EXHIBIT 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
by
and among
DENDRITE INTERNATIONAL, INC.,
CEGEDIM SA
and
DOGWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.
Dated as of March 1, 2007
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
Page
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE I
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFINITIONS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 1.01
|
|
Definitions
|
|
1
|
|
Section 1.02
|
|
Interpretation and
Rules of Construction
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE II
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE MERGER
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 2.01
|
|
Merger
|
|
9
|
|
Section 2.02
|
|
Charter and
Bylaws
|
|
10
|
|
Section 2.03
|
|
Effective Time of the
Merger
|
|
10
|
|
Section 2.04
|
|
Closing
|
|
10
|
|
Section 2.05
|
|
Directors and Officers
of the Surviving Corporation
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE III
|
|
|
|
|
|
EFFECTS OF THE
MERGER
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 3.01
|
|
Effects of the Merger
on Company Securities
|
|
11
|
|
Section 3.02
|
|
Effects of the Merger
on MergerCo Securities
|
|
12
|
|
Section 3.03
|
|
Payment of Merger
Consideration; Stock Transfer Books
|
|
12
|
|
Section 3.04
|
|
Employee Stock Purchase
Plan
|
|
14
|
|
Section 3.05
|
|
Withholding
Rights
|
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IV
|
|
|
|
|
|
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 4.01
|
|
Organization and
Qualification; Subsidiaries; Authority
|
|
15
|
|
Section 4.02
|
|
Organizational
Documents
|
|
15
|
|
Section 4.03
|
|
Capitalization
|
|
16
|
|
Section 4.04
|
|
Authority Relative to
this Agreement, Validity and Effect of Agreements
|
|
17
|
|
Section 4.05
|
|
No Conflict; Required
Filings and Consents
|
|
18
|
|
Section 4.06
|
|
Permits; Compliance
with Laws
|
|
19
|
|
Section 4.07
|
|
SEC Filings; Financial
Statements
|
|
19
|
|
Section 4.08
|
|
Absence of Certain
Changes or Events
|
|
21
|
|
Section 4.09
|
|
Absence of
Litigation
|
|
21
|
|
Section 4.10
|
|
Employee Benefit
Plans
|
|
21
|
|
Section 4.11
|
|
Information
Supplied
|
|
23
|
|
Section 4.12
|
|
Intellectual
Property
|
|
23
|
|
Section 4.13
|
|
Taxes
|
|
25
|
|
Section 4.14
|
|
Environmental
Matters
|
|
26
|
|
Section 4.15
|
|
Material
Contracts
|
|
27
|
|
Section 4.16
|
|
Interested Party
Transactions
|
|
29
|
|
Section 4.17
|
|
Brokers
|
|
29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i
|
Section 4.18
|
|
Opinion of Financial
Advisor
|
|
29
|
|
Section 4.19
|
|
Amendment of Rights
Plan; State Takeover Statute
|
|
29
|
|
Section 4.20
|
|
Insurance
|
|
30
|
|
Section 4.21
|
|
Labor
Matters
|
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE V
|
|
|
|
|
|
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER PARTIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 5.01
|
|
Organization
|
|
31
|
|
Section 5.02
|
|
Ownership of MergerCo;
No Prior Activities
|
|
31
|
|
Section 5.03
|
|
Power and
Authority
|
|
31
|
|
Section 5.04
|
|
No Conflict; Required
Filings and Consents
|
|
31
|
|
Section 5.05
|
|
Information
Supplied
|
|
32
|
|
Section 5.06
|
|
Absence of
Litigation
|
|
32
|
|
Section 5.07
|
|
Availability of
Funds
|
|
33
|
|
Section 5.08
|
|
No Ownership of Company
Capital Stock
|
|
33
|
|
Section 5.09
|
|
Other Agreements or
Understandings
|
|
33
|
|
Section 5.10
|
|
Brokers
|
|
33
|
|
Section 5.11
|
|
No Additional
Representations
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VI
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
PENDING THE MERGER
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 6.01
|
|
Conduct of Business by
the Company Pending the Merger
|
|
34
|
|
Section 6.02
|
|
Conduct of Business by
Buyer Parties Pending the Merger
|
|
37
|
|
Section 6.03
|
|
Tax Matters
|
|
37
|
|
Section 6.04
|
|
MergerCo
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VII
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 7.01
|
|
Company Proxy
Statement; Other Filings; Shareholders’ Meeting
|
|
37
|
|
Section 7.02
|
|
Access to Information;
Confidentiality
|
|
39
|
|
Section 7.03
|
|
No Solicitation of
Transactions by the Company
|
|
40
|
|
Section 7.04
|
|
Employee Benefits
Matters
|
|
41
|
|
Section 7.05
|
|
Directors’ and
Officers’ Indemnification and Insurance of the Surviving
Corporation
|
|
43
|
|
Section 7.06
|
|
Further Action; Best
Efforts
|
|
46
|
|
Section 7.07
|
|
Public
Announcements
|
|
48
|
|
Section 7.08
|
|
Notification
|
|
48
|
|
Section 7.09
|
|
Stockholder
Litigation
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VIII
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONDITIONS TO THE
MERGER
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 8.01
|
|
Conditions to the
Obligations of Each Party
|
|
48
|
|
Section 8.02
|
|
Conditions to the
Obligations of Parent and MergerCo
|
|
48
|
|
Section 8.03
|
|
Conditions to the
Obligations of the Company
|
|
49
|
ii
|
Section 8.04
|
|
Frustration of
Conditions
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IX
|
|
|
|
|
|
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT
AND WAIVER
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section 9.01
|
|
Termination
|
|
50
|
|
Section 9.02
|
|
Effect of
Termination
|
|
52
|
|
Section 9.03
|
|
Fees and
Expenses
|
|
52
|
|
Section 9.04
|
|
Waiver
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE X
|
|
|
|
|
|
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Section
10.01
|
|
Non-Survival of
Representations and Warranties
|
|
53
|
|
Section
10.02
|
|
Notices
|
|
54
|
|
Section
10.03
|
|
Severability
|
|
55
|
|
Section
10.04
|
|
Amendment
|
|
55
|
|
Section
10.05
|
|
Entire Agreement;
Assignment
|
|
55
|
|
Section
10.06
|
|
Performance
Guaranty
|
|
55
|
|
Section
10.07
|
|
Specific
Performance
|
|
55
|
|
Section
10.08
|
|
Parties in
Interest
|
|
55
|
|
Section
10.09
|
|
Governing Law;
Forum
|
|
56
|
|
Section
10.10
|
|
Waiver of Jury
Trial
|
|
56
|
|
Section
10.11
|
|
Headings
|
|
56
|
|
Section
10.12
|
|
Counterparts
|
|
57
|
|
Section
10.13
|
|
Waiver
|
|
57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit A
|
|
Form of Certificate of
Incorporation of Surviving Corporation
|
|
|
iii
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND
PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of March 1, 2007 (this “
Agreement ”), is by and among Dendrite International,
Inc., a New Jersey corporation (the “ Company
”), Cegedim SA, a company organized under the laws of France
(“ Parent ”), and Dogwood Enterprises, Inc., a
New Jersey corporation and an indirect subsidiary of Parent
(“ MergerCo ” and, together with Parent, the
“ Buyer Parties ”).
WHEREAS, the
parties wish to effect a business combination through a merger of
MergerCo with and into the Company (the “ Merger
”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
this Agreement and in accordance with Title 14A of the New Jersey
Statutes (the “ NJBCA ”);
WHEREAS, the board
of directors of the Company (the “ Company Board
”), and the boards of directors of each of Parent and
MergerCo deem it advisable and in the best interests of their
respective shareholders to consummate the Merger on the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and each of
the Company Board and the boards of directors of Parent and
MergerCo have approved this Agreement and declared its advisability
and, in the case of the Company Board, recommended that this
Agreement be adopted by the Company’s shareholders;
and
WHEREAS, the
Company has amended its Rights Agreement, dated February 21, 2001,
between the Company and Registrar and Transfer Company (“
Rights Agreement ”), in accordance with its terms to
render the Rights Agreement inapplicable to this Agreement and the
transfers contemplated by this Agreement (including the
Merger).
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and
agreements herein contained, and intending to be legally bound
hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.01
Definitions .
(a)
For purposes of this Agreement:
“
Action ” means any claim, action, suit, proceeding,
arbitration, mediation or investigation as to which written notice
has been provided to the applicable party.
“
Affiliate ” of a specified person means a person who,
directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such
specified person.
“
beneficial owner ” or “ beneficial
ownership ”, with respect to any Company Common Shares,
has the meaning ascribed to such term under Rule 13d-3(a) of the
Exchange Act.
“
Business Day ” or “ business day ”
means any day on which the principal offices of the SEC in
Washington, D.C. are open to accept filings and on which banks are
not required or authorized to close in New York, New
York.
“
Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
“ Company
Acquisition Proposal ” means any proposal or offer for,
whether in one transaction or a series of related transactions, or
any public announcement providing for or contemplating, any (a)
merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving the Company
or any Company Subsidiary that would constitute a
“significant subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of
Regulation S-X, but substituting 20% for references to 10%
therein), (b) sale or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by
merger, consolidation, share exchange or any similar transaction,
of any assets of the Company or the Company Subsidiaries
representing 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (c) issue, sale or
other disposition by the Company of (including by way of merger,
consolidation, share exchange or any similar transaction)
securities (or options, rights or warrants to purchase, or
securities convertible into, such securities) representing 20% or
more of the votes associated with the outstanding voting equity
securities of the Company, (d) tender offer or exchange offer in
which any Person or “group” (as such term is defined
under the Exchange Act) offers to acquire beneficial ownership (as
such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), or the
right to acquire beneficial ownership, of 20% or more of the
outstanding Company Common Shares, or (e) transaction which is
similar in form, substance or purpose to any of the foregoing
transactions; provided , however , that the term
“Company Acquisition Proposal” shall not include (i)
the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or (ii) any merger, consolidation, business combination,
reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction solely
among the Company and one or more Company Subsidiaries or among
Company Subsidiaries; provided further , that the
reference to the Company Subsidiaries in clause (b) hereof shall
not be applicable for purposes of Section 9.03(b)(ii) of this
Agreement.
“ Company
Bylaws ” means the amended and restated Bylaws of the
Company, as in effect immediately prior to the Merger Effective
Time.
“ Company
Charter ” means the Restated Certificate of Incorporation
of the Company, as amended.
“ Company
Common Shares ” means all the shares of common stock, no
par value, of the Company.
“ Company
Disclosure Schedule ” means the disclosure schedule
delivered by the Company to Parent concurrently with the execution
of this Agreement for which the disclosure of any fact or item in
any Section of such disclosure schedule shall, should the existence
of such fact or item be relevant to any other section, be deemed to
be disclosed with respect to that other Section so long as the
relevance of such disclosure to such other Section is reasonably
apparent from the nature of such disclosure. Nothing
in
2
the Company
Disclosure Schedule is intended to broaden the scope of any
representation or warranty of the Company made herein.
“ Company
Superior Proposal ” means a bona fide Company Acquisition
Proposal (on its most recently amended and modified terms, if
amended and modified) made by a Third Party (i) that relates to
securities (or options, rights or warrants to purchase, or
securities convertible into, such securities) representing 50% or
more of the votes associated with the outstanding voting equity
securities of the Company on a fully diluted basis or all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) which the Company Board
determines in its good faith judgment (after consultation with its
outside financial and legal advisors and taking into account all
legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of the proposal and
the likelihood of consummation) to be more favorable to the
shareholders of the Company than the Merger and (iii) which, with
respect to any cash portion of the total consideration required in
connection with such Company Acquisition Proposal, is supported by
financing or financing capability (including cash on hand,
committed financing or borrowing capability) reasonably
satisfactory to the Company Board.
“
control ” (including the terms “ controlled
by ” and “ under common control with
”) means the possession, directly or indirectly of the power
to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of
a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as
trustee or executor, by contract or credit arrangement or
otherwise.
“
Disclosure Schedules ” means, collectively, the
Company Disclosure Schedule and the Parent Disclosure
Schedule.
“
Environmental Law ” means any Law relating to the
environment, natural resources, or safety or health of human beings
or other living organisms, including the manufacture, distribution
in commerce and use or Release of Hazardous Substances.
“
GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles
as applied in the United States.
“
Governmental Authority ” means any national, state,
provincial, municipal, local or foreign government, governmental,
regulatory (including stock exchange) or administrative authority,
agency, instrumentality or commission or any court, tribunal, or
judicial or arbitral body.
“
Hazardous Substances ” means any pollutant,
contaminant, hazardous substance, hazardous waste, medical waste,
special waste, toxic substance, petroleum or petroleum-derived
substance, waste or additive, radioactive material, or other
compound, element, material or substance in any form whatsoever
(including products) regulated, restricted or addressed by or under
any applicable Environmental Law.
“
Intellectual Property ” means all intellectual
property rights of any kind or nature, including all U.S. or
foreign (i) patents, patent applications, patent disclosures,
invention registrations of any type, and all related continuations,
continuations-in-part, divisionals, reissues, re-examinations,
substitutions and extensions thereof (“ Patents
”),
3
(ii) trademarks,
service marks, trade dress, logos, slogans, trade names, corporate
names, domain names and other source identifiers, and registrations
and applications for registration thereof, together with the
goodwill symbolized by any of the foregoing (“
Trademarks ”), (iii) copyrightable works, copyrights,
and registrations and applications for registration thereof
(“ Copyrights ”), and (iv) confidential and
proprietary information, including trade secrets, know how,
technical information, processes, formulae, models, and
methodologies (“ Trade Secrets ”).
“
knowledge of the Company ” or “ knowledge
” when used in reference to the Company means the actual
knowledge of those individuals listed in Section 1.01(a) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule.
“ Law
” means any United States or foreign, national, state,
provincial, municipal or local statute, law, ordinance, regulation,
rule, code, executive order, injunction, judgment, decree, order or
legal requirement.
“
Liens ” means with respect to any asset (including any
security), any mortgage, claim, lien, pledge, charge, security
interest or ownership or other similar encumbrance of any
kind or the filing of a financial statement in respect to such
asset (including any restriction on (i) the voting of any security
or the transfer of any security or other asset, (ii) the receipt of
any income derived from any asset, and (iii) the use of any asset)
other than any encumbrance arising (A) under applicable Laws with
respect to Taxes not yet due and payable and (B) in the case of
securities, under applicable state or federal securities
Laws.
“
Material Adverse Effect ” means, with respect to the
Company, any effect, event, fact, circumstance, condition,
development, occurrence or change that has had, or would reasonably
be expected to have, a material adverse effect on the business,
assets, results of operations or financial condition of the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any
effect, event, fact, circumstance, condition, development,
occurrence or change arising out of or resulting from (a) a
decrease in the market price of Company Common Shares (but not any
effect, event, development or change underlying such decrease to
the extent that such effect, event, development or change would
otherwise constitute a Material Adverse Effect), (b) changes in
conditions in the U.S. or global economy or capital or financial
markets generally, including changes in interest or exchange rates,
(c) changes in general legal, tax, regulatory, political or
business conditions that, in each case, generally affect the
geographic regions or industries in which the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries conduct their business including without
limitation the healthcare industry, the professional services
industry and the software development industry (except to the
extent such effect, event, fact, circumstance, condition,
development, occurrence or change affects the Company or the
Company Subsidiaries in a materially disproportionate manner as
compared to other persons or participants in the industries in
which the Company or the Company Subsidiaries conduct their
business and that operate in the geographic regions affected by
such effect, event, fact, circumstance, condition, development,
occurrence or change), (d) changes in GAAP, (e) the negotiation,
execution, announcement, pendency or performance of this Agreement
or the transactions contemplated hereby or the
4
consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the
impact thereof on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with
customers, suppliers, vendors, lenders, investors, venture partners
or employees, (f) acts of war, armed hostilities, sabotage or
terrorism, or any escalation or worsening of any such acts of war,
armed hostilities, sabotage or terrorism threatened or underway as
of the date of this Agreement, except to the extent that the
effect, condition or change arising or resulting therefrom does not
have a materially disproportionate effect on the Company or the
Company Subsidiaries relative to other companies that participate
in the industries in which the Company or the Company Subsidiaries
participate and that operate in the geographical regions affected
by such war, armed hostilities, sabotage or terrorism, (g)
earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters, or (h)
any action taken by the Company at the request or with the consent
of any of the Buyer Parties, provided further , that
clause (e) shall not apply with respect to the matters described in
Section 4.05 hereof (including for purposes of Section 8.02(a)
hereof insofar as Section 4.05 is concerned).
“ Other
Filings ” means any document, other than the Proxy
Statement, to be filed with the SEC in connection with this
Agreement.
“ Parent
Disclosure Schedule ” means the disclosure schedule
delivered by Parent and MergerCo to the Company concurrently with
the execution of this Agreement for which the disclosure of any
fact or item in any section of such disclosure schedule shall,
should the existence of such fact or item be relevant to any other
section, be deemed to be disclosed with respect to that other
section so long as the relevance of such disclosure to such other
section is readily apparent from the nature of such
disclosure. Nothing in the Parent Disclosure Schedule is
intended to broaden the scope of any representation or warranty of
the Parent or MergerCo made herein.
“ Parent
Material Adverse Effect ” means any effect, event, fact,
circumstance, condition, development, occurrence or change that has
had or would reasonably be expected to prevent, or materially
hinder or materially delay Parent or MergerCo from consummating the
Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
“
Permitted Liens ” means (i) Liens for Taxes not yet
delinquent and Liens for Taxes being contested in good faith and
for which there are adequate reserves on the financial statements
of the Company (if such reserves are required pursuant to GAAP),
(ii) inchoate mechanics’ and materialmen’s Liens for
construction in progress, (iii) inchoate workmen’s,
repairmen’s, warehousemen’s and carriers’ Liens
arising in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any
Company Subsidiary, (iv) zoning restrictions, survey exceptions,
utility easements, rights of way and similar Liens that are imposed
by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction thereon or
otherwise are typical for the applicable property type and
locality, (v) Liens and obligations existing by virtue of the terms
of any Company Material Contracts, (vi) matters that would be
disclosed on current title reports or surveys that arise or have
arisen in the ordinary course of business, which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, or (vii) other Liens being contested in
good faith in the ordinary course of business or which would not
reasonably be expected to
5
materially detract
from the value of any material asset of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary.
“
person ” or “ Person ” means an
individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited
liability company, syndicate, person (including a
“person” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange
Act), trust, association or entity or Governmental Authority, but
shall exclude Company Subsidiaries and Significant Company
Subsidiaries.
“
Release ” means any release, pumping, pouring,
emptying, injecting, escaping, leaching, migrating, dumping,
seepage, spill, leak, flow, discharge or emission.
“
Software ” means computer programs and software
(whether in source code, object code, or other form).
“
subsidiary ” or “ subsidiaries ” of
the Company, Parent or any other person means a corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or other
organization of which: (a) such party or any other subsidiary
of such party is a general partner; (b) voting power to elect at
least 50% of the board of directors or others performing similar
functions with respect to such organization is held by such party
or by any one or more of such party’s subsidiaries; or (c) at
least 50% of the equity interests is controlled by such
party.
“ Tax
” or “ Taxes ” means any federal, state,
local, or foreign income, gross receipts, license, payroll,
employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall
profits, environmental, customs duties, capital stock, franchise,
profits, withholding, social security, unemployment, disability,
real property, personal property, sales, use, transfer,
registration, value added, alternative or add-on minimum,
estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, including any
interest, penalty, or addition thereto, whether disputed or
not.
“ Tax
Return ” means any return, declaration, report, claim for
refund, or information return or statement relating to Taxes,
including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any
amendment thereof.
“ Third
Party ” means any party other than the Company or any
Company Subsidiary.
“ Voting
Debt ” shall mean bonds, debentures, notes or other
indebtedness having the right to vote (or convertible into, or
exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any
matters on which holders of equity interests in the Company or any
Company Subsidiary may vote.
(b)
The following terms have the meaning set forth in the Sections set
forth below:
6
|
Defined Term
|
|
Location of Definition
|
|
|
Agreement
|
|
Preamble
|
|
|
Benefits Continuation Period
|
|
§ 7.04(a)
|
|
|
Buyer Parties
|
|
Preamble
|
|
|
Capital Expenditures
|
|
§ 6.01(i)
|
|
|
Claim
|
|
§ 7.05(a)
|
|
|
Closing
|
|
§ 2.04
|
|
|
Closing Date
|
|
§ 2.04
|
|
|
Company
|
|
Preamble
|
|
|
Company Board
|
|
Recitals
|
|
|
Company Certificate of Merger
|
|
§ 2.03
|
|
|
Company Change in Recommendation
|
|
§ 7.01(b)
|
|
|
Company Common Share Certificates
|
|
§ 3.03(b)
|
|
|
Company Employees
|
|
§ 7.04(a)
|
|
|
Company Financial Advisor
|
|
§ 4.18
|
|
|
Company Intellectual Property
|
|
§ 4.12(a)
|
|
|
Company Material Contract
|
|
§ 4.15
|
|
|
Company Option Consideration
|
|
§ 3.01(c)
|
|
|
Company Paying Agent
|
|
§ 3.03(a)
|
|
|
Company Preferred Shares
|
|
§ 4.03(a)
|
|
|
Company Recommendation
|
|
§ 7.01(b)(i)
|
|
|
Company Restricted Shares
|
|
§ 3.01(d)
|
|
|
Company SEC Reports
|
|
§ 4.07(a)
|
|
|
Company Shareholder Approval
|
|
§ 4.04(a)(i)
|
|
|
Company Shareholders’ Meeting
|
|
§ 7.01(b)
|
|
|
Company Stock Awards
|
|
§ 4.03(b)
|
|
|
Company Stock-Based Awards
|
|
§ 3.01(e)
|
|
|
Company Stock Options
|
|
§ 3.01(c)
|
|
|
Company Subsidiaries
|
|
§ 4.01(b)
|
|
|
Confidentiality Agreement
|
|
§ 7.02(b)
|
|
|
Contract
|
|
§ 4.15(a)
|
|
|
Copyrights
|
|
§ 1.01
|
|
|
Environmental Permits
|
|
§ 4.14(a)
|
|
|
ERISA
|
|
§ 4.10(a)
|
|
|
ERISA Affiliate
|
|
§ 4.10(f)
|
|
|
Exchange Act
|
|
§ 4.05(b)(i)
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
§ 7.05(a)
|
|
|
Governmental Order
|
|
§ 9.01(c)
|
|
|
HSR
Act
|
|
§ 4.05(b)
|
|
|
Incentive Plans
|
|
§ 3.01(c)
|
|
|
Indemnified Parties
|
|
§ 7.05(a)
|
|
|
IRS
|
|
§ 4.10(a)
|
|
|
Merger
|
|
Recitals
|
|
|
Merger Consideration
|
|
§ 3.01(b)
|
|
|
Merger Effective Time
|
|
§ 2.03
|
|
|
Merger Shares
|
|
§ 3.01(b)
|
|
7
|
Defined Term
|
|
Location of Definition
|
|
|
MergerCo
|
|
Preamble
|
|
|
Nasdaq
|
|
§ 4.05(b)
|
|
|
New
Jersey Courts
|
|
§ 10.09(b)
|
|
|
New
Plans
|
|
§ 7.04(b)
|
|
|
NJBCA
|
|
Recitals
|
|
|
NJDOT
|
|
§ 2.03
|
|
|
Non-U.S. Plans
|
|
§ 4.10(a)
|
|
|
Old
Plans
|
|
§ 7.04(b)
|
|
|
Outside Date
|
|
§ 9.01(b)
|
|
|
Owned Company Intellectual Property
|
|
§ 4.12(a)(ii)
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
Preamble
|
|
|
Patents
|
|
§ 1.01
|
|
|
Permits
|
|
§ 4.06(a)
|
|
|
Proxy Statement
|
|
§ 4.05(b)
|
|
|
Regulatory Law
|
|
§ 7.07(d)
|
|
|
Representatives
|
|
§ 7.02(a)
|
|
|
Rights Agreement
|
|
Recitals
|
|
|
SEC
|
|
§ 4.05(b)
|
|
|
Section 16
|
|
§ 7.04(d)
|
|
|
Securities Act
|
|
§ 4.03(c)(v)
|
|
|
Significant Company Subsidiary
|
|
§ 4.01(b)
|
|
|
SOP
|
|
§ 3.04
|
|
|
SOP
Date
|
|
§ 3.04
|
|
|
Surviving Corporation
|
|
§ 2.01
|
|
|
Surviving Corporation Bylaws
|
|
§ 2.02(b)
|
|
|
Surviving Corporation Charter
|
|
§ 2.02(a)
|
|
|
Surviving Corporation Fund
|
|
§ 3.03(a)
|
|
|
Termination Date
|
|
§ 9.01
|
|
|
Termination Fee
|
|
§ 9.03(c)
|
|
|
Trademarks
|
|
§ 1.01
|
|
|
Trade Secrets
|
|
§ 1.01
|
|
|
U.S. Plans
|
|
§
4.10(a)
|
|
Section
1.02
Interpretation and Rules of Construction .
In this Agreement,
except to the extent otherwise provided or that the context
otherwise requires:
(a)
when a reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, Section,
Exhibit or Schedule, such reference is to an Article or Section of,
or an Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated;
(b)
the table of contents and headings for this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and do not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement;
8
(c)
whenever the words “include,” “includes” or
“including” are used in this Agreement, they are deemed
to be followed by the words “without
limitation”;
(d)
the words “hereof,” “herein” and
“hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in
this Agreement, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular provision of this Agreement;
(e)
references to any statute, rule or regulation are to the statute,
rule or regulation as amended, modified, supplemented or replaced
from time to time (and, in the case of statutes, include any rules
and regulations promulgated under said statutes) and to any section
of any statute, rule or regulation include any successor to said
section;
(f)
all terms defined in this Agreement have the defined meanings when
used in any certificate or other document made or delivered
pursuant hereto, unless otherwise defined therein;
(g)
the definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the
singular as well as the plural forms of such terms;
(h)
references to a person are also to its successors and permitted
assigns;
(i)
the use of “or” is not intended to be exclusive unless
expressly indicated otherwise;
(j)
references to monetary amounts are to the lawful currency of the
United States;
(k)
words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa and
words importing gender include all genders;
(l)
time is of the essence in the performance of the parties’
respective obligations; and
(m)
time periods within or following which any payment is to be made or
act is to be done shall be calculated by excluding the day on which
the period commences and including the day on which the period ends
and by extending the period to the next Business Day following if
the last day of the period is not a Business Day.
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
Section
2.01
Merger . Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, and in accordance with Sections 14A:10-4.1 and 14A:10-14
of the NJBCA, at the Merger Effective Time, MergerCo and the
Company shall consummate the Merger pursuant to which (a) MergerCo
shall be merged with and into the Company and the separate
existence of MergerCo shall thereupon cease and (b) the Company
shall be the
9
surviving corporation in the Merger (the
“ Surviving Corporation ”). The Merger
shall have the effects specified in the NJBCA, including Section
14A:10-6 thereof.
Section
2.02
Charter and Bylaws .
(a)
At the Merger Effective Time, the Company Charter shall be amended
to read in its entirety as in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
A; and, as so amended, such Certificate of Incorporation shall be
the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until
thereafter further amended as provided therein or by Law (the
“ Surviving Corporation Charter ”).
(b)
At the Merger Effective Time, the Company Bylaws shall be amended
so as to contain the provisions, and only the provisions contained
immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time in the Bylaws of
MergerCo and shall be the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until
thereafter amended as provided by law, by the Company Charter or by
such Bylaws; provided , however , that, Article IV
(Indemnification) of the Company Bylaws shall not be amended and
shall continue to read as stated in the Company Bylaws in effect
immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time (the “
Surviving Corporation Bylaws ”).
Section
2.03
Effective Time of the Merger . Upon consummation of
the Closing, the Company shall duly execute and file a certificate
of merger with respect to the Merger, in such form as is required
by, and executed in accordance with, the relevant provisions of the
NJBCA (the “ Company Certificate of Merger ”)
and reasonably satisfactory to Parent, with the Department of the
Treasury of the State of New Jersey (the “ NJDOT
”) in accordance with the NJBCA. The Merger shall
become effective upon such time as the Company Certificate of
Merger has been filed with the NJDOT, or such later time which the
parties hereto shall have agreed upon and designated in such filing
in accordance with the NJBCA as the effective time of the Merger
(the “ Merger Effective Time ”).
Section
2.04
Closing . Unless this Agreement shall have been
terminated in accordance with Section 9.01, the closing of the
Merger (the “ Closing ”) shall occur as promptly
as practicable (but in no event later than the third (3rd) Business
Day) after all of the conditions set forth in Article VIII (other
than conditions which by their terms are required to be satisfied
or waived at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver
of such conditions) shall have been satisfied or waived by the
party entitled to the benefit of the same, or at such other time
and on a date as agreed to by the parties (the “ Closing
Date ”). The Closing shall take place at the
offices of Dewey Ballantine LLP, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, New York 10019, or at such other place as agreed to by the
parties hereto.
Section
2.05
Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation .
From and after the Merger Effective Time, (a) the director(s) of
MergerCo immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time, as set
forth on a schedule to be delivered by Parent to the Company prior
to the Merger Effective Time, shall be the director(s) of the
Surviving Corporation and (b) the officers of the Company
immediately prior to the Merger
10
Effective Time shall be the initial officers of
the Surviving Corporation, in each case, until their respective
successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified, or until
the earlier of their death, resignation or removal in accordance
with the Surviving Corporation Charter and the Surviving
Corporation Bylaws.
ARTICLE III
EFFECTS OF THE MERGER
Section
3.01
Effects of the Merger on Company Securities . At the
Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any
action on the part of the Company or the holders of any capital
stock of the Company (other than the requisite approval of the
Merger by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with the
NJBCA):
(a)
Each Company Common Share held in treasury and not outstanding and
each Company Common Share that is owned by Parent or MergerCo
immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time shall be cancelled
and retired and shall cease to exist, without any conversion
thereof and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect
thereto.
(b)
Each Company Common Share issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Merger Effective Time (other than Company Common Shares to
be cancelled in accordance with Section 3.01(a)), shall be
converted and exchanged automatically into the right to receive an
amount in cash equal to $16.00 per Company Common Share (the
“ Merger Consideration ”), payable to the holder
thereof in accordance with Section 3.03. The Company Common
Shares that are to be so converted into the right to receive the
Merger Consideration are referred to herein as the “
Merger Shares ”.
(c)
Immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time, each outstanding
qualified or nonqualified option to purchase Company Common Shares
(“ Company Stock Options ”) under any employee
or director share option or compensation plan or arrangement of the
Company (collectively, “ Incentive Plans ”),
shall become fully vested and exercisable or payable, as the case
may be (whether or not then vested or subject to any performance
condition that has not been satisfied, and regardless of the
exercise price thereof). At the Merger Effective Time, each
Company Stock Option not theretofore exercised shall be cancelled
in exchange for the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the
excess, if any, of (i) the Merger Consideration over (ii) the
exercise price per share of such Company Stock Option, multiplied
by the total number of Company Common Shares subject to such
Company Stock Option (the “ Company Option
Consideration ”), without interest and less any
applicable Taxes required to be withheld in accordance with Section
3.06 with respect to such payment. Payment of the Company
Option Consideration shall be made as soon as practicable after the
Merger Effective Time.
(d)
All restricted share awards, whether time-based or
performance-based (“ Company Restricted Shares
”), granted pursuant to the Incentive Plans or otherwise that
remain unvested, automatically shall become fully vested and free
of any
11
forfeiture or holding restrictions or
performance or other conditions immediately prior to the Merger
Effective Time, and each Company Restricted Share shall be
considered an outstanding Company Common Share for all purposes of
this Agreement, including the right to receive the Merger
Consideration.
(e)
At the Merger Effective Time, each right of any kind, contingent or
accrued, to receive Company Common Shares or benefits measured in
whole or in part by the value of a number of Company Common Shares
granted under the Incentive Plans or otherwise (including
performance shares, restricted stock, restricted stock units,
phantom units, deferred stock units and dividend equivalents) other
than Company Stock Options and Company Restricted Shares (each,
other than Company Restricted Shares and Company Stock Options,
“ Company Stock-Based Awards ”), whether vested
or unvested, which is outstanding immediately prior to the Merger
Effective Time shall cease to represent a right or award with
respect to Company Common Shares, shall become fully vested and
free of any forfeiture or holding restrictions or performance or
other conditions and shall entitle the holder thereof to receive,
at the Merger Effective Time, an amount in cash equal to the Merger
Consideration in respect of each Company Common Share underlying a
particular Company Stock-Based Award less such amounts as are
required to be withheld or deducted under the Code or any provision
of U.S. state or local tax law with respect to the making of such
payment and less any payments required to be made pursuant to the
terms of such Company Stock-Based Award.
Section
3.02
Effects of the Merger on MergerCo Securities . At the
Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any
action by the MergerCo or Parent, as the holder of all outstanding
capital stock of MergerCo (other than the requisite approval by
Parent as a shareholder of MergerCo in accordance with the NJBCA,
which approval has been obtained), each outstanding common share,
no par value, of MergerCo issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Merger Effective Time shall be converted into and become one
fully paid and nonassessable common share, no par value, of the
Surviving Corporation.
Section
3.03
Payment of Merger Consideration; Stock Transfer Books
.
(a)
Prior to the Merger Effective Time, Parent shall appoint as paying
agent a bank or trust company reasonably satisfactory to the
Company (the “ Company Paying Agent ”).
Immediately following completion of the Merger and the cancellation
of the Company Stock Options, Parent shall deposit or cause the
Surviving Corporation to deposit, or cause to be deposited, with
the Company Paying Agent, for the benefit of the holders of Merger
Shares, Company Stock Options, Company Restricted Shares, and
Company Stock-Based Awards, cash in an amount sufficient to pay the
aggregate Merger Consideration required to be paid (such cash being
hereinafter referred to as the “ Surviving Corporation
Fund ”), and to cause the Company Paying Agent to make,
and the Company Paying Agent shall make, payments of the Merger
Consideration out of the Surviving Corporation Fund to the holders
of Merger Shares, Company Stock Options, Company Restricted Shares,
and Company Stock-Based Awards in accordance with this
Agreement. The Surviving Corporation Fund shall be invested
by the Paying Agent in (i) direct obligations of the United States
of America, (ii) obligations for which the full faith
12
and
credit of the United States of America is pledged to provide for
payment of all principal and interest or (iii) commercial paper
obligations receiving the highest rating from either Moody’s
Investor Services, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s, a division
of The McGraw Hill Companies, or a combination thereof, as directed
by and for the benefit of the Surviving Corporation;
provided , however , that no gain or loss thereon
shall affect the amounts payable to the holders of Merger Shares,
Company Stock Options, Company Restricted Shares, and Company
Stock-Based Awards following completion of the Merger pursuant to
this Article III. Any and all interest and other income
earned on the Surviving Corporation Fund shall promptly be paid to
the Surviving Corporation.
(b)
As promptly as practicable after the Merger Effective Time, Parent
and the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Company Paying Agent
to mail to each person who was, as of immediately prior to the
Merger Effective Time, a holder of record of the Merger
Shares: (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall be in
customary form and shall specify that delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to the certificates representing the
Merger Shares (the “ Company Common Share Certificates
”) shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Company
Common Share Certificates to the Company Paying Agent) and (ii)
instructions for effecting the surrender of the Company Common
Share Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration.
Upon surrender to the Company Paying Agent of Company Common Share
Certificates for cancellation, together with such letter of
transmittal, duly completed and validly executed in accordance with
the instructions thereto, and such other documents as may be
required pursuant to such instructions, the holder of such Company
Common Share Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor, in cash, the Merger Consideration in respect thereof, and
the Company Common Share Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith
be cancelled. In the event of a transfer of ownership of
Merger Shares that is not registered in the transfer records of the
Company, payment of the Merger Consideration in respect of the
applicable Merger Shares may be made to a person other than the
person in whose name the Company Common Share Certificate so
surrendered is registered if such Company Common Share Certificate
shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for
transfer and the person requesting such payment shall pay any
transfer or other taxes required by reason of the payment of the
Merger Consideration in respect thereof or establish to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that such tax
has been paid or is not applicable. Until surrendered as
contemplated by this Section 3.03, each Company Common Share
Certificate shall be deemed at all times after the Merger Effective
Time to represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the
Merger Consideration. No interest shall be paid or will
accrue on any cash payable to holders of Company Common Share
Certificates pursuant to the provisions of this Article
III.
(c)
Any portion of the Surviving Corporation Fund that remains
undistributed to the holders of Merger Shares for one year after
the Merger Effective Time shall be delivered to the Surviving
Corporation, upon demand, and any holders of Merger Shares who have
not theretofore complied with this Article III shall thereafter
look only to the Surviving Corporation for, and the Surviving
Corporation shall remain liable for, payment of their claim for the
Merger Consideration. Any portion of the Surviving
Corporation Fund remaining unclaimed by holders of Merger Shares as
of a
13
date which is immediately prior to such time as
such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any
Governmental Authority shall, to the extent permitted by applicable
Law, become the property of the Surviving Corporation free and
clear of any claims or interest of any person previously entitled
thereto. None of Parent, the Company Paying Agent or the
Surviving Corporation shall be liable to any holder of Merger
Shares for any such shares (or dividends or distributions with
respect thereto), or cash delivered to a public official pursuant
to any abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.
(d)
If any Company Common Share Certificate shall have been lost,
stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact
by the person claiming such Company Common Share Certificate to be
lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving
Corporation, the posting by such person of a bond, in such
reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation may direct, as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with
respect to such Company Common Share Certificate, the Company
Paying Agent shall pay in respect of Merger Shares to which such
lost, stolen or destroyed Company Common Share Certificate relate
the Merger Consideration to which the holder thereof is
entitled.
(e)
At the Merger Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the
Company shall be closed and there shall be no further registration
of transfers of Merger Shares thereafter on the records of the
Company. From and after the Merger Effective Time, the
holders of Company Common Share Certificates representing Merger
Shares shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Shares,
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the certificate of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation, or by Law.
Section
3.04
Employee Stock Purchase Plan . The Dendrite
International Inc. 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “
SOP ”) shall remain in full force and effect until
immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time (the “ SOP
Date ”). As of the SOP Date (i) all amounts
held under the SOP shall be used to purchase Company Common Shares
as if the SOP Date were a purchase date under the SOP and (ii) all
offering and purchase periods pending under the SOP shall be
terminated and no new offering or purchasing periods shall be
commenced. Following the date hereof, no new offering or
purchase periods shall be commenced.
Section
3.05
Withholding Rights . The Company, the Surviving
Corporation or the Company Paying Agent, as applicable, shall be
entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise
payable pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Company Common
Shares, Company Stock Options and Company Stock-Based Awards, 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 Company, the Surviving Corporation, or the Company
Paying Agent, as applicable, such withheld amounts shall be treated
for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the
holder of the Company Common Shares, Company Stock Options or
Company Stock-Based Awards, in respect of which such deduction and
withholding was made by the Company, the Surviving Corporation or
the Company Paying Agent, as applicable.
14
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as set
forth in (A) the Company Disclosure Schedule or (B) the
Company SEC Reports (other than the risk factors and forward
looking statement sections therein) ( provided that (B)
shall not apply to Sections 4.03, 4.04, 4.05, 4.17, 4.18 and 4.19
of this Agreement) the Company hereby represents and warrants to
the Buyer Parties as follows:
Section
4.01
Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries; Authority
.
(a)
The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and
in good standing under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
The Company is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a
foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of any
other jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned,
leased or operated by it therein or in which the transaction of its
business or the conduct or nature of its business makes such
qualification or licensing necessary, except where the failure to
be so qualified, licensed or in good standing would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. The Company has all requisite
corporate power and authority to own, operate, lease and encumber
its properties and carry on its business as now
conducted.
(b)
Each of the Company’s subsidiaries (the “ Company
Subsidiaries ”, and each of the Company Subsidiaries that
is a “significant subsidiary,” as such term is defined
in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act, a “
Significant Company Subsidiary ”), together with the
jurisdiction of organization of each such subsidiary, the
percentage of the outstanding equity of each such subsidiary owned
by the Company and each other subsidiary of the Company, is set
forth on Section 4.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
Each Company Subsidiary is a corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or trust duly incorporated or organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its incorporation or organization, except where the failure to be
so incorporated, organized, validly existing or in good standing
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Significant
Company Subsidiaries has the requisite corporate, limited
partnership, limited liability company or similar power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on
its business as it is now being conducted, except where the failure
to have such power and authority would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. Each of the Company Subsidiaries is duly qualified or
licensed to do business, and is in good standing (to the extent
applicable), in each jurisdiction where the character of the
properties owned, leased or operated by it or the conduct or nature
of its business makes such qualification or licensing necessary,
except for jurisdictions in which the failure to be so qualified,
licensed or in good standing would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.02
Organizational Documents . The Company has previously
provided or made available copies of the Company Charter and
Company Bylaws, as
15
well as the organizational and governing
documents for each Significant Company Subsidiary. All such
documents are in full force and effect, no dissolution, revocation
or forfeiture proceedings regarding the Company have been
commenced, and the Company is not in violation of any provision of
the Company Charter or Company Bylaws and no Significant Company
Subsidiary is in violation of its organizational or governing
documents, except, in the case of a Significant Company Subsidiary,
such violation would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.03
Capitalization .
(a)
The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 150,000,000
Company Common Shares and 15,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no
par value, of the Company (“ Company Preferred Shares
”). As of February 28, 2007, (i) 44,097,510
Company Common Shares were issued and outstanding (excluding shares
held in treasury), all of which are validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and were not issued in violation of any
shareholders’ preemptive rights and (ii) 2,861,303
Company Common Shares were held in the treasury of the
Company. As of March 1, 2007, there would be 53,984,195
Company Common Shares outstanding (excluding shares held in
treasury), after giving effect to the exercise, exchange or
conversion of all Company Stock Awards outstanding as of such
date. As of the date of this Agreement, no Company Preferred
Shares are issued and outstanding.
(b)
As of February 28, 2007, 8,367,585 Company Common Shares were
reserved for future issuance pursuant to outstanding Company Stock
Options, 1,524,204 Company Common Shares were reserved for future
issuance pursuant to outstanding Company Stock-Based Awards, and no
Company Common Shares were reserved for future issuance pursuant to
outstanding Company Restricted Shares (collectively, the “
Company Stock Awards ”). As of February 28,
2007, 1,058,164 Company Common Shares were reserved for future
issuance pursuant to the Incentive Plans.
(c)
Except as set forth in Section 4.03(c) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule:
(i)
each outstanding share of capital stock of, or other equity
interest in, a Company Subsidiary owned by the Company or by
another Company Subsidiary is owned free and clear of all
Liens;
(ii)
except as set forth in the Company Charter, there are no options,
warrants or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments
of any character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock
of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or obligating the Company
or any Company Subsidiary to issue or sell any shares of capital
stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company or any Company
Subsidiary;
16
(iii)
there are no outstanding contractual obligations of, or other
equity interest in, the Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise
acquire any shares of capital stock of the Company;
(iv)
no Company Subsidiary owns any capital stock of the
Company;
(v)
the Company is under no obligation, contingent or otherwise, by
reason of any agreement to register the offer and sale or resale of
any of its securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “ Securities Act ”);
(vi)
except as set forth in the Company Charter, there are no agreements
or understandings to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is
a party with respect to the voting of any shares of capital stock
of the Company or which restrict the transfer of any such shares,
nor does the Company have knowledge of any third party agreements
or understandings with respect to the voting of any such shares or
which restrict the transfer of any such shares; and
(vii)
there is no Voting Debt of the Company or any Company Subsidiary
outstanding.
Section
4.04
Authority Relative to this Agreement, Validity and Effect of
Agreements .
(a)
The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations
hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Except for the approvals described in the
following sentence, the execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement have been duly and validly
authorized by all necessary corporate action on behalf of the
Company. No other corporate proceedings on the part of the
Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement other than (i) the
approval of this Agreement by the holders of shares representing a
majority of the votes cast by the holders of shares of the Company
entitled to vote thereon, voting as one class, at a meeting of the
shareholders of the Company duly called and held for such purpose
(the “ Company Shareholder Approval ”) and (ii)
the filing and recordation of the Company Certificate of Merger and
other appropriate merger documents as required by the NJBCA.
This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by
the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery by each of Parent and MergerCo, constitutes a legal, valid
and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and similar Laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general
equity principles.
17
(b)
The Company Board, by resolutions duly adopted at meetings duly
called and held, has duly (i) determined that this Agreement and
the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and
its shareholders, (ii) approved this Agreement and declared its
advisability in accordance with the NJBCA, (iii) recommended that
the shareholders of the Company approve this Agreement, and (iv)
directed that this Agreement be submitted for consideration by the
shareholders of the Company at the Company Shareholders’
Meeting.
Section
4.05
No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents .
(a)
The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement do not,
and the performance of its obligations hereunder will not,
(i) conflict with or violate the Company Charter or Company
Bylaws or the analogous governance or organizational documents of
any Significant Company Subsidiary, (ii) assuming that all
consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions described in
subsection (b) of this Section 4.05 have been obtained and all
filings and obligations described in subsection (b) of this Section
4.05 have been made, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to
the Company or any Company Subsidiary or by which any property or
asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, is bound, or
(iii) require any consent or result in any violation or breach
or termination of or constitute (with or without notice or lapse of
time or both) a default (or give to others any right of
termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation) under, or
result in the triggering of any payments or result in the creation
of a Lien or other encumbrance on any property or asset of the
Company or any Company Subsidiary, pursuant to, any of the terms,
conditions or provisions of any Permit or Company Material
Contract to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party
or by which it or any of its respective properties or assets may be
bound, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), such
triggering of payments, Liens, encumbrances, filings, notices,
permits, authorizations, consents, approvals, violations,
conflicts, breaches or defaults which would not, individually or in
the aggregate, (A) prevent or materially delay consummation of
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or (B) reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(b)
The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement does
not, and the performance of its obligations hereunder will not,
require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, action
by, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority,
except (i) for (A) applicable requirements, if any, of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “
Exchange Act ”), (B) if applicable, the
pre-merger notification and waiting requirements of the Hart Scott
Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “
HSR Act ”) and any other applicable Regulatory Laws,
(C) the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “ SEC ”) of a proxy statement relating to
the Merger to be sent to the Company’s shareholders (as
amended or supplemented from time to time, the “ Proxy
Statement ”) and other written communications that may be
deemed “soliciting materials” under Rule 14a-12,
(D) any filings required under the rules and regulations of
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.’s Global Select Market (“
Nasdaq ”), and (E) the filing of the appropriate
merger documents as required by the NJBCA, and (ii) where the
failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or
permits, or to make such filings or notifications would
not,
18
individually or in the aggregate, (A) prevent
or materially delay consummation of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (B) reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.06
Permits; Compliance with Laws .
(a)
The Company and Company Subsidiaries are in possession of all
registrations, franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses,
permits, consents, certificates, approvals, other regulatory
authorizations and orders of any Governmental Authority necessary
for them to own, lease and operate their properties or to carry on
their business as it is now being conducted (collectively, the
“ Permits ”), and all such Permits are valid and
in full force and effect, except where the failure to obtain,
maintain or possess, or the suspension or cancellation of, any of
the Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
None of the Company or any Company Subsidiary is in violation of
any Laws or Permits applicable to the Company or any Company
Subsidiary, or by which any property or asset of the Company or any
Company Subsidiary is bound, and, to the knowledge of the Company,
no event has occurred which would constitute (i) a breach or
default under, or would cause a revocation, or termination of any
Permits applicable to the Company or any Company Subsidiary or
(ii) a violation of any Laws applicable to the Company or any
Company Subsidiary, except, in each case, for any such violation,
breach, default, revocation or termination which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, no
investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority with respect
to the Company or any Company Subsidiary is pending or threatened,
in each case, with respect to any alleged or claimed violation of
Law applicable to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or by
which any property or asset of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary is bound or affected, except, in each case, for any such
investigation or inquiry which would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.07
SEC Filings; Financial Statements .
(a)
Except as set forth in Section 4.07(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, the Company has timely filed all forms, reports and
documents (including all exhibits) required to be filed by it with
the SEC during the two years prior to the date of this Agreement
(the “ Company SEC Reports ”). The Company
SEC Reports (including any financial statements or schedules
included in the Company SEC Reports), each as amended prior to the
date hereof, and each as of their respective dates (i) have
been prepared in accordance with, and complied in all material
respects with, the requirements of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, and (ii) did not, when filed as
amended prior to the date hereof, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated or incorporated by reference therein or necessary in order
to make the statements made therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
19
(b)
Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each
case, any notes thereto) contained in the Company SEC Reports, each
as amended prior to the date hereof, was prepared in accordance
with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and
each fairly presented, in all material respects, the consolidated
financial position, results of operations and cash flows and
shareholders’ equity of the Company and its consolidated
Company Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and for the
respective periods indicated therein except as otherwise noted
therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal
and recurring year end adjustments). None of the Company
Subsidiaries is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of
the Exchange Act or required to file any form, report or other
document with the SEC or Nasdaq.
(c)
The Company and the Company Subsidiaries have devised and maintain
a system of internal accounting controls (within the meaning of
Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) sufficient to
provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Each of the
Company and the Company Subsidiaries (1) has designed disclosure
controls and procedures (within the meaning of Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information
relating to such entity and its subsidiaries is made known to the
management of such entity (or its general partner) by others within
those entities as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure and to make the certifications required by the
Exchange Act with respect to the Company SEC Reports, and (2) has
disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation made prior to the
date of this Agreement, to its auditors and the audit committee of
its Board of Directors, and has listed in Section 4.07(c) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, (A) any significant deficiencies in
the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely
affect in any material respect its ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial data and have disclosed to its
auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls and (B) any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in its internal controls and
the Company has provided to Parent copies of documentation related
to such disclosure contemplated in (A) or (B), except to the extent
such documents are bound by privilege, which shall be determined
solely by the Company.
(d)
The Company is in compliance in all material respects with (i) the
provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and (ii) the rules and
regulations of Nasdaq that are applicable to the Company. The
Company’s principal executive officer and its principal
financial officer have disclosed, based on their most recent
evaluation, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee
of the Board of Directors of the Company (i) all significant
deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which
could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record,
process, summarize and report financial data and have identified
for the Company’s auditors any material weaknesses in
internal controls and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that
involves management or other employees who have a significant role
in the Company’s internal controls. For purposes of
this paragraph, “principal executive officer” and
“principal financial officer” shall have the meanings
given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
20
(e)
Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has any liabilities
(whether known or unknown, accrued, absolute, contingent or
otherwise and whether due or to become due) of the type required to
be disclosed on a balance sheet or in the related notes to the
consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP,
except liabilities that (i) were disclosed in the Company SEC
Reports, (ii) were incurred in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice since September 30, 2006, or
(iii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.08
Absence of Certain Changes or Events . Except as
disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, since September 30, 2006
through the date hereof, (a) the Company has conducted its business
in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and (b) there
has not been an event, occurrence, effect, fact, development or
circumstance that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.09
Absence of Litigation . There is no Action pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or
any Company Subsidiaries or any of its or their respective
properties or assets except as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, (x) prevent or materially delay consummation of the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
(y) have or reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. None of the Company or any of the Company
Subsidiaries is subject to any order, judgment, writ, injunction or
decree, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have
or reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.10
Employee Benefit Plans .
(a)
Section 4.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all
material employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
(“ ERISA ”)) and all material bonus, stock
option, stock purchase, restricted stock, incentive, deferred
compensation, retiree medical or life insurance, supplemental
retirement, severance or other benefit plans, programs or
arrangements, and all material employment, termination, severance
or other contracts or agreements to which the Company or any
Company Subsidiary is a party, with respect to which the Company or
any Company Subsidiary has any obligation or which are maintained,
contributed to or sponsored by the Company or any Company
Subsidiary for the benefit of any current or former employee,
officer, director or consultant of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary other than any such benefit plans, programs,
arrangements, contracts or agreements maintained outside of the
United States primarily for the benefit of current or former
employees, officers, directors or consultants of the Company or any
Company Subsidiary working outside of the United States or who
worked outside of the United States (such plans hereinafter being
referred to as “ Non-U.S. Plans ”)
(collectively, the “ U.S. Plans ”),
provided that with respect to employment agreements for
non-executives, Section 4.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule
will only include forms of employment agreement. The Company
has made available to Parent copies, which are correct and complete
in all material respects, of the following:
21
(i)
the U.S. Plans, (ii) the annual reports (e.g., the complete Form
5500 series) prepared in connection with each U.S. Plan for the
last two plan years, (iii) the most recently received Internal
Revenue Service (“ IRS ”) determination letter
of the IRS, if any, relating to a U.S. Plan, (iv) the most recently
prepared actuarial report or financial statement, if any, relating
to a U.S. Plan, and (v) the most recent summary plan description
for such U.S. Plan (or other descriptions of such U.S. Plan
provided to employees) and all material modifications
thereto.
(b)
Except as disclosed in Section 4.10(b) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, each U.S. Plan has been operated in all respects in
accordance with its terms and the requirements of all applicable
Laws, including ERISA and the Code, except for such noncompliance
that would not, individually or in the aggregate, cause a material
liability. Each U.S. Plan that is intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code or Section 401(k) of the
Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS, or
is entitled to rely on a favorable opinion issued by the IRS, and
to the knowledge of the Company no fact or event has occurred to
adversely affect the qualified status of any such U.S. Plan or the
exempt status of any such trust created thereunder that would,
individually or in the aggregate, cause a material
liability.
(c)
Except as disclosed in Section 4.10(c) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary sponsors
or has sponsored any U.S. Plan that provides for any
post-employment or post-retirement health, medical, prescription
drug, disability, life or other similar insurance benefits for
retired, former or current employees of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary, except as required by Section 4980B of the Code.
Except as set forth in Section 4.10(c) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, to the knowledge of the Company, no written communication
has been made that would prevent the Company or any Company
Subsidiary from amending or terminating any U.S. Plan providing
health or medical benefits in respect of any retired, former or
current employee of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary.
(d)
Full payment has been made, or otherwise properly accrued on the
books and records of the Company and any Company Subsidiary, of all
amounts that the Company and any Company Subsidiary are required
under the terms of the U.S. Plans to have paid as contributions to
such Plans on or prior to the date hereof (excluding any amounts
not yet due).
(e)
Except as set forth in Section 4.10(e) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, no U.S. Plan, either individually or collectively,
provides for any payment by the Company or any Company Subsidiary
that would constitute a “parachute payment” within the
meaning of Section 280G of the Code after giving effect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(f)
Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors or has
sponsored in the past six years any U.S. Plan (or United States
based pension plan in the case of an ERISA Affiliate) that is
subject to Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 or 4971
of the Code. For purposes of this Section 4.10, an entity is
an “ ERISA Affiliate ” of the Company if it
would have ever been considered a single employer with
22
the
Company under 4001(b) of ERISA or part of the same controlled group
as the Company for purposes of Section 302(d)(8)(C) of ERISA.
Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has in the past six
years maintained, adopted or established, contributed or been
required to contribute to, or otherwise participate or been
required to participate in, nor will they become obligated to do so
through the Closing Date, any “multiemployer plan” (as
defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA).
(g)
Section 4.10(g) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a list
of each material Non-U.S. Plan. Except as set forth on
Section 4.10(g) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or as would not
reasonably be expected to cause a material liability, each Non-U.S.
Plan complies in all material respects with applicable Laws.
Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has any material
unfunded liabilities with respect to any such Non-U.S.Plan.
As of the date hereof, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened material litigation relating to any
Non-U.S. Plan.
(h)
There are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened (A) claims, suits or other proceedings by any employees,
former employees or plan participants or the beneficiaries, spouses
or representatives of any of them, other than ordinary and usual
claims for benefits by participants or beneficiaries, or (B) suits,
investigations or other proceedings by any federal, state, local or
other governmental agency or authority, of or against any U.S.
Plan, the assets held thereunder, the trustee of any such assets,
or the Company or any Company Subsidiary relating to any U.S. Plan
that would, individually or in the aggregate, cause a material
liability. If any of the actions described in this subsection
are initiated prior to the Closing Date, the Company will notify
Parent of such action prior to the date of Closing.
Section
4.11
Information Supplied . The information supplied by the
Company relating to the Company and Company Subsidiaries to be
contained in the Proxy Statement
|