.16. |
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Stock Exchange Listing and De-listing |
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55 |
| 6.17. |
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GSA Action |
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55 |
| 6.18. |
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Special Dividend |
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55 |
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| ARTICLE VII |
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| CONDITIONS |
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| 7.1. |
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Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the
Merger |
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56 |
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(a) |
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Shareholder Approval |
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56 |
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(b) |
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Regulatory Consents |
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56 |
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(c) |
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Litigation |
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57 |
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(d) |
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S-4
Registration Statement |
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57 |
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(e) |
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NYSE
Listing |
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57 |
| 7.2. |
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Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub |
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57 |
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(a) |
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Representations and Warranties |
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57 |
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(b) |
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Performance of Obligations of the Company |
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58 |
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(c) |
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Certain
Litigation |
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58 |
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(d) |
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Governmental Consents |
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58 |
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(e) |
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Consents
Under Agreements |
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59 |
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(f) |
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Tax
Opinion |
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59 |
| 7.3. |
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Conditions to Obligation of the Company |
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59 |
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(a) |
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Representations and Warranties |
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59 |
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(b) |
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Performance of Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub |
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59 |
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(c) |
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Tax
Opinion |
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60 |
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| ARTICLE VIII |
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| TERMINATION |
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| 8.1. |
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Termination by Mutual Consent |
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60 |
| 8.2. |
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Termination by Either Parent or the Company |
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60 |
| 8.3. |
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Termination by the Company |
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61 |
| 8.4. |
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Termination by Parent |
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61 |
| 8.5. |
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Effect of Termination and Abandonment |
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61 |
-iii-
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| ARTICLE IX |
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| MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL |
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| 9.1. |
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Survival |
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63 |
| 9.2. |
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Modification or Amendment |
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63 |
| 9.3. |
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Waiver of
Conditions |
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63 |
| 9.4. |
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Counterparts |
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63 |
| 9.5. |
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GOVERNING
LAW AND VENUE; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
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63 |
| 9.6. |
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Notices |
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64 |
| 9.7. |
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Entire
Agreement |
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65 |
| 9.8. |
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Third
Party Beneficiaries |
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65 |
| 9.9. |
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Obligations of Parent and of the Company |
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65 |
| 9.10. |
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Definitions |
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66 |
| 9.11. |
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Severability |
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66 |
| 9.12. |
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Interpretation; Construction |
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66 |
| 9.13. |
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Assignment |
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66 |
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| Annex
A |
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Defined Terms |
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A-1 |
| Exhibit A |
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Charter |
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E-1 |
-iv-
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
(hereinafter called this “ Agreement ”),
dated as of January 30, 2005, among AT&T Corp., a New York
corporation (the “ Company ”), SBC
Communications Inc., a Delaware corporation (“
Parent ”), and Tau Merger Sub Corporation, a
New York corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent
(“ Merger Sub ,” the Company and Merger
Sub sometimes hereinafter being referred to together as the “
Constituent Corporations ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the respective
Boards of Directors of each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub
have, by resolutions duly adopted, declared that the merger of
Merger Sub with and into the Company (the “
Merger ”) upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement are advisable, the Board of
Directors of Parent has approved this Agreement and the Board of
Directors of each of the Company and Merger Sub has adopted this
Agreement;
WHEREAS, it is intended that,
for federal income tax purposes, the Merger shall qualify as a
reorganization under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “
Code ”); and
WHEREAS, the Company, Parent
and Merger Sub desire to make certain representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements in connection with this
Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises, and of the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
The Merger; Closing;
Effective Time
1.1. The Merger . Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.3) Merger
Sub shall be merged with and into the Company and the separate
corporate existence of Merger Sub shall thereupon cease. The
Company shall be the surviving corporation in the Merger (sometimes
hereinafter referred to as the “ Surviving
Corporation ”), and the separate corporate existence
of the Company, with all its rights, privileges, immunities, powers
and franchises, shall continue unaffected by the Merger, except as
set forth in Article II. The Merger shall have the effects
specified in Section 906 of the New York Business Corporation Law,
as amended (the “ NYBCL ”).
1.2. Closing . The
closing of the Merger (the “ Closing ”)
shall take place (i) at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP,
125 Broad Street, New York, New York at 9:00 A.M. on the fifth
business day following the day on which the last to be satisfied or
waived of the conditions set forth in Article VII (other than those
conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing,
but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions)
shall be satisfied or waived in accordance with this Agreement or
(ii) at such other place and time or on such other date as the
Company and Parent may agree in writing (the “ Closing
Date ”).
1.3. Effective Time .
As soon as practicable following the Closing, the Company and
Parent will cause a Certificate of Merger (the “ New
York Certificate of Merger ”) to be executed,
acknowledged and delivered to the Department of State of the State
of New York as provided in Section 904 of the NYBCL. The Merger
shall become effective on the date on which the New York
Certificate of Merger has been filed by the Department of State of
the State of New York or at such later time as may be agreed by the
parties in writing and specified in the New York Certificate of
Merger (the “ Effective Time
”).
ARTICLE II
Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws
of the Surviving
Corporation
2.1. The Certificate of
Incorporation . At the Effective Time, the certificate of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation (the “
Charter ”) shall be amended in its entirety to
read as set forth on Exhibit A hereto, until thereafter duly
amended as provided therein or by applicable Laws (as defined in
Section 5.1(i)).
2.2. The By-Laws . The
by-laws of Merger Sub in effect at the Effective Time shall be the
by-laws of the Surviving Corporation (the “
By-Laws ”), until thereafter amended as
provided therein or by applicable Laws.
ARTICLE III
Directors and
Officers
3.1. Directors . The
directors of Merger Sub at the Effective Time shall, from and after
the Effective Time, be the directors of the Surviving Corporation
until their successors shall have been duly elected or appointed
and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal
in accordance with the Charter and the By-Laws.
3.2. Officers . The
officers of Merger Sub at the Effective Time shall, from and after
the Effective Time, be the officers of the Surviving Corporation
until their successors shall have been duly elected or appointed
and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal
in accordance with the Charter and the By-Laws.
-2-
3.3. Parent’s Board
of Directors . As of the Effective Time, (a) Parent shall
increase the size of its Board of Directors to enable it to appoint
David W. Dorman plus two other members of the Board of Directors of
the Company selected by mutual agreement of Parent and the Company
(the “ Director Designees ”) as members
of such Board of Directors and (b) the Parent Board of Directors
shall appoint each of the Director Designees to such Board of
Directors, to serve in such capacities until their successors shall
have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their
earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the
certificate of incorporation and by-laws of Parent.
ARTICLE IV
Effect of the Merger on
Capital Stock;
Exchange of
Certificates
4.1. Effect on Capital
Stock . At the Effective Time, as a result of the Merger and
without any action on the part of the holder of any capital stock
of the Company:
(a) Merger
Consideration . (i) Each share of Common Stock, par value $1.00
per share, of the Company (a “ Share ”
and, collectively, the “ Shares ”) issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than
(i) Shares owned by Parent or any direct or indirect Subsidiary (as
defined in Section 5.1(a)) of Parent and (ii) any Shares owned by
the Company or any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company
except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), for any such Shares
held on behalf of third parties (each, an “ Excluded
Share ” and collectively, “ Excluded
Shares ”)) (each such Share not constituting an
Excluded Share, an “ Outstanding Share ”
and, collectively, the “ Outstanding Shares
”) shall be converted into, and become exchangeable for,
0.77942 (the “ Exchange Ratio ”) common
shares (the ” Per Share Merger Consideration
”), par value $1.00 per share, of Parent (“
Parent Common Stock ”). At the Effective Time,
all of the Shares shall cease to be outstanding, shall be cancelled
and retired and shall cease to exist, and each certificate (a
“ Certificate ”) formerly representing
any of the Shares (other than Excluded Shares) shall thereafter
represent only the right to receive the Per Share Merger
Consideration and the right, if any, to receive pursuant to Section
4.2(e) cash in lieu of fractional shares into which such Shares
have been converted pursuant to this Section 4.1(a) and any
dividend or distribution with respect to shares of Parent Common
Stock pursuant to Section 4.2(c).
(ii) Each Substitute
Preferred Share (as defined in Section 6.4(b)) issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
converted into, and become exchangeable for, one Parent Preferred
Share (as defined in Section 5.2(b)) having (A) a value
substantially equivalent, in the judgment of Parent, to such
Substitute
-3-
Preferred Share as of the Effective
Time, (B) such other terms as are necessary to ensure that such
Parent Preferred Shares would not constitute “non-qualified
preferred stock” under Section 351(g) of the Code and (C)
such other terms, if any, as are reasonably necessary so that the
terms of such Parent Preferred Shares do not prevent the delivery
of the tax opinions set forth in Sections 7.2(f) and 7.3(c)
(collectively, the “ New Parent Preferred
Shares ”). At the Effective Time, all of the
Substitute Preferred Shares shall cease to be outstanding, shall be
cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist, and each
certificate formerly representing such shares shall thereafter
represent only the right to receive New Parent Preferred Shares in
accordance with the foregoing.
(b) Cancellation of
Shares . Each Excluded Share shall, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of the holder thereof, cease to be
outstanding, shall be cancelled and retired without payment of any
consideration therefor and shall cease to exist.
(c) Merger Sub . At
the Effective Time, 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 one share of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Surviving
Corporation.
4.2. Exchange of
Certificates for Shares .
(a) Exchange Agent .
As of the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit, or shall cause to
be deposited, with an exchange agent selected by Parent with the
Company’s prior approval, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed (the “ Exchange Agent
”), for the benefit of the holders of Outstanding Shares,
certificates representing the shares of Parent Common Stock to be
exchanged for Outstanding Shares in respect of the Per Share Merger
Consideration to be paid in the Merger and, after the Effective
Time, if applicable, any cash and dividends or other distributions
with respect to the Parent Common Stock to be paid or to be issued
pursuant to Section 4.2(e) or 4.2(c) in exchange for Outstanding
Shares (such certificates for shares of Parent Common Stock,
together with the amount of any cash payable pursuant to Section
4.2(e) in lieu of fractional shares and dividends or other
distributions payable with respect thereto pursuant to Section
4.2(c), being hereinafter referred to as the “ Exchange
Fund ”).
(b) Exchange
Procedures . Appropriate transmittal materials, to be
reasonably agreed upon by Parent and the Company, shall be provided
as soon as practicable after the Effective Time by the Exchange
Agent to holders of record of Outstanding Shares converted in the
Merger, advising such holders of the effectiveness of the Merger
and the procedure for surrendering the Certificates to the Exchange
Agent. Upon the surrender of a Certificate (or affidavit of loss in
lieu thereof) to the Exchange Agent in accordance with the terms of
such transmittal materials, the holder of such Certificate shall be
entitled to receive in exchange therefor (1) a certificate
representing that number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock
that such holder is entitled to receive pursuant to this Article
IV, (2) a check in the amount (after giving effect to
any
-4-
required tax withholdings) of (A) any
cash payable pursuant to Section 4.2(e) in lieu of fractional
shares plus (B) any unpaid non-stock dividends and any other
dividends or other distributions that such holder has the right to
receive pursuant to Section 4.2(c), and, in each case, the
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. No
interest will be paid or accrued on any amount payable upon due
surrender of the Certificates. In the event of a transfer of
ownership of Shares that is not registered in the transfer records
of the Company, a certificate representing the proper number of
shares of Parent Common Stock, together with a check for any cash
to be paid upon due surrender of the Certificate and any other
dividends or distributions in respect thereof, may be issued and/or
paid to such a transferee if the Certificate formerly representing
such Shares is presented to the Exchange Agent, accompanied by all
documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and to
evidence that any applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid or
are not applicable. If any certificate for shares of Parent Common
Stock is to be issued in a name other than that in which the
Certificate surrendered in exchange therefor is registered, it
shall be a condition of such exchange that the Person (as defined
below) requesting such exchange shall pay any transfer or other
taxes required by reason of the issuance of certificates for shares
of Parent Common Stock in a name other than that of the registered
holder of the Certificate surrendered, or shall establish to the
satisfaction of Parent or the Exchange Agent that such tax has been
paid or is not applicable.
For the purposes of this
Agreement, the term “ Person ” shall mean
any individual, corporation (including not-for-profit), general or
limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture,
estate, trust, association, organization, Governmental Entity (as
defined in Section 5.1(d)(i)) or other entity of any kind or
nature.
(c) Distributions with
Respect to Unexchanged Shares; Voting . (i) All shares of
Parent Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Merger shall be
deemed issued and outstanding as of the Effective Time and whenever
a dividend or other distribution is declared by Parent in respect
of the Parent Common Stock, the record date for which is after the
Effective Time, that declaration shall include dividends or other
distributions in respect of all shares issuable pursuant to this
Agreement. No dividends or other distributions in respect of the
Parent Common Stock shall be paid to any holder of any
unsurrendered Certificate until such Certificate is surrendered for
exchange in accordance with this Article IV. Subject to the effect
of applicable laws, following surrender of any such Certificate,
there shall be issued and/or paid to the holder of the certificates
representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock issued in exchange
therefor, without interest, (A) at the time of such surrender, the
dividends or other distributions with a record date after the
Effective Time theretofore payable with respect to such whole
shares of Parent Common Stock and not paid and (B) at the
appropriate payment date, the dividends or other distributions
payable with respect to such whole shares of Parent Common Stock
with a record date after the Effective Time but with a payment date
subsequent to surrender.
(ii) Holders of unsurrendered
Certificates shall be entitled to vote after the Effective Time at
any meeting of Parent stockholders the number of whole shares of
Parent Common Stock represented by such Certificates, regardless of
whether such holders have exchanged their Certificates.
-5-
(d) Transfers . After
the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock
transfer books of the Company of the Outstanding Shares.
(e) No Fractional
Shares . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
no fractional shares of Parent Common Stock will be issued and any
holder of Shares entitled to receive a fractional share of Parent
Common Stock but for this Section 4.2(e) shall be entitled to
receive a cash payment in lieu thereof, which payment shall be
calculated by the Exchange Agent and shall represent such
holder’s proportionate interest in a share of Parent Common
Stock based on the average of the per share closing prices of
Parent Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange,
Inc. (the “ NYSE ”) composite
transactions reporting system for the 20 trading days ending on the
fifth trading day prior to the Closing Date.
(f) Termination of
Exchange Fund . Any portion of the Exchange Fund (including the
proceeds of any investments thereof and any shares of Parent Common
Stock) that remains unclaimed by the shareholders of the Company
for 180 days after the Effective Time shall be delivered to Parent.
Any shareholders of the Company who have not theretofore complied
with this Article IV shall thereafter look only to Parent for
delivery of any cash or any shares of Parent Common Stock and
payment of any cash, dividends and other distributions in respect
thereof payable or deliverable pursuant to Section 4.1, Section
4.2(c) and Section 4.2(e) upon due surrender of their Certificates
(or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof), in each case, without any
interest thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Parent,
the Surviving Corporation, the Exchange Agent or any other Person
shall be liable to any former holder of Shares for any amount
properly delivered to a public official pursuant to applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar Laws (as defined in Section
5.1(i)(i)).
(g) Lost, Stolen or
Destroyed Certificates . In the event any Certificate shall
have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an
affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to
be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by Parent, the
posting by such Person of a bond in customary amount and upon such
terms as may be required by Parent as indemnity against any claim
that may be made against it or the Surviving Corporation with
respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue in
exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the cash or
the shares of Parent Common Stock and any cash, unpaid dividends or
other distributions in respect thereof that would be payable or
deliverable pursuant to this Agreement had such lost, stolen or
destroyed Certificate been surrendered.
(h) Uncertificated
Shares . In the case of any shares of Company Common Stock that
are not represented by certificates, the Exchange Agent shall issue
at the Effective Time Parent Common Stock to the holders of such
shares without any action by such holders, and the parties shall
make appropriate adjustments to this Section 4.2 to assure the
equivalent treatment thereof.
-6-
4.3. No Dissenters’
Rights . In accordance with Section 910 of the NYBCL, no
appraisal rights shall be available to holders of Shares in
connection with the Merger.
4.4. Adjustments to
Prevent Dilution . In the event that the Company changes the
number of Shares or securities convertible or exchangeable into or
exercisable for Shares, or Parent changes the number of shares of
Parent Common Stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into
or exercisable for shares of Parent Common Stock, issued and
outstanding prior to the Effective Time as a result of a
reclassification, stock split (including a reverse stock split),
stock dividend or distribution, recapitalization, merger,
subdivision, issuer tender or exchange offer, or other similar
transaction, the Exchange Ratio shall be equitably
adjusted.
4.5. Company Stock Based
Plans .
(a) At the Effective Time,
each outstanding option to purchase Shares (a “ Company
Option ”) under the Company’s stock-based
benefit plans and under individual employment agreements to which
the Company is a party (the “ Company Stock
Plans “), whether vested or unvested, shall be
converted into an option to acquire a number of shares of Parent
Common Stock equal to the product (rounded up to the nearest whole
number) of (x) the number of Shares subject to the Company Option
immediately prior to the Effective Time and (y) the Exchange Ratio,
at an exercise price per share (rounded down to the nearest whole
cent) equal to (A) the exercise price per Share of such Company
Option immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by (B) the
Exchange Ratio; provided , however , that the
exercise price and the number of shares of Parent Common Stock
purchasable pursuant to the Company Options shall be determined in
a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the
Code; provided , further , that in the case of any
Company Option to which Section 422 of the Code applies, the
exercise price and the number of shares of Parent Common Stock
purchasable pursuant to such option shall be determined in
accordance with the foregoing, subject to such adjustments as are
necessary in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 424(a) of
the Code. Except as specifically provided above, following the
Effective Time, each Company Option shall continue to be governed
by the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such
Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time. At or prior
to the Effective Time, the Company shall adopt appropriate
amendments to the Company Stock Plans, if applicable, and the Board
of Directors of the Company shall adopt appropriate resolutions, if
applicable, to effectuate the provisions of this Section 4.5(a).
Parent shall take all actions as are necessary for the assumption
of the Company Stock Plans pursuant to this Section 4.5, including
the reservation, issuance (subject to Section 4.5(c)) and listing
of Parent Common Stock as necessary to effect the transactions
contemplated by this Section 4.5.
-7-
(b) At the Effective Time,
each right of any kind, contingent or accrued, to acquire or
receive Shares or benefits measured by the value of Shares, and
each award of any kind consisting of Shares that may be held,
awarded, outstanding, payable or reserved for issuance under the
Company Stock Plans and any other Compensation and Benefits Plans,
other than Company Options (the “ Company
Awards ”), shall be deemed to be converted into the
right to acquire or receive benefits measured by the value of (as
the case may be) the number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal
to the product of (x) the number of Shares subject to such Company
Award immediately prior to the Effective Time and (y) the Exchange
Ratio, and each such right shall otherwise be subject to the terms
and conditions applicable to such right under the relevant Company
Stock Plan or other Compensation and Benefit Plan. At or prior to
the Effective Time, the Company shall adopt appropriate amendments
to the Company Stock Plans and such Compensation and Benefits
Plans, if applicable, and the Board of Directors of the Company
shall adopt appropriate resolutions, if applicable, to effectuate
the provisions of this Section 4.5(b).
(c) If registration of any
interests in the Company Stock Plans or other Compensation and
Benefit Plans or the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable
thereunder is required under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “ Securities Act ”), Parent shall
file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “
SEC ”) prior to the Effective Time a
registration statement on Form S-3 or Form S-8, as the case may be
(or any successor form), or another appropriate form with respect
to such interests or Parent Common Stock, and shall use its
reasonable best efforts to have such registration statement
declared effective by the SEC as of the Effective Time and to
maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement (and
maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses
contained therein and comply with any applicable state securities
or “blue sky” laws) for so long as the relevant Company
Stock Plans or other Compensation and Benefit Plans, as applicable,
remain in effect and such registration of interests therein or the
shares of Parent Common Stock issuable thereunder (and compliance
with any such state laws) continues to be required. As soon as
practicable after the registration of such interests or shares, as
applicable, Parent shall deliver to the holders of Company Options
and Company Awards appropriate notices setting forth such
holders’ rights pursuant to the respective Company Stock
Plans and agreements evidencing the grants of such Company Options
and Company Awards, and stating that such Company Options and
Company Awards and agreements have been assumed by Parent and shall
continue in effect on the same terms and conditions (subject to the
adjustments required by this Section 4.5 after giving effect to the
Merger and the terms of the Company Stock Plans).
(d) Without limiting the
applicability of the preceding paragraph, the Company and Parent
shall take all necessary action to ensure that the Surviving
Corporation will not be required to deliver Shares or other capital
stock of the Company to any Person pursuant to or in settlement of
Company Options or Company Awards after the Effective Time. At or
prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall adopt appropriate
amendments to all Company Stock Plans conferring any rights to
Shares or
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other capital stock of the Company, if
applicable, and the Board of Directors of the Company shall adopt
appropriate resolutions, if applicable, to effectuate the
provisions of this Section 4.5(d).
(e) The Board of Directors of
the Company (or a committee thereof to the extent applicable) shall
take all necessary actions to ensure that the terms of the Company
Options and Company Awards then outstanding under each Company
Stock Plan are equitably adjusted to take into account the payment
of the Special Dividend pursuant to Section 6.18 of this Agreement,
and that any applicable performance goals with respect to Company
Options, Company Awards and other Company compensation are, if
impacted by the Special Dividend, equitably adjusted.
ARTICLE V
Representations and
Warranties
5.1. Representations and
Warranties of the Company . Except as set forth in the
disclosure letter (subject to Section 9.12(c) of this Agreement)
delivered to Parent by the Company prior to entering into this
Agreement (the “ Company Disclosure Letter
”) or, to the extent the qualifying nature of such disclosure
with respect to a specific representation and warranty is readily
apparent therefrom, as set forth in the Company Reports (as defined
in Section 5.1(e)) filed on or after January 1, 2004 and prior to
the date hereof (excluding any disclosures included in any such
Company Report that are predictive or forward-looking in nature),
the Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub
that:
(a) Organization, Good
Standing and Qualification . Each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and
in good standing under the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of
organization and has all requisite corporate or similar power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and
to carry on its business as presently conducted and is qualified to
do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in
each jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of its
assets or properties or conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so organized, validly
existing, qualified or in good standing, or to have such power or
authority, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined
below). The Company has made available to Parent complete and
correct copies of the Company’s certificate of incorporation
and by-laws, each as amended to date, and each as so delivered is
in full force and effect. As used in this Agreement, the term (i)
” Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any
Person, any other Person of which at least a majority of the
securities or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary
voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other
persons performing similar functions is directly or indirectly
owned or controlled by such Person or by one or more of its
respective Subsidiaries or by such Person and any one or more of
its respective
-9-
Subsidiaries, provided ,
however , that Cingular LLC shall be considered a Subsidiary
of Parent solely for purposes of Sections 5.2(a), 5.2(e),
5.2(f)(iv) (subject to the limitation set forth in Section
5.2(f)(iv)), 5.2(g), 5.2(h), 5.2(i) and 6.1(iii) (subject to the
limitation set forth in Section 6.1(iii)), and (ii) ”
Material Adverse Effect ” means (x) a material
adverse effect on the financial condition, assets, liabilities,
business or results of operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, excluding any such effect resulting
from (I) changes in political or regulatory conditions generally,
(II) changes or conditions generally affecting the U.S. economy or
financial markets or generally affecting any of the segments of the
telecommunications industry in which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries operates or (III) the announcement or consummation of
this Agreement, or (y) an effect that would prevent, materially
delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to consummate
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Any determination of “ Material Adverse
Effect ” with respect to the Company shall exclude
the matters set forth in Section 5.1(a) of the Company Disclosure
Letter.
(b) Capital Structure
. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (x)
2,500,000,000 Shares, of which 799,007,457 Shares were outstanding
as of the close of business on January 27, 2005, and (y)
100,000,000 preferred shares, par value $1.00 per share (the
“ Company Preferred Shares ”), of which
2,000,000 shares were designated Subsidiary Exchangeable Preferred
Stock, Series 2 (the “ Subsidiary Preferred
Shares ”). 768,391.4 Subsidiary Preferred Shares were
outstanding as of the close of business on January 28, 2005. Each
of the outstanding Subsidiary Preferred Shares is held by a
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company, and the Subsidiaries of the
Company hold no other shares of capital stock of the Company, or
securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or
exercisable for such capital stock. All of the outstanding Shares
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable. The Company has no Shares or Company Preferred
Shares reserved for issuance, except that, as of January 27, 2005,
there were an aggregate of 30,733,276 Shares reserved for issuance
pursuant to the Company Stock Plans. Section 5.1(b) of the Company
Disclosure Letter contains a correct and complete list as of
December 31, 2004 of (i) the number of outstanding Company Options
under each of the Company Stock Plans, the exercise prices of all
Company Options and the number of Shares issuable at each such
exercise price and (ii) the number of outstanding Company Awards
under each of the Company Stock Plans, the date of grant and number
of Shares subject thereto. From December 31, 2004 to the date
hereof the Company has not issued any shares of Common Stock except
pursuant to the exercise of Company Options and the settlement of
Company Awards outstanding on December 31, 2004 in accordance with
their terms, and except for issuances under the Company’s
dividend reinvestment plan. From December 31, 2004 through the date
hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has granted
or issued any Company Options or Company Awards. Each of the
outstanding shares of capital stock or other securities of each of
the Company’s Subsidiaries has been duly authorized and
validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable and, to the
extent owned by the Company or by a direct or indirect wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Company, is owned free and clear of any lien,
charge, pledge,
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security interest, claim or other
encumbrance (each, a “ Lien ”). Except as
set forth above, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no
preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants,
conversion rights, stock appreciation rights, redemption rights,
repurchase rights, agreements, arrangements, calls, commitments or
rights of any kind that obligate the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to issue or sell any shares of capital stock or other
securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or
exercisable for, or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or
acquire, any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
and no securities or obligations evidencing such rights are
authorized, issued or outstanding. Upon any issuance of any Shares
in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, such
Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and free and clear of any Lien. The Company does not
have outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations
the holders of which have the right to vote (or convertible into or
exercisable for securities having the right to vote) with the
shareholders of the Company on any matter. Section 5.1(b) of the
Company Disclosure Letter contains a true and complete list of each
Person in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, any
voting interest that may require a filing by Parent or any “
Affiliate ” (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “
Exchange Act ”)) of Parent under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended
(the “ HSR Act ”).
(c) Corporate Authority;
Approval and Fairness . (i) The Company has all requisite
corporate power and authority and has taken all corporate action
necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger, subject only to
adoption of this Agreement by the holders of a majority of the
outstanding Shares entitled to vote on such matter at a
shareholders’ meeting duly called and held for the purpose
(the “ Company Requisite Vote ”). This
Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and
to general equity principles (the “ Bankruptcy and
Equity Exception ”).
(ii) The Board of Directors
of the Company has (A) declared that the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and has adopted this
Agreement; (B) received the opinions of its financial advisors,
Credit Suisse First Boston Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated to the effect that the Per Share Merger Consideration,
together with the Special Dividend, is fair from a financial point
of view to the holders of Shares (other than Excluded Shares); (C)
resolved to recommend adoption of this Agreement to the holders of
Shares (such recommendations being the “
Directors’ Recommendation ”); and (D)
directed that this Agreement be submitted to the holders of Shares
for their adoption.
(d) Governmental Filings;
No Violations; Certain Contracts . (i) Other than the notices,
reports, filings, consents, registrations, approvals, permits
or
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authorizations (A) pursuant to Section
1.3; (B) required under the HSR Act, European Union Council
Regulation (EC) No. 139/2000 of January 20, 2004 (the “
EC Merger Regulation ”) (if applicable), the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act; (C) with or to the Federal
Communications Commission (the “ FCC ”);
(D) with or to those State public service or public utility
commissions or similar State regulatory bodies (“ State
Commissions ”) set forth in Section 5.1(d)(i)(D) of
the Company Disclosure Letter; (E) with or to those foreign
Governmental Entities regulating competition and telecommunications
businesses or the use of radio spectrum or regulating or limiting
investment set forth in Section 5.1(d)(i)(E) of the Company
Disclosure Letter; and (F) with or to those State agencies or
departments or local governments that have issued competitive
access provider or other telecommunications franchises or any other
similar authorizations, no notices, reports or other filings are
required to be made by the Company with, nor are any consents,
registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations required to be
obtained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from, any
domestic or foreign governmental or regulatory authority, agency,
commission, body, court or other legislative, executive or judicial
governmental entity (each a “ Governmental
Entity ”), in connection with the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the
consummation by the Company of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby, or in connection with the
continuing operation of the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries following the Effective Time, except those that the
failure to make or obtain would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(ii) The execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement by the Company do not, and the
consummation by the Company of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby will not, constitute or result in
(A) a breach or violation of, or a default under, the certificate
of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or the comparable
governing documents of any of its Subsidiaries; (B) with or without
notice, lapse of time or both, a breach or violation of, a
termination (or right of termination) or default under, the
creation or acceleration of any obligations under or the creation
of a Lien on any of the assets of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries pursuant to any agreement, lease, license, contract,
note, mortgage, indenture or other legally binding obligation (a
” Contract ”) binding upon the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or, assuming (solely with respect to
performance of this Agreement and consummation by the Company of
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby)
compliance with the matters referred to in Section 5.1(d)(i), any
Law or governmental or non-governmental permit or license to which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject; or (C) any
change in the rights or obligations of any party under any Material
Contract (as defined in Section 5.1(j)(i)(I)) binding upon the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation,
any change in pricing, put or call rights, rights of first offer,
rights of first refusal, tag-along or drag-along rights or any
similar rights or obligations which may be exercised in connection
with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby),
except, in the case of clause (B) or (C) above, for any such
breach, violation, termination, default, creation, acceleration or
change that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to result in a Material
-12-
Adverse Effect. Section 5.1(d)(ii) of
the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a correct and complete
list of Material Contracts of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries pursuant to which consents or waivers are or may be
required prior to consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
(iii) As of the date of this
Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries holds
claims, as creditor or claimant, of greater than $10,000,000 with
respect to any one debtor or debtor-in-possession subject to
proceedings under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States
Code.
(e) Company Reports;
Financial Statements . (i) The Company has made available to
Parent each registration statement, report, proxy statement or
information statement prepared by it since December 31, 2003 (the
“ Audit Date ”) and filed with the SEC,
including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2003 and the Company’s Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ending March 31,
June 30 and September 30, 2004, each in the form (including
exhibits, annexes and any amendments thereto) filed with the SEC.
The Company has filed or furnished all forms, statements, reports
and documents required to be filed or furnished by it with the SEC
pursuant to applicable securities statutes, regulations, policies
and rules since the Audit Date (the forms, statements, reports and
documents filed or furnished with the SEC since the Audit Date and
those filed or furnished with the SEC subsequent to the date of
this Agreement, if any, including any amendments thereto, the
“ Company Reports ”). Each of the Company
Reports, at the time of its filing, complied or will comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and complied in all
material respects with the then applicable accounting standards. As
of their respective dates (or, if amended, as of the date of such
amendment), the Company Reports did not, and any Company Reports
filed with the SEC subsequent to the date hereof will not, contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements made therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they were made, not misleading. The Company Reports included or
will include all certificates required to be included therein
pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
as amended (the “ SOX Act ”), and the
internal control report and attestation of the Company’s
outside auditors required by Section 404 of the SOX Act.
(ii) Each of the consolidated
balance sheets included in or incorporated by reference into the
Company Reports (including the related notes and schedules) fairly
presents, or, in the case of Company Reports filed after the date
hereof, will fairly present, the consolidated financial position of
the Company and any other entity included therein and their
respective Subsidiaries as of its date, and each of the
consolidated statements of income, changes in shareowners’
equity and cash flows included in or incorporated by reference into
the Company Reports (including any related notes and schedules)
fairly presents, or in the case of Company Reports filed after the
date hereof, will fairly present, the net income, total
shareowners’ equity and net increase (decrease)
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in cash and cash equivalents, as the
case may be, of the Company and any other entity included therein
and their respective Subsidiaries for the periods set forth therein
(subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to notes and normal
year-end audit adjustments that will not be material in amount or
effect), in each case in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles (“ GAAP ”)
consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may be
noted therein.
(iii) The management of the
Company has (x) implemented disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that
material information relating to the Company, including its
consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to the management of the
Company by others within those entities, and (y) has disclosed,
based on its most recent evaluation, to the Company’s outside
auditors and the audit committee of the Board of Directors of the
Company (A) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in
the design or operation of internal controls over financial
reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) which
are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and
(B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s
internal controls over financial reporting. Since the Audit Date,
any material change in internal control over financial reporting
required to be disclosed in any Company Report has been so
disclosed.
(iv) Since the Audit Date,
(x) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the
knowledge of the officers of the Company, any director, officer,
employee, auditor, accountant or representative of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries has received or otherwise had or obtained
knowledge of any material complaint, allegation, assertion or
claim, whether written or oral, regarding the accounting or
auditing practices, procedures, methodologies or methods of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective internal
accounting controls relating to periods after the Audit Date,
including any material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim
that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in
questionable accounting or auditing practices (except for any of
the foregoing after the date hereof which have no reasonable
basis), and (y) no attorney representing the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, has reported evidence of a material violation of
securities Laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation,
relating to periods after the Audit Date, by the Company or any of
its officers, directors, employees or agents to the Board of
Directors of the Company or any committee thereof or, to the
knowledge of the officers of the Company, to any director or
officer of the Company.
(f) Absence of Certain
Changes . Since the Audit Date the Company and its Subsidiaries
have conducted their respective businesses only in, and have not
engaged in any material transaction other than in accordance with,
the ordinary course of such businesses. Since the Audit Date, there
has not been any Material Adverse Effect or any event, occurrence,
discovery or development which would, individually or in
the
-14-
aggregate, reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. Since the Audit Date and prior
to the date hereof, there has not been:
(i) any recapitalization of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any merger or
consolidation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with any
other Person (other than any such transaction involving only
wholly-owned Subsidiaries);
(ii) any acquisition of any
(A) business from any other Person having a value in excess of
$50,000,000 or (B) assets from any other Person having a value in
excess of $50,000,000 other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
(iii) any creation or
incurrence of any material Liens on any assets used in the
businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries having an aggregate
value in excess of $50,000,000;
(iv) any making of any
material loan, advance or capital contribution to, or investment
in, any Person other than (A) loans, advances or capital
contributions to, or investments in, wholly-owned Subsidiaries of
the Company and (B) loans, advances or capital contributions to, or
investments in, any other Person in an amount not in excess of
$50,000,000 in the aggregate;
(v) any declaration, setting
aside or payment of any dividend or distribution (whether in cash,
stock, property or any combination thereof) with respect to any
shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
(except for the Company’s regular quarterly cash dividend and
dividends or distributions by any direct or indirect wholly-owned
Subsidiary to the Company or any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the
Company, and except for dividends or distributions by other
Subsidiaries of the Company for which the portion of such dividends
or distributions not payable to a direct or indirect wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Company did not exceed $10,000,000 in value in
the aggregate for all such dividends and distributions, or any
repurchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, of any outstanding
shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries;
(vi) any incurrence of
indebtedness for borrowed money or issuance of any guarantee of
indebtedness of another Person by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or issuance or sale of any debt securities or
warrants or other rights to acquire any debt security of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case, other than
refinancing on ordinary commercial terms and other than involving
an aggregate principal amount or guaranteed amount not in excess of
$50,000,000;
(vii) any issuance of Shares
or other equity securities of the Company except pursuant to the
Company Stock Plans and except pursuant to the Company’s
dividend reinvestment program;
-15-
(viii) any material change
with respect to accounting policies or procedures by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, except for any such change required by
changes in GAAP or by applicable Law;
(ix) (A) any increase in the
compensation payable or to become payable to its officers or
employees (except for increases in the ordinary course of business
and consistent with past practice in salaries or wages of employees
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who are not among the
officers of the Company for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange
Act (“ Section 16 Officers ”) or (B)
except for the AT&T Corp. 2004 Long Term Incentive Program, any
establishment, adoption, entry into or amendment of any collective
bargaining, bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation,
employment, termination, severance or other plan, agreement, trust,
fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of any director,
officer or group of employees, except to the extent required by
applicable Laws;
(x) any sale, lease, license
or other disposition of any assets of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, except for (A) obsolete assets and (B) sales, leases,
licenses or other dispositions of assets in the ordinary course of
business or for a purchase price not in excess of, or with a fair
market value not in excess of, $50,000,000 in any single
transaction or series of related transactions; or
(xi) any agreement to do any
of the foregoing.
(g) Litigation and
Liabilities . (i) There are no (A) civil, criminal or
administrative actions, suits, claims, hearings, arbitrations,
investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or (B) litigations, arbitrations,
investigations or other proceedings, or injunctions or final
judgments relating thereto, pending or, to the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or Affiliates before any Governmental Entity,
including, without limitation, the FCC, except in the case of
either clause (A) or (B), for those that would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
Affiliates is a party to or subject to the provisions of any
judgment, order, writ, injunction, decree or award of any
Governmental Entity which would, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(ii) There are no liabilities
or obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company,
whether or not accrued, contingent or otherwise and whether or not
required to be disclosed, or any other facts or circumstances that
would reasonably be expected to result in any obligations or
liabilities of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other
than:
(A) liabilities or
obligations to the extent (I) reflected on the consolidated balance
sheet of the Company or (II) readily apparent in the notes thereto,
in each case included in the Company’s quarterly report on
Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2004;
-16-
(B) liabilities or
obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business since
September 30, 2004;
(C) performance obligations
under contracts required in accordance with their terms, or
performance obligations, to the extent required under applicable
Law, in each case to the extent arising after the date hereof;
or
(D) liabilities or
obligations that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(h) Employee Benefits
.
(i) All benefit and
compensation plans, programs, contracts, policies or arrangements
covering current or former employees of the Company and its
Subsidiaries and current or former directors of the Company,
including, but not limited to, the Company Stock Plans,
“employee benefit plans” within the meaning of Section
3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended (“ ERISA ”), and deferred
compensation, pension, retirement, profit-sharing, thrift, savings,
employee stock ownership, stock bonus, stock purchase, restricted
stock, stock option, stock appreciation rights, performance share,
performance unit, incentive compensation, performance-based
compensation, stock-based compensation, bonus, employment,
retention, termination, severance, other compensation, medical,
health, fringe benefit or other plans, programs, contracts,
policies or arrangements (the ” Compensation and
Benefit Plans ”) other than those that did not
require the payment of in excess of $500,000 per annum for the year
ending December 31, 2004 individually or the payment of in excess
of $2,500,000 per annum for the year ending December 31, 2004 in
the aggregate (unless more than 500 employees are eligible to
participate in the plan, program, contract, policy or arrangement
or the plan, program, contract, policy or arrangement contains a
change-in-control or similar provision) are listed in Section
5.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter, except for Compensation
and Benefit Plans exclusively covering current or former employees
of the Company and its Subsidiaries and current or former directors
of the Company, in each case located in jurisdictions other than
the United States of America (a list of which shall be provided to
Parent within 30 days following the date of this Agreement) and
each Compensation and Benefit Plan that has received a favorable
opinion letter from the Internal Revenue National Office, including
any master or prototype plan, has been separately identified. True
and complete copies of all Compensation and Benefit Plans listed in
Section 5.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter, including any
trust agreement or other trust instrument, insurance contract
forming a part of such Compensation and Benefit Plans, and, with
respect to any employee stock ownership plan, any associated loan
or credit agreement, and all amendments thereto, have been made
available to Parent prior to the date hereof.
-17-
(ii) Except as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect, all Compensation and Benefit Plans
are in compliance with all applicable Laws, including the Code and,
to the extent applicable, ERISA. Each Compensation and Benefit Plan
that is an “employee pension benefit plan” within the
meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA (a “ Pension
Plan ”) and that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination
letter from the Internal Revenue Service (the “
IRS ”) covering all tax law changes prior to
the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, or
has applied to the IRS for such favorable determination letter
within the applicable remedial amendment period under Section
401(b) of the Code, and the Company is not aware of any
circumstances likely to result in the loss of the qualification of
such Pension Plan under Section 401(a) of the Code. Except as would
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) there is no pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened litigation relating to the
Compensation and Benefit Plans, (B) any voluntary employees’
beneficiary association within the meaning of Section 501(c)(9) of
the Code which provides benefits under a Compensation and Benefit
Plan has received an opinion letter from the IRS recognizing its
exempt status under Section 501(c)(9) of the Code, has timely filed
notice under Section 505(c) of the Code, and the Company is not
aware of circumstances likely to result in the loss of such exempt
status under Section 501(c)(9) of the Code, (C) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred or reasonably expects to
incur a tax or penalty imposed by Section 4980F of the Code or
Section 502 of ERISA, and (D) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with respect to any
Compensation and Benefit Plan that, assuming the taxable period of
such transaction expired as of the date hereof, would subject the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to a tax or penalty imposed by
either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502 of ERISA.
(iii) No liability under
Subtitle C or D of Title IV of ERISA has been or is expected to be
incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to any
ongoing, frozen or terminated “single-employer plan”,
within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, currently or
formerly maintained by any of them, or the single-employer plan of
any entity which is considered one employer with the Company under
Section 4001 of ERISA or Section 414 of the Code (an “
ERISA Affiliate ”). The Company and its
Subsidiaries have not contributed, or been obligated to contribute,
to a multiemployer plan under Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA at
any time within the past six years, and no notice of a
“reportable event”, within the meaning of Section 4043
of ERISA, for which the 30-day reporting requirement has not been
waived, has been required to be filed for any Pension Plan or by
any ERISA Affiliate within the 12-month period ending on the date
hereof or will be required to be filed in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(iv) All contributions
required to be made under the terms of any Compensation and Benefit
Plan as of the date hereof have been timely made and all
obligations in respect of each Compensation and Benefit Plan have
been properly accrued and reflected on the most recent consolidated
balance sheet filed or incorporated by
-18-
reference in the Company Reports to the
extent required by GAAP. As of the date of this Agreement, neither
any Pension Plan nor any single-employer plan of an ERISA Affiliate
has an “accumulated funding deficiency” (whether or not
waived) within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section
302 of ERISA. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has
provided, or is required to provide, security to any Pension Plan
or to any single-employer plan of an ERISA Affiliate pursuant to
Section 401(a)(29) of the Code.
(v) Under each Pension Plan
which is a single-employer plan, as of the last day of the most
recent plan year ended prior to the date of this Agreement, the
actuarially determined present value of all “benefit
liabilities”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(16) of
ERISA (as determined on the basis of the actuarial assumptions
contained in the Pension Plan’s most recent actuarial
valuation), did not exceed the then current value of the assets of
such Pension Plan, and there has been no material adverse change in
the financial condition of such Pension Plan since the last day of
the most recent plan year.
(vi) Except as set forth in
Section 5.1(h)(vi) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any obligations for retiree
health or life benefits under any Compensation and Benefit Plan
other than as required by applicable law or the continuation of
health or life benefits after a severance event pursuant to any
severance plan, program, arrangement or agreement.
(vii) The consummation of the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement
will not (w) entitle any employees of the Company or its
Subsidiaries to severance pay or any increase in severance pay upon
any termination of employment after the date hereof; (x) accelerate
the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding
(through a grantor trust or otherwise) or trigger any payment of
compensation or benefits under, increase the amount payable or
trigger any other material obligation pursuant to, any of the
Compensation and Benefit Plans; (y) limit or restrict the right of
the Company or, after consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, Parent to merge, amend or terminate any of the Compensation
and Benefit Plans; or (z) result in any breach or violation of, or
default under, any of the Compensation and Benefit
Plans.
(viii) Except as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) all Compensation and Benefit
Plans covering current or former non-U.S. employees of the Company
and its Subsidiaries comply with applicable local Laws and (B) the
Company and its Subsidiaries have no unfunded liabilities with
respect to any Pension Plan that covers such non-U.S. employees and
that are not set forth in the Financial Statements.
(i) Compliance with Laws;
Licenses . (i) The businesses of each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries have not been conducted in violation of any federal,
state, local or foreign law, statute or ordinance, common law, or
any rule, regulation,
-19-
standard, judgment, order, writ,
injunction, decree, arbitration award, agency requirement, license
or permit of any Governmental Entity (collectively, “
Laws ”), except for such violations that would
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. No investigation or review by
any Governmental Entity with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is pending or, to the knowledge of the officers of the
Company, threatened, nor has any Governmental Entity indicated an
intention to conduct the same, except for any such investigations
or reviews that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each
of the Company and its Subsidiaries has obtained and is in
substantial compliance with all permits, licenses, certifications,
approvals, registrations, consents, authorizations, franchises,
variances, exemptions and orders issued or granted by a
Governmental Entity (“ Licenses ”)
necessary to conduct its business as presently conducted, except
for any failures to have or to be in compliance with such Licenses
which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) Each of the Company and
its Subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with
each FCC License and State License (each as defined in Section
6.1(ii) and, collectively, the “ Communications
Licenses ”). Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
is in compliance with (A) its obligations under each of the Company
Licenses (as defined in Section 6.1(ii)) and (B) the rules and
regulations of the Governmental Entity issuing such Company
Licenses, except for any failures to be in compliance which would
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. There is not pending or, to
the knowledge of the officers of the Company, threatened before the
FCC, the Federal Aviation Administration (“ FAA
”) or any other Governmental Entity any material proceeding,
notice of violation, order of forfeiture or complaint or
investigation against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
relating to any of the Company Licenses, except, in the case of
Company Licenses other than Communications Licenses, for any of the
foregoing that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The
actions of the applicable Governmental Entities granting all
Company Licenses have not been reversed, stayed, enjoined, annulled
or suspended, and there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, threatened, any material application,
petition, objection or other pleading with the FCC, the FAA or any
other Governmental Entity which challenges or questions the
validity of or any rights of the holder under any Company License,
except, in the case of Company Licenses other than Communications
Licenses, for any of the foregoing that would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(iii) All of the microwave
paths of the Company and its Subsidiaries in respect of which a
filing with the FCC or the FAA was required have been constructed
and are currently operated in all respects as represented to the
FCC or the FAA in currently effective filings, and modifications to
such microwave paths have been preceded by the submission to the
FCC or the FAA of all required filings, in each case, except as
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
-20-
(iv) Except as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a non- de minimis adverse effect on the operation of
transmission towers by the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, (A) all transmission towers located on property owned or
leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries are obstruction-marked
and lighted to the extent required by, and in accordance with, the
rules and regulations of the FAA (the ” FAA
Rules ”), and (B) appropriate notification to the FAA
has been made for each transmission tower located on property owned
or leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(j) Material Contracts
. (i) Except as set forth in Schedule 5.1(j)(i) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, as of the date of this Agreement, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound
by:
(A) any lease of real or
personal property providing for annual rentals of $15,000,000 or
more;
(B) any agreement or
agreements involving more than $5,000,000 individually or
$10,000,000 in the aggregate to acquire (I) a License, or an
interest in an entity holding a License, that upon acquisition by
the Company would become a Communications License or (II) any
interest in an entity that holds a License that upon acquisition of
such entity by the Company would become a Foreign
License;
(C) any partnership, joint
venture or other similar agreement or arrangement relating to the
formation, creation, operation, management or control of any
partnership or joint venture material to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
owns any interest valued at more than $10,000,000 without regard to
percentage voting or economic interest (unless pursuant to such
agreement or arrangement the Company and its Subsidiaries do not
have a future funding obligation reasonably likely to require
funding of more than $15,000,000 in the aggregate);
(D) any Contract (other than
among direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company)
relating to indebtedness for borrowed money or the deferred
purchase price of property (in either case, whether incurred,
assumed, guaranteed or secured by any asset) in excess of
$50,000,000;
(E) any Contract required to
be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form
10-K pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K under the
Securities Act;
(F) any non-competition
Contract or other Contract that (I) purports to limit in any
material respect either the type of business in which the Company
or
-21-
its Subsidiaries (or, after
the Effective Time, Parent or its Affiliates) may engage or the
manner or locations in which any of them may so engage in any
business or (II) could require the disposition of any material
assets or line of business of the Company or its Subsidiaries or,
after the Effective Time, Parent or its Affiliates;
(G) any Contract (other than
(I) a Contract with respect to compensation or similar arrangements
not involving a director of the Company or one of the Section 16
Officers and (II) any Contract entered into in the ordinary course
of business) between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any
director or officer of the Company or any Person beneficially
owning, as of the date hereof, five percent or more of the
outstanding Shares;
(H) any Contract that
contains a put, call or similar right pursuant to which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries could be required to purchase or sell,
as applicable, any equity interests of any Person or assets that
have a fair market value or purchase price of more than
$25,000,000; and
(I) any other Contract or
group of Contracts with a single counterparty that, if terminated
or subject to a default by any party thereto, would, individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect (the Contracts described in clauses (A) – (I),
together with all exhibits and schedules to such Contracts, being
the “ Material Contracts ”).
(ii) A true and complete copy
of each Material Contract has previously been delivered or made
available to Parent (subject to applicable confidentiality
restrictions) and each such Contract is a valid and binding
agreement of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as the case
may be, and is in full force and effect, and neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the officers
of the Company, any other party thereto is in material default or
breach under the terms of any such Material Contract.
(k) Real Property .
(i) Except in any such case as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect, with respect to the real property owned by the Company or
its Subsidiaries (the “ Owned Real Property
”), (A) the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as
applicable, has good and marketable title to the Owned Real
Property, free and clear of any Encumbrance, and (B) there are no
outstanding options or rights of first refusal to purchase the
Owned Real Property, or any portion thereof or interest
therein.
(ii) With respect to the real
property leased or subleased to the Company or its Subsidiaries
(the “ Leased Real Property ”), (A) the
lease or sublease for such property is valid, legally binding,
enforceable and in full force and effect, and none of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is in breach of or default under such
lease or sublease, and no event has occurred which, with notice,
lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default by any
of the Company or its Subsidiaries or permit termination,
modification or acceleration by any third party thereunder, and (B)
no third
-22-
party has repudiated or has the right to
terminate or repudiate such lease or sublease (except for the
normal exercise of remedies in connection with a default thereunder
or any termination rights set forth in the lease or sublease) or
any provision thereof, except in each case, for such invalidity,
failures to be binding, unenforceability, ineffectiveness,
breaches, defaults, terminations, modifications, accelerations,
repudiations and rights to terminate or repudiate that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) For purposes of this
Section 5.1(k) only, “ Encumbrance ”
means any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest,
easement, covenant, or other restriction or title matter or
encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset except for (A)
specified encumbrances described in Section 5.1(k)(iii) of the
Company Disclosure Letter; (B) encumbrances for current Taxes or
other governmental charges not yet due and payable; (C)
mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s,
repairmen’s or other like encumbrances arising or incurred in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice
relating to obligations as to which there is no default on the part
of Company, or the validity or amount of which is being contested
in good faith by appropriate proceedings; and (D) other
encumbrances that do not, individually or in the aggregate,
materially impair the continued use, operation, value or
marketability of the specific parcel of Owned Real Property or
Leased Real Property to which they relate or the conduct of the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as presently
conducted.
(l) Right-of-Way
Agreements . (i) Except in any such case as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) each right-of-way agreement,
license agreement or other agreement permitting or requiring the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to lay, build, operate, maintain
or place cable, wires, conduits or other equipment and facilities
over land or underground (each, a “ Right-of-Way
Agreement “) is valid, legally binding, enforceable
and in full force and effect, and none of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is in breach of or default under any Right-of-Way
Agreement, (B) no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of
time, would constitute a breach or default by any of the Company or
its Subsidiaries or permit termination, modification or
acceleration by any third party thereunder and (C) no third party
has repudiated or has the right to terminate or repudiate any
Right-of-Way Agreement.
(ii) To the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, the Company is not in violation of any
Laws which, individually or in combination with any others, would
materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries to use any of the rights associated with the
Right-of-Way Agreements, taken as a whole, in the manner and scope
in which such rights are now being used.
(m) Takeover Statutes
. No “fair price,” “moratorium,”
“control share acquisition” or other similar
anti-takeover statute or regulation (each a “ Takeover
Statute ”) is applicable to the Company, the Shares,
the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. The Board of Directors of the Company has taken
all
-23-
action so that Parent will not be
prohibited from entering into a “business combination”
with the Company or any of its Affiliates as an “interested
shareholder” (in each case as such term is used in Section
912 of the NYBCL) as a result of the execution of this Agreement or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
(n) Environmental
Matters . Except for such matters as would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect: (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied
at all times with all applicable Environmental Laws (as defined
below); (ii) no property currently owned, leased or operated by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including soils, groundwater,
surface water, buildings or other structures) is contaminated with
any Hazardous Substance (as defined below) in a manner that is or
could be required to be Remediated or Removed (as such terms are
defined below), that is in violation of any Environmental Law, or
that is reasonably likely to give rise to any Environmental
Liability; (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have no
information that any property formerly owned, leased or operated by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries was contaminated with any
Hazardous Substance during or prior to such period of ownership,
leasehold, or operation; (iv) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries nor any prior owner or operator has incurred in the
past or is now subject to any Environmental Liabilities (as defined
below); (v) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any notice, demand, letter, claim or request for
information alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
may be in violation of or subject to liability under any
Environmental Law; (vi) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is subject to any order, decree, injunction or
agreement with any Governmental Entity, or any indemnity or other
agreement with any third party, concerning liability or obligations
relating to any Environmental Law or otherwise relating to any
Hazardous Substance or any environmental, health or safety matter;
and (vii) there are no other circumstances or conditions involving
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be
expected to result in any Environmental Liability.
As used herein, the term
“ Environmental Laws ” means all Laws
(including any common law) relating to: (A) the protection,
investigation or restoration of the environment, health, safety, or
natural resources, (B) the handling, use, presence, disposal,
Release or threatened release of any Hazardous Substance or (C)
noise, odor, indoor air, employee exposure, electromagnetic fields,
wetlands, pollution, contamination or any injury or threat of
injury to persons or property relating to any Hazardous
Substance.
As used herein, the term
“ Environmental Liability ” means (i) any
obligations or liabilities (including any notices, claims,
complaints, suits or other assertions of obligations or
liabilities) that are: (A) related to environment, health or safety
issues (including on-site or off-site contamination by Hazardous
Substances of surface or subsurface soil or water, and occupational
safety and health); and (B) based upon (I) any provision of
Environmental Laws or (II) any order, consent, decree, writ,
injunction or judgment issued or otherwise imposed by any
Governmental Entity.
-24-
The term “Environmental
Liabilities” includes, without limitation: (A) fines,
penalties, judgments, awards, settlements, losses, damages
(including consequential damages), costs, fees (including
attorneys’ and consultants’ fees), expenses and
disbursements relating to environmental, health or safety matters;
(B) defense and other responses to any administrative or judicial
action (including notices, claims, complaints, suits and other
assertions of liability) relating to environmental, health or
safety matters; and (C) financial responsibility for (x) cleanup
costs and injunctive relief, including any Removal, Remedial or
Response actions, and natural resource damages, and (y) other
Environmental Laws compliance or remedial measures.
As used herein, the term
“ Hazardous Substance ” means any
“hazardous substance” and any “pollutant or
contaminant” as those terms are defined in the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as
amended (“ CERCLA ”); any
“hazardous waste” as that term is defined in the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“ RCRA
”); and any “hazardous material” as that term is
defined in the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C.
§ 1801 et seq .), as amended (including as those
terms are further defined, construed, or otherwise used in rules,
regulations, standards, orders, guidelines, directives, and
publications issued pursuant to, or otherwise in implementation of,
said Laws); and including, without limitation, any petroleum
product or byproduct, solvent, flammable or explosive material,
radioactive material, asbestos, lead paint, polychlorinated
biphenyls (or PCBs), dioxins, dibenzofurans, heavy metals, radon
gas, mold, mold spores, and mycotoxins.
As used herein, the term
“ Release ” means any spilling, leaking,
pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting,
escaping, leaching, dumping, placing, discarding, abandonment, or
disposing into the environment (including the placing, discarding
or abandonment of any barrel, container or other receptacle
containing any Hazardous Substance or other material).
As used herein, the term
“ Removal, Remedial or Response ” actions
include the types of activities covered by CERCLA, RCRA, and other
comparable Environmental Laws, and whether such activities are
those which might be taken by a Governmental Entity or those which
a Governmental Entity or any other person might seek to require of
waste generators, handlers, distributors, processors, users,
storers, treaters, owners, operators, transporters, recyclers,
reusers, disposers, or other persons under “removal,”
“remedial,” or other “response”
actions.
(o) Taxes . Except as
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Effect: the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries (i) have prepared in good faith and duly and timely
filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to
file) all Tax Returns (as defined below) required to be filed by
any of them and all such filed Tax Returns are complete and
accurate in all material respects; and (ii) have paid all Taxes (as
defined below) that are required to be paid or that the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries are obligated to withhold from amounts
owing to any employee, creditor or third party, except
with
-25-
respect to matters contested in good
faith or for which adequate reserves have been established. As of
the date hereof, except as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in an increase in Taxes
that is material to the Company, there are no audits, examinations,
investigations or other proceedings, in each case, pending or
threatened in writing, in respect of Taxes or Tax matters. The
Company has made available to Parent true and correct copies of the
United States federal income Tax Returns filed by the Company and
its Subsidiaries for each of the fiscal years ended December 31,
2003, 2002, 2001 and 2000. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries
has been a “distributing corporation” or
“controlled corporation” in any distribution occurring
during the last 30 months that was purported or intended to be
governed by Section 355 of the Code (or any similar provision of
state, local or foreign law).
As used in this Agreement,
(i) the term “ Tax ” (including, with
correlative meaning, the term “ Taxes ”)
includes all federal, state, local and foreign income, profits,
franchise, gross receipts, environmental, customs duty, capital
stock, severances, stamp, payroll, sales, employment, unemployment,
disability, use, property, withholding, excise, production, value
added, occupancy and other taxes, duties or assessments of any
nature whatsoever, together with all interest, penalties and
additions imposed with respect to such amounts and any interest in
respect of such penalties and additions, and (ii) the term “
Tax Return ” includes all returns and reports
(including elections, declarations, disclosures, schedules,
estimates and information returns) required to be supplied to a Tax
authority relating to Taxes.
(p) Labor Matters .
Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or
otherwise bound by any collective bargaining agreement or other
Contract with a labor union or labor organization, nor (except for
proceedings involving individual employees arising in the ordinary
course of business) is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries the
subject of any material proceeding asserting that the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries has committed an unfair labor practice or
seeking to compel it to bargain with any labor union or labor
organization. There is not pending or, to the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, threatened, nor has there been for the
past five years, any labor strike, dispute, walk-out, work
stoppage, slow-down or lockout involving more than 100 employees of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. To the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, there are no organizational efforts with
respect to the formation of a collective bargaining unit presently
being made or threatened involving more than 100 employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(q) Intellectual Property
and IT Assets . Except for such matters as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) All patents, patent
applications, trademark and copyright registrations and
applications for registration, and Internet domain name
registrations claimed to be owned by the Company are owned
exclusively by the Company and are valid, subsisting and, to the
knowledge of the officers of the Company, enforceable.
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(ii) The Company and/or each
of its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed or otherwise possesses
legally enforceable rights to use, all Intellectual Property
necessary to conduct the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as currently conducted, all of which rights shall
survive unchanged the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereunder.
(iii) The conduct of the
business as currently conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries
and for the three (3) year period immediately preceding the date of
this Agreement does not and did not infringe, misappropriate or
otherwise violate the Intellectual Property rights of any third
Person. There is no claim, action or proceeding asserted, or to the
knowledge of the officers of the Company threatened, against the
Company or its Subsidiaries or any indemnities thereof concerning
the ownership, validity, registerability, enforceability,
infringement, use or licensed right to use any Intellectual
Property claimed to be owned or held by the Company or its
Subsidiaries or used or alleged to be used in the business of the
Company or its Subsidiaries.
(iv) To the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, no third Person has for the three (3) year
period immediately preceding the date of this Agreement infringed,
misappropriated or otherwise violated the Intellectual Property
rights of the Company or its Subsidiaries. There are no claims,
actions or proceedings asserted or threatened by the Company, or
decided by the Company to be asserted or threatened, that (A) a
third Person infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or
for the three (3) year period immediately preceding the date of
this Agreement infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated,
the Intellectual Property rights of the Company or its
Subsidiaries; or (B) a third Person’s
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