EXHIBIT 2.1
FINAL EXECUTION COPY
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER AND REORGANIZATION
By and Among
IAC/INTERACTIVECORP,
AJI ACQUISTION
CORP.
and
ASK JEEVES,
INC.
Dated as of
March 21, 2005
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I |
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THE MERGER |
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Section 1.1
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The Merger |
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Section 1.2
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Closing; Effective Time |
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Section 1.3
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Tax Consequences |
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2 |
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ARTICLE II |
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DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND CHARTER
DOCUMENTS |
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Section 2.1
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Directors |
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Section 2.2
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Officers |
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2 |
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Section 2.3
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Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation |
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2 |
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ARTICLE III |
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TREATMENT OF SECURITIES |
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Section 3.1
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Effect of the Merger on Capital
Stock |
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2 |
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Section 3.2
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Exchange of Certificates |
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3 |
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Section 3.3
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Company Options, Other Equity-Based
Awards and Employee Stock Purchase Plan |
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Section 3.4
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Convertible Notes |
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ARTICLE IV |
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
THE COMPANY |
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Section 4.1
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Corporate Organization |
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Section 4.2
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Capitalization |
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Section 4.3
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Authority; No Violation |
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11 |
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Section 4.4
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Amendment to Rights Agreement |
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12 |
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Section 4.5
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Consents and Approvals |
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12 |
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Section 4.6
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SEC Reports; Financial
Statements |
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12 |
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Section 4.7
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Broker’s Fees |
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13 |
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Section 4.8
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Absence of Certain Changes or
Events |
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13 |
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Section 4.9
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Legal Proceedings |
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14 |
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Section 4.10
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Taxes and Tax Returns |
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15 |
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Section 4.11
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Certain Other Tax Matters |
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16 |
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Section 4.12
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Employees |
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16 |
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Section 4.13
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Securities Law Matters |
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18 |
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Section 4.14
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Compliance with Applicable Law,
Permits and Licenses |
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-i-
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Section 4.15
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Intellectual Property; Proprietary
Rights; Employee Restrictions; Assets |
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20 |
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Section 4.16
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Certain Contracts; Leases |
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22 |
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Section 4.17
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Undisclosed Liabilities |
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23 |
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Section 4.18
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Insurance |
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Section 4.19
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Environmental Liability |
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24 |
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Section 4.20
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State Takeover Laws |
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Section 4.21
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Registration Statement |
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Section 4.22
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Transactions with Affiliates |
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Section 4.23
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Opinions of Financial Advisors |
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Section 4.24
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Relationship with Google |
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25 |
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Section 4.25
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Traffic Metrics |
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ARTICLE V |
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
PARENT AND MERGER SUB |
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Section 5.1
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Corporate Organization |
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Section 5.2
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Capitalization |
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26 |
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Section 5.3
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Authority; No Violation |
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27 |
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Section 5.4
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SEC Reports; Financial
Statements |
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27 |
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Section 5.5
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Consents and Approvals |
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28 |
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Section 5.6
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Securities Law Matters |
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29 |
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Section 5.7
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Compliance with Applicable Law |
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29 |
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Section 5.8
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Intellectual Property |
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Section 5.9
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Undisclosed Liabilities |
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30 |
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Section 5.10
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Conduct of Business |
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30 |
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Section 5.11
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Broker’s Fees |
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30 |
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Section 5.12
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Taxes and Tax Returns |
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30 |
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Section 5.13
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Certain Other Tax Matters |
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Section 5.14
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Registration Statement |
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Section 5.15
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Absence of Certain Changes or
Events |
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Section 5.16
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Legal Proceedings |
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Section 5.17
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Ownership of Company Common
Stock |
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32 |
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ARTICLE VI |
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CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE
MERGER |
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Section 6.1
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Conduct of Businesses Prior to the
Merger Closing |
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Section 6.2
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Forbearances |
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32 |
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Section 6.3
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Certain Tax Matters |
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35 |
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ARTICLE VII |
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ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS |
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Section 7.1
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Regulatory Matters |
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35 |
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Section 7.2
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Access to Information |
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36 |
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Section 7.3
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Acquisition Transactions |
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37 |
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Section 7.4
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Stockholders’ Approval |
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39 |
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Section 7.5
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Legal Conditions to the Merger |
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39 |
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Section 7.6
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Affiliates |
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40 |
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Section 7.7
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Stock Exchange Quotation or
Listing |
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40 |
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Section 7.8
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Additional Agreements |
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40 |
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Section 7.9
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Advice of Changes |
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40 |
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Section 7.10
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Section 16 |
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40 |
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Section 7.11
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Directors’ and Officers’
Indemnification and Insurance |
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40 |
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Section 7.12
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Reorganization |
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42 |
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Section 7.13
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Registration Statement |
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42 |
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Section 7.14
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Employees |
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42 |
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Section 7.15
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Obligations of Merger Sub |
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43 |
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Section 7.16
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Dividends |
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ARTICLE VIII |
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CONDITIONS |
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Section 8.1
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Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligation to Effect the Merger |
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Section 8.2
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Conditions to Obligations of the
Company |
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45 |
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Section 8.3
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Conditions to Obligations of
Parent |
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45 |
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ARTICLE IX |
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TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND
WAIVER |
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Section 9.1
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Termination |
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46 |
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Section 9.2
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Effect of Termination |
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48 |
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Section 9.3
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Amendment |
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49 |
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Section 9.4
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Extension; Waiver |
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49 |
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ARTICLE X |
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GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Section 10.1
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Nonsurvival of Representations,
Warranties and Agreements |
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50 |
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Section 10.2
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Expenses |
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50 |
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Section 10.3
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Notices |
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50 |
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Section 10.4
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Interpretation |
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51 |
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-iii-
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Section 10.5
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Counterparts |
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51 |
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Section 10.6
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Entire Agreement |
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52 |
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Section 10.7
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Governing Law |
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52 |
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Section 10.8
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Publicity |
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52 |
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Section 10.9
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Assignment; Third Party
Beneficiaries |
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53 |
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Section 10.10
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Specific Enforcement |
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53 |
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Section 10.11
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Severability |
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53 |
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-iv-
EXHIBIT
LIST
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Exhibit A
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Form of Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation |
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Exhibit B
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Affiliate List |
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Exhibit C
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Form of Rule 145 Affiliate
Letter |
-v-
INDEX OF DEFINED
TERMS
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Term |
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50,000 share
Restricted Award Agreement
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9 |
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Acquisition
Proposal
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37 |
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Acquisition
Transaction
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37 |
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Adware
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21 |
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Agreement
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1 |
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Business Day
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2 |
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Certificate
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4 |
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Certificate of
Merger
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1 |
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Certificates
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4 |
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Closing
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1 |
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Closing Date
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1 |
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Code
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1 |
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Company
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1 |
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Company 10-K Balance
Sheets
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12 |
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Company Active
Business
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15 |
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Company Affiliate
Transactions
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24 |
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Company Benefit
Plan
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16 |
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Company
Charter
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8 |
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Company Common
Stock
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3 |
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Company
Contract
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21 |
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Company Disclosure
Schedule
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7 |
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Company ERISA
Affiliate
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16 |
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Company Financial
Statements
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12 |
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Company Intellectual
Property
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19 |
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Company Licensed
Intellectual Property
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19 |
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Company Option
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6 |
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Company Owned
Intellectual Property
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19 |
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Company
Permits
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19 |
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Company Regulatory
Agreement
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14 |
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Company
Reports
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12 |
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Company
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
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3 |
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Company Stock
Plans
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9 |
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Company Stockholder
Approval
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10 |
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Confidentiality
Agreement
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36 |
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Convertible
Notes
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7 |
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DGCL
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1 |
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DHT
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15 |
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Effective Time
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1 |
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ERISA
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16 |
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ESPP
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7 |
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Excess Parent Common
Stock
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5 |
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Exchange Act
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8 |
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Exchange Agent
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4 |
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Exchange Ratio
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3 |
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GAAP
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12 |
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Google
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21 |
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Governmental
Entity
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11 |
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HSR Act
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11 |
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Indemnified
Parties
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40 |
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Insurance
Policies
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23 |
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Intellectual
Property
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19 |
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Japanese JV
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8 |
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Knowledge
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11 |
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Leased Real
Property
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22 |
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Leases
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22 |
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Liens
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9 |
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Material Adverse
Effect
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8 |
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Maximum
Premium
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40 |
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Merger
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1 |
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Merger
Consideration
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3 |
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Merger Sub
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1 |
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Multiple Employer
Plan
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16 |
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NES
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15 |
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NOL
Carryforwards
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15 |
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NOLs
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15 |
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Parent
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1 |
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Parent 10-K Balance
Sheets
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27 |
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Parent 10-K
Financial Statements
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27 |
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Parent Class B
Common Stock
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25 |
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Parent Common
Stock
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3 |
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Parent Disclosure
Schedule
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24 |
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Parent Option
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6 |
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Parent Preferred
Stock
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25 |
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Parent Proxy
Statement
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25 |
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Parent Reports
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27 |
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Parent
Spin-Off
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35 |
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Parties
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1 |
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Pending ESPP
Shares
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9 |
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Pending ISH Merger
Shares
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9 |
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Pending Option
Exercise Shares
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9 |
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-vi-
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Term |
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Page |
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Potential
Acquirer
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37 |
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Proxy
Statement/Prospectus
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34 |
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Qualifying
Proposal
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37 |
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Registration
Statement
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28 |
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Requisite Regulatory
Approval
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43 |
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Right
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3 |
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Rights
Agreement
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3 |
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SEC
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11 |
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Securities Act
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12 |
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Series A
Preferred Stock
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25 |
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Spyware
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21 |
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Stock Plans
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6 |
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Stockholder
Meeting
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38 |
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Stockholder
Proposal
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38 |
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Subsidiary
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8 |
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Superior
Proposal
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37 |
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Surviving
Corporation
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1 |
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Tax
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15 |
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Tax Return
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15 |
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Taxes
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15 |
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Termination
Date
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45 |
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Third Party
Intellectual Property
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19 |
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Transferring
Employee
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42 |
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-vii-
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER AND
REORGANIZATION, dated as of March 21, 2005 (this “
Agreement ”), by and among IAC/InterActiveCorp, a
Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), AJI
Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned
Subsidiary (as defined herein) of Parent (“ Merger Sub
”), and Ask Jeeves, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”) (collectively, the “ Parties
”).
WHEREAS, the respective Boards of
Directors of each of the Parties have approved and declared
advisable this Agreement, pursuant to which Merger Sub shall merge
with and into the Company (the “ Merger ”), with
the Company being the surviving corporation in the Merger, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions, and with the effects, set
forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Parties intend that the
Merger shall constitute a “reorganization” within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the “ Code ”), and that this Agreement
shall constitute a plan of reorganization for purposes of
Sections 354 and 361 of the Code; and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to make
certain representations, warranties and agreements in connection
with the Merger and other transactions contemplated hereby and also
to prescribe certain conditions to the Merger and other
transactions contemplated hereby.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and the representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally
bound hereby, agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE MERGER
Section 1.1 The Merger .
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined herein), Merger Sub
shall be merged with and into the Company in accordance with
Section 251 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the
“ DGCL ”). Following the Effective Time, the
Company shall continue as the surviving corporation in the Merger
(the “ Surviving Corporation ”), shall be a
direct, wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent and shall succeed to all
of the rights and obligations of Merger Sub in accordance with the
DGCL, and the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall
cease. The Merger shall have the effects and consequences specified
in Section 259 of the DGCL.
Section 1.2 Closing;
Effective Time . The closing of the Merger (the “
Closing ”) shall take place at the offices of
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern
time, on the third Business Day (as defined herein) immediately
following the date on which the last of the conditions set forth in
Article VIII hereof is satisfied or waived (other than
conditions that by their nature cannot be satisfied until the
Closing Date, but subject to satisfaction or waiver of such
conditions), or at such other time and date and place as Parent and
the Company shall mutually agree (the “ Closing Date
”). The term “ Effective Time ” shall mean
the time and date of the filing of a properly executed certificate
of merger (the “ Certificate of Merger ”) with
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with
the DGCL, or
at such later time as
agreed to by the Parties and set forth in the Certificate of
Merger. The term “ Business Day ” shall mean any
day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which the commercial
banks in the state of New York are authorized or required by law to
remain closed.
Section 1.3 Tax
Consequences. It is intended that the Merger constitute a
“reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)
of the Code, and the Parties agree to treat the Merger consistently
with this intention for all purposes.
ARTICLE II
DIRECTORS, OFFICERS
AND CHARTER DOCUMENTS
Section 2.1 Directors .
The directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall become the directors of the Surviving Corporation, which
individuals shall serve as directors of the Surviving Corporation
until the earlier of their resignation or removal or their
otherwise ceasing to be directors or until their respective
successors are duly appointed or elected in accordance with the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation and applicable law.
Section 2.2 Officers .
The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation as of the
Effective Time and shall serve until their resignation or removal
or their otherwise ceasing to be officers or until their respective
successors are duly appointed or elected in accordance with the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation and applicable law.
Section 2.3 Certificate of
Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation . At the
Effective Time, (i) the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation shall be amended and restated to read the
same as the Certificate of Incorporation of Merger Sub in effect
immediately before the Effective Time and as set forth on
Exhibit A, except that the name shall be changed to Ask
Jeeves, Inc., until altered, amended or repealed as provided
therein and under the DGCL, and (ii) the Bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation shall be amended and restated to read the
same as the Bylaws of Merger Sub in effect immediately before the
Effective Time until altered, amended or repealed as provided under
the DGCL or in the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.
ARTICLE III
TREATMENT OF
SECURITIES
Section 3.1 Effect of the
Merger on Capital Stock . At the Effective Time, by virtue of
the Merger and without any action on the part of any holder of any
capital stock of the Company or Merger Sub:
(a) Cancellation of
Certain Company Securities . Each share, if any, of Company
Common Stock (as defined herein) that is held in the treasury of
the Company and all shares of Company Common Stock, if any, that
are owned by Parent and any of its wholly
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owned
subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
cancelled and shall cease to exist, and no stock of Parent or other
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(b) Conversion of
Company Securities . By virtue of the Merger and without any
action on the part of any holder thereof:
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(i) |
Other than shares cancelled pursuant to Section 3.1(a),
each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the
Company (together with the related right (a “ Right
”) to purchase Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “
Company Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
”) issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement (the “
Rights Agreement ”) entered into between the Company
and Fleet National Bank, N.A., dated as of April 26, 2001, the
“ Company Common Stock ”) issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to be
outstanding and shall be retired and cease to exist and shall be
converted automatically, subject to Sections 3.1(d) and
3.2(d), into the right to receive 1.2668 (the “ Exchange
Ratio ”) fully paid and nonassessable shares of common
stock, $0.01 par value per share, of Parent (“ Parent
Common Stock ”) (such shares of Parent Common Stock
together with any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent
Common Stock to be paid pursuant to Section 3.2(d),
collectively are referred to as the “ Merger
Consideration ”). |
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(ii) |
At the Effective Time, each Certificate (as defined herein)
theretofore representing shares of Company Common Stock, as the
case may be, shall, without any action on the part of the Company,
Parent or the holder thereof, represent, and shall be deemed to
represent from and after the Effective Time, the number of shares
of Parent Common Stock (and cash in lieu of fractional securities)
as determined in accordance with Section 3.1(b)(i) above and
shall cease to represent any rights in any shares of capital stock
of the Company or the Surviving Corporation. |
(c) Conversion of
Merger Sub Stock. Each share of common stock of Merger Sub, par
value $0.01 per share, issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one fully
paid and nonassessable share of common stock of the Surviving
Corporation.
(d) Certain
Adjustments . The Exchange Ratio shall be appropriately and
proportionately adjusted to fully reflect the effect of any
reclassification, stock split, reverse split, stock dividend
(whether such securities are stock of Parent or a subsidiary,
including as a result of any spin-off), reorganization,
recapitalization or other like change, with respect to Parent
Common Stock or Company Common Stock occurring (or for which a
record date is established) after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Effective Time.
Section 3.2 Exchange of
Certificates.
(a) Deposit with
Exchange Agent . Immediately after the Effective Time, Parent
shall deposit or cause to be deposited with a bank or trust company
selected by Parent
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that is
reasonably acceptable to the Company (the “ Exchange
Agent ”), pursuant to an agreement in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to Parent and the Company, certificates
representing the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable at the
Effective Time in the Merger pursuant to Section 3.1(b).
(b) Exchange and
Payment Procedures . As soon as practicable after the Effective
Time but in no event later than two (2) Business Days after
the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail
to each holder of record of a certificate or certificates (each, a
“ Certificate ” and collectively, the “
Certificates ”) that immediately prior to the
Effective Time represented issued and outstanding shares of Company
Common Stock whose shares were converted into the right to receive
the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 3.1(b):
(i) a letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery
shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates
shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the
Exchange Agent) and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the
surrender of the Certificates in exchange for Parent Common Stock
(which shall be in uncertificated book-entry form unless a physical
certificate is requested) and any cash payable in lieu of
fractional shares of Parent Common Stock. Upon surrender of the
Certificates to the Exchange Agent, together with a duly executed
letter of transmittal and such other documents as may reasonably be
required by the Exchange Agent, the holder of such Certificates
shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor (i) a
book-entry account statement reflecting ownership of (or, if
requested, a stock certificate representing) that number of whole
shares of Parent Common Stock into which the shares of Company
Common Stock previously represented by such Certificates are
converted in accordance with Section 3.1(b), and (ii) cash in
lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock which such holder
has the right to receive pursuant to Section 3.2(d). In the
event that the Merger Consideration is to be delivered to any
person who is not the person in whose name the Certificate
surrendered in exchange therefor is registered in the transfer
records of the Company, the Merger Consideration may be delivered
to a transferee if the Certificate is presented to the Exchange
Agent, accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect
such transfer and by evidence reasonably satisfactory to the
Exchange Agent that any applicable stock transfer taxes have been
paid. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 3.2,
each Certificate (other than a Certificate representing shares of
Company Common Stock to be cancelled in accordance with
Section 3.1(a)) shall be deemed at any time after the
Effective Time to represent only the right to receive upon such
surrender the applicable Merger Consideration contemplated by
Sections 3.1 and 3.2. The Merger Consideration will be
delivered to each former stockholder of the Company by the Exchange
Agent as promptly as practicable following surrender of a
Certificate and a duly executed letter of transmittal. No interest
will be paid or will accrue on any cash payable to holders of
Certificates pursuant to provisions of this Article III.
(c) Distributions with
Respect to Unexchanged Shares . No dividends or other
distributions declared or made after the Effective Time with
respect to Parent Common Stock with a record date after the
Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered
Certificate with respect to Parent Common Stock represented thereby
and no cash payment in lieu of fractional
shares
of Parent Common Stock shall be paid to any such holder pursuant to
Section 3.2(d) until the holder of record of such Certificate
shall surrender such Certificate. Subject to the effect, if any, of
unclaimed property, escheat and other applicable laws, following
surrender of any such Certificate, there shall be paid to the
record holder of the
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certificates representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock
issued in exchange for Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger,
without interest, (i) at the time of such surrender, the
amount of any cash payable in lieu of a fractional share of Parent
Common Stock to which such holder is entitled pursuant to
Section 3.2(d) and the amount of dividends or other
distributions with a record date after the Effective Time
theretofore paid with respect to such whole shares of Parent Common
Stock and (ii) at the applicable payment date, any dividends or
other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time but
with a payment date subsequent to the date of such surrender.
(d) No Fractional
Securities . In lieu of any fractional securities, each holder
of Company Common Stock who would otherwise have been entitled to
receive a fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock upon surrender
of Certificates for exchange pursuant to this Article III will
be paid an amount in cash (without interest) equal to such
holder’s respective proportionate interest in the net
proceeds from the sale or sales in the open market by the Exchange
Agent, on behalf of all such holders, of the aggregate fractional
shares of Parent Common Stock issued pursuant to this
Article III. As soon as practicable following the Effective
Time, the Exchange Agent shall determine the excess of (i) the
number of shares of Parent Common Stock issuable upon surrender of
Certificates by the holders of Company Common Stock (without
excluding fractional shares), delivered to the Exchange Agent by
Parent in accordance with Section 3.2(a), over (ii) the
aggregate number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock to be
distributed to holders of Company Common Stock (excluding
fractional shares) (such excess being collectively called the
“ Excess Parent Common Stock ”). The Exchange
Agent, as agent and trustee for the former holders of Company
Common Stock, shall as promptly as reasonably practicable sell the
Excess Parent Common Stock at the prevailing prices on NASDAQ (or
on the principal exchange on which the Parent Common Stock is then
traded or quoted). The sales of the Excess Parent Common Stock by
the Exchange Agent shall be executed on NASDAQ (or such other
exchange) through one or more member firms of NASDAQ (or such other
exchange) and shall be executed in round lots to the extent
practicable. Parent shall pay all commissions, transfer taxes and
other out-of-pocket transaction costs, including the expenses and
compensation of the Exchange Agent and costs associated with
calculating and distributing the respective cash amounts payable to
the applicable former Company stockholders, incurred in connection
with such sales of Excess Parent Common Stock. Until the net
proceeds of such sales have been distributed to the former holders
of Company Common Stock to whom fractional shares of Parent Common
Stock otherwise would have been issued, the Exchange Agent will
hold such proceeds in trust for such former holders. As soon as
practicable after the determination of the amount of cash to be
paid to former holders of Company Common Stock in lieu of any
fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, the Exchange Agent shall
distribute such amounts to such former holders.
(e) Closing of
Transfer Books . If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are
presented to the Surviving Corporation, they shall be cancelled and
exchanged for certificates (or a book-entry position) representing
the appropriate number of shares of Parent Common Stock as provided
in Section 3.1 and this Section 3.2 and any cash payable
in lieu of fractional shares.
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(f) Termination of
Exchange Agent . Any certificates representing Parent Common
Stock deposited with the Exchange Agent pursuant to
Section 3.2(a) and not exchanged within six months after the
Effective Time pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall be returned
by the Exchange Agent to Parent, which shall thereafter act as
Exchange Agent. All funds or securities held by the Exchange Agent
for payment to the holders of unsurrendered Certificates and
unclaimed at the end of one year from the Effective Time shall be
returned to Parent, after which time any holder of unsurrendered
Certificates shall look as a general creditor only to Parent for
payment of such funds or securities to which such holder is
entitled, subject to applicable law.
(g) Escheat . To
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, neither Parent nor
the Company shall be liable to any person for any funds or
securities delivered to a public official pursuant to any
applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.
(h) Lost, Stolen or
Destroyed Certificates. In the event any Certificate shall have
been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of
that fact by the person claiming such certificate to be lost,
stolen or destroyed and, if reasonably required by Parent, the
posting by such person of a bond in such amount as Parent may
determine is reasonably necessary as indemnity against any claim
that may be made against it with respect to such Certificate, the
Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or
destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration deliverable in
respect thereof pursuant to this Agreement.
(i) Withholding
Rights . Each of the Exchange Agent, the Surviving Corporation
and Parent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Merger
Consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any
holder of Certificates which, prior to the Effective Time,
represented shares of Company Common Stock such amounts as it is
required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such
payment under the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, or any provision of state, local or foreign tax law. To
the extent that amounts are so withheld by the Exchange Agent, the
Surviving Corporation or Parent, as the case may be, such withheld
amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as
having been paid to the holder of the shares of Company Common
Stock in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made
by the Exchange Agent, the Surviving Corporation or Parent, as the
case may be.
(j) No Further
Ownership Rights in Company Common Stock . All shares of Parent
Common Stock and cash paid upon the conversion of shares of Company
Common Stock in accordance with the terms of Articles I, II and III
(including any cash paid pursuant to Section 3.2(d)) shall be
deemed to have been issued and paid in full satisfaction of all
rights pertaining to the shares of Company Common Stock.
Section 3.3 Company Options,
Other Equity-Based Awards and Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (a)
Each option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock (a “
Company Option ”) granted under the employee and
director stock plans of the Company, but excluding the ESPP (the
“ Stock Plans ”), whether vested or unvested,
that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall,
at the Effective Time, cease to represent a right to acquire shares
of Company Common Stock and shall be converted, at the Effective
Time, into an option to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock (a
“ Parent Option ”), on the same terms and
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conditions (including
vesting) as were applicable under such Company Option as of
immediately prior to the Effective Time. The number of shares of
Parent Common Stock subject to each such Parent Option shall be
equal to the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to
each such Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio, rounded, if necessary, down to
the nearest whole share of Parent Common Stock, and such Parent
Option shall have an exercise price per share (rounded up to the
nearest cent) equal to the per share exercise price of such Company
Option immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by the
Exchange Ratio.
(b) The Company shall
take any actions with respect to the Company’s Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (the “ ESPP ”) as are necessary to
(i) provide that the ESPP shall terminate immediately prior to
the Effective Time and all balances in ESPP participant accounts
shall be applied to the purchase of shares in accordance with the
terms of the ESPP immediately prior to the Effective Time, and
(ii) limit the total number of shares purchased between the
date hereof and the Effective Time to 260,000 in the aggregate.
(c) At the Effective Time
all other equity based awards of the Company outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time will be converted into
equity based awards of Parent and the number of shares of Parent
Common Stock subject to such awards shall be equal to the number of
shares of Company Common Stock subject to each such equity-based
award of the Company immediately prior to the effective time
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio, rounded, if necessary, down to
the nearest whole share of Parent Common Stock.
(d) Prior to the
Effective Time, the Company shall take all necessary action for the
adjustment of the Company Options under this Section 3.3 and
the adjustment of other equity based awards of the Company under
this Section 3.3, and will take all necessary action to ensure
that no holders of Company Options or other equity-based awards of
the Company will be able to receive shares of Company Common Stock
after the Effective Time. Parent shall reserve for issuance a
number of shares of Parent Common Stock at least equal to the
number of shares of Parent Common Stock, that will be subject to
Parent Options as a result of the actions contemplated by this
Section 3.3. As soon as practicable following the Effective
Time (and in any event not later than two Business Days following
the Effective Time), Parent shall file a registration statement on
Form S-8 (or any successor form, or if Form S-8 is not available,
other appropriate form) with respect to the shares of Parent Common
Stock subject to such Parent Options and shall use reasonable
efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration
statement or registration statements (and maintain the current
status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein) for so
long as such Parent Options remain outstanding and are required to
be registered.
Section 3.4 Convertible
Notes . The Company shall give all such notices as may be
required by the terms of the Zero Coupon Convertible Subordinated
Notes, due June 1, 2008 (the “ Convertible Notes
”) in respect of the matters contemplated by this
Article III, at the times and in the manner required by such
Convertible Notes.
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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as disclosed in the
corresponding number and subsection of the Company disclosure
schedule delivered to Parent concurrently herewith (the “
Company Disclosure Schedule ”), or in such other
number and subsection of the Company Disclosure Schedule where the
applicability of such exception is reasonably apparent, as an
inducement to Parent and Merger Sub entering into this Agreement
and completing the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company
hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as
follows:
Section 4.1 Corporate
Organization . (a) The Company is duly organized and
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws
of the State of Delaware. The Company has the corporate power and
authority to own or lease all of its properties and assets and to
carry on its business as it is now being conducted, and is duly
licensed or qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which
the nature of the business conducted by it or the character or
location of the properties and assets owned or leased by it makes
such licensing or qualification necessary, except where the failure
to be so licensed or qualified would not, either individually or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. As
used in this Agreement, the term “ Material Adverse
Effect ” means, with respect to Parent or the Company, as
the case may be, any condition, state of facts, change or effect
that is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to
(i) the business, assets, liabilities, operations, results of
operations or financial condition, of such entity and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) the ability of such
entity to timely consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
provided , however , that Material Adverse Effect
shall not be deemed to include the impact of any condition, fact,
change or effect relating to or arising from (A) the
execution, announcement, or consummation of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including any impact thereof on
relationships, contractual or otherwise, with partners (including,
without limitation, joint venture partners, syndication partners
and strategic partners), customers, suppliers or employees, (B)
(x) changes in economic or regulatory conditions in the
industries in which the Company or Parent carries on business as of
the date hereof, and (y) changes in general economic,
regulatory or political conditions, including, without limitation,
acts of war or terrorism, except, in the case of clauses (B)(x) and
(B)(y), to the extent such changes have a materially
disproportionate effect on the Company or Parent and their
respective Subsidiaries taken as a whole, as the case may be,
relative to other participants in the industries in which the
Company or Parent carries on business as of such date or
(C) any changes or effects resulting from any matter, which
matter is expressly contemplated or permitted by the terms of this
Agreement, including any matter which is approved by Parent
following the date hereof pursuant to Article VI. As used in
this Agreement, the word “ Subsidiary ” shall
mean (i) a “significant subsidiary” as defined in
Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)
and, (ii) with respect to the Company, the companies listed in
Section 4.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and with respect
to Parent, the companies listed on Exhibit 21.1 to
Parent’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company has
previously made available true and complete copies of (i) the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “ Company
Charter ”) and the Bylaws of the Company, each as in
effect as of the date of this Agreement, and (ii) the minutes
of the meetings of the Board of Directors and any Committee thereof
in respect of meetings of the Board of Directors and such
Committees held
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since January 31, 2002
through the date hereof for which minutes have been prepared and
approved.
(b) Each Company
Subsidiary and, to the Knowledge of the Company, Ask Jeeves
Kabushiki Kaisha (the “ Japanese JV ” )
(i) is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of
its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) is duly qualified to do
business and, where such status is recognized, in good standing in
all jurisdictions (whether federal, state, local or foreign) where
its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business
requires it to be so qualified and in which the failure to be so
qualified would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company, and (iii) has all requisite
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and
assets and to carry on its business as now conducted.
Section 4.2 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of
(i) 150,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock, of which, as of the
close of business on March 18, 2005, 59,455,548 shares were
issued (or issuable as described in this sentence) and outstanding,
including, without limitation, 473,856 shares held in the
Company’s treasury and 191,997 shares issuable (but not yet
issued) under the Company’s merger agreement with Interactive
Search Holdings upon tender of shares of Interactive Search
Holdings, Inc. by their holders (the “ Pending ISH Merger
Shares ”), 4,393 shares issuable (but not yet issued) in
connection with stock option exercises that occurred prior to the
close of business on March 18, 2005 (the “ Pending
Option Exercise Shares ”), and 10 shares issuable (but
not yet issued) to participants in the January 31, 2005 purchase
under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ Pending ESPP
Shares ”); (ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock,
par value $.001 per share, of which no shares are issued and
outstanding, and no such shares are held in the Company’s
treasury, and of which 150,000 shares have been designated as
Company Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, of
which no shares are issued and outstanding, and no such shares are
held in the Company’s treasury. As of the close of business
on March 18, 2005, no shares of Company Common Stock or
Company Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were
reserved for issuance, except for (A) 74,277 shares of Company
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, such number of
shares being sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
Rights either outstanding or issuable together with the Company
Common Stock described in the remainder of this sentence;
(B) 7,832,388 shares of Company Common Stock reserved for
issuance pursuant to the exercise of outstanding Company Options
under the 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, the 1999 Equity Incentive
Plan, the 1999 Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan, the 1998 Direct
Hit Stock Plan, the ISH 2001 Equity Incentive Plan, and the ISH
2003 Equity Incentive Plan (collectively, together with the 1999
Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the “ Company Stock
Plans ”); (C) a total of 445,635 shares available
for issuance under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan;
(D) 135,000 shares of Company Common Stock potentially
issuable under the Conditional Stock Award Agreements listed in
Section 4.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule;
(E) 50,000 shares of Company Common Stock potentially issuable
under a Restricted Stock Award Agreement listed in
Section 4.12(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule (the
“ 50,000 share Restricted Award Agreement ”);
and (F) 6,804,733 shares of Company Common Stock reserved for
issuance upon conversion of the outstanding Convertible Notes. All
of the issued and outstanding shares of Company Common Stock have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid,
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, with no personal
liability attaching to the ownership thereof. As of the date of
this
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Agreement, except for the
Rights, the Company Options, Conditional Stock Award Agreements,
the 50,000 Share Restricted Award Agreement, the Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (and, other purchase rights arising under the Company
Stock Plans), the Convertible Notes (including the Indenture
related thereto and the forms of Convertible Note), and the
obligations to issue the Pending ISH Merger Shares, the Pending
Option Exercise Shares and the Pending ESPP Shares, the Company
does not have and is not bound by any outstanding subscriptions,
options, warrants, calls, preemptive rights, commitments or
agreements of any character calling for the purchase or issuance of
any shares of Company Common Stock or any other equity securities
of the Company or any securities representing the right to purchase
or otherwise receive any shares of Company Common Stock. Since the
close of business on March 18, 2005 through the date hereof,
the Company has not issued any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable for any shares of its
capital stock, other than (x) awards of stock options in the
ordinary course under the Company Stock Plans and (y) pursuant
to the exercise of stock options granted under the Company Stock
Plans prior to such date. Section 4.2(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of the Company Option holders
as of the close of business on March 18, 2005, including the
date as of which each Company Option was granted, the number of
shares subject to each such Company Option at March 18, 2005
(i.e., the original amount less exercises and any cancellations),
the expiration date of each such Company Option and the price at
which each such Company Option may be exercised under an applicable
Company Stock Plan.
(b) Section 4.2(b)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth, for each Subsidiary
of the Company and the Japanese JV, the name and state of
incorporation of such entity, and the number of its outstanding
shares of capital stock or other equity interests and type(s) of
such outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests
(or a statement that the Company owns all of the outstanding shares
of capital stock or other equity interests of such Subsidiary). The
Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity ownership
interests of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries and 47.17% of
the issued and outstanding equity ownership interests of the
Japanese JV, free and clear of any liens, pledges, charges,
encumbrances and security interests whatsoever (“
Liens ”), and all of such shares or equity ownership
interests are duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, with no personal
liability attaching to the ownership thereof. None of the
Company’s Subsidiaries and, to the Company’s Knowledge
the Japanese JV, has or is bound by any outstanding subscriptions,
options, warrants, calls, commitments or agreements of any
character calling for the purchase or issuance of any shares of
capital stock or any other equity security of such Subsidiary or
the Japanese JV, as the case may be, or any securities representing
the right to purchase or otherwise receive any shares of capital
stock or any other equity security of such Subsidiary or the
Japanese JV, as the case may be. Except for interests in its
Subsidiaries and the Japanese JV, neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries own directly or indirectly any equity interest in
any firm, corporation, partnership or other entity, whether
incorporated or unincorporated, that is material to the business of
the Company or otherwise to the Company or to any of its
Subsidiaries or has any obligation or has made any commitment to
acquire any such interest or to make any investment. No Company
Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s Knowledge the Japanese JV,
owns any capital stock of the Company.
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Section 4.3 Authority; No
Violation . (a) The Company has full corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and (subject to
obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval) to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized
(including such authorization and corporate actions as may be
required so that no state interested director or anti-takeover
statutes or similar statute or regulation, including, without
limitation, Sections 144 and 203 of the DGCL, respectively, is
or becomes operative with Parent, its affiliates or transferees,
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby). Except for
the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware pursuant to the DGCL and the approval of
this Agreement by the affirmative vote of the holders of shares
representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding
shares of the Company Common Stock (the “ Company
Stockholder Approval ”), no other corporate proceedings
on the part of the Company are necessary to approve this Agreement
or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
Company’s Board of Directors, by unanimous vote (i) has
duly and validly adopted this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby and declared this Agreement advisable,
(ii) has directed that this Agreement and the Merger be
submitted to the stockholders of the Company for approval at the
Stockholder Meeting; and (iii) subject to Section 7.4,
recommends that stockholders of the Company approve this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been
duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and
(assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other
Parties) constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
(except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors
generally and the availability of equitable remedies).
(b) Neither the execution
and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, nor the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, including
the Merger, nor compliance by the Company with any of the terms or
provisions hereof, will (i) violate any provision of the
Company Charter or the Bylaws of the Company, or violate or
conflict with any agreement or instrument pursuant to which any
shares of capital stock of the Company, or securities exercisable
for or convertible into shares of capital stock of the Company,
have been issued, or (ii) subject to the making of the filings
and obtaining the approvals referred to in Section 4.5 and the
effectiveness of such filings and/or receipt of the consents and
approvals in connection therewith, (A) violate any statute,
code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or
injunction applicable to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or
any of their respective properties or assets or (B) violate,
conflict with, result in a breach of any provision of or the loss
of any material benefit under, constitute a default (or an event
which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a
default) under, result in the termination of or a right of
termination or cancellation under, accelerate the performance
required by, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the
respective properties or assets of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries under, or require any increased payment under, any of
the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, agreement or other
instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party, or by which they or any of their
respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, except
(in the case of clause (ii) above) for such violations,
conflicts, breaches, losses of benefits, defaults, terminations,
cancellations,
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accelerations, Liens or payments which, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section 4.4 Amendment to
Rights Agreement. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company has taken all necessary action to amend the Rights
Agreement so that, for so long as this Agreement is in full force
and effect: (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
not cause (A) the Rights to become exercisable under the
Rights Agreement, (B) Parent or Merger Sub or any of their
affiliates to be deemed an Acquiring Person (as that term is used
in the Rights Agreement), or (C) the Distribution Date or the
Share Acquisition Date (as these terms are used in the Rights
Agreement) to occur; and (ii) immediately prior to the
Effective Time, the Rights shall expire and no longer be
outstanding.
(b) The Distribution Date (as
that term is used in the Rights Agreement) has not occurred.
Section 4.5 Consents and
Approvals . Except for (a) the filing of the pre-merger
notification report under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “ HSR Act
”), (b) filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “ SEC ”) as may be required by
the Company in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, (c) the filing of the
Certificate of Merger and the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the DGCL, (d) the
filings with any court, administrative agency or commission or
other governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority or
instrumentality (each a “ Governmental Entity ”)
as required under applicable law in each case as set forth in
Section 4.5 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (e) the
Company Stockholder Approval, (f) such filings as may be
required under the rules and regulations of NASDAQ and
(g) such other consents, approvals or filings the failure of
which to obtain or make would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, no
consents or approvals of or filings or registrations with any
Governmental Entity or third party are necessary in connection with
(A) the execution and delivery by the Company of this
Agreement and (B) the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated hereby. As of the date hereof, to the
Company’s Knowledge, there is no reason why the receipt of
any such consents or approvals will not be obtained in a customary
time frame once complete and appropriate filings have been made by
the Company and Parent. For purposes of this Agreement, the “
Knowledge ” of any person that is not an individual
means, with respect to any matter in question, the actual knowledge
of such person’s executive officers and other officers having
primary responsibility for such matter, in each case based upon
reasonable inquiry consistent with such person’s title and
responsibilities.
Section 4.6 SEC Reports;
Financial Statements . (a) The Company has made available
to Parent an accurate and complete copy of each (i) report,
schedule, final registration statement, prospectus and definitive
proxy statement filed by the Company with the SEC on or after
January 1, 2002 and prior to the date hereof pursuant to the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities
Act ”), or the Exchange Act (all such filings, the
“ Company Reports ”), which are all the forms,
reports and documents required to be filed by the Company with the
SEC since such date; and (ii) communication mailed by the
Company to its stockholders since
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January 1, 2004 and
prior to the date hereof. As of their respective dates, the Company
Reports and communications (A) complied in all material
respects with requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act, as the case may be, and the published rules and regulations of
the SEC thereunder applicable thereto, and (B) did not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in
which they were made, not misleading, except that information as of
a later date (but before the date hereof) shall be deemed to modify
information as of an earlier date.
(b) The Company has
previously made available to Parent copies of the consolidated
balance sheets (the “ Company 10-K Balance Sheets
”) of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of
December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2004, and the related
consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity
(deficit) and cash flows for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2004, as reported in
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2004 filed with the SEC under the Exchange
Act (such financial statements included in such Annual Report on
Form 10-K, together with the Company 10-K Balance Sheets, the
“ Company Financial Statements ”), in each case,
accompanied by the audit report of Ernst & Young LLP,
independent public accountants with respect to the Company. The
Company Financial Statements (including the related notes)
(i) fairly present in all material respects the consolidated
financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries at the
respective dates thereof and the consolidated results of
operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity
(deficit) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the years
indicated, (ii) have been prepared consistent with the books
and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries and consistent with
the Company’s accounting policies and procedures, each in a
manner consistent with prior financial statements of the Company
(except for adoption of accounting pronouncements and other changes
in accounting policy, each as disclosed in the Company Reports),
(iii) comply as to form in all material respects with
applicable accounting requirements and with the published rules and
regulations of the SEC with respect thereto and (iv) have been
prepared in all material respects in accordance with United States
generally accepted accounting principles (“ GAAP
”) consistently applied during the periods involved, except,
in each case, as indicated in such statements or in the notes
thereto. The books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries
have been, and are being, maintained in all material respects in
accordance with GAAP (to the extent applicable) and any other
applicable legal and accounting requirements and reflect only
actual transactions.
Section 4.7 Broker’s
Fees . Other than Allen & Company LLC and Citigroup Global
Markets Inc., none of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any
of their respective officers or directors has employed any broker
or finder or incurred any liability for any broker’s fees,
commissions or finder’s fees payable on behalf of the Company
in connection with the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. A true and complete copy of each
engagement letter pursuant to which any such fee or commission is
payable has been previously delivered to Parent.
Section 4.8 Absence of
Certain Changes or Events . (a) Since December 31,
2004, no event or events have occurred which have had or would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
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(b) Except as publicly
disclosed in the Company Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
since December 31, 2004, the Company and its Subsidiaries have
carried on their respective businesses in all material respects in
the ordinary course consistent with past practice.
(c) Except as publicly
disclosed in the Company Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, since
December 31, 2004, (i) except for such actions as are in
the ordinary course of business or except as required by applicable
law, (A) materially increased the wages, salaries, compensation,
pension, or other fringe benefits or perquisites payable to any
executive officer, employee, or director from the amount thereof in
effect as of December 31, 2004, or (B) granted any
material severance or termination pay, entered into any contract to
make or grant any material severance or termination pay, or paid
any material bonuses (other than customary bonuses for the fiscal
year 2004) or (ii) suffered any material strike, work
stoppage, slowdown, or other labor disturbance.
(d) From the period
beginning on December 31, 2004 through the date hereof, the
Company has not granted any stock options with respect to Company
Common Stock to any director, officer, employee, or independent
contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries at an exercise
price per share below the fair market value per share of the
Company Common Stock on the date of such grant.
(e) Since
December 31, 2004 through the date hereof, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action described in
Section 6.2 (j), (m), (n) or (u) that if taken after
the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time would violate such
provision.
Section 4.9 Legal
Proceedings . Except as publicly disclosed in the Company
Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
(a) Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any, and there are no
pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened, legal,
administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims, actions or
governmental or regulatory investigations in which the Company is a
plaintiff, defendant or otherwise might be deemed liable (including
by virtue of indemnification or otherwise), (i) against
(x) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (y) any
present or former officer, director or employee of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, in such person’s capacity as a
present or former officer, director or employee or
(z) otherwise such that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
would reasonably be expected to be liable (whether by virtue of
indemnification or otherwise), in each case other than such
proceedings, claims, actions or investigations which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, (A) result in any material
fines, judgments or amounts paid in settlement, (B) if
adversely determined against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, restrict in any material respect the conduct of the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (C) as of the
date hereof, challenge the validity or propriety of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is subject to any outstanding
order, injunction or decree or is a party to any written agreement,
consent agreement or memorandum of understanding with, or is a
party to any commitment letter or
-14-
similar
undertaking to, or is subject to any order or directive applicable
to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by, or is a recipient of
any supervisory letter from or has adopted any resolutions at the
request of, any Governmental Entity that restricts in any respect
the conduct of its business (each, a “ Company Regulatory
Agreement ”), or (ii) has, since December 31,
2002, been advised by any Governmental Entity that it is
considering issuing or requesting any such Company Regulatory
Agreement.
Section 4.10 Taxes and Tax
Returns . (a) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has
duly and timely filed all material Tax Returns (as defined herein)
required to be filed by it, each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has duly paid or made adequate provision in accordance
with GAAP in the Company’s 10-K Balance Sheet for the payment
of all material Taxes (as defined herein) which have become due as
of the date thereof, and have withheld from their employees all
material Taxes required to have been withheld and have paid over
all such material Taxes to the proper governmental authority, and
all such filed Tax Returns are accurate and complete in all
material respects. Federal, state and local Tax Returns have been
filed by the Company and its Subsidiaries for all periods for which
Tax Returns were due with respect to income tax withholding, Social
Security and unemployment Taxes, except for such failures to file
such Tax Returns that, in the aggregate would not have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company. There are no disputes pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened, related to, or claims
asserted for, material Taxes or assessments upon the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries for which the Company does not have specific
and adequate contingency reserves to the extent required by GAAP.
There are no material liens for Taxes upon any property or assets
of the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than liens for Taxes that
are not delinquent. There are no outstanding agreements or waivers
extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to any
material Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for any
period. No claim has ever been made by any taxing authority in any
jurisdiction where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries currently
does not file Tax Returns that the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is or may be subject to material Tax in such
jurisdiction. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
been a “distributing corporation” or a
“controlled corporation” in a material distribution
intended to qualify under Section 355(a) of the Code. Neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any Tax sharing,
allocation or indemnification agreement or arrangement, other than
any such customary agreements with customers, vendors, lessors or
the like entered into in the ordinary course of business. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a member of an
affiliated group filing a consolidated, combined or unitary Tax
Return (other than the affiliated group of which the Company is the
common parent or of which such Subsidiary was the common parent) or
has any material liability for the Taxes of any person (other than
the Company or its Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation §
1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law).
The Company will have continuously and directly conducted, by
performing active and substantial management and operational
functions, an active trade or business having both revenues and
expenses (the “ Company Active Business ”), for
the entire five year period ending at the Effective Time and will
have directly employed and compensated at least 50 individuals in
the Company Active Business in each of the five years during the
five year period ending at the Effective Time. The fair market
value of the gross assets of the Company Active Business on the
date hereof equals, and immediately prior to the Effective Time,
will equal, at least five percent of the total fair market value of
the gross assets of the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has engaged in, or
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is a party to, any
“reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.6011-4 that has not been reported in
accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4.
(b) As of
December 31, 2004, the Company and its Subsidiaries had net
operating loss carryforwards for U.S. federal income tax purposes
purposes (“ NOLs ”), other than those NOLs
attributable to Interactive Search Holdings (“ ISH
”), Net Effect Systems, Inc. (“NES”) and Direct
Hit Technologies, Inc. (“ DHT ”), totaling
approximately $270 million (such NOLs excluding the ISH, NES
and DHT NOLs, the “ NOL Carryforwards ”). The
NOL Carryforwards are subject to the limitations under
Section 382 of the Code described in Section 4.10(b) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule.
(c) Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement, contract,
arrangement or plan that has resulted or would result, separately
or in the aggregate, in the payment of any material amount that
will not be fully deductible as a result of Section 162(m) of the
Code (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law).
(d) INTENTIONALLY LEFT
BLANK
(e) INTENTIONALLY LEFT
BLANK
(f) As used in this
Agreement, the term Tax or Taxes means all federal,
state, local and foreign income, excise, gross receipts, gross
income, ad valorem, profits, gains, property, capital, sales,
transfer, use, payroll, employment, severance, withholding, duties,
intangibles, franchise, backup withholding and other taxes, or like
assessments together with all penalties and additions to tax and
interest thereon, and the term Tax Return means any return,
declaration, report, claim for refund, information return or
statement filed or required to be filed with a Governmental Entity
relating to Taxes.
Section 4.11 Certain Other
Tax Matters. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has taken or agreed to take any action, has failed to take any
action or knows of any fact, agreement, plan or other circumstance,
in each case that would or could reasonably be expected to prevent
the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning
of Section 368(a) of the Code. The parties agree that none of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement could reasonably be
expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
Section 4.12 Employees .
(a) Set forth on Section 4.12(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule is a true and complete list of each Company
Benefit Plan. For purposes of this Agreement, Company Benefit
Plan means any employee benefit plan, program, policy,
practices, agreement or other arrangement providing benefits to any
current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any beneficiary or dependent
thereof that is sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
contributes or is obligated to contribute, whether or not written,
including without limitation any employee welfare benefit plan
within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA (as defined
herein), any employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA (whether or not such plan is subject to
ERISA) and any bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, vacation,
stock purchase, stock option, severance,
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employment, change of
control or fringe benefit plan, program, policy, practices,
agreement or other arrangement.
(b) The Company has
heretofore made available to Parent true and complete copies of
each of the Company Benefit Plans and (i) the actuarial report
for such Company Benefit Plan (if applicable) for each of the last
two years, (ii) the most recent determination letter from the
Internal Revenue Service (if applicable) for such Company Benefit
Plan, (iii) the summary plan description for such Company
Benefit Plan (if any), and (iv) the Form 5500 for such
Company Benefit Plan (if applicable) for each of the last two
years. Except as specifically provided in the foregoing documents
delivered to Parent, there are no amendments to any Company Benefit
Plan that have been adopted or approved nor has the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries undertaken to make any such amendments or to
adopt or approve any new Company Benefit Plan.
(c) (i) Each of the
Company Benefit Plans has been operated and administered in all
material respects in compliance with applicable laws, including,
but not limited to, ERISA and the Code, (ii) each Company
Benefit Plan has been administered in all material respects in
accordance with its terms, (iii) each of the Company Benefit
Plans intended to be “qualified” within the meaning of
Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination
or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and there are
no existing circumstances nor any events that have occurred that
would be reasonably expected to affect adversely the qualified
status of any such Company Benefit Plan, (iv) no Company
Benefit Plan is subject to Title IV of the Employee Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”) or
Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 or 4971 of the Code,
(v) no Company Benefit Plan provides welfare benefits,
including, without limitation, death or medical benefits (whether
or not insured), with respect to current or former employees or
directors of the Company or its Subsidiaries beyond their
retirement or other termination of service, other than coverage
mandated by applicable law, or under any employment or severance
agreement disclosed to Parent (vi) no material liability under
Title IV of ERISA has been incurred by the Company, its
Subsidiaries or any trade or business, whether or not incorporated
(a “ Company ERISA Affiliate ”), which together
with the Company would be deemed a “single employer”
within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA that has not been
satisfied in full, and no condition exists that presents a material
risk to the Company, its Subsidiaries or any Company ERISA
Affiliate of incurring a material liability thereunder, (vii) no
Company Benefit Plan is a “multiemployer pension plan”
(as such term is defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA) or a plan that
has two or more contributing sponsors at least two of whom are not
under common control (a “ Multiple Employer Plan
”), within the meaning of Section 4063 of ERISA and none
of the Company and its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective
ERISA Affiliates has, at any time during the last six years,
contributed to or been obligated to contribute to any Multiemployer
Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, (viii) all contributions or
other amounts payable by the Company or its Subsidiaries with
respect to each Company Benefit Plan and all premiums due or
payable with respect to insurance policies funding any Company
Benefit Plan for any period through the date hereof have been
timely made or paid in full or, to the extent not required to be
made or paid on or before the date hereof, have been fully
reflected on the Company’s financial statements,
(ix) none of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the
Company’s Knowledge, any other person, including any
fiduciary, has engaged in a transaction in connection with which
the Company, its Subsidiaries or any Company Benefit
-17-
Plan will
be subject to either a material civil penalty assessed pursuant to
Section 409 or 502(i) of ERISA or a material Tax imposed
pursuant to Section 4975 or 4976 of the Code, (x) there
are no pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or
anticipated claims (other than routine claims for benefits) by, on
behalf of or against any of the Company Benefit Plans or any trusts
related thereto or any fiduciaries thereof that could reasonably be
expected to result in a material liability for the Company or its
Subsidiaries or any Company Benefit Plan; (xi) each individual
who renders services to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who
is classified by the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, as
having the status of an independent contractor or other
non-employee status for any purpose (including for purposes of
taxation and tax reporting and under Company Benefit Plans) is
properly so characterized, except to the extent that, in the
aggregate, any such misclassifications would not reasonably be
expected to result in a material liability for the Company or its
Subsidiaries or any Company Benefit Plan and (xii) there does
not now exist, nor do any circumstances exist that could reasonably
be expected to result in, any Controlled Group Liability (as
defined below) that would be a liability of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries following the Effective Time. “Controlled
Group Liability” means any and all liabilities (i) under
Title IV of ERISA, (ii) under Section 302 of ERISA,
(iii) under Sections 412 and 4971 of the Code, (iv) as a
result of a failure to comply with the continuation coverage
requirements of Section 601 et seq. of ERISA and
Section 4980B of the Code, and (v) under corresponding or
similar provisions of foreign laws or regulations.
(d)
Section 4.12(d)(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets
forth (i) an accurate and complete description of each
provision of any Company Benefit Plan and any employment-related
agreement under which the execution and delivery of this Agreement
or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby could
(either alone or in conjunction with any other event) result in,
cause the accelerated vesting, funding or delivery of, or increase
the amount or value of, any payment or benefit to any employee,
officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
could limit the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
amend, merge, terminate or receive a reversion of assets from any
Company Benefit Plan or related trust and (ii) the maximum
amount of the “excess parachute payments” within the
meaning of Section 280G of the Code that could become payable
by the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby, using stock price assumptions
set forth in Section 4.12(d)(i) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule.
(e) Except to the extent
required by any Company Benefit Plan, as of the date hereof, none
of the Company, the Company’s Board of Directors or the
Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors
has taken any action to accelerate the vesting of any stock options
or other equity-based compensation awards in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 4.13 Securities Law
Matters .
(a) With respect to each Annual
Report on Form 10-K and each Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q included
in the Company Reports, the financial statements and other
financial information included in such reports fairly present in
all material respects the financial
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condition as of the dates
thereof and the results of operations for the periods then ended of
the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries.
(b) There are no
significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in either the
design or operation of internal controls of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to record,
process, summarize and report financial information. With respect
to periods after January 1, 2002, the Company has no knowledge
of any fraud or suspected fraud involving (x) management of
the Company (including its consolidated Subsidiaries) who have a
significant role in the internal controls related to financial
reporting, (y) any employees of the Company (including its
consolidated Subsidiaries) where such fraud could have a material
effect on the consolidated financial statements of the Company or
(z) any officer or employee of the Company whose role, actions
or activities would be required to be considered in certifying
internal controls of the Company pursuant to Section 404 of
the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.
(c) The Company has
established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as
such term is defined in Rule 13a-14 under the Exchange Act);
such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that
material information relating to 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
effective in timely alerting the Company’s principal
executive officer and its principal financial officer to material
information required to be included in the Company’s periodic
reports required under the Exchange Act.
Section 4.14 Compliance with
Applicable Law, Permits and Licenses . (a) Neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in conflict with, is in
default or violation of, or has since December 31, 2001 been
investigated for, or charged by any Governmental Entity with, a
violation of any material law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or
decree applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by
which its or any of their respective properties is bound or
affected. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, directly or
indirectly, paid or delivered any fee, commission or other sum of
money or item of property, however characterized, to any government
official or other governmental party, in the United States or any
other country, which is in any manner related to the business or
operations of such entities and which is or was illegal under any
applicable law (including, without limitation, the U.S. Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder).
(b) The Company, its
Subsidiaries and their respective employees hold all material
permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, orders, registrations and
approvals of all Governmental Entities that are required for the
operation of the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(the “ Company Permits ”). Section 4.14(b)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a list of the Company
Permits. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is, and for the
past five years has been, in compliance in all material respects
with the terms of the Company Permits, all of the Company Permits
are in full force and effect and no suspension, modification or
revocation of any of them is pending or, to the knowledge of
the
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Company,
threatened, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, do reasonable
grounds exist for any such action.
Section 4.15 Intellectual
Property; Proprietary Rights; Employee Restrictions; Assets .
(a) To the Knowledge of the Company, all U.S. and foreign
(i) copyrights, (ii) trademarks, service marks, trade
dress and logos, (iii) trade names, (iv) Internet domain
names, (v) patents and patent applications, and
(vi) trade secrets rights, including any of the foregoing
rights in any inventions, know how, practices, methods, processes,
designs, or other information used by the Company and its
Subsidiaries to compete with third parties, computer hardware and
software, including programming processes, source code, object
code, algorithms, structure, display screens, user interfaces,
layouts, development tools, instructions, and templates,
technology, processes and formulae, and including all registrations
and applications for the foregoing intellectual property rights
(collectively, “ Intellectual Property ”) used
by the Company or its Subsidiaries in their respective businesses
(collectively, “ Company Intellectual Property
”) are owned by the Company or such Subsidiaries by operation
of law, or have been assigned to the Company or such Subsidiaries
(“ Company Owned Intellectual Property ”), or
the Company and such Subsidiaries otherwise have the right to use
such Company Intellectual Property in their businesses as currently
conducted, such as by license (“ Company Licensed
Intellectual Property ”). To the Knowledge of the
Company, the Company Intellectual Property is sufficient to carry
on the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as presently
conducted. Except as set forth in Section 4.15 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, to the Knowledge of the Company, the Company
or its Subsidiaries have exclusive ownership of all Company Owned
Intellectual Property used by the Company an
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