EXECUTION
COPY
EX-2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
by and
among
GENERAL
ELECTRIC COMPANY,
TONIC
ACQUISITION CORP
and
VITAL SIGNS,
INC.
Dated as of
July 23, 2008
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I THE
MERGER
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1
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1.1
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Merger
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1
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1.2
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Effective Time of the
Merger
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2
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1.3
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Closing
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2
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1.4
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Certificate of
Incorporation
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2
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1.5
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By-laws
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2
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1.6
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Directors and Officers of the
Surviving Corporation
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2
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ARTICLE II CONVERSION OF
SECURITIES
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3
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2.1
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Conversion of Capital
Stock
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3
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2.2
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Exchange of
Certificates
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4
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2.3
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Company Stock Plans
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6
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ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
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6
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3.1
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Organization, Standing and
Power
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7
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3.2
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Capitalization
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8
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3.3
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Subsidiaries
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9
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3.4
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Authority; No Conflict;
Required Filings and Consents
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10
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3.5
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SEC Filings; Financial
Statements; Information Provided
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12
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3.6
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Absence of Certain Changes or
Events
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15
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3.7
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Taxes
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15
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3.8
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Owned and Leased Real
Properties; Title to Properties
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19
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3.9
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Intellectual
Property
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20
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3.10
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Contracts
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23
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3.11
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No Violation, Litigation or
Regulatory Action
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25
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3.12
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Environmental
Matters
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27
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3.13
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Employee Benefit
Plans
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29
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3.14
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Compliance With
Laws
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31
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3.15
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Privacy Matters
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32
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3.16
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Permits
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34
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3.17
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Labor Matters
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34
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3.18
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Insurance
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35
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3.19
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Opinion of Financial
Advisor
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36
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3.20
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Antitakeover
Provisions
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36
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3.21
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Brokers
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36
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3.22
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Government
Contracts
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36
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3.23
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FDA Regulatory
Compliance
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37
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3.24
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Health Care Regulatory
Compliance
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38
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3.25
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Product Liabilities
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40
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3.26
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Exclusive Representations and
Warranties
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40
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER AND
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THE MERGER SUB
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40
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4.1
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Organization, Standing and
Power
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41
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4.2
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Authority; No Conflict;
Required Filings and Consents
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41
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4.3
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Information
Provided
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42
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4.4
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Operations of the Merger
Sub
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42
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4.5
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Litigation
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42
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4.6
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Financing
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43
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4.7
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Brokers
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43
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4.8
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Exclusive Representations and
Warranties
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43
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ARTICLE V CONDUCT OF
BUSINESS
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43
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5.1
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Covenants of the
Company
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43
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5.2
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Confidentiality
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46
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5.3
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Merger Sub Shareholder
Action
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46
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ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
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46
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6.1
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No Solicitation or
Negotiation
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46
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6.2
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Proxy Statement
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50
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6.3
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Nasdaq Quotation
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51
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6.4
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Access to
Information
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51
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6.5
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Shareholders
Meeting
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52
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6.6
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Legal Requirements
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52
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6.7
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Public Disclosure
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54
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6.8
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Indemnification
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55
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6.9
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Notification of Certain
Matters
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56
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6.10
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Employee
Compensation
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57
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6.11
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Accrued Personal, Sick or
Vacation Time
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57
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6.12
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Service Credit
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57
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6.13
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Resignations
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58
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6.14
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Shareholder
Agreement
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58
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6.15
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Litigation
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58
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6.16
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State Takeover
Statutes
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58
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6.17
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Pre-Closing Environmental
Filings
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58
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6.18
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Rule 16b-3
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59
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ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO
MERGER
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59
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7.1
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Conditions to Each
Party’s Obligation To Effect the Merger
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59
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7.2
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Additional Conditions to
Obligations of the Buyer and the Merger Sub
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59
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7.3
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Additional Conditions to
Obligations of the Company
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61
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7.4
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Frustration of Closing
Conditions
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61
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ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION AND
AMENDMENT
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61
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8.1
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Termination
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61
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8.2
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Effect of
Termination
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64
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8.3
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Fees and Expenses
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64
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ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
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65
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9.1
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Nonsurvival of
Representations, Warranties and Agreements
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65
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- ii -
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9.2
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Amendment
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65
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9.3
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Extension; Waiver
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65
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9.4
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Notices
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66
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9.5
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Entire Agreement
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67
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9.6
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No Third Party
Beneficiaries
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67
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9.7
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Assignment
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67
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9.8
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Severability
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67
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9.9
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Counterparts and
Signature
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68
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9.10
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Interpretation
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68
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9.11
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Governing Law
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68
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9.12
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Remedies
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68
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9.13
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Submission to
Jurisdiction
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69
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9.14
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Obligation of Buyer
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69
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9.15
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WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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69
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Exhibit A
– Form of Certificate of Incorporation
Exhibit B –
Form of By-laws
- iii -
TABLE OF DEFINED
TERMS
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Reference in
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Terms
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Agreement
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2002 Incentive Plan
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Section 2.3
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2003 Investment
Plan
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Section 2.3
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Acquisition
Proposal
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Section 6.1(f)
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Affiliate
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Section 3.2(c)
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Agreement
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Preamble
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Alternative Acquisition
Agreement
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Section 6.1(b)(ii)
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Antitrust Laws
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Section 6.6(c)
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Applicable Privacy
Laws
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Section 3.15(d)
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Authorized Quotation
System
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Section 3.4(c)
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Bankruptcy and Equity
Exception
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Section 3.4(a)
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BIS
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Section 3.11(h)
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Business Associate
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Section 3.15(a)
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Business Day
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Section 1.3
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Buyer
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Preamble
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Buyer Disclosure
Letter
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Article IV
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Buyer Employee Plan
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Section 6.12(a)
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Buyer Environmental &
Health & Safety Assessment
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Section 6.4(c)
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Certificate
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Section 2.1(c)
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Certificate of
Merger
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Section 1.2
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Clarifying
Discussions
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Section 6.1(a)
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Closing
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Section 1.3
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Closing Date
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Section 1.3
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COBRA
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Section 3.13(k)
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Code
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Section 2.2(f)
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Common Shares
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Section 3.2(a)
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Company
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Preamble
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Company Balance
Sheet
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Section 3.5(b)
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Company Board
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Section 3.4(a)
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Company Board
Recommendation
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Section 3.4(a)
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Company Charter
Documents
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Section 3.3(c)
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Company Common
Stock
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Section 2.1(b)
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Company Disclosure
Letter
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Article III
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Company Intellectual
Property
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Section 3.9(g)
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Company Leases
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Section 3.8(c)
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Company Licensed Intellectual
Property
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Section 3.9(g)
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Company Material Adverse
Effect
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Section 3.1
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Company Material
Contract
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Section 3.10(a)
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Company Meeting
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Section 6.5
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Company Owned Intellectual
Property
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Section 3.9(g)
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Company Owned Real
Estate
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Section 3.8(a)
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- iv -
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Company Permits
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Section 3.16(a)
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Company Plans
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Section 3.13(a)
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Company SEC Reports
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Section 3.5(a)
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Company Shareholder
Approval
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Section 3.4(a)
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Company Stock
Option
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Section 2.3
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Company Stock Plans
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Section 2.3
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Company Tax-Qualified
Plan
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Section 3.13(d)
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Confidentiality
Agreement
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Section 5.2
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Continuing
Employees
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Section 6.10
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Contract
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Section 3.4(b)
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Copyrights
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Section 3.9(g)
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Court Order
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Section 3.11(a)
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Covered Entity
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Section 3.15(a)
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D&O Insurance
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Section 6.8(b)
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DOJ
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Section 6.6(c)
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Data Subjects
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Section 3.15(e)
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EAR
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Section 3.11(h)
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Effective Time
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Section 1.2
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Engagement Letter
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Section 3.21
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Environmental Law
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Section 3.12(k)(i)
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Environmental
Permit
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Section 3.12(d)
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ERISA
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Section 3.13(a)
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ERISA Affiliate
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Section 3.13(e)
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Exchange Act
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Section 3.4(c)
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Exchange Fund
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Section 2.2(a)
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Fairness Opinion
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Section 3.19
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FCPA
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Section 3.11(f)
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FDA
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Section 3.23(a)
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FDA Laws
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Section 3.23(a)
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Federal Health Care
Program
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Section 3.24(a)
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Federal Health Care Program
Laws
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Section 3.24(c)
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Filed Company SEC
Report
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Section 3.5(a)
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Financial Control
Weakness
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Section 3.5(d)
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Foreign Employee
Plans
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Section 3.13(o)
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FTC
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Section 6.6(c)
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GAAP
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Section 3.5(b)
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Government Contract
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Section 3.22(b)
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Government
Subcontract
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Section 3.22(b)
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Governmental
Damages
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Section 3.14
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Governmental Entity
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Section 3.4(c)
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Grants
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Section 3.16(c)
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Hazardous Substance
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Section 3.12(k)(ii)
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HIPAA
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Section 3.15(a)
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HIPAA Commitments
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Section 3.15(b)
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HSR Act
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Section 3.4(c)
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Indemnitees
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Section 6.8(a)
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- v -
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Intellectual
Property
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Section 3.9(g)
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IRS
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Section 3.7(b)
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JPMorgan
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Section 3.19
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Knowledge
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Section 3.5(a)
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Laws
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Section 3.14
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Liens
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Section 3.4(b)
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Merger
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Preamble
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Merger
Consideration
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Section 2.1(c)
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Merger Sub
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Preamble
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NJBCA
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Preamble
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NJDT
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Section 1.2
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Notice
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Section 6.1(b)(iii)
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OFAC
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Section 3.11(g)
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Option
Consideration
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Section 2.3
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Outside Date
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Section 8.1(b)
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Patents
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Section 3.9(g)
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Paying Agent
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Section 2.2(a)
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Payors
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Section 3.24(b)
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Person
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Section 2.2(b)
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Personal Data
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Section 3.15(d)
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Policies
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Section 3.18(a)
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Pre-Closing Period
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Section 5.1
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Proxy Statement
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Section 3.5(c)
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PSV Policies
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Section 6.11
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Registrations
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Section 3.23(b)
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Release
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Section
3.12(k)(iii)
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Representatives
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Section 6.1(a)
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Required Company Shareholder
Vote
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Section 3.4(d)
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Restraints
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Section 7.1(c)
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Restricted Parties
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Section 3.11(g)
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SEC
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Section 3.4(c)
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Second Date
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Section 8.1(b)
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Secret Information
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Section 3.9(g)
|
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Securities Act
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Section 3.2(c)
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Shareholder
Agreement
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Preamble
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Software
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Section 3.9(g)
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SOxA
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Section 3.5(d)
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SSA
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Section 3.24(a)
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SSOA Subsidiary
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Section 3.15(a)
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Subsidiary
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Section 3.3(a)
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Subsidiary
Documents
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Section 3.3(c)
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Superior Proposal
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Section 6.1(f)
|
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Surviving
Corporation
|
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Section 1.1
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Tax Returns
|
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Section 3.7(a)
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Taxes
|
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Section 3.7(a)
|
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Tax Sharing
Agreement
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Section 3.7(d)
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- vi -
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Termination Fee
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Section 8.3(b)
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Third Date
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Section 8.1(b)
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Trademarks
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Section 3.9(g)
|
- vii -
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND
PLAN OF MERGER (this “ Agreement ”) is entered
into as of July 23, 2008, by and among GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, a
New York corporation (the “ Buyer ”), TONIC
ACQUISITION CORP, a New Jersey corporation and a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Buyer (the “ Merger Sub ”),
and VITAL SIGNS, INC., a New Jersey corporation (the “
Company ”).
WHEREAS, the
transaction shall be effected through a merger (the “
Merger ”) of the Merger Sub with and into the Company
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the New Jersey
Business Corporation Act (the “ NJBCA ”) as a
result of which the Company shall become a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Buyer;
WHEREAS,
simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and as a condition and inducement to the willingness of the Buyer
and the Merger Sub to enter into this Agreement, the Buyer and
certain shareholders of the Company are entering into a shareholder
agreement (the “ Shareholder Agreement ”),
pursuant to which, among other things, such shareholders have
agreed to vote to approve this Agreement and to take certain other
actions in furtherance of the Merger, in each case upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth therein; and
WHEREAS, the
respective Boards of Directors of the Buyer, the Merger Sub and the
Company have approved this Agreement and the plan of merger set
forth herein, and the Board of Directors of the Company has
recommended the Agreement to the shareholders of the
Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements set forth below, and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, the Buyer, the Merger Sub and the
Company hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE
MERGER
1.1
Merger . Subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, and in accordance with Sections
14A:10-4.1 and 14A:10-14 of the NJBCA, at the Effective Time (as
defined in Section 1.2 below), the Merger Sub and the Company shall
consummate the Merger pursuant to which (a) the Merger Sub shall be
merged with and into the Company and the separate existence of the
Merger Sub shall thereupon cease and (b) the Company shall be the
surviving corporation in the Merger (the “ Surviving
Corporation ”). The Merger shall have the effects
specified in the NJBCA, including Section 14A:10-6 thereof. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at
the Effective Time, all the properties, rights, privileges, powers
and franchises of the Company and the Merger Sub shall vest in the
Surviving Corporation, and all
debts,
liabilities and duties of the Company and the Merger Sub shall
become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving
Corporation.
1.2
Effective Time of the
Merger . Subject to the provisions of
this Agreement, prior to the Closing Date, the Buyer and the
Company shall jointly prepare, and, upon consummation of the
Closing on the Closing Date, cause to be filed with the Department
of the Treasury of the State of New Jersey (the “ NJDT
”) an original and one copy of a certificate of merger (the
“ Certificate of Merger ”) in such form as is
required by, and executed by the Company and the Merger Sub in
accordance with, the relevant provisions of the NJBCA and shall
make all other filings or recordings required under the NJBCA to
effect the Merger. The Merger shall become effective upon the
filing of the Certificate of Merger with the NJDT or at such later
time as is established by the Buyer and the Company and set forth
in the Certificate of Merger (the “ Effective Time
”).
1.3
Closing
. The closing of
the Merger (the “ Closing ”) shall take place at
10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on a date to be specified by the Buyer
and the Company (the “ Closing Date ”), which
shall be no later than the second Business Day after satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VII (other than
delivery of items to be delivered at the Closing and other than
satisfaction of those conditions that by their nature are to be
satisfied at the Closing, it being understood that the occurrence
of the Closing shall remain subject to the delivery of such items
and the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions at the Closing),
at the offices of Allen & Overy LLP, 1221 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY 10020, unless another date, place or time is
agreed to in writing by the Buyer and the Company. For purposes of
this Agreement, a “ Business Day ” shall be any
day other than (a) a Saturday or Sunday or (b) a day on which
banking institutions located in New York, New York are permitted or
required by law, executive order or governmental decree to remain
closed.
1.4
Certificate of
Incorporation . At the Effective Time, the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as in effect
immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be amended and
restated to read in its entirety as set forth in Exhibit A
attached hereto and, as so amended and restated, shall be the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until
thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and as
provided by applicable Law.
1.5
By-laws
. At the Effective
Time, the by-laws of the Company, as in effect immediately prior to
the Effective Time, shall be amended and restated to read in their
entirety as set forth in Exhibit B attached hereto and, as
so amended and restated, shall be the by-laws of the Surviving
Corporation until thereafter amended as provided by applicable Law,
the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation and
such by-laws.
1.6
Directors and Officers of the
Surviving Corporation . (a) The directors of the
Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the
initial directors of the Surviving Corporation, each to hold office
in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws of
the Surviving Corporation until the earlier of their death,
resignation or removal or until their respective successors are
duly elected and qualified, as the case may be.
- 2 -
(b)
The officers of the Company
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the initial
officers of the Surviving Corporation, each to hold office until
their respective successors are duly appointed and qualified or
their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the
Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving
Corporation.
ARTICLE II
CONVERSION OF
SECURITIES
2.1
Conversion of Capital
Stock .
As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any
action on the part of the holder of any shares of the capital stock
of the Company or capital stock of the Merger Sub (other than the
requisite approval of the Merger by the shareholders of the Company
in accordance with the NJBCA):
(a)
Capital Stock of the Merger
Sub .
Each share of the common stock, no par value, of the Merger Sub
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be converted into and become one validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable share of common stock, no par value, of the
Surviving Corporation.
(b)
Cancellation of Treasury Stock
and Buyer-Owned Stock . All shares of common stock,
no par value, of the Company (“ Company Common Stock
”), that are owned by the Company as treasury stock, or by
any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company and any shares of
Company Common Stock owned by the Buyer or the Merger Sub or any
other wholly owned Subsidiary of the Buyer immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be cancelled and shall cease to exist and no
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c)
Merger Consideration for
Company Common Stock . Subject to Section 2.2, each
share of Company Common Stock (other than shares to be cancelled in
accordance with Section 2.1(b) issued and outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be automatically converted into
the right to receive $74.50 in cash, without interest (the “
Merger Consideration ”). As of the Effective
Time, all such shares of Company Common Stock shall no longer be
outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to
exist, and each holder of a certificate that immediately prior to
the Effective Time represented any such shares of Company Common
Stock (each, a “ Certificate ”) shall cease to
have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive
the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Section 2.1(c) and the
amount of dividends with a record date prior to the date of the
Effective Time to which the holder of shares represented by such
Certificate is entitled upon the surrender of such certificate in
accordance with Section 2.2, without interest.
(d)
Adjustments to Merger
Consideration . The Merger Consideration
shall be adjusted to reflect fully the effect of any
reclassification, stock split, reverse split, stock dividend
(including any dividend or distribution of securities convertible
into Company Common Stock), reorganization, recapitalization or
other like change with respect to Company Common Stock occurring
(or for which a record date is established) after the date hereof
and prior to the Effective Time, it being understood that the
foregoing shall not be deemed to constitute the Buyer’s
consent to any transaction otherwise prohibited by Section
5.1.
- 3 -
2.2
Exchange of
Certificates . The procedures for
exchanging certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock
for the Merger Consideration pursuant to the Merger are as
follows:
(a)
Paying Agent
. Prior to the
Effective Time, the Buyer shall enter into an agreement with the
Company’s transfer agent or another bank or trust company
reasonably acceptable to the Company to act as agent (the “
Paying Agent ”) for payment of the Merger
Consideration upon surrender of the Certificates. The Buyer shall
use its commercially reasonable efforts to deposit with the Paying
Agent within one (1) Business Day after the Effective Time (and in
any event the Buyer shall deposit with the Paying Agent promptly
after the Effective Time), in trust for the benefit of the holders
of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time, for payment through the Paying Agent in
accordance with this Section 2.2, cash in an amount sufficient to
make payment of the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.1(c)
as Certificates are surrendered (the “ Exchange Fund
”).
(b)
Exchange Procedures
. Promptly (and in
any event within three (3) Business Days) after the Effective Time,
the Buyer shall cause the Paying Agent to mail to each holder of
record of a Certificate (i) a letter of transmittal in customary
form (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk
of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon
delivery of the Certificates to the Paying Agent, and which shall
be in such form and shall have such other provisions as the Buyer
may reasonably specify) and (ii) instructions for effecting the
surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Merger
Consideration payable with respect thereto. Upon surrender of a
Certificate for cancellation to the Paying Agent, together with
such letter of transmittal, duly completed and validly executed in
accordance with the instructions (and such other customary
documents as may reasonably be requested by the Paying Agent), the
holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor the Merger Consideration that such holder has the right to
receive pursuant to the provisions of this Article II, and the
Certificate so surrendered shall immediately be cancelled. In the
event of a transfer of ownership of shares of Company Common Stock
that is not registered in the transfer records of the Company, the
Merger Consideration may be paid to a Person other than the Person
in whose name the Certificate so surrendered is registered, if such
Certificate is presented to the Paying Agent, accompanied by all
documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and by
evidence that any applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid.
Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 2.2, each
Certificate shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to
represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the Merger
Consideration and the amount of dividends with a record date prior
to the date of the Effective Time to which the holder of shares
represented by such Certificate is entitled. No interest will be
paid or will accrue on the cash payable upon surrender of any
Certificate. As used in this Agreement, “ Person
” means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability
company, a partnership, an association, a trust or any other
entity, including a Governmental Entity.
(c)
No Further Ownership Rights in
Company Common Stock . All Merger Consideration
paid upon the surrender for exchange of Certificates in accordance
with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been paid in
satisfaction of all rights pertaining thereto.
- 4 -
(d)
Termination of Exchange
Fund .
Any portion of the Exchange Fund (including the proceeds of any
investments thereof) that remains undistributed to the holders of
Certificates for 270 days after the Effective Time shall be
delivered to the Buyer, upon demand, and any holders of
Certificates who have not previously complied with this Section 2.2
shall look only to the Buyer for payment of its claim for Merger
Consideration.
(e)
No Liability
. To the extent
permitted by applicable Law, none of the Buyer, the Merger Sub, the
Company, the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent shall be
liable to any Person for any amount properly paid from the Exchange
Fund or delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.
(f)
Withholding Rights
. Each of the
Buyer and the Surviving Corporation shall be entitled to deduct and
withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this
Agreement to any holder of Certificates or Company Stock Options
such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect
to the making of such payment under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), or any other
applicable state, local or foreign Tax Law. To the extent that
amounts are so withheld by the Surviving Corporation or the Buyer,
as the case may be, such withheld amounts (i) shall be remitted by
the Buyer or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, to the
applicable Governmental Entity, and (ii) shall be treated for all
purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the
Certificates or Company Stock Options in respect of which such
deduction and withholding was made by the Surviving Corporation or
the Buyer, as the case may be.
(g)
Lost Certificates
. If any
Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the
making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such
Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, and, if required by
the Buyer, the posting by such Person of a bond in such reasonable
amount as the Buyer may direct, as indemnity against any claim that
may be made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Paying
Agent shall issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificate the Merger Consideration deliverable in respect thereof
pursuant to this Agreement.
(h)
Stock Transfer
Books .
At the close of business on the day on which the Effective Time
occurs, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and
there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares
thereafter on the records of the Surviving Corporation of the
shares of Company Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time. From and after the Effective Time, the
holders of Certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to
have any rights with respect to such shares, except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement or by applicable Law. On or after the
Effective Time, any Certificates presented to the Paying Agent or
the Buyer for any reason shall be cancelled against delivery of the
Merger Consideration to which the holders thereof are entitled
pursuant to Section 2.1(c) .
(i)
Investment of Exchange
Fund .
The Paying Agent shall invest the Exchange Fund as directed by the
Buyer; provided that no such investment or losses thereon
shall affect the Merger Consideration payable to the holders of
Company Common Stock and following any losses the Buyer shall
promptly provide additional funds to the Paying Agent
for
- 5 -
the benefit of
the holders of shares of Company Common Stock in the amount of any
such losses. Any interest and other income resulting from such
investment shall be the property of, and shall be promptly paid to,
the Buyer.
2.3
Company Stock Plans
. At the Effective
Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of
the holder of any outstanding option to purchase Company Common
Stock (“ Company Stock Option ”), each Company
Stock Option outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
(whether or not then vested or exercisable) shall be cancelled and
terminated and converted into the right to receive a cash amount
equal to the Option Consideration (as defined below) for each share
of Company Common Stock then subject to such Company Stock Option.
Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all actions
necessary to provide that each Company Stock Option outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time (whether or not then vested
or exercisable) shall be cancelled and terminated and converted at
the Effective Time into the right to receive a cash amount equal to
the Option Consideration for each share of Company Common Stock
then subject to such Company Stock Option. Except as otherwise
provided below, the Option Consideration shall be paid upon or
immediately following the Closing Date. Prior to the Effective
Time, the Company shall make any amendments to the terms of the
2003 Investment Plan, the 2002 Incentive Plan and any other stock
option plans, employee stock purchase plans or other equity-related
plans of the Company (the “ Company Stock Plans
”), and to the terms of any agreement or instrument
evidencing the grant of any Company Stock Options issued other than
pursuant to the Company Stock Plans, and use its best efforts to
obtain any consents from holders of Company Stock Options that, in
each case, are necessary to give effect to the transactions
contemplated by this Section 2.3 and, notwithstanding anything to
the contrary, payment may be withheld in respect of any Company
Stock Option until any necessary consents are obtained. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Company shall take all actions
necessary to ensure that the Company will not at the Effective Time
be bound by any options, warrants or other rights or agreements
that would entitle any Person, other than the Buyer and its
Subsidiaries, to own any capital stock of the Surviving Corporation
or to receive any payment in respect thereof (other than pursuant
to this Section 2.3) . Prior to the Effective Time, the Company
shall take all actions necessary to terminate all its Company Stock
Plans, such termination to be effective at or before the Effective
Time. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Option
Consideration ” means, with respect to any share of
Company Common Stock issuable under a particular Company Stock
Option, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the Merger
Consideration over (ii) the exercise price payable in respect of
such share of Company Common Stock.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as set
forth in the correspondingly numbered section of the disclosure
schedule delivered by the Company to the Buyer and Merger Sub prior
to the execution of this Agreement (the “ Company
Disclosure Letter ”), it being agreed that disclosure of
any item in any section of the Company Disclosure Letter shall also
be deemed disclosure with respect to any other section of this
Agreement to which the relevance of such item is readily apparent
on its face, the Company represents and warrants to the Buyer and
the Merger Sub that:
- 6 -
3.1
Organization, Standing and
Power .
The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and
in good standing under the Laws of the State of New Jersey, has all
requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being
conducted and as currently proposed by the executive officers of
the Company to be conducted. The Company is duly licensed or
qualified to do business and, where applicable as a legal concept,
is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction
in which the character or location of the properties and assets it
owns, operates or leases or the nature of its activities makes such
qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so
licensed, qualified or in good standing, individually or in the
aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have
a Company Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement,
the term “ Company Material Adverse Effect ”
means any change, event, occurrence or state of facts that (a) has
had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a material adverse effect (i) on the business,
properties, assets, liabilities (contingent or otherwise), results
of operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) on the
Company’s ability to, in a timely manner, perform its
obligations under this Agreement or consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, or (b) would subject the Buyer or
any Affiliate to any criminal or material civil liability resulting
from a violation of Law; provided, however that none of the
following shall be deemed to be, and shall not be taken into
account in determining whether there has been, a Company Material
Adverse Effect: facts, circumstances, events, changes, effects or
occurrences (i) generally affecting the economy or the financial,
debt, credit or securities markets in the United States, including
as a result of changes in geopolitical conditions, (ii) generally
affecting any of the industries in which the Company or its
Subsidiaries operate, (iii) resulting directly or proximately from
the announcement of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including any negative impact on the
relationships between the Company and its Subsidiaries and any of
their respective customers, suppliers, distributors or employees
resulting from the identities of the parties to this Agreement or
the performance of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (iii)
shall not exclude any such effect, change, event, occurrence or
state of facts arising out of, resulting from or constituting a
breach of any covenant of the Company under this Agreement), (iv)
resulting from changes after the date hereof in any applicable Laws
or applicable accounting regulations or principles or
interpretations thereof, (v) resulting from any outbreak or
escalation of hostilities or war or any act of terrorism, or (vi)
resulting from any failure by the Company to meet any published
analyst estimates or expectations of the Company’s revenue,
earnings or other financial performance or results of operations
for any period, in and of itself, or any failure by the Company to
meet its internal or published projections, budgets, plans or
forecasts of its revenues, earnings or other financial performance
or results of operations, in and of itself (it being understood
that the facts or occurrences giving rise or contributing to any
such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of
a “Company Material Adverse Effect” may be taken into
account in determining whether there has been a Company Material
Adverse Effect), except, in the case of clauses (i), (ii), (iv) and
(v) above, such facts, circumstances, changes, events, effects or
occurrences shall not be excluded to the extent that they have a
disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole compared with other companies operating in any of the
principal industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries
operate.
- 7 -
3.2
Capitalization
. (a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 40,000,000
shares of Company Common Stock, of which 13,296,697 shares were
outstanding as of July 21, 2008 (the “ Common Shares
”); and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par
value, none of which are issued or outstanding. There are no issued
and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company other than
the Common Shares. Except for this Agreement or as set forth in
Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, there are no
agreements, arrangements, options, puts, calls, rights or
commitments of any character in effect with the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries relating to the issuance, sale, purchase,
repurchase, redemption, conversion, exchange, registration, voting
or transfer of any shares of capital stock of the Company. None of
the Common Shares has been issued in violation of, or is subject
to, any preemptive, first refusal or subscription rights. All
voting rights in the Company are vested exclusively in the Common
Shares.
(b)
Section 3.2(b) of the Company
Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete and accurate list, as of
July 21, 2008, of: (i) the name of each Company Stock Plan, (ii)
the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to outstanding
options and restricted stock awards under all Company Stock Plans
and (iii) for each such option or other right (1) the name of the
holder thereof, (2) the number of shares of Company Common Stock
subject thereto, (3) the exercise price thereof and (4) the date of
grant. There are no awards under the 2003 Investment Plan for which
any shares of Company Common Stock remain issuable and under which
any purchased shares of Company Common Stock have not been paid for
in full. There are no stock options or restricted stock awards
granted under any plan adopted by a Subsidiary of the Company
providing the holders thereof with a right to acquire Company
Common Stock. Since July 21, 2008, the Company has not issued any
shares of its capital stock, voting securities or equity interests,
or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable
for any shares of its capital stock, voting securities or equity
interests, other than pursuant to the exercise of outstanding
Company Stock Options referred to above in this Section 3.2(b)
.
(c)
Except (i) as set forth above
in Sections 3.2(a) and 3.2(b) and (ii) as expressly permitted by
Article V, as of the date of this Agreement there are not, and as
of the Effective Time there will not be, (A) any equity securities
of any class of the Company, or any security exchangeable into or
exercisable for such equity securities, issued, reserved for
issuance or outstanding or (B) any options, warrants, equity
securities, calls, rights, commitments or agreements of any
character to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound
obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue,
exchange, transfer, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued,
exchanged, transferred, delivered or sold, additional shares of
capital stock or other equity interests of the Company or any
security or rights convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable
for any such shares or other equity interests, or obligating the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to grant, extend, accelerate the
vesting of, otherwise modify or amend or enter into any such
option, warrant, equity security, call, right, commitment or
agreement. The Company does not have any outstanding stock
appreciation rights, phantom stock or performance based rights to
acquire equity securities, stock appreciation rights or phantom
stock. Neither the Company nor any of its controlled Affiliates is
a party to or is bound by any agreements or understandings with
respect
- 8 -
to the voting
(including voting trusts and proxies) or sale or transfer
(including agreements imposing transfer restrictions) of any shares
of capital stock or other equity interests of the Company. For
purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Affiliate
” when used with respect to any party shall mean any Person,
who is an “affiliate” of that party within the meaning
of Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (together with the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, the “ Securities Act ”). There are
no registration rights, and there is no rights agreement,
“poison pill” anti-takeover plan or other similar
agreement or understanding, other than as required by the New
Jersey Shareholders' Protection Act, to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or they are bound with
respect to any equity security of any class of the
Company.
(d)
All outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock are, and all shares of Company Common Stock
subject to issuance as specified in Section 3.2(b), upon issuance
on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant
to which they are issuable, will be, duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not issued in violation of
any purchase option, call option, right of first refusal,
preemptive right, subscription right or any similar right under any
provision of the NJBCA, the Company’s certificate of
incorporation or by-laws or any agreement to which the Company is a
party or is otherwise bound.
(e)
There are no obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of Company
Common Stock or the capital stock of any of the Company’s
Subsidiaries.
3.3
Subsidiaries
. (a) Section
3.3(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth, as of the date
of this Agreement, for each Subsidiary of the Company: (i) its
name; (ii) the jurisdiction of organization; and (iii) whether or
not such Subsidiary is wholly-owned (directly or indirectly) by the
Company. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “
Subsidiary ” (i) means with respect to any Person, any
corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company or other
non-corporate business enterprise the accounts of which would be
consolidated with those of such Person in such Person’s
consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were
prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as any other corporation,
partnership trust, limited liability company or other non-corporate
business enterprise in which such party (and/or one or more
Subsidiaries of such party) holds stock or other ownership
interests representing (A) more than 50% of the voting power of all
outstanding stock or ownership interests of such entity or (B) the
right to receive more than 50% of the net assets of such entity
available for distribution to the holders of outstanding stock or
ownership interests upon a liquidation or dissolution of such
entity and (ii) with respect to the Company, includes Shenzhen
Vital Signs-KTL Medical Instrument Co. Ltd.
(b)
Each Subsidiary of the Company
is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (to the
extent such concepts are applicable) under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its formation, has all requisite power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and
to carry on its business as now being conducted, and is duly
licensed or qualified to do business and is in good standing (to
the extent such concepts are applicable) in each jurisdiction where
the character of its properties owned, operated or leased or the
nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary, except
where the failure to be so licensed, qualified or in
- 9 -
good standing,
individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
The outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity securities
or interests of each Subsidiary of the Company are duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive
rights and all such shares (other than directors’ qualifying
shares in the case of non-U.S. Subsidiaries, all of which the
Company has the power to cause to be transferred for no or nominal
consideration to the Company or the Company’s designee) are
owned, directly or indirectly, of record and beneficially, by the
Company free and clear of all security interests, liens, claims,
pledges, agreements, limitations in the Company’s voting
rights, charges or other encumbrances. There are no outstanding or
authorized options, warrants, rights, agreements or commitments to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or that are
binding on any of them providing for the issuance, disposition or
acquisition of any capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company.
There are no outstanding stock appreciation, phantom stock or
similar rights with respect to any Subsidiary of the Company. There
are no voting trusts, proxies or other agreements or understandings
with respect to the voting of any capital stock of any Subsidiary
of the Company.
(c)
The Company has provided to
the Buyer true, complete and correct copies of the charter, by-laws
or other organizational documents of the Company (the “
Company Charter Documents ”), and of each
Subsidiary of the Company (the “ Subsidiary Documents
”), in each case amended to the date of this Agreement. All
such Company Charter Documents and Subsidiary Documents are in full
force and effect and neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in violation of any of their respective
provisions.
(d)
The Company does not control
directly or indirectly or have any direct or indirect equity
participation or similar interest in any corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other business
association or entity that is not a Subsidiary of the Company,
other than securities in a publicly traded company held for
investment by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and consisting
of less than 5% of the outstanding capital stock of such
company.
3.4
Authority; No Conflict;
Required Filings and Consents . (a) The Company has all
requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and, subject to the approval of this Agreement by the
Company’s shareholders under the NJBCA (the “
Company Shareholder Approval ”), to perform its
obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “
Company Board ”), at a meeting duly called and held,
unanimously, (i) adopted this Agreement in accordance with the
provisions of the NJBCA, and (ii) directed that this Agreement be
submitted to the shareholders of the Company for their approval and
resolved to recommend that the shareholders of the Company vote in
favor of the approval of this Agreement (the “ Company
Board Recommendation ”). The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Shareholder
Agreement by the Company have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company, subject only to the
required receipt of the Company Shareholder Approval. This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and,
assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by each
of the Buyer and the Merger Sub, constitutes the valid and binding
obligation of the Company,
- 10 -
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
”).
(b)
The execution and delivery of
this Agreement by the Company do not, and the consummation by the
Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof
shall not, (i) conflict with, or result in any violation or breach
of, any provision of the Company Charter Documents or any of the
Subsidiary Documents, (ii) conflict with, or result in any material
violation or breach of, or constitute (with or without notice or
lapse of time, or both) a default (or give rise to a right of
termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation or loss
of any material benefit or forfeiture of any rights) under, require
a consent, filing or waiver under, require the payment of a penalty
under or result in the imposition of any Lien on the
Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s respective
properties, Intellectual Property or other assets under, any of the
terms, conditions or provisions of any loan or credit agreement,
debenture, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, lease,
license, contract or other agreement, instrument or obligation,
written or oral, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
a party or by which any of them or any of their properties or
assets may be bound (each, a “ Contract ”), or
any Company Permit, or (iii) subject to obtaining the Company
Shareholder Approval and compliance with the requirements specified
in clauses (i) through (iv) of Section 3.4(c), conflict with or
violate any permit, concession, franchise, license, judgment,
injunction, writ, order, decree, statute, Law, ordinance, rule or
regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any of its or their respective properties or assets, except, in the
case of clauses (ii) and (iii) for any such conflict, violation,
breach, default, loss, right, requirement, Lien or other occurrence
which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company
Material Adverse Effect and other than as may arise in connection
with facts and circumstances particular to the Buyer, the Merger
Sub and their Affiliates. As used in this Agreement, the term
“ Lien ” shall mean any mortgage, security
interest, pledge, lien, charge or encumbrance other than (A)
statutory liens securing payments not due and payable as of the
Closing Date, (B) such imperfections or irregularities of title,
claims, liens, charges, security interests, easements, covenants
and other restrictions or encumbrances, as do not materially affect
the use of the properties or assets subject thereto or affected
thereby or otherwise materially impair business operations at such
properties and (C) mortgages, or deeds of trust, security interests
or other encumbrances on title related to indebtedness reflected on
the consolidated financial statements of the Company.
(c)
No consent, approval, license,
permit, order or authorization of, or registration, declaration,
notice or filing with, any Governmental Entity or any stock market,
automated quotation system or stock exchange on which shares of
Company Common Stock are listed for trading or on which prices for
the Company Common Stock are quoted pursuant to application by the
Company (an “ Authorized Quotation System ”) is
required by or with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in connection with the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
except for (i) the pre-merger notification requirements under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended
(the “ HSR Act ”), and any consent, approval,
license, permit, order or authorization of, or
registration,
- 11 -
declaration,
notice or filing under any applicable foreign antitrust or trade
regulation laws, (ii) the filing of an original and one copy of the
Certificate of Merger with the NJDT and appropriate corresponding
documents with the appropriate authorities of other states in which
the Company is qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
business, (iii) the filing of the Proxy Statement with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”)
in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively,
the “ Exchange Act ”), (iv) the filing of such
reports, schedules or materials under the Exchange Act or the rules
of any Authorized Quotation System as may be required in connection
with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and
(v) such other consents, approvals, licenses, permits, orders,
authorizations, registrations, declarations, notices and filings
which, if not obtained, made or given, would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected, to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Agreement, “
Governmental Entity ” means any United States,
non-United States or multinational government entity, body or
authority, including (i) any United States federal, state or local
government (including any town, village, municipality, district or
other similar governmental or administrative jurisdiction or
subdivision thereof, whether incorporated or unincorporated), (ii)
any non-United States or multi-national government or governmental
authority or any political subdivision thereof, (iii) any United
States, non-United States or multinational regulatory or
administrative entity, authority, instrumentality, jurisdiction,
agency, body or commission, exercising, or entitled or purporting
to exercise, any judicial, legislative, police, regulatory, or
taxing authority or power, including any court, tribunal,
commission or arbitrator, (iv) any self-regulatory organization, or
(v) any official of any of the foregoing.
(d)
Assuming a quorum is present,
the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the holders
of outstanding shares of Company Common Stock entitled to vote at
the Company Meeting (the “ Required Company Shareholder
Vote ”) is the only vote of the holders of any class or
series of capital stock or other securities of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries necessary for the Company Shareholder Approval
and for the consummation by the Company of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the Shareholder Agreement in
accordance with the Company Charter Documents, the rules of The
Nasdaq Stock Market or the NJBCA. There are no bonds, debentures,
notes or other indebtedness of the Company having the right to vote
(or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the
right to vote) on any matters on which shareholders of the Company
may vote.
3.5
SEC Filings; Financial
Statements; Information Provided . (a) The Company has filed or
furnished all registration statements, forms, reports and other
documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company with the
SEC since October 1, 2005. All such registration statements, forms,
reports and other documents (including those that the Company may
file after the date hereof until the Closing, and in each case
including all exhibits, schedules and amendments thereto and
documents incorporated by reference therein) are referred to herein
as the “ Company SEC Reports .” As of their
respective effective dates (in the case of Company SEC Reports that
are registration statements filed pursuant to the requirements of
the Securities Act) and as of their respective SEC filing dates (in
the case of all other Company SEC Reports), the Company SEC Reports
complied in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the
rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such
Company SEC Reports, and none of the Company SEC
- 12 -
Reports as of
such respective dates contained any untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a 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. No investigation by the SEC with respect to the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, threatened. Except to the extent that information
contained in any Company SEC Report filed and publicly available
prior to the date of this Agreement (a “ Filed Company SEC
Report ”) has been revised or superseded by a later Filed
Company SEC Report, none of the Company SEC Reports contains any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a 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. No Subsidiary of the Company is
subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13(a) or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act. As used in this Agreement, “
Knowledge ” of any Person that is not an individual
shall mean, with respect to any matter in question, the actual
knowledge after due inquiry of the individuals listed on Section
3.5(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter.
(b)
Each of the consolidated
financial statements (including, in each case, any related notes
and schedules) contained or to be contained in the Company SEC
Reports at the time filed (i) complied or will comply as to form in
all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and
the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect
thereto, (ii) were or will be prepared in accordance with United
States generally accepted accounting principles (“
GAAP ”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the
periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes to such
financial statements or, in the case of unaudited interim financial
statements, as permitted by the SEC on Form 10-Q under the Exchange
Act), and (iii) fairly presented or will fairly present the
consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries
as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of their
operations and cash flows for the periods indicated, subject, in
the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to normal and
recurring year-end audit adjustments, none of which has been or
will be, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Company
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole). The consolidated, audited
balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 2007 included in
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
as of such date (including the notes thereto) is referred to herein
as the “ Company Balance Sheet .” Neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or
obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or
otherwise) whether or not required, if known, to be reflected or
reserved against on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company
prepared in accordance with GAAP or the notes thereto, except (i)
liabilities as and to the extent set forth on the Company Balance
Sheet or the notes thereto, (ii) liabilities incurred after the
date of the Company Balance Sheet in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice or in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) liabilities
arising in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the terms of
Company Contracts (other than relating to any breaches thereof by
the Company or its Subsidiaries) disclosed in the Company
Disclosure Letter or that are not required to be disclosed therein
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and (iv) liabilities that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(c)
The information to be supplied
by or on behalf of the Company for inclusion in the proxy statement
to be sent to the shareholders of the Company (as amended
or
- 13 -
supplemented
from time to time, the “ Proxy Statement ”) in
connection with the Company Meeting shall not, on the date the
Proxy Statement is first mailed to shareholders of the Company, at
the time of the Company Meeting or at the Effective Time, 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.
(d)
The Company has established
and maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal
control over financial reporting required by Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15
under the Exchange Act. Such disclosure controls and procedures are
designed to ensure that all material information concerning the
Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to
the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal
financial officer by others within those entities, particularly
during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the
Exchange Act are being prepared; and such disclosure controls and
procedures are designed to accumulate and communicate to the
Company’s principal executive officer and its principal
financial officer information required to be included in the
Company’s periodic reports required under the Exchange Act as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure. The principal executive officer and the principal
financial officer of the Company have timely made all
certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and any
rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder (the
“ SOxA ”). All of the statements contained in
such certifications are complete and correct as of the dates
thereof. The Company’s principal executive officer and its
principal financial officer have disclosed, based on their most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Board
of Directors of the Company (x) all significant deficiencies and
material weaknesses (as such terms are defined in PCAOB Auditing
Standard No. 2) in the design or operation of internal control over
financial reporting that are reasonably likely to adversely affect
the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial data (each a “ Financial Control
Weakness ”) and (y) any fraud, whether or not material,
that involves management or other employees who have a significant
role in the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting. The Company is in compliance in all material respects
with the applicable listing and other rules and regulations of The
Nasdaq Stock Market.
(e)
The Company’s system of
internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide
reasonable assurance (i) that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with GAAP, (ii) that receipts and expenditures are
executed only in accordance with the authorization of management
and (iii) regarding prevention or timely detection of the
unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s
assets that would materially affect the Company’s financial
statements. No Financial Control Weakness was identified in
management’s assessment of its internal control over
financial reporting as of September 30, 2007 (nor has any such
Financial Control Weakness since been identified).
(f)
The Company is in compliance
in all material respects with the provisions of Section 13(b) of
the Exchange Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any director, officer,
agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate or other funds
for
- 14 -
unlawful
contributions, payments, gifts or entertainment, or made any
unlawful expenditures relating to political activity to government
officials or others or established or maintained any unlawful or
unrecorded funds or otherwise taken or permitted to be taken any
action in violation of Section 30A of the Exchange Act or (ii)
accepted or received any unlawful contributions, payments, gifts or
expenditures. Except as set forth in Filed Company SEC Reports,
since December 31, 2007, no event has occurred that would be
required to be reported as a “Certain Relationship or Related
Transaction” pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K
promulgated by the SEC.
(g)
Since October 1, 2005, the
Company has not 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, including any material
complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries has engaged in questionable accounting or
auditing practices. Since October 1, 2005, 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 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 any director or officer of the
Company.
(h)
The Company has adopted a code
of ethics, as defined by Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K, for senior
financial officers, applicable to its principal financial officer,
comptroller or principal accounting officer, or Persons performing
similar functions. Prior to the date hereof, the Company has
promptly disclosed, by filing a Form 8-K, any change in or waiver
of the Company’s code of ethics, as required by Section
406(b) of SOxA. To the Knowledge of the Company, as of the date
hereof, there have been no violations of provisions of the
Company’s code of ethics other than immaterial violations by
employees who are not responsible for managing others.
3.6
Absence of Certain Changes or
Events . Since the date of the
Company Balance Sheet there have not been any events, changes,
occurrences or state of facts that, individually or in the
aggregate, have had or would reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. Except in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Shareholder
Agreement, since the date of the Company Balance Sheet (a) the
Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective
businesses only in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice and (b) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has taken any action nor has there been any event that
would have required the consent of the Buyer under Section 5.1 of
this Agreement had such action or event occurred after the date of
this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, from the date of
the Company Balance Sheet through the date hereof, there has not
occurred any damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by
insurance) of any material asset of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries that materially affects the use thereof.
3.7
Taxes . (a) Each of the Company and
each of its Subsidiaries has timely filed, or has caused to be
timely filed, with the appropriate Tax authority or Governmental
Entity all Tax
- 15 -
Returns that it
was required to file, and all such Tax Returns were correct and
complete in all material respects. The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have paid on a timely basis all Taxes due with respect
to the Tax periods covered by such Tax Returns and all other Taxes
otherwise due. The Company Balance Sheet reflects an adequate
reserve for all Taxes payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries
for all Tax periods and portions thereof through the date of such
Company Balance Sheet. All liabilities for Taxes that arose since
the date of the Company Balance Sheet arose in the ordinary course
of business. All Taxes that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is or was required by law to withhold or collect have been duly
withheld or collected and, to the extent required, have been paid
to the proper Governmental Entity, except for any such Taxes with
respect to which the failure to withhold, collect or pay have not
had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement: (i) “
Tax ” or “ Taxes ” shall mean (A)
all federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts,
levies or other comparable assessments, including all net income,
gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem, value added,
transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock, license,
withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment,
excise, severance, stamp, occupation, property and estimated taxes,
customs duties, fees, assessments and other charges in the nature
of Taxes imposed by any Tax authority or Governmental Entity, (B)
all interest, penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional
amounts imposed by any Tax authority or Governmental Entity in
connection with any item described in clauses (A) or (B), and (C)
any amounts in respect of any items described in clauses (A) and/or
(B) payable by reason of contract, assumption, transferee
liability, operation of law, Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502
-6(a) (or any predecessor or successor thereof or any analogous or
similar provision under federal, state, local or foreign law) or
otherwise, and (ii) “ Tax Returns ” shall mean
any return, report, claim for refund, estimate, information return
or statement, Tax election or other similar document relating to or
required to be filed with any Tax authority or Governmental Entity
with respect to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment
thereto, and including any amendment thereof.
(b)
The Company has made available
to the Buyer true, correct and complete copies of all U.S. federal
income Tax Returns, examination reports and statements of
deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by the Company and each
of its Subsidiaries since October 1, 2004. The U.S. federal income
Tax Returns of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have been
examined by and settled with the Internal Revenue Service (the
“ IRS ”) or are closed by the applicable statute
of limitations for all Tax years through the Tax year specified in
Section 3.7(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter. All assessments
for Taxes due with respect to such completed and settled
examinations or any concluded litigation have been fully paid. The
Company has provided to the Buyer true, correct and complete copies
of all other Tax Returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries
together with all related examination reports and statements of
deficiency for all Tax periods from and after October 1, 2004. No
examination or audit of any Tax Return of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries by any Tax authority or Governmental Entity is
currently in progress or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened or contemplated and no written notice thereof has been
received. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been
informed by any Tax authority or Governmental Entity that the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries was required to file any Tax
Return that was not filed or otherwise pay any Tax that was not
paid. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has
- 16 -
waived any
statute of limitations with respect to Taxes or agreed to an
extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or
deficiency.
(c)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries: (i) has made any payments, is obligated to make
any payments, or is a party to any agreement that could obligate it
to make any payments that will be treated as an “excess
parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code; or (ii)
has any actual or potential liability for any Taxes of any Person
(other than the Company and its Subsidiaries) under Treasury
Regulation Section 1.1502 -6 (or any similar provision of law in
any jurisdiction), or as a transferee or successor, by contract or
otherwise.
(d)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries (i) is or has ever been a member of a group of
corporations with which it has filed (or been required to file)
consolidated, combined or unitary Tax Returns, other than a group
the common parent of which was the Company or (ii) is a party to or
bound by any Tax indemnity, Tax sharing or Tax allocation
agreement, arrangement or practice (a “ Tax Sharing
Agreement ”) and, after the Closing Date, none of the
Company or any Subsidiary will be bound by any Tax Sharing
Agreement or similar arrangement or have any liability thereunder
for amounts due in respect of periods prior to the Closing
Date.
(e)
No Liens for Taxes exist with
respect to any of the assets or property of the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries except for statutory Liens for Taxes not yet due
or payable.
(f)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has constituted either a “distributing
corporation” or a “controlled corporation”
(within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a
distribution of stock qualifying for Tax-free treatment under
Section 355 of the Code since the effective date of Section 355(e)
of the Code.
(g)
The Company is not a
“United States real property holding corporation”
within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code during the five-year
period ending on the Closing Date.
(h)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has engaged in any transaction that would
constitute a “listed transaction” or a “tax
shelter” within the meaning of Section 6111 or 6662 of the
Code.
(i)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has changed any of its methods of reporting income
or deductions for Tax purposes from those employed in the
preparation of its Tax Returns for the Tax year ended September 30,
2007.
(j)
There is currently no
limitation on the utilization of net operating losses, capital
losses, built-in losses, tax credits or similar items of the
Company and its Subsidiaries under Sections 269, 382, 383, 384 or
1502 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder (and
comparable provisions of state, local or foreign law).
- 17 -
(k)
No foreign Subsidiary of the
Company is, or at any time has been, a passive foreign investment
company within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Code, neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary is a shareholder, directly or
indirectly, in a passive foreign investment company, and no foreign
Subsidiary of the Company that is not a United States person (x)
is, or, has been at any time within the period covered by the
statute of limitations applicable to this representation, engaged
in the conduct of a trade or business within the United States or
treated as or considered to be so engaged and (y) has, or has had
at any time within the period covered by the statute of limitations
applicable to this representation, an investment in “United
States property” within the meaning of Section 956(c) of the
Code. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, or has been at any
time within the period covered by the statute of limitations
applicable to this representation, subject to (A) the dual
consolidated loss provisions of Section 1503(d) of the Code, (B)
the overall foreign loss provisions of Section 904(f) of the Code
or (C) the recharacterization provisions of Section 952(c)(2) of
the Code.
(l)
The Company Disclosure Letter
sets forth all foreign jurisdictions in which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is subject to Tax, is engaged in business or has a
permanent establishment.
(m)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has entered into any agreement with any
Governmental Entity that expressly limits or expressly denies the
ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates to
perform Tax planning or enter into Tax planning arrangements,
schemes or other similar arrangements.
(n)
To the Knowledge of the
Company, no claim has been made by any Governmental Entity in a
jurisdiction where neither the Company nor any Subsidiary files a
Tax Return that the Company or any such Subsidiary may be subject
to Tax by that jurisdiction.
(o)
No Subsidiary has been
required to make a basis reduction pursuant to Treasury Regulation
Section 1.1502 -20(b) or Treasury Regulation Section 1.337(d)
-2(b).
(p)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has ever participated in an international boycott
as defined in Section 999 of the Code.
(q)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries owns any interest in an entity that is
characterized as a partnership for U.S. federal income Tax
purposes.
(r)
No Subsidiary is a party to a
gain recognition agreement under Section 367 of the
Code.
(s)
Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries will be required to include any item of income in,
or exclude any item of deduction from, Taxable income for any
period (or any portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a
result of any: (i) deferred intercompany gain or any excess loss
account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the
Code (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Tax
law); (ii) closing agreement as described in Section 7121 of the
Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or
foreign Tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii)
installment sale
- 18 -
or other open
transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; or
(iv) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing
Date.
3.8
Owned and Leased Real
Properties; Title to Properties . (a) Section 3.8(a) of the
Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete and correct list as
of the date of this Agreement of (i) the addresses of all real
property owned by the Company or any Subsidiary (such real
property, together with all buildings, structures, improvements and
fixtures located thereon and all easements and other rights and
interests appurtenant thereto, the “ Company Owned
Real Estate ”) and (ii) all loans secured by
mortgages encumbering the Company Owned Real Estate. The Company or
its Subsidiaries (as the case may be) have good and marketable fee
simple title to such Company Owned Real Estate free and clear of
all Liens. Other than the rights of the Buyer pursuant to this
Agreement, there are no outstanding options, rights of first offer
or rights of first refusal to purchase such Company Owned Real
Estate or any portion thereof or interest therein and neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to any agreement or option to
purchase any real property or interest therein.
(b)
The Company Owned Real Estate
complies in all material respects with the requirements of all
applicable building, zoning, subdivision, health, safety and other
land use statutes, laws, codes, ordinances, rules, orders and
regulations.
(c)
Section 3.8(c) of the Company
Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete and correct list as of the
date of this Agreement of all real property (i) leased, (ii)
subleased or (iii) licensed by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (collectively “ Company Leases ”)
and the location of the premises together with a true and complete
list of all written Company Leases (including all amendments,
extensions, renewals, guaranties and other agreements with respect
thereto and including the date and names of the parties to such
Company Lease). The Company Leases are legal, valid, binding and
enforceable and in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any
other party to any Company Lease is in default under any of the
Company Leases, other than any default which has not had and would
not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries leases,
subleases or licenses any Company Owned Real Estate or real
property held by Company Leases to any Person other than the
Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company has provided the Buyer
with true, complete and correct copies of all written Company
Leases. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries enjoys peaceful
and undisturbed possession under all such Company Leases, the
Company or its Subsidiaries has not collaterally assigned or
granted any other security interest in such Company Leases or any
interest therein, and there are no Liens or encumbrances on the
estate or interest created by such Company Leases.
(d)
The Company and its
Subsidiaries have good and valid title to all properties and other
assets (other than the Company Owned Real Estate) that are
reflected on the Company Balance Sheet as being owned by the
Company or one of its Subsidiaries (or acquired after the date
thereof) and that are, individually or in the aggregate, material
to the Company’s business or financial condition on a
consolidated basis (except properties sold or otherwise disposed of
since the date thereof in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice and not in violation of this
Agreement), free and clear of all Liens.
- 19 -
(e)
The Company Owned Real Estate
and the Company Leases comprise all of the real property used in,
or otherwise related to, the Company's business as of the date
hereof.
3.9
Intellectual
Property . (a) Section 3.9(a)(1) of the
Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete and accurate list
as of the date hereof of (i) all Company Owned Intellectual
Property (other than (A) any unregistered Company Owned
Intellectual Property described in clauses (C), (D), (E) and (F) of
the definition of Intellectual Property and (B) any Trademark that
is not subject to any application or registration and is not
material to either the business of the Company or its
Subsidiaries), (ii) the owner of such Company Owned Intellectual
Property and any registration thereof or application therefor in
any jurisdiction (noting the relevant jurisdiction), (iii) a
complete list of all licenses or rights granted by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries with respect to such Company Owned
Intellectual Property (identified by title, date and parties),
other than nonexclusive licenses granted by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and (iv)
Contracts existing as of the date hereof pursuant to which the
Company or one of its Subsidiaries has obtained rights to the
Company Licensed Intellectual Property, including the duration or
term thereof, other than any Contract (A) pursuant to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is granted the right to use
commercially available software or (B) which is not material to the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. All
Company Owned Intellectual Property is owned by the Company or one
of its Subsidiaries free and clear of all Liens, including claims
or rights of employees, agents, consultants, contractors, partners,
inventors, customers, licensees or other parties involved in the
development, creation, marketing, maintenance, enhancement or
licensing of such Intellectual Property (but excluding nonexclusive
licenses granted by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business).
(b)
Except as set forth in Section
3.9(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, to the Knowledge of the
Company, neither the existence nor the sale, offer to sell,
license, lease, transfer, export, import, use, reproduction,
distribution, modification or other exploitation by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries of any of their respective products or
services, as such products or services are or were sold, licensed,
leased, transferred, used or otherwise exploited by such Persons,
does or did (i) infringe on any Patent, Trademark, Copyright or
other right of any other Person or (ii) constitute a misuse or
misappropriation of any Secret Information of any other Person.
There is no contract, license, Lien, governmental order, decree or
judgment restricting the ability of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to sell, offer to sell, license, lease, transfer,
export, import, use, reproduce, distribute, modify or otherwise
exploit any Company Owned Intellectual Property.
(c)
Except as would not reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) all
Patents, registered Trademarks and registered Copyrights owned by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been duly registered
and/or filed, as applicable, with or issued by each applicable
Governmental Entity in each jurisdiction in which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries has sought to register such rights; and
(ii) where Company Owned Intellectual Property has been issued or
registered, all necessary affidavits of continuing use have been
filed, and all necessary maintenance fees have been paid to
continue all such rights in effect.
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(d)
There is no suit, claim,
action or proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened, nor is any governmental investigation pending or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, with respect to, and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has at any time
since October 1, 2004 received written notice of, any possible
infringement or other violation by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of its or their products or services, of the
Intellectual Property rights of any Person.
(e)
The execution and delivery of
this Agreement does not, and the consummation of the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated hereby will not: (i) conflict with,
or result in any material violation of, or default (with or without
notice or lapse of time or both) under, or give rise to (A) any
material Lien, right, license, lease or similar agreement relating
to, any material Company Intellectual Property, or (B) any right of
termination, cancellation or acceleration of any material Company
Intellectual Property right or obligation set forth in any
agreement to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party; (ii) cause the loss or encumbrance of any material Company
Intellectual Property or material benefit related thereto; or (iii)
otherwise impair the Company’s or any of its
Subsidiaries’ ability to use the Company Intellectual
Property in the same manner as such Company Intellectual Property
is currently used by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or their
respective customers.
(f)
The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect
their rights in respect of Intellectual Property owned by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is material to either the
business of the Company or its Subsidiaries, including complying
with appropriate marking/notice requirements and maintenance of
privacy and confidentiality requirements and to the Knowledge of
the Company no such rights, including any right to prevent other
Persons from using any such Intellectual Property owned by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, have been lost or are
reasonably expected to be lost through failure to act by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has agreed to waive any rights in Company
Intellectual Property that is material to either the business of
the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(g)
For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the definitions set forth
below:
(i)
“ Intellectual
Property ” means:
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(A)
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all trademarks (registered or
unregistered), service marks, brand names, trade names, domain
names, certification marks, trade dress, assumed names, other
indications of origin and the goodwill associated therewith, and
all registrations or applications for registration thereof in any
jurisdiction, including any extension, modification or renewal of
any such registration or application (collectively, “
Trademarks ”),
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(B)
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all patents, patent
applications, provisionals, continuations, continuations-in-part,
divisionals, re-issues, re-
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examinations, and foreign
counterparts in any jurisdiction (collectively, “
Patents ”),
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(C)
|
all copyrights, database
rights and moral rights in both published works and unpublished
works, including all such rights in Software, user and training
manuals, marketing and promotional materials, internal reports,
business plans and any other writings, expressions, mask works,
firmware and videos, whether copyrighted, copyrightable or not, and
all registrations or applications for registration of copyrights
thereof and any renewals or extensions thereof in any jurisdiction
(collectively, “ Copyrights ”),
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(D)
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trade secret and confidential
information, and rights in any jurisdiction to limit the use or
disclosure thereof by a third party, including such rights in
inventions, discoveries and ideas, whether patented, patentable or
not in any jurisdiction (and whether or not reduced to practice),
know- how, customer lists, technical information, proprietary
information, technologies, processes and formulae, software, data,
plans, drawings and blue prints, whether tangible or intangible and
whether stored, compiled, or memorialized physically,
electronically, photographically or otherwise (collectively,
“ Secret Information ”),
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(E)
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computer programs and
applications, including any and all software implementations of
algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in source code or
object code, databases and compilations, including any and all data
and collections of data, whether machine readable or otherwise,
descriptions, flow-charts, library functions, algorithms,
architecture, structure, display screens and development tools, and
other information, work product or tools used to design, plan,
organize or develop any of the foregoing, and all documentation,
including user manuals and training materials, relating to any of
the foregoing (collectively, “ Software
”),
and
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(F)
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any similar intellectual
property or proprietary rights similar to any of the foregoing,
licenses, immunities, covenants not to sue and the like relating to
the foregoing, and any claims, causes of action or rights of
collection arising out of or related to any infringement (whether
prior, present or future), misuse or misappropriation of any of the
foregoing;
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(ii)
“ Company
Intellectual Property ” means all Intellectual Property
as defined above including patents, patent applications, trademark
registrations, trademark applications, common-law trademarks,
copyright registrations, trade secrets, software, domain names, and
other proprietary rights relating to any of the foregoing
throughout the world (including associated goodwill and remedies
against prior, current and future infringements thereof and rights
of protection of an interest therein under the laws of all
jurisdictions) and copies and tangible embodiments thereof that is
owned by or licensed to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(iii)
“ Company Owned
Intellectual Property ” means Company Intellectual
Property that is owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
(excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Company Licensed
Intellectual Property); and
(iv)
“ Company Licensed
Intellectual Property ” means Company Intellectual
Property that is owned by a third party and licensed to or used by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
3.10
Contracts
. (a) For purposes
of this Agreement, “ Company Material Contract ”
shall mean:
(i)
any “material
contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of
Regulation S-K of the SEC) with respect to the Company and its
Subsidiaries;
(ii)
any employment or consulting
or other type of Contract with any executive officer or other
employee of the Company or any Subsidiary whose base salary or
other compensation exceeds $100,000 or any member of the Company
Board or the board of directors of any Subsidiary, other than those
that are terminable by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on no
more than ninety (90) days notice without liability or financial
obligation to the Company or Subsidiary;
(iii)
any Contract that purports to
(A) limit, curtail or restrict in any respect the right of the
Company or any of its existing or future Subsidiaries or Affiliates
to engage in any line of business or compete with any Person in any
line of business or in any geographic area or to compete with any
party, (B) grant any exclusive rights to make, sell or distribute
the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ products, (C)
grant to any party "most favored customer" status or other similar
right to receive more favorable terms in any agreement if another
party to a substantially similar agreement has received more
favorable terms with respect to such agreement or (D) otherwise
materially restrict or limit the right of the Company or its
existing or future Subsidiaries to sell or distribute any products
or services to any Person;
(iv)
any Contract (A) entered into
since January 1, 2006 outside the ordinary course of business
relating to the disposition, acquisition or lease by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries of material properties or assets (by
merger, purchase or sale of stock or purchase or sale of assets),
(B) pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
any partnership, joint venture or other material ownership interest
in any other Person or other business enterprise other than the
Company’s Subsidiaries or (C) pursuant to which
the
- 23 -
Company or any
of its Subsidiaries is engaged in any joint development, joint
distribution or strategic alliance with any other Person that, in
the case of this subsection (C), is not terminable without penalty
on notice equal to or less than ninety (90) days;
(v)
any Contract to provide source
code to any third party for any product or technology that is
material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
other than source code escrow agreements entered into in the
ordinary course of business;
(vi)
any loan or credit agreement,
mortgage, indenture, note or other Contract evidencing material
indebtedness for borrowed money by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any Contract or instrument pursuant to which
material indebtedness for borrowed money may be incurred or is
guaranteed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(vii)
any mortgage, pledge, security
agreement, deed of trust or other Contract granting a Lien on any
material property or assets of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(viii)
any settlement agreement
entered into within three (3) years prior to the date of this
Agreement, other than (A) releases immaterial in nature or amount
entered into with former employees or independent contractors of
the Company in the ordinary course of business in connection with
the routine cessation of such employee’s or independent
contractor’s employment with, or services for, the Company or
(B) settlement agreements for cash only (which has been paid) and
does not exceed $250,000 as to such settlement;
(ix)
any material license or
royalty Contract (including all Intellectual Property
Licenses);
(x)
any financial derivatives
master agreement or confirmation, or futures account opening
agreements and/or brokerage statements, evidencing financial
hedging or similar trading activities;
(xi)
any shareholder
agreement;
(xii)
any Contract (including
Governmental Contracts but excluding Contracts for the purchase of
raw materials) that involves annual consideration or expenditures
(whether or not measured in cash) of greater than $1,000,000 and is
not terminable without penalty on notice of ninety (90) days or
less;
(xiii)
any “standstill”
or similar agreement in effect as of the date hereof;
(xiv)
any sales representative,
sales agency or distribution Contract that is not terminable
without penalty on notice of ninety (90) days or less;
(xv)
any Contract containing any
“change of control” trigger or provision;
- 24 -
(xvi)
any Contract that was not
entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice;
(xvii)
any Contract (1) between the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries and a Federal Health Care
Program (as defined in Section 3.24(a)), or (2) with a commercial
third party payor pursuant to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries provides goods or services to beneficiaries of any
Federal Health Care Program; or
(xviii)
any commitment or agreement to
enter into any of the foregoing.
(b)
Section 3.10(b) of the Company
Disclosure Letter sets forth a list of all Company Material
Contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party as of the date hereof. The Company has heretofore provided
the Buyer with access to true, complete and correct copies of each
Company Material Contract in existence as of the date hereof,
together with any and all amendments and supplements
thereto.
(c)
Each of the Company Material
Contracts is valid and binding on the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries party thereto and, to the Knowledge of the Company,
each other party thereto and is in full force and effect, except
for such failures to be valid and binding or to be in full force
and effect that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. There is no default under any
Company Material Contract by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
and no event has occurred that with the lapse of time or the giving
of notice or both would constitute a default thereunder by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case except as would
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Company Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of the
Company, no other party to any Company Material Contract is in
default thereunder other than with respect to defaults which are
immaterial. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any written notice of termination or cancellation under
any Company Material Contract that has not been cured or
waived.
3.11
No Violation, Litigation or
Regulatory Action . (a) Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any judgment, order, award or
decree of any foreign, federal, state, local or other court or
tribunal or any award in any arbitration proceeding (each, a
“ Court Order ”);
(b)
the assets of the Company and
its Subsidiaries and their uses comply with, and the Company and
its Subsidiaries have complied with, all Court Orders and, in all
material respects, all Laws, in each case that are applicable to
the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ assets or
business;
(c)
there is no claim, action,
suit, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the Knowledge of
the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or its
Subsidiaries (other than claims, actions, suits or proceedings that
seek solely money damages of less than $250,000), and there are no
lawsuits, suits or proceedings pending in which the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries is the plaintiff or claimant (other than
claims, actions, suits or proceedings that seek money damages of
less than $250,000);
- 25 -
(d)
there is no claim, action,
suit, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the Knowledge of
the Company, threatened against the Company or its Subsidiaries
that seeks to restrain, prohibit or otherwise challenge the
legality of any transaction contemplated by this
Agreement;
(e)
as of the date of this
Agreement, the Company has no Knowledge of a pending change in any
Law or a change in interpretation of any such Law by the
Governmental Entity having jurisdiction with respect to such Law
that would reasonably be expected to have a significant adverse
effect on the Company or its Subsidiaries;
(f)
neither the Company nor its
Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, distributor,
employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries has: (i) made, offered to make, promised to make
or authorized the making of any direct or indirect unlawful bribe,
rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful
payment or gift of money or anything of value to any foreign or
domestic government official, any employee of any Governmental
Entity, any political official or candidate for political office or
any officer or employee of a public international organization;
(ii) established or maintained any unlawful or unrecorded funds or
made any false or fictitious entries in the books and records of
the Company and its Subsidiaries relating thereto; or (iii) taken
or omitted to take any action that would reasonably be expected to
result in a violation by the Company of any provision of the U.S.
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any rules or
regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ FCPA
”) or any Law equivalent to the FCPA in any
jurisdiction;
(g)
neither the Company nor its
Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s Knowledge any director,
officer, agent, employee or other person authorized to act on
behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries: (i) is, or is
owned or controlled by, a person or entity subject to the sanctions
administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury (“ OFAC ”) or
included on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked
Persons, Denied Persons List, Entities List, Debarred Parties List,
Excluded Parties List and Terrorism Exclusion List, or any similar
Law (such entities, persons or organizations collectively, the
“ Restricted Parties ”); or (ii) has engaged in
any transaction directly or indirectly with any Restricted Parties
or has otherwise been in breach of any such sanctions, restrictions
or any similar foreign or state Law;
(h)
the Company and its
Subsidiaries are and have at all times been in compliance with all
Laws relating to the import of products and services from any
foreign jurisdiction and the export, re-export and deemed export of
products and services, including but not limited to technical data,
to those foreign countries, entities or nationals embargoed,
prohibited or otherwise restricted from time to time under
applicable United States Laws, including but not limited to the
Export Administration Act, 50 U.S.C. §§ 2401-2420, the
Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. §§ 2778-2994, the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. §§
1701-1706, the Trading with the Enemy Act, 50 U.S.C. app.
§§ 1-44, the United Nations Participation Act, 22 U.S.C.
§ 287c, and the Tax Reform Act, 26 USC § 1, as amended,
and all applicable policies and regulations promulgated thereunder,
including without limitation (i) the Export Administration
Regulations (“ EAR ”), 15 C.F.R. §§
730-774, as amended, administered by the Bureau of Industry and
Security (“ BIS ”) of the U.S.
Department
- 26 -
of Commerce,
(ii) the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, 22 C.F.R. Parts
120-130, as amended, administered by the Directorate of Defense
Trade Controls of the U.S. Department of State, (iii) the
anti-boycott provisions of the EAR (15 C.F.R. § 760)
administered by BIS and the Anti-Boycott Guidelines (43 Fed. Reg.
3454, Jan. 25, 1978, 44 Fed. Reg. 66272, Nov. 19, 1979)
administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury and the IRS, which
govern the sale, purchase or transfer of goods in interstate or
foreign com