|
Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION COPY
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
by and among
CNET NETWORKS,
INC.,
CBS CORPORATION
and
TEN ACQUISITION
CORP.
Dated as of May 15,
2008
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Page |
|
|
ARTICLE I |
|
|
|
|
DEFINITIONS |
|
|
|
Section 1.01
|
|
Definitions |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE II |
|
|
|
|
THE OFFER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 2.01
|
|
The
Offer |
|
11 |
|
Section 2.02
|
|
Actions
of Parent and Purchaser |
|
13 |
|
Section 2.03
|
|
Actions
by the Company |
|
14 |
|
Section 2.04
|
|
Board of
Directors |
|
15 |
|
Section 2.05
|
|
Actions
by Directors |
|
17 |
|
Section 2.06
|
|
Top-Up
Option |
|
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE III |
|
|
|
|
THE MERGER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 3.01
|
|
Merger |
|
18 |
|
Section 3.02
|
|
Charter
and Bylaws |
|
18 |
|
Section 3.03
|
|
Effective
Time of the Merger |
|
19 |
|
Section 3.04
|
|
Closing |
|
19 |
|
Section 3.05
|
|
Directors
and Officers of the Surviving Corporation |
|
19 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IV |
|
|
|
|
EFFECTS OF THE MERGER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 4.01
|
|
Effects
of the Merger on Company Securities |
|
19 |
|
Section 4.02
|
|
Effects
of the Merger on Purchaser Securities |
|
21 |
|
Section 4.03
|
|
Payment
of Merger Consideration; Stock Transfer Books |
|
21 |
|
Section 4.04
|
|
Company
Dissenting Shares |
|
23 |
|
Section 4.05
|
|
Withholding Rights |
|
23 |
|
Section 4.06
|
|
Adjustments to Prevent Dilution |
|
24 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE V |
|
|
|
|
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 5.01
|
|
Organization and Qualification; Authority |
|
24 |
|
Section 5.02
|
|
Company
Subsidiaries |
|
25 |
|
Section 5.03
|
|
Capitalization |
|
25 |
|
Section 5.04
|
|
Authority; Validity and Effect of Agreements |
|
27 |
|
Section 5.05
|
|
No
Conflict; Required Filings and Consents |
|
27 |
|
Section 5.06
|
|
Permits;
Compliance with Laws |
|
28 |
|
Section 5.07
|
|
SEC
Filings; Financial Statements |
|
29 |
|
Section 5.08
|
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events |
|
31 |
|
Section 5.09
|
|
Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities |
|
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Page |
|
Section 5.10
|
|
Absence
of Litigation |
|
31 |
|
Section 5.11
|
|
Employee
Benefit Plans |
|
31 |
|
Section 5.12
|
|
Information Supplied |
|
34 |
|
Section 5.13
|
|
Intellectual Property |
|
34 |
|
Section 5.14
|
|
Taxes |
|
36 |
|
Section 5.15
|
|
Environmental Matters |
|
37 |
|
Section 5.16
|
|
Material
Contracts |
|
37 |
|
Section 5.17
|
|
Real
Property |
|
38 |
|
Section 5.18
|
|
Interested Party Transactions |
|
39 |
|
Section 5.19
|
|
Brokers |
|
39 |
|
Section 5.20
|
|
Opinion
of Financial Advisor |
|
39 |
|
Section 5.21
|
|
Amendment
of Rights Plan |
|
39 |
|
Section 5.22
|
|
Anti-Takeover Provisions |
|
39 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VI |
|
|
|
|
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER
PARTIES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 6.01
|
|
Organization |
|
40 |
|
Section 6.02
|
|
Ownership
of Purchaser; No Prior Activities |
|
40 |
|
Section 6.03
|
|
Authority; Validity and Effect of Agreements |
|
40 |
|
Section 6.04
|
|
No
Conflict; Required Filings and Consents |
|
41 |
|
Section 6.05
|
|
Information Supplied |
|
41 |
|
Section 6.06
|
|
Absence
of Litigation |
|
41 |
|
Section 6.07
|
|
Availability of Funds |
|
42 |
|
Section 6.08
|
|
No
Ownership of Company Capital Stock |
|
42 |
|
Section 6.09
|
|
Other
Agreements or Understandings |
|
42 |
|
Section 6.10
|
|
Brokers |
|
42 |
|
Section 6.11
|
|
No
Additional Representations |
|
42 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VII |
|
|
|
|
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 7.01
|
|
Conduct
of Business by the Company Pending the Merger |
|
42 |
|
Section 7.02
|
|
Conduct
of Business by Buyer Parties Pending the Merger |
|
46 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VIII |
|
|
|
|
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 8.01
|
|
Company
Proxy/Information Statement; Other Filings; Stockholders’
Meeting |
|
46 |
|
Section 8.02
|
|
Access to
Information; Confidentiality |
|
48 |
|
Section 8.03
|
|
Solicitation |
|
49 |
|
Section 8.04
|
|
Employee
Benefits Matters |
|
50 |
|
Section 8.05
|
|
Section
16 Matters |
|
52 |
|
Section 8.06
|
|
Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification and
Insurance of the Surviving Corporation |
|
53 |
|
Section 8.07
|
|
Further
Action; Commercially Reasonable Efforts |
|
54 |
|
Section 8.08
|
|
State
Takeover Laws |
|
55 |
|
Section 8.09
|
|
Public
Announcements |
|
55 |
ii
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Page |
|
Section 8.10
|
|
Notification of Certain Matters |
|
55 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IX |
|
|
|
|
CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 9.01
|
|
Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party |
|
55 |
|
Section 9.02
|
|
Conditions to the Obligations of the Company |
|
56 |
|
Section 9.03
|
|
Frustration of Conditions |
|
56 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE X |
|
|
|
|
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER |
|
|
|
Section 10.01
|
|
Termination |
|
56 |
|
Section 10.02
|
|
Effect of
Termination |
|
58 |
|
Section 10.03
|
|
Fees and
Expenses |
|
58 |
|
Section 10.04
|
|
Waiver |
|
59 |
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE XI |
|
|
|
|
GENERAL PROVISIONS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 11.01
|
|
Non-Survival of Representations and Warranties |
|
59 |
|
Section 11.02
|
|
Notices |
|
59 |
|
Section 11.03
|
|
Severability |
|
60 |
|
Section 11.04
|
|
Amendment |
|
60 |
|
Section 11.05
|
|
Entire
Agreement; Assignment |
|
61 |
|
Section 11.06
|
|
Performance Guaranty |
|
61 |
|
Section 11.07
|
|
Specific
Performance |
|
61 |
|
Section 11.08
|
|
Parties
in Interest |
|
61 |
|
Section 11.09
|
|
Governing
Law; Forum |
|
61 |
|
Section 11.10
|
|
Waiver of
Jury Trial |
|
62 |
|
Section 11.11
|
|
Headings |
|
62 |
|
Section 11.12
|
|
Counterparts |
|
62 |
|
Section 11.13
|
|
Waiver |
|
62 |
|
|
|
|
Exhibit A
|
|
Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation |
|
|
|
Exhibit B
|
|
Bylaws of
the Surviving Corporation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annex I
|
|
Conditions to the Offer |
|
|
iii
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered
into as of May 15, 2008, by and among CNET Networks, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), CBS
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ Parent
”), and Ten Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and
wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“ Purchaser ”
and, together with Parent, the “ Buyer Parties
”).
WHEREAS, the respective
boards of directors of Parent, Purchaser and the Company have each
approved the acquisition of the Company by Parent on the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, on the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, Purchaser has agreed to
commence a tender offer (such tender offer, as it may be amended
and supplemented from time to time as permitted under this
Agreement, the “ Offer ”) to purchase all
outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of
the Company (the “ Company Common Shares ”), at
a price of $11.50 per Company Common Share, in cash without
interest (such price, or any higher price as may be paid in the
Offer in accordance with this Agreement, the “ Offer
Price ”), subject to any applicable withholding of
Taxes;
WHEREAS, following the
consummation of the Offer, the parties intend that Purchaser will
be merged with and into the Company (the “ Merger
”), with the Company surviving the Merger as a wholly owned
subsidiary of Parent in accordance with the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware (the “ DGCL ”), and
each Company Common Share that is not tendered and accepted
pursuant to the Offer, except for certain Company Common Shares as
provided in Section 4.01 , will thereupon be cancelled
and converted into the right to receive cash in an amount equal to
the Offer Price, on the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth herein;
WHEREAS, the board of
directors of the Company has unanimously (i) determined that
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including
the Offer and the Merger, are advisable, fair to and in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders, (ii) adopted
resolutions approving and declaring the advisability of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Offer and the Merger, and (iii) on the terms and subject to
the terms set forth herein, adopted resolutions recommending that
the stockholders of the Company accept the Offer, tender their
Company Common Shares pursuant to the Offer, and, if required by
applicable Law, adopt this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the Merger; and
WHEREAS, the respective
boards of directors of Parent and Purchaser have approved this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Offer and the Merger.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing premises and the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein, as well as
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound
hereby, Parent, Purchaser and the Company hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01
Definitions .
(a) For purposes of this
Agreement:
“ Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement ” means a confidentiality
agreement that contains provisions that are no less favorable to
the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality
Agreement.
“ Action ”
means any claim, action, suit, proceeding, arbitration, mediation,
inquiry or investigation.
“ Affiliate
” or “ affiliate ” of a specified person
means a person who, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with such specified person; provided ,
however , that, with respect to either Parent or Purchaser,
“Affiliate” or “affiliate” means any other
Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries is controlled by Parent.
“ beneficial
owner ” or “ beneficial ownership ”,
or phrases of similar meaning, with respect to any Company Common
Shares, has the meaning ascribed to such term under Rule 13d-3(a)
promulgated under the Exchange Act.
“ Business Day
” or “ business day ” means any day on
which the principal offices of the SEC in Washington, D.C. are open
to accept filings and on which banks are not required or authorized
to close in New York, New York.
“ Code ”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“ Company
Acquisition Proposal ” means any proposal or offer for,
whether in one transaction or a series of related transactions, any
(a) merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving the
Company or any Company Subsidiary that would constitute a
“significant subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of
Regulation S-X, but substituting 15% for references to 10%
therein), (b) sale or other disposition, directly or
indirectly, by merger, consolidation, share exchange or any similar
transaction, of any assets of the Company or any Company Subsidiary
representing 15% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries, (c) issuance, sale or other
disposition by the Company of (including by way of merger,
consolidation, share exchange or any similar transaction)
securities (or options, rights or warrants to purchase, or
securities convertible into such securities) representing 15% or
more of the outstanding voting interests in the Company,
(d) tender offer or exchange offer in which any Person or
“group” (as such term is defined under the Exchange
Act) offers to acquire beneficial ownership (as such term is
defined in Rule 13d-3(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act), or
the right to acquire beneficial ownership, of 15% or more of the
outstanding Company Common Shares, or (e) transaction which is
similar in form, substance or purpose to any of the
foregoing
2
transactions; provided ,
however , that the term “Company Acquisition
Proposal” shall not include (i) the Transactions or
(ii) any merger, consolidation, business combination, share
exchange, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction
solely among the Company and one or more Company Subsidiaries or
among Company Subsidiaries.
“ Company Bylaws
” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as in
effect immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time.
“ Company
Charter ” means the Restated Certificate of Incorporation
of the Company, as in effect immediately prior to the Merger
Effective Time.
“ Company Disclosure
Schedule ” means the disclosure schedule delivered by the
Company to Parent concurrently with the execution of this
Agreement.
“ Company Stock
Option ” means an option to purchase Company Common
Shares issued pursuant to any Incentive Plan or otherwise issued by
the Company.
“ Company Superior
Proposal ” means any bona fide written offer, obtained
after the date hereof and not in breach of this Agreement, to
acquire, directly or indirectly, for consideration consisting of
cash and/or securities, ninety percent (90%) or more of the
equity securities of the Company or all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, which offer is on terms that the Company Board
determines in its good faith judgment (after consultation with its
financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation and outside
counsel), taking into account all relevant factors, (A) would,
if consummated, result in a transaction that is more favorable to
the holders of Company Common Shares from a financial point of view
than the Transactions (including the terms of any proposal by the
Parent to modify the terms of the Transactions) and (B) is
reasonably capable of being completed on the terms
proposed.
“ control
” (including the terms “ controlled by ”
and “ under common control with ”) means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether
through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor,
by contract or credit arrangement or otherwise.
“ Employee Stock
Purchase Plan ” means the Company’s 1996 Employee
Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.
“ Environmental
Law ” means any Law relating to the environment or
natural resources, or to the safety or health of human beings or
other living organisms (with respect to exposure to Hazardous
Substances), including the manufacture, distribution in commerce
and use or Release of Hazardous Substances.
“ Exchange Act
” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
“ GAAP ”
means generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the
United States.
3
“ Governmental
Authority ” means any foreign or domestic national,
state, provincial, municipal or local government, governmental,
regulatory or administrative authority, agency, instrumentality or
commission or any court, tribunal, or judicial or arbitral
body.
“ Hazardous
Substances ” means any pollutant, contaminant, hazardous
substance, hazardous waste, medical waste, special waste, toxic
substance, petroleum or petroleum-derived substance, waste or
additive, radioactive material, or other compound, element,
material or substance in any form whatsoever (including products)
regulated, restricted or addressed by or under any applicable
Environmental Law.
“ Incentive
Plans ” means all employee, director or executive share
option or compensation plans or arrangements of the
Company.
“ Intellectual
Property ” means all worldwide intellectual property
rights, including: (a) patents, patent applications and
invention registrations of any type, (b) trademarks, service
marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, service names,
d/b/a’s, corporate names, internet domain names and other
source identifiers, together with the goodwill associated with the
foregoing, and all registrations and applications for registration
of the foregoing, (c) copyrightable works, copyrights, and
registrations and applications for registration and rights of
renewal thereof, and (d) confidential and proprietary
information, including trade secrets and know-how (collectively,
“ Trade Secrets ”).
“ knowledge of the
Company ” or “ knowledge ” when used
in reference to the Company means the actual knowledge of those
individuals listed on Section 1.01(a)(i) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule.
“ Law ”
means any national, state, provincial, municipal or local statute,
law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, executive order,
injunction, judgment, decree or other order.
“ Liens ”
means with respect to any asset (including any security), any
mortgage, claim, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or
encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means, with respect to the Company, any effect,
event, occurrence, development, state of facts or change that,
individually or in the aggregate with all other effects, events,
occurrences, developments, state of facts or changes, is materially
adverse to the business, assets, liabilities (contingent or
otherwise), results of operations or financial condition of the
Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than
any effect, event, occurrence, development, state of facts or
change arising out of or resulting from (a) any changes in the
market price or trading volume of Company Common Shares (
provided that this clause (a) shall not preclude any
effect, event, occurrence, development, state of facts or change
that may have contributed to or caused such changes from being
taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect
has occurred), (b) changes in conditions in the U.S. or global
economy or capital or financial markets generally, including
changes in interest or exchange rates (except to the extent that
the Company or such Company Subsidiary is disproportionately
adversely affected relative to other participants in the industries
in which the Company or such Company Subsidiary participates),
(c) changes in general legal, tax, regulatory, political or
business conditions in the countries in which the Company or such
Company
4
Subsidiary does business (except to the
extent the Company or such Company Subsidiary is disproportionately
adversely affected relative to other participants in the industries
in which the Company or such Company Subsidiary participates in
such countries), (d) general market or economic conditions in
the industries in which the Company or any Company Subsidiary
participates (except to the extent that the Company or such Company
Subsidiary is disproportionately adversely affected relative to
other participants in such industries), (e) changes in Law
following the date hereof, (f) changes in GAAP or other
accounting standards following the date hereof, (g) the
negotiation, execution, announcement, pendency or performance of
this Agreement or the Transactions or the consummation of the
Transactions, including the impact thereof on relationships,
contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, vendors,
lenders, investors or employees (it being understood that any legal
or contractual consequences (other than any legal or contractual
consequences contemplated in this Agreement or the Company
Disclosure Schedule) of the execution of this Agreement or the
consummation of the Transactions shall not be precluded by this
clause (g) from being taken into account in determining
whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred), (h) acts of
war, armed hostilities, sabotage or terrorism, or any escalation or
worsening of any such acts of war, armed hostilities, sabotage or
terrorism threatened or underway as of the date of this Agreement
(except to the extent the Company or such Company Subsidiary is
disproportionately adversely affected relative to other
participants in the industries in which the Company or such Company
Subsidiary participates), (i) earthquakes, hurricanes, floods,
or other natural disasters (except to the extent the Company or
such Company Subsidiary is disproportionately adversely affected
relative to other participants in the industries in which the
Company or such Company Subsidiary participates), (j) changes
in any analyst’s recommendation, any financial strength
rating or any other recommendation or rating as to the Company or
any Company Subsidiary, including, in and of itself, any failure to
meet analyst projections ( provided that this clause
(j) shall not preclude any effect, event, occurrence,
development, state of facts or change that may have contributed to
or caused such changes from being taken into account in determining
whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred), (k) the
failure, in and of itself, of the Company to meet any expected or
projected financial or operating performance target publicly
announced prior to the date of this Agreement, as well as any
change, in and of itself, by the Company in any expected or
projected financial or operating performance target as compared
with any target publicly announced prior to the date of this
Agreement ( provided that this clause (k) shall not
preclude any effect, event, occurrence, development, state of facts
or change that may have contributed to or caused such changes from
being taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse
Effect has occurred), (l) any action by Parent or any of its
Affiliates or the omission of an action that was required to be
taken by Parent or any of its Affiliates, or (m) any action
taken by the Company at the request or with the consent of any of
the Buyer Parties.
“ NASD ”
means the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
“ Other Filings
” means any document, other than the Proxy/Information
Statement, to be filed with the SEC in connection with this
Agreement.
“ Parent Material
Adverse Effect ” means any effect, event, development or
change that would reasonably be expected to prevent, or materially
hinder or delay, Parent or Purchaser from consummating any of the
Transactions.
5
“ Permitted
Liens ” means (a) Liens for Taxes and other
governmental charges and assessments that are not yet due and
payable and Liens for Taxes and other governmental charges and
assessments being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings ( provided , in each case, an appropriate
reserve has been made in the Company Financial Statements),
(b) inchoate mechanics’, workmen’s,
repairmen’s, warehousemen’s, carriers’ and
materialmen’s Liens securing payments not due and payable or
payments that are being contested in good faith that are incurred
in the ordinary course of the business of the Company or any
Company Subsidiary, (c) zoning restrictions, survey
exceptions, utility easements, rights of way and similar Liens that
are imposed by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction
thereof or otherwise are typical for the applicable property type
and locality and, in each case, do not detract from the use, value
or operation of the property subject thereto, (d) interests of
any lessor or lessee to any leased property that are reflected in
the Company SEC Reports, (e) non-exclusive licenses of
Intellectual Property, (f) transfer restrictions imposed by
applicable securities Laws and (g) Liens set forth in
Section 1.01(a)(ii) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule.
“ person ”
or “ Person ” means an individual, corporation,
partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company,
syndicate, person (including a “person” as defined in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), trust, association,
entity or Governmental Authority, but shall exclude the Company
Subsidiaries.
“ Release
” means any release, pumping, pouring, emptying, injecting,
escaping, leaching, migrating, dumping, seepage, spill, leak, flow,
discharge or emission.
“ Rights
Agreement ” means the Rights Agreement, dated as of
January 11, 2008, by and between the Company and Computershare
Trust Company, N.A.
“ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933.
“ Software
” means any and all computer programs, whether in source code
or object code; databases and compilations, whether machine
readable or otherwise; descriptions, flow-charts and other work
product used to design, plan, organize and develop any of the
foregoing; and all documentation including user manuals and other
training documentation related to any of the foregoing.
“ subsidiary
” or “ subsidiaries ” of the Company,
Parent or any other person means a corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, joint venture or other organization of which:
(a) such person or any other subsidiary of such person is a
general partner (in the case of a partnership) or managing member
(in the case of a limited liability company), (b) voting power
to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing
similar functions with respect to such organization is held by such
person or by any one or more of such person’s subsidiaries or
(c) at least 50% of the equity interests is controlled by such
person.
“ Tax ” or
“ Taxes ” means any federal, state, local, or
foreign income, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment,
excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits,
environmental, customs duties, capital stock, franchise, profits,
withholding, social security, unemployment, disability, real
property, personal property, sales, use, transfer, registration,
value added, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated or other tax
of any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalty or addition
thereto, whether disputed or not.
6
“ Tax Return
” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or
information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any
schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment
thereof.
“ Technology
” means, collectively, designs, formulae, algorithms,
procedures, methods, techniques, ideas, know-how, Software, tools,
data, inventions, apparatus, creations, improvements, works of
authorship and other similar materials, and all recordings, graphs,
drawings, reports, analyses, and other writings, and any other
embodiments of the above, in any form whether or not specifically
listed herein, and all related technology, that are used,
incorporated or embodied in or displayed by any of the foregoing or
used in the design, development, reproduction, sale, marketing,
maintenance or modification of any of the foregoing.
“ Termination
Fee ” means Thirty Five Million Dollars
($35,000,000).
“ Transactions
” means the Offer, the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“ Voting Debt
” shall mean bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness
having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for,
securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which
holders of equity interests in the Company or any Company
Subsidiary may vote.
(b) The following terms have
the meaning set forth in the Sections set forth below:
|
|
|
|
Defined Term
|
|
Location of Definition
|
|
Acceptance Time
|
|
Section 2.04(a) |
|
Adverse Recommendation Change
|
|
Section 8.03(c) |
|
Agreement
|
|
Preamble |
|
Buyer Parties
|
|
Preamble |
|
Certificate of Merger
|
|
Section 3.03 |
|
Closing
|
|
Section 3.04 |
|
Closing Date
|
|
Section 3.04 |
|
Company
|
|
Preamble |
|
Company Board
|
|
Section 2.03(a) |
|
Company Board Recommendation
|
|
Section 2.03(a) |
|
Company Common Share
Certificates
|
|
Section 4.03(c) |
|
Company Common Shares
|
|
Recitals |
|
Company Dissenting Shares
|
|
Section 4.04 |
|
Company Employees
|
|
Section 8.04(a) |
|
Company Financial Advisor
|
|
Section 2.03(a) |
|
Company Financial Statements
|
|
Section 5.07(b) |
|
Company Intellectual Property
|
|
Section 5.13(a) |
7
|
|
|
|
Defined Term
|
|
Location of Definition
|
| Company
Material Contract |
|
Section 5.16(a) |
| Company
Paying Agent |
|
Section 4.03(a) |
| Company
Preferred Shares |
|
Section 5.03(a) |
| Company SEC
Reports |
|
Section 5.07(a) |
| Company
Stockholder Approval |
|
Section 5.04 |
| Company
Stockholders |
|
Section 2.03(a) |
| Company
Stockholders’ Meeting |
|
Section 8.01(d) |
| Company
Subsidiaries |
|
Section 5.02(a) |
| Confidentiality Agreement |
|
Section 8.02(c) |
| Continuing
Directors |
|
Section 2.04(a) |
| Converted
Option |
|
Section 4.01(c) |
| Delaware
Courts |
|
Section 11.09(b) |
| DGCL |
|
Recitals |
| D&O
Insurance |
|
Section 8.06(b) |
| ERISA |
|
Section 5.11(a) |
| ERISA
Affiliate |
|
Section 5.11(e) |
| Excluded
Party |
|
Section 8.03(b) |
| Executive
Plan |
|
Section 8.04(c) |
| Extended
Expiration Date |
|
Section 2.01(d) |
| FCPA |
|
Section 5.07(f) |
| Foreign
Plan |
|
Section 5.11(k) |
| Governmental
Order |
|
Section 10.01(c) |
| HSR
Act |
|
Section 5.05(b) |
| Indemnified
Parties |
|
Section 8.06(a) |
| Independent
Directors |
|
Section 2.04(b) |
| Initial
Expiration Date |
|
Section 2.01(d) |
| IRS |
|
Section 5.11(a) |
| Inquiry |
|
Section 8.03(a) |
| Merger |
|
Recitals |
| Merger
Consideration |
|
Section 4.01(b) |
| Merger
Effective Time |
|
Section 3.03 |
| Merger
Shares |
|
Section 4.01(b) |
| Minimum
Condition |
|
Annex I |
| Nasdaq |
|
Section 5.05(b) |
| New
Plans |
|
Section 8.04(b) |
| Non-Executive Plan |
|
Section 8.04(c) |
| Offer |
|
Recitals |
| Offer
Commencement Date |
|
Section 2.01(a) |
| Offer
Conditions |
|
Section 2.01(b) |
| Offer
Documents |
|
Section 2.02(a) |
| Offer
Price |
|
Recitals |
| Old
Plans |
|
Section 8.04(b) |
| Option
Ratio |
|
Section 4.01(c) |
| Outside
Date |
|
Section 10.01(b) |
| Owned
Company Intellectual Property |
|
Section 5.13(a) |
8
|
|
|
|
Defined Term
|
|
Location of Definition
|
|
Parent
|
|
Preamble |
|
Parent Common Shares
|
|
Section 4.01(c) |
|
Permits
|
|
Section 5.06(a) |
|
Plans
|
|
Section 5.11(a) |
|
Pro-Rata Payments
|
|
Section 8.04(c) |
|
Proxy/Information Statement
|
|
Section 2.03(a) |
|
Purchaser
|
|
Preamble |
|
Regulatory Condition
|
|
Annex I |
|
Representatives
|
|
Section 8.03(a) |
|
Rights
|
|
Section 5.03(a) |
|
Rights Agreement
|
|
Section 5.03(a) |
|
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
|
|
Section 5.07(d) |
|
Schedule 14D-9
|
|
Section 2.03(b) |
|
SEC
|
|
Section 5.07(a) |
|
Section 16
|
|
Section 8.05 |
|
Section 262
|
|
Section 4.04 |
|
Solicited Person
|
|
Section 8.03(a) |
|
Surviving Corporation
|
|
Section 3.01 |
|
Surviving Corporation Fund
|
|
Section 4.03(a) |
|
Termination Date
|
|
Section 10.01 |
|
Top-Up Amount
|
|
Section 2.06(a) |
|
Top-Up Exercise Event
|
|
Section 2.06(b) |
|
Top-Up Option
|
|
Section 2.06(a) |
|
Trade Secrets
|
|
Section 1.01(a) |
|
Uncertificated Shares
|
|
Section 4.03(c) |
(c) The parties hereto agree
that they have been represented by counsel during the negotiation,
drafting, preparation and execution of this Agreement and,
therefore, waive the application of any Law or rule of construction
providing that ambiguities in an agreement or other document will
be construed against the party drafting such agreement or document.
In this Agreement, except to the extent otherwise provided or that
the context otherwise requires:
(1) when a reference is made
in this Agreement to an Article, Section, Annex, Exhibit or
Schedule, such reference is to an Article or Section of, or an
Annex, Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated;
(2) the table of contents and
headings for this Agreement are for reference purposes only and do
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement;
(3) whenever the words
“include,” “includes” or
“including” are used in this Agreement, they are deemed
to be followed by the words “without
limitation”;
9
(4) the words
“hereof,” “herein” and
“hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in
this Agreement, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular provision of this Agreement;
(5) references to any
statute, rule or regulation are to the statute, rule or regulation
as amended, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time
(and, in the case of statutes, include any rules and regulations
promulgated under said statutes) and to any section of any statute,
rule or regulation include any successor to said
section;
(6) all terms defined in this
Agreement have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or
other document made or delivered pursuant hereto, unless otherwise
defined therein;
(7) the definitions contained
in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the
plural forms of such terms;
(8) references to a person
are also to its successors and permitted assigns;
(9) the use of
“or” is not intended to be exclusive unless expressly
indicated otherwise;
(10) references to monetary
amounts are to the lawful currency of the United States;
(11) words importing the
singular include the plural and vice versa and words importing
gender include all genders;
(12) time is of the essence
in the performance of the parties’ respective obligations;
and
(13) time periods within or
following which any payment is to be made or act is to be done
shall be calculated by excluding the day on which the period
commences and including the day on which the period ends and by
extending the period to the next Business Day following if the last
day of the period is not a Business Day.
(d) It is understood and
agreed that (i) disclosure of any fact or item in any Section
of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed
with respect to any other applicable Section only to the extent it
is reasonably apparent from a reading of the disclosure that such
disclosure is applicable to such other Section, (ii) nothing
in the Company Disclosure Schedule is intended to broaden the scope
of any representation or warranty of the Company made herein and
(iii) neither the specifications of any dollar amount in this
Agreement nor the inclusion of any specific item in the Company
Disclosure Schedule is intended to imply that such amounts or
higher or lower amounts, or the items so included or other items,
are or are not material, and neither party shall use the fact of
setting of such amounts or the fact of the inclusion of such item
in the Company Disclosure Schedule in any dispute or controversy
between the parties as to whether any obligation, item or matter is
or is not material for purposes hereof.
10
ARTICLE II
THE OFFER
Section 2.01 The
Offer .
(a) Provided that
(i) none of the events set forth in paragraphs (b) and
(d) of Annex I to this Agreement shall have occurred
and be existing, (ii) the Company shall have complied with its
obligations under Section 2.03(c) and Section
2.03(d) and (iii) this Agreement shall not have
previously been validly terminated in accordance with
Section 10.01 , as promptly as reasonably practicable,
but in no event later than twelve (12) business days (as
defined in Rule 14d-1(g)(3) promulgated under the Exchange
Act) after the date of this Agreement, Parent shall cause Purchaser
to, and Purchaser shall, commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2
promulgated under the Exchange Act) the Offer for all of the
outstanding Company Common Shares (other than Company Common Shares
described in Section 4.01(a) ) for a price per Company
Common Share equal to the Offer Price (as adjusted as provided in
Section 2.01(f) ). The date on which Purchaser
commences the Offer, within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 promulgated
under the Exchange Act, is referred to in this Agreement as the
“ Offer Commencement Date ”.
(b) As promptly as
practicable on the later of: (i) the earliest date as of which
Purchaser is permitted under applicable Law to accept for payment
Company Common Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer and
(ii) the earliest date as of which each of the conditions set
forth in Annex I (the “ Offer Conditions
”) shall have been satisfied or waived, Purchaser shall (and
Parent shall cause Purchaser to), except as contemplated by
Section 2.01(d)(iv) , accept for payment all Company
Common Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer (and not validly
withdrawn). The obligation of Purchaser to accept for payment
Company Common Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer shall be
subject only to the satisfaction or waiver of each of the Offer
Conditions (and shall not be subject to any other conditions).
Promptly after the acceptance for payment of any Company Common
Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer, Purchaser shall pay for such
Company Common Shares.
(c) Parent and Purchaser
expressly reserve the right to increase the Offer Price, waive any
Offer Condition or amend, modify or supplement any of the Offer
Conditions or terms of the Offer. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, neither Parent nor Purchaser
shall (without the prior written consent of the
Company):
(i) change or waive the
Minimum Condition (as defined in Annex I );
(ii) decrease the number of
Company Common Shares sought to be purchased by Purchaser in the
Offer;
(iii) reduce the Offer
Price;
(iv) extend or otherwise
change the expiration date of the Offer (except to the extent
permitted or required pursuant to Section 2.01(d)
);
11
(v) change the form of
consideration payable in the Offer; or
(vi) amend, modify or
supplement any of the Offer Conditions or terms of the Offer in a
manner that adversely affects, or would reasonably be expected to
adversely affect, the holders of Company Common Shares.
(d) Unless extended as
provided in this Agreement, the Offer shall expire on the date (the
“ Initial Expiration Date ”) that is twenty
(20) business days (calculated as set forth in Rule
14d-1(g)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act ) after the Offer
Commencement Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(i) Purchaser shall extend the Offer for any period required
by any rule, regulation, interpretation or position of the SEC or
its staff or Nasdaq that is applicable to the Offer;
provided , that in no event shall Purchaser be required to
extend the Offer beyond the Outside Date, (ii) if, on the
Initial Expiration Date or any subsequent date as of which the
Offer is scheduled to expire (an “ Extended Expiration
Date ”), the Minimum Condition or the Regulatory
Condition is not satisfied, then, to the extent requested in
writing by the Company no less than two (2) business days
prior to the applicable expiration date, Purchaser shall extend the
Offer for one or more periods ending no later than the Outside
Date, to permit either of such Offer Conditions to be satisfied;
provided , that no individual extension shall be for a
period of more than ten (10) business days and,
provided further that Purchaser shall not be required
to extend the Offer under this clause (ii) to a date beyond
the date which is twenty (20) business days after the date on
which the Regulatory Condition is satisfied, (iii) if, on the
Initial Expiration Date or any Extended Expiration Date, any Offer
Condition is not satisfied and this Agreement has not been
terminated in accordance with its terms, Purchaser may, in its
discretion, extend the Offer for one or more periods, (iv) if
the Company shall have requested in writing no less than two
(2) business days prior to the Initial Expiration Date,
Purchaser shall extend the Offer for the period of time stated in
the Company’s written request (which period shall not exceed
ten (10) business days beyond the Initial Expiration Date)
notwithstanding the satisfaction or waiver of all of the Offer
Conditions on or prior to the Initial Expiration Date and
(v) Purchaser may, in its discretion, elect to provide for a
subsequent offering period (and one or more extensions thereof) in
accordance with Rule 14d-11 promulgated under the Exchange Act
following the Acceptance Time, and, if immediately following the
Acceptance Time, Parent, Purchaser and their respective
Subsidiaries and Affiliates own more than 80% but less than 90% of
the Company Common Shares outstanding at that time (which shares
beneficially owned shall include shares tendered in the Offer and
not withdrawn), to the extent reasonably requested by the Company,
Purchaser shall provide for a subsequent offering period of at
least ten (10) business days. Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Offer, Parent shall
cause Purchaser to, and Purchaser shall, accept for payment and pay
for all Company Common Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn
during such subsequent offering period as promptly as practicable
after any such Company Common Shares are tendered during such
subsequent offering period and in any event in compliance with Rule
14e-1(c) promulgated under the Exchange Act.
(e) The Offer may be
terminated prior to its expiration date (as such expiration date
may be extended and re-extended in accordance with this Agreement),
but only if this Agreement is validly terminated in accordance with
Section 10.01 .
12
(f) The Offer Price shall be
adjusted to the extent appropriate to reflect the effect of any
stock split, division or subdivision of shares, stock dividend,
reverse stock split, consolidation of shares, reclassification,
recapitalization or other similar transaction with respect to
Company Common Shares occurring or having a record date on or after
the date of this Agreement and prior to the payment by Purchaser
for the Company Common Shares; provided that this subsection
(f) shall not affect or supersede the provisions of
Section 5.01(b) hereof.
Section 2.02 Actions
of Parent and Purchaser .
(a) On the Offer Commencement
Date, Parent and Purchaser shall: (i) cause to be filed with
the SEC a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO with respect to the
Offer, which will contain Purchaser’s offer to purchase and
related letter of transmittal (the forms of which shall be
reasonably acceptable to the Company) and the related form of
summary advertisement (such Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO
and all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto being referred
to collectively in this Agreement as the “ Offer
Documents ”) and (ii) cause the Offer Documents to
be disseminated to holders of Company Common Shares as required by
applicable Law.
(b) Parent and Purchaser
shall cause the Offer Documents to (i) comply in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and
(ii) not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided , however , that no covenant is made by
Parent or Purchaser with respect to information supplied by or on
behalf of the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference
in the Offer Documents.
(c) The Company and its
counsel shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review and
comment on the Offer Documents (including any amendment or
supplement thereto) prior to the filing thereof with the SEC.
Parent and Purchaser shall (i) promptly provide the Company
and its counsel with a copy of any written comments or a
description of any oral comments received by Parent or Purchaser
(or by counsel to Parent or Purchaser) from the SEC or its staff
with respect to the Offer Documents and (ii) give the Company
and its counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on
any response formulated in connection with such comments prior to
filing thereof with the SEC. Each of Parent and Purchaser shall
respond as promptly as practicable to any comments of the SEC or
its staff with respect to the Offer Documents or the
Offer.
(d) To the extent required by
the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act: (i) each of
Parent, Purchaser and the Company shall promptly correct any
information provided by it for use in the Offer Documents if such
information shall have become false or misleading in any material
respect and (ii) each of Parent and Purchaser shall take all
steps necessary to promptly cause the Offer Documents, as
supplemented or amended to correct such information, to be filed
with the SEC and to be disseminated to holders of Company Common
Shares.
(e) Parent shall cause to be
provided to Purchaser all of the funds necessary to purchase any
Company Common Shares that Purchaser becomes obligated to purchase
pursuant to the Offer, and shall cause Purchaser to perform, on a
timely basis, all of Purchaser’s obligations under this
Agreement.
13
Section 2.03 Actions
by the Company .
(a) The Company hereby
approves of and consents to the Offer and represents that the board
of directors of the Company (the “ Company Board
”), at a meeting duly called and held, unanimously duly
adopted resolutions (i) approving and declaring the
advisability of this Agreement, (ii) approving this Agreement
and the Transactions (such approval having been made in accordance
with the DGCL, including for purposes of Section 203 thereof),
(iii) determining this Agreement and the Transactions to be
advisable, fair to and in the best interests of the Company and the
stockholders of the Company (the “ Company
Stockholders ”) and (iv) recommending that, on the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company
Stockholders accept the Offer, tender their Company Common Shares
pursuant to the Offer and adopt this Agreement and the
Transactions, if required (the “ Company Board
Recommendation ”); provided , however ,
that the Company Board may withdraw, modify or amend the Company
Board Recommendation as provided by Section 8.03 . The
Company hereby consents to the inclusion in the Offer Documents of
the Company Board Recommendation to the extent such Company Board
Recommendation is not withheld or withdrawn in accordance with
Section 8.03 . To the extent the foregoing
recommendation has been amended or modified in accordance with
Section 8.03 , the Company hereby consents to the
inclusion of such recommendation, as so amended or modified, in the
Offer Documents. The Company also represents and warrants that
(A) the Company Board has received the opinion of Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated (the “ Company
Financial Advisor ”), dated the date of this Agreement,
to the effect that, as of such date, and subject to the various
assumptions and qualifications set forth therein, the consideration
to be received by the Company Stockholders in the Offer and the
Merger is fair to such holders from a financial point of view and
(B) the Company has obtained or will timely obtain all
necessary consents (including the authorization of the Company
Financial Advisor) to permit the inclusion of such opinion in its
entirety and references thereto in the Offer Documents, the
Schedule 14D-9 and the proxy statement or information statement
relating to the Merger (as amended, supplemented or modified, the
“ Proxy/Information Statement ”), subject to
prior review and consent by the Company Financial Advisor (such
consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed). The Company
has been advised by each of its directors and executive officers
that each such person intends to tender all Company Common Shares
owned by such person pursuant to the Offer and that the Offer
Documents may so state.
(b) On the Offer Commencement
Date, the Company shall file with the SEC and (contemporaneously
with the initial dissemination of the Offer Documents to holders of
Company Common Shares to the extent required by applicable federal
securities Laws) disseminate to holders of Company Common Shares a
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (together
with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Schedule
14D-9 ”) that, subject to Section 8.03 ,
shall contain the Company Board Recommendation. Except in
connection with an Adverse Recommendation Change made in accordance
with Section 8.03 , Parent and its counsel shall be
given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the
Schedule 14D-9 (including any amendment or supplement thereto)
prior to the filing thereof with the SEC. The Company shall:
(x) as promptly as reasonably practicable provide Parent and
its
14
counsel with a copy of any written
comments and a description of any oral comments received by the
Company (or its counsel) from the SEC or its staff with respect to
the Schedule 14D-9, (y) except with respect to any disclosure
made relating to an Adverse Recommendation Change in accordance
with Section 8.03 , give Parent and its counsel a
reasonable opportunity to review and comment on any response
formulated in connection with such comments prior to the filing
thereof with the SEC and (z) respond promptly to any such
comments. The Company agrees that the Schedule 14D-9 shall comply
in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act
and, on the date filed with the SEC and on the date first
published, sent or given to the Company Stockholders, shall not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; provided , that no
covenant is made by the Company with respect to information
supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Purchaser for inclusion or
incorporation by reference in the Schedule 14D-9. To the extent
required by the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act:
(A) each of Parent, Purchaser and the Company shall promptly
correct any information provided by it for use in the Schedule
14D-9 if such information shall have become false or misleading in
any material respect and (B) the Company shall take all steps
necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-9, as supplemented or amended
to correct such information, to be filed with the SEC and, if
required, to be disseminated to holders of Company Common Shares.
Parent and Purchaser shall promptly furnish to the Company all
information concerning Parent or Purchaser that may be reasonably
requested in connection with any action contemplated by this
Section 2.03(b) . To the extent requested by the
Company, Parent shall cause the Schedule 14D-9 to be mailed or
otherwise disseminated to the Company Stockholders together with
the Offer Documents disseminated to the Company
Stockholders.
(c) In connection with the
Offer, the Company shall instruct its transfer agent to furnish to
Purchaser a list, as of the most recent practicable date, of the
record holders of Company Common Shares and their addresses, as
well as mailing labels containing such names and addresses. The
Company will furnish Purchaser with such additional information
(including any security position listings in the Company’s
possession or reasonably obtainable by the Company) and assistance
as Purchaser may reasonably request for purposes of communicating
the Offer to the record holders and beneficial holders of Company
Common Shares. All information furnished in accordance with this
Section 2.03(c) shall be held in confidence by Parent
and Purchaser in accordance with the requirements of the
Confidentiality Agreement, and shall be used by Parent and
Purchaser only in connection with the communication of the Offer
and the dissemination of any Proxy/Information Statement relating
to the Merger to the holders of Company Common Shares.
(d) The Company shall as
promptly as reasonably practicable furnish to Parent and Purchaser
all information concerning the Company that may be required by
applicable securities Laws or reasonably requested by Parent or
Purchaser for inclusion in the Schedule TO and the Offer
Documents.
Section 2.04 Board of
Directors .
(a) After the first time that
Purchaser accepts for payment any Company Common Shares tendered
pursuant to the Offer (the “ Acceptance Time ”),
and at all times
15
thereafter, the Company will, upon
Parent’s request and subject to compliance with applicable
Law, take all actions reasonably necessary to cause persons
designated by Parent to become directors of the Company so that the
total number of such persons equals that number of directors,
rounded up to the next whole number, determined by multiplying:
(i) the total number of directors on the Company Board (after
giving effect to the directors elected or designated by Parent in
accordance with this Section 2.04(a) ) by (ii) the
percentage that the number of Company Common Shares beneficially
owned by Parent, Purchaser or any of their respective Affiliates
bears to the total number of Company Common Shares outstanding at
the Acceptance Time (determined on a fully-diluted basis but
disregarding any unvested stock option and other unvested rights to
acquire Company Common Shares). The Company will take all actions
reasonably necessary to permit Parent’s designees to be
elected to the Company Board in accordance with this Section
2.04(a) , including using commercially reasonable efforts to
secure the resignation of directors, promptly filling vacancies or
newly created directorships on the Company Board, increasing the
size of the Company Board, and/or amending the Company Bylaws;
provided , however , that prior to the Merger
Effective Time, the Company Board shall always have at least three
(3) Continuing Directors. Notwithstanding the proviso to the
preceding sentence, at all times from the election of
Parent’s designees in accordance with this
Section 2.04(a) through the Merger Effective Time,
Parent’s designees shall constitute a majority of the Company
Board. The Company shall, upon Parent’s request following the
Acceptance Time, and at all times thereafter, also cause persons
designated by Parent to constitute the same percentage (rounded up
to the next whole number) as is on the Company Board of
(i) each committee of the Company Board, (ii) each board
of directors (or similar body) of each Company Subsidiary and
(iii) each committee (or similar body) of each such board, in
each case, to the extent permitted by applicable Law and the rules
of Nasdaq. For purposes of this Section 2.04(a) , any
and all members of the Company Board immediately prior to the
Acceptance Time who remain on the Company Board after such
designation by Parent pursuant to this Section 2.04(a)
shall be referred to as “ Continuing Directors
”.
(b) In the event that
Parent’s designees are elected or appointed to the Company
Board pursuant to Section 2.04(a) hereof, until the
Merger Effective Time, the Company Board shall have at least such
number of directors as may be required by the Nasdaq Marketplace
Rules or the federal securities laws who are considered independent
directors within the meaning of such rules and laws (“
Independent Directors ”); provided ,
however , that in such event, if the number of Independent
Directors shall be reduced below the number of directors as may be
required by such rules or securities laws for any reason
whatsoever, the remaining Independent Director(s) shall be entitled
to designate persons to fill such vacancies who shall be deemed to
be Independent Directors for purposes of this Agreement or, if no
other Independent Director then remains, the other directors shall
designate such number of directors as may be required by the rules
of Nasdaq and the federal securities laws, to fill such vacancies
who shall not be stockholders or Affiliates of Parent or Purchaser,
and such Persons shall be deemed to be Independent Directors for
purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (b), at all times from the election of Parent’s
designees in accordance with Section 2.04(a) through
the Merger Effective Time, Parent’s designees shall
constitute a majority of the Company Board.
(c) The Company’s
obligation to cause Parent’s designees to be elected or
appointed to the Company Board shall be subject to
Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule
16
14f-1 thereunder. The Company shall
promptly take all actions, and shall include in the Schedule 14D-9
such information with respect to the Company and its officers and
directors, as Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1
thereunder require in order to fulfill its obligations under this
Section 2.04 , so long as Parent shall have timely
provided to the Company all information with respect to Parent and
its designees, officers, directors and Affiliates required by
Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 thereunder.
Parent shall promptly supply to the Company in writing, and shall
be solely responsible for, all such information.
Section 2.05 Actions
by Directors . Following the election or appointment of
Parent’s designees to the Company Board pursuant to
Section 2.04(a) , and until the Merger Effective Time,
the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors shall be
required to authorize: (a) any amendment to or termination of
this Agreement by the Company; (b) any amendment to the
Company Charter or Company Bylaws; (c) any extension of time
for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of
Parent or Purchaser; (d) any enforcement or waiver of
compliance with any covenant of Parent or Purchaser or any
condition to any obligation of the Company or any exercise,
enforcement or waiver of any right of the Company under this
Agreement; and (e) any other consent or action by the Company
or the Company Board with respect to this Agreement or any of the
Transactions. The authorization of any such matter by a majority of
the Continuing Directors shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable Law, constitute the authorization of such matter by the
Company Board, and no other action on the part of the Company or
any other director of the Company shall be required to authorize
such matter.
Section 2.06 Top-Up
Option .
(a) The Company hereby grants
to Purchaser an option, for so long as this Agreement has not been
terminated pursuant to Section 10.01 (the “
Top-Up Option ”), to purchase from the Company up to a
number of newly-issued Company Common Shares (such number of
Company Common Shares, the “ Top-Up Amount ”)
that, when added to the number of Company Common Shares owned by
Purchaser at the time of exercise of the Top-Up Option, constitutes
one (1) Company Common Share more than 90% of the number of
Company Common Shares that would be outstanding immediately after
the issuance of all Company Common Shares issued pursuant to the
Top-Up Option; provided that the Top-Up Option shall not be
exercisable unless (i) immediately prior to such exercise,
Purchaser owns a majority of the Company Common Shares then
outstanding on a fully diluted basis as a result of the
consummation of the Offer in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, and (ii) immediately after such exercise Purchaser
would own more than ninety percent (90%) of the Company Common
Shares then outstanding.
(b) Subject to there being no
statute, rule or regulation having been enacted or promulgated by
any Governmental Authority which prohibits the consummation of the
Merger and no order or injunction of a court of competent
jurisdiction in effect preventing consummation of the Top-Up Option
or the Merger, Purchaser may, in its sole discretion, exercise the
Top-Up Option, in whole but not in part, at any one time after the
occurrence of a Top-Up Exercise Event and prior to the Merger
Effective Time. For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Top-Up
Exercise Event ” shall occur if (i) the Acceptance
Date shall have occurred and (ii) the Company has a number of
authorized but unissued Company Common Shares at least equal
to
17
the Top-Up Amount. The aggregate
purchase price payable for the Company Common Shares being
purchased by Purchaser pursuant to the Top-Up Option shall be
payable, at the option of Parent, either in cash or by delivery of
a promissory note having a principal amount equal to such aggregate
purchase price. The aggregate amount payable to the Company in
respect of the Company Common Shares being purchased by Purchaser
pursuant to the Top-Up Option shall be determined by multiplying
the number of such Company Common Shares by the Offer
Price.
(c) In the event that
Purchaser wishes to exercise the Top-Up Option, Purchaser shall
deliver to the Company a notice setting forth (i) the number
of Company Common Shares that Purchaser intends to purchase
pursuant to the Top-Up Option, (ii) the place and time at
which the closing of the purchase of such Company Common Shares by
Purchaser is to take place and (iii) the form of payment for
the purchase of such Company Common Shares, as elected by Purchaser
in accordance with Section 2.06(b) . At the closing of
the purchase of such Company Common Shares, Purchaser shall cause
to be delivered to the Company the consideration required to be
delivered in exchange for such Company Common Shares, and the
Company shall cause to be issued to Purchaser a certificate
representing such Company Common Shares. The closing of the
purchase of the Company Common Shares issuable pursuant to
Purchaser’s exercise of the Top-Up Option shall occur within
three (3) Business Days following the notice delivered by
Purchaser in accordance with this Section 2.06(c)
.
ARTICLE III
THE MERGER
Section 3.01
Merger . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in this Agreement, at the Merger Effective Time, Purchaser
shall be merged with and into the Company and the separate
corporate existence of Purchaser 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. At the Merger Effective Time,
the effect of the Merger shall be as provided in this Agreement,
the Certificate of Merger and the applicable provisions of the
DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject
thereto, at the Merger Effective Time, all of the property, rights,
privileges, powers and franchises of the Company and Purchaser
shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and all debts, liabilities
and duties of the Company and Purchaser shall become the debts,
liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.
Section 3.02 Charter
and Bylaws .
(a) At the Merger Effective
Time, the Company Charter shall be amended as set forth in
Exhibit A hereto and, as so amended, such Company Charter
shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation until thereafter further amended as provided therein or
by applicable Law.
(b) At the Merger Effective
Time, the Company Bylaws shall be amended as set forth in
Exhibit B hereto and, as so amended, shall be the Bylaws of
the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended as provided
therein or by applicable Law.
18
(c) The Company Charter and
Company Bylaws, as amended pursuant to clauses (a) and
(b) above, respectively, shall include any provisions required
by Section 8.06 .
Section 3.03
Effective Time of the Merger . Subject to the provisions of
this Agreement, as soon as practicable on the Closing Date, the
Company shall file a certificate of merger or such other applicable
documents as contemplated by the DGCL (in any such case, the
“ Certificate of Merger ”), together with any
required related certificates, filings or recordings, with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, in such form as
required by, and executed in accordance with, the relevant
provisions of the DGCL. The Merger shall become effective upon the
filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware or at such later date and time as the Company
and Parent may agree upon and as is set forth in such Certificate
of Merger (such time, the “ Merger Effective Time
”).
Section 3.04
Closing . Unless this Agreement shall have been terminated
in accordance with Section 10.01 , the closing of the
Merger (the “ Closing ”) shall occur as promptly
as practicable (but in no event later than the third
(3rd) Business Day) after all of the conditions set forth in
Article IX (other than conditions which by their terms are
required to be satisfied or waived at the Closing, but subject to
the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions) shall have been
satisfied or waived by the party entitled to the benefit of the
same, or at such other time and on a date as agreed to by the
parties (the “ Closing Date ”). The Closing
shall take place at the offices of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP,
1301 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, or at such
other place as agreed to by the parties hereto.
Section 3.05
Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation
.
(a) From and after the Merger
Effective Time, the directors of Purchaser immediately prior to the
Merger Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving
Corporation, and the officers of the Company immediately prior to
the Merger Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving
Corporation, in each case, until their respective successors are
duly elected or appointed and qualified, or until the earlier of
their death, resignation or removal.
(b) If requested by Parent
prior to the Merger Effective Time, the Company shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause such directors of the
Company and/or the Company Subsidiaries, as specified by Parent, to
tender their resignations as directors, effective as of the Merger
Effective Time and to deliver to Parent written evidence of such
resignations at the Merger Effective Time.
ARTICLE IV
EFFECTS OF THE
MERGER
Section 4.01 Effects
of the Merger on Company Securities . At the Merger Effective
Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of
the Company or the holders of any capital stock of the Company
(other than any requisite adoption of this Agreement by the Company
Stockholders in accordance with the DGCL):
(a) Each Company Common Share
held in treasury and each Company Common Share that is owned by
Parent or Purchaser immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time
shall be cancelled and shall cease to exist, without any conversion
thereof and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect
thereto.
19
(b) Each Company Common Share
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger Effective
Time (other than Company Dissenting Shares, Company Common Shares
to be cancelled in accordance with Section 4.01(a) and
the Company Common Shares held by N Holdings I, Inc., a subsidiary
of Parent), shall be converted and exchanged automatically into the
right to receive an amount in cash equal to the Offer Price (the
“ Merger Consideration ”), payable to the holder
thereof in accordance with Section 4.03 . At the Merger
Effective Time, all such Company Common Shares which have been
converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration shall
no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and
shall cease to exist, and each holder of any such Company Common
Share immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time shall cease to
have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive
the Merger Consideration, without interest. The Company Common
Shares that are to be so converted into the right to receive the
Merger Consideration are referred to herein as the “
Merger Shares ”.
(c) The Company shall take
all requisite action such that (i) in the case of each Company
Stock Option (whether vested or unvested) having an exercise price
per share that is less than the Merger Consideration, each such
Company Stock Option shall be cancelled, as of the Merger Effective
Time, in exchange for the right to receive an amount in cash
(without interest and less any applicable Taxes required to be
withheld in accordance with Section 4.05 with respect
to such payment) determined by multiplying (x) the excess of
the Merger Consideration over the applicable exercise price per
share of such Company Stock Option by (y) the number of
Company Common Shares subject to such Company Stock Option (the
“ Option Consideration ”); and (ii) in the
case of each Company Stock Option having an exercise price per
share equal to or greater than the Merger Consideration, each such
Company Stock Option shall be assumed by Parent as of the Merger
Effective Time and, accordingly, will cease to represent a right to
acquire Company Common Shares and shall be converted as of the
Merger Effective Time into an option (a “ Converted
Option ”) to purchase shares of common stock of Parent
(“ Parent Common Shares ”). The number of Parent
Common Shares subject to each Converted Option shall be equal to
the product of the number of Company Common Shares subject to such
Company Stock Option multiplied by the Option Ratio (as defined
below); provided , that any fractional shares of Company
Common Shares resulting from such multiplication shall be rounded
down to the nearest whole share. The exercise price per share of
each Converted Option shall equal the quotient of the exercise
price per share under the corresponding Company Stock Option
divided by the Option Ratio; provided , that such exercise
price shall be rounded up to the nearest whole cent. Each such
Converted Option will otherwise have substantially the same terms
and conditions (including vesting terms) as the corresponding
Company Stock Option. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, the conversion of options under this
Section 4.01(c) shall be made in a manner that will
comply with Section 409A of the Code, and, if applicable,
Section 424(a) of the Code. For purposes hereof, “
Option Ratio ” shall mean the price of the last trade
of the Company Common Shares immediately prior to the Closing
divided by the price of the first trade of the Parent Common Shares
immediately following the Closing. Following the Merger Effective
Time, Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve
for issuance a sufficient number of Parent Common Shares for
delivery upon exercise of the Converted Options in accordance with
this Section 4.01(c) . As soon as practicable following
the
20
Merger Effective Time, Parent shall file
with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-8 (or any successor
form) or another appropriate form with respect to the Parent Common
Shares subject to the Converted Options and shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of
such registration statement on Form S-8 (and maintain current the
status of the prospectus contained therein) for so long as the
Converted Options remain outstanding. Payment of the Option
Consideration shall be made as soon as practicable after the Merger
Effective Time but in any event within three (3) Business Days
following the Merger Effective Time.
Section 4.02 Effects
of the Merger on Purchaser Securities . At the Merger Effective
Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action by Purchaser
or Parent, as the holder of all outstanding capital stock of
Purchaser (other than the requisite approval by Parent as the sole
stockholder of Purchaser in accordance with the DGCL, which
approval will be effected immediately following execution of this
Agreement), each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01
per share, of Purchaser issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the Merger Effective Time shall be converted into and become one
fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.01
per share, of the Surviving Corporation.
Section 4.03 Payment
of Merger Consideration; Stock Transfer Books .
(a) Prior to the Merger
Effective Time, the Company shall appoint as paying agent a bank or
trust company reasonably satisfactory to Parent (the “
Company Paying Agent ”). Prior to the Merger Effective
Time, Parent shall deposit or cause the Surviving Corporation to
deposit with the Company Paying Agent, for the benefit of the
holders of Merger Shares and Company Stock Options, cash in an
amount sufficient to pay the aggregate Merger Consideration
required to be paid plus cash in an amount sufficient to pay
holders of Company Stock Options in accordance with this Agreement
(such cash being hereinafter referred to as the “
Surviving Corporation Fund ”). The Surviving
Corporation Fund shall not be used for any other
purpose.
(b) The Surviving Corporation
Fund shall be invested by the Company Paying Agent in
(i) direct obligations of the United States of America,
(ii) obligations for which the full faith and credit of the
United States of America is pledged to provide for payment of all
principal and interest, (iii) commercial paper obligations
receiving the highest rating from either Moody’s Investor
Services, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s, a division of
The McGraw Hill Companies, or (iv) such other investments, or
a combination of the foregoing, as directed by and for the benefit
of Parent; provided , however , that no gain or loss
thereon shall affect the amounts payable to the holders of Merger
Shares or Company Stock Options following completion of the Merger
pursuant to this Article IV and Parent shall take all
actions necessary to ensure that the Surviving Corporation Fund
includes at all times cash sufficient to satisfy Parent’s
obligation under this Article IV . Any and all interest and
other income earned on the Surviving Corporation Fund shall
promptly be paid to Parent.
(c) As promptly as
practicable after the Merger Effective Time, but in no event more
than three (3) Business Days following the Merger Effective
Time, Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Company
Paying Agent to mail to each person who was, as of immediately
prior to the Merger Effective Time, a holder of record of the
Merger Shares (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall be in
customary form approved by the Company and shall
21
specify that delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to the certificates representing the
Merger Shares (the “ Company Common Share Certificates
”) or uncertificated Merger Shares represented by book entry
(“ Uncertificated Shares ”) shall pass, only
upon proper delivery of the Company Common Share Certificates or
transfer of the Uncertificated Shares to the Company Paying Agent)
and (ii) instructions for effecting the surrender of the
Company Common Share Certificates or transfer of the Uncertificated
Shares in exchange for the Merger Consideration.
(d) Upon (i) surrender
to the Company Paying Agent of Company Common Share Certificates
for cancellation, together with such letter of transmittal, duly
completed and validly executed in accordance with the instructions
thereto, and such other documents as may be required pursuant to
such instructions or (ii) compliance with the reasonable
procedures established by the Company Paying Agent for delivery of
Uncertificated Shares, the holder of such Company Common Share
Certificates or Uncertificated Shares shall be entitled to receive
in exchange therefor, in cash, the aggregate Merger Consideration
in respect thereof, and the Company Common Share Certificates or
Uncertificated Shares so surrendered shall forthwith be
cancelled.
(e) In the event of a
transfer of ownership of Merger Shares that is not registered in
the transfer records of the Company, payment of the Merger
Consideration in respect of the applicable Merger Shares may be
made to a person other than the person in whose name the Company
Common Share Certificates so surrendered or the Uncertificated
Shares so transferred is registered if such Company Common Share
Certificates shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper
form for transfer or such Uncertificated Shares shall be properly
transferred and the person requesting such payment shall pay any
transfer or other taxes required by reason of the payment of the
Merger Consideration in respect thereof or establish to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that such tax
has been paid or is not applicable. Until surrendered or
transferred, as the case may be, as contemplated by this
Section 4.03 , each Company Common Share Certificate or
Uncertificated Share shall be deemed at all times after the Merger
Effective Time to represent only the right to receive upon such
surrender the Merger Consideration. No interest shall be paid or
will accrue on any cash payable to holders of Company Common Share
Certificates or Uncertificated Shares pursuant to the provisions of
this Article IV .
(f) Any portion of the
Surviving Corporation Fund that remains undistributed to the
holders of Merger Shares for six (6) months after the Merger
Effective Time shall be delivered to the Surviving Corporation,
upon demand, and any holders of Merger Shares who have not
theretofore complied with this Article IV shall thereafter
look only to the Surviving Corporation for, and the Surviving
Corporation shall remain liable for, payment of their claim for the
Merger Consideration. Any portion of the Surviving Corporation Fund
remaining unclaimed by holders of Merger Shares as of a date which
is immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise
escheat to or become property of any Governmental Authority shall,
to the extent permitted by applicable Law, become the property of
the Surviving Corporation free and clear of any claims or interest
of any person previously entitled thereto. None of Parent, the
Company Paying Agent or the Surviving Corporation shall be liable
to any holder of Merger Shares for any such shares (or dividends or
distributions with respect thereto), or cash delivered to a public
official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or similar
Law.
22
(g) If any Company Common
Share Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon
the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming such
Company Common Share Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed
and, if required by the Surviving Corporation, the posting by such
person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as the Surviving
Corporation may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be
made against it with respect to such Company Common Share
Certificate, the Company Paying Agent shall pay in respect of
Merger Shares to which such lost, stolen or destroyed Company
Common Share Certificate relate the Merger Consideration to which
the holder thereof is entitled.
(h) At the Merger Effective
Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and
there shall be no further registration of transfers of Merger
Shares thereafter on the records of the Company. From and after the
Merger Effective Time, the holders of Company Common Share
Certificates or Uncertificated Shares shall cease to have any
rights with respect to such shares, except as otherwise provided in
this Agreement, the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation, or by applicable Law.
Section 4.04 Company
Dissenting Shares . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, Company Common Shares that are outstanding
immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time and that are held by
any Person who is entitled to demand, and who properly demands,
appraisal of such Company Common Shares pursuant to, and who
complies in all respects with, Section 262 of the DGCL (such
Section, “ Section 262 ” and, such Company
Common Shares, “ Company Dissenting Shares ”)
shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger
Consideration as provided in Section 4.01(b) , but
rather, the holders of Company Dissenting Shares shall be entitled
only to payment of the fair value of such Company Dissenting Shares
in accordance with Section 262 (and, at the Merger Effective
Time, such Dissenting Shares shall no longer be outstanding and
shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and such
holders shall cease to have any right with respect thereto, except
the right to receive the fair value of such Dissenting Shares in
accordance with Section 262); provided , that if any
such holder shall fail to perfect or otherwise shall waive,
withdraw or lose the right to appraisal under Section 262,
then the right of such holder to be paid the fair value of such
holder’s Company Dissenting Shares shall cease and such
Company Dissenting Shares shall be deemed to have been converted as
of the Merger Effective Time into, and to have become exchangeable
solely for, the right to receive the Merger Consideration (without
interest thereon) as provided in Section 4.01(b) . The
Company shall notify Parent as promptly as reasonably practicable
of any demands received by the Company for appraisal of any Company
Common Shares, and Parent shall have the right to participate in
all negotiations and proceedings with respect to such demands.
Prior to the Merger Effective Time, the Company shall not, without
the prior written consent of Parent (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), voluntarily make
any payment with respect to, or settle or offer to settle, any such
demands, or agree to do any of the foregoing. Any portion of the
Merger Consideration made available to the Company Paying Agent
pursuant to Section 4.03(a) to pay for Company
Dissenting Shares shall be returned to Parent upon
demand.
Section 4.05
Withholding Rights . The Company, the Surviving Corporation
or the Company Paying Agent, as applicable, shall be entitled to
deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable
pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Company Common Shares
or Company Stock Options such amounts as it is required to deduct
and withhold with
23
respect to the making of such payment
under the Code or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax law.
To the extent that amounts are so withheld or paid over to or
deposited with the relevant Governmental Authority, including any
taxing authority, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of
this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Company
Common Shares and Company Stock Options in respect of which such
deduction and withholding was made by the Company, the Surviving
Corporation or the Company Paying Agent, as applicable.
Section 4.06
Adjustments to Prevent Dilution . In the event that,
notwithstanding Section 7.01(b) , the Company changes
(or establishes a record date for changing) the number of Company
Common Shares issued and outstanding prior to the Merger Effective
Time as a result of a stock split, stock dividend,
recapitalization, subdivision, reclassification, combination,
exchange of shares or similar transaction with respect to the
outstanding Company Common Shares, at any time during the period
from the date hereof to the Merger Effective Time then the Merger
Consideration and Option Consideration shall be equitably adjusted
to reflect such transaction.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as set forth in the
Company Disclosure Schedule or the Company SEC Reports (excluding
disclosure contained in the “risk factors” section or
constituting “forward-looking statements,” in each
case, to the extent such disclosure is cautionary, predictive or
speculative in nature), the Company hereby represents and warrants
to the Buyer Parties as of the date of this Agreement and as of the
Closing Date as follows:
Section 5.01
Organization and Qualification; Authority .
(a) The Company is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Company (i) is
duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation
and is, to the extent applicable, in good standing under the laws
of any other jurisdiction (whether federal, state, local or
foreign) in which the character of the properties owned, leased or
operated by it therein or in which the transaction of its business
makes such qualification or licensing necessary and (ii) has
the requisite corporate power and authority to own, operate, lease
and encumber its properties and carry on its business as now
conducted, except where the failure to be so qualified, licensed or
in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
(b) The copies of the Company
Charter and Company Bylaws which are incorporated by reference as
exhibits to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2007 are complete and correct copies
of such documents and contain all amendments thereto as in effect
on the date of this Agreement. The Company Charter and Company
Bylaws are in full force and effect and the Company is not in
violation of any of their respective provisions. The Company has
provided or made available to the Buyer Parties correct and
complete copies of the minutes and, in the case of action by the
Company Board or the committees thereof, written consents (or, in
the case of minutes or written consents that have not yet been
finalized, drafts thereof) of all meetings of Company Stockholders
and meetings of or
24
action by the Company Board and each
committee thereof since January 1, 2007. Such minutes and
written consents provided or made available to the Buyer Parties
contain true, complete and correct records, in all material
respects, of all meetings and other material corporate actions held
or taken from January 1, 2007 through the date of this
Agreement by the Company Stockholders, the Company Board and
committees thereof.
Section 5.02 Company
Subsidiaries .
(a) Each of the
Company’s subsidiaries (the “ Company
Subsidiaries ”), together with the jurisdiction of
organization of each such Company Subsidiary, is set forth on
Section 5.02(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
Except as described in Section 5.02(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, the Company does not own or control, directly
or indirectly, any membership interest, partnership interest, joint
venture interest, other equity interest or any other capital stock
of any Person, and there are no silent partnerships,
sub-partnerships and/or similar rights with respect to the Company
or any Company Subsidiary. Each material Company Subsidiary is a
corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other
organization that is duly incorporated or organized, validly
existing and, to the extent applicable, in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization. Each
of the material Company Subsidiaries has the requisite corporate,
limited partnership, limited liability company or similar power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on
its business as it is now being conducted. Each of the Company
Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in
good standing in each jurisdiction (whether federal, state, local
or foreign) where the character of the properties owned, leased or
operated by it or the conduct or nature of its business makes such
qualification or licensing necessary, except for jurisdictions in
which the failure to be so qualified, licensed or in good standing
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as set forth on
Section 5.02(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
Company is, directly or indirectly, the record and beneficial owner
of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity
interests of each of the Company Subsidiaries. All of such shares
and other equity interests so owned by the Company are validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by it free and
clear of any Liens or limitations on voting rights, and are free of
preemptive rights. There are no subscriptions, options, warrants,
calls, rights, convertible securities or other agreements or
commitments of any character relating to the issuance, transfer,
sales, delivery, voting or redemption (including any rights of
conversion or exchange under any outstanding security or other
instrument) for any of the capital stock or other equity interests
of, or other ownership interests in, any Company Subsidiary. There
are no agreements requiring the Company or any Company Subsidiary
to make material contributions to the capital of, or lend or
advance material funds to, any Company Subsidiary.
Section 5.03
Capitalization.
(a) The authorized capital
stock of the Company consists of 400,000,000 Company Common Shares
and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share,
of the Company (“ Company Preferred Shares ”).
As of the close o
|