Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION VERSION
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “ Agreement ” )
is made and entered into as of May 6, 2007, by and among PROJECT
GRILL, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (
“ Parent ” ); SWRG ACQUISITION SUB,
INC., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent ( “ Merger Sub ” ); and THE
SMITH & WOLLENSKY RESTAURANT GROUP, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”). Certain capitalized
terms used in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit A
.
RECITALS
A.
Patina Restaurant Group, LLC
(“ Patina ”), SWRG Holdings, Inc.
(“First “Merger Sub”) and the Company entered
into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger on February 26, 2007
(the “ Original Agreemen t”), pursuant to
which the parties thereto agreed that Merger Sub would merge with
and into the Company, with the Company surviving (the “
Merger ”) in accordance with the terms
thereof.
B.
Pursuant to Section 9.4 of the
Original Agreement, Patina has assigned its rights and obligations
under the Original Agreement to Parent and First Merger Sub has
assigned its rights and obligations under the Original Agreement to
Merger Sub, in each case, with the written consent of the Company
and has been relieved of its obligations thereunder (the “
Assignment ”).
C.
The Boards of Merger Sub and the
Company have each determined that it is advisable and in the best
interests of their respective stockholders that the Original
Agreement be amended and restated in accordance with the terms
hereof.
D.
Concurrently with the execution of
this Agreement, and as a condition to the willingness of the
Company to consent to the Assignment and to amend and restate the
Original Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof, Bunker Hill
Capital, L.P. (“ Bunker Hill ”) and
Bunker Hill Capital (QP), L.P. (together with Bunker Hill, the
“ Bunker Hill Guarantors ”), on the one
hand, and each of Mr. Fortunato N. Valenti (“
Valenti ”), Mr. Joachim Splichal (“
Splichal ”), and Mr. Alan N. Stillman (“
Stillman ”), on the other hand (each of
Valenti, Splichal, and Stillman severally but not jointly with
respect to each other and the Bunker Hill Guarantors, the “
Guarantors ”) have executed and delivered to
the Company a limited guarantee (each, a “
Guarantee ”), pursuant to which each Guarantor
is guarantying a portion of the obligation of Parent to pay the
Parent Termination Fee under the terms hereof.
B.
The Boards of Parent, Merger Sub and
the Company have each duly approved this Agreement and the Merger,
all in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law (the
“ DGCL ”) and, in each case, upon the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
The parties to this Agreement,
intending to be legally bound, agree that the Original Agreement is
hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
1.
Description of
Transaction
1.1.
Merger of Merger Sub into the
Company.
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged with
and into the Company, and the separate existence of Merger Sub
shall cease. The Company will continue as the surviving
corporation in the Merger and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent
(the “Surviving Corporation”
).
1.2.
Effects of the Merger.
The Merger shall have
the effects set forth in this Agreement and in the applicable
provisions of the DGCL.
1.3.
Closing; Effective
Time. The
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(the “Closing” ) shall take place at the
offices of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue,
New York, New York 10019 , at 9:00 a.m. on a date to be
designated by the Company (the “Closing
Date” ), which shall be no later than the second
business day after the satisfaction or waiver of the last to be
satisfied or waived of the conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7
(other than those conditions that by their nature are to be
satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver
of such conditions). Subject to the provisions of this
Agreement, a certificate of merger satisfying the applicable
requirements of the DGCL shall be duly executed by the Company and,
concurrently with or as soon as practicable following the Closing,
the parties hereto shall deliver to and file with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware such certificate of merger in
accordance with the DGCL. The Merger shall become effective
upon the date and time of the filing of such certificate of merger
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, or at such
later time as may be mutually agreed in writing by the Company and
Parent and specified in the certificate of merger (the
“Effective Time” ).
1.4.
Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws; Directors and Officers. Unless otherwise determined by
Parent prior to the Effective Time:
(a)
the Certificate of Incorporation of
the Surviving Corporation shall be amended and restated at the
Effective Time to conform to the Certificate of Incorporation of
Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time,
except that the name of the Surviving Corporation shall be
“ The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, Inc.
” ;
(b)
the Bylaws of the Surviving
Corporation shall be amended and restated as of the Effective Time
to conform to the Bylaws of Merger Sub as in effect immediately
prior to the Effective Time;
(c)
the directors of the Surviving
Corporation immediately after the Effective Time shall be the
individuals who are directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to
the Effective Time; and
(d)
the officers of the Surviving
Corporation immediately after the Effective Time shall be the
individuals who are officers of Merger Sub immediately prior to the
Effective Time.
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1.5.
Conversion of
Securities. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger
and without any further action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub,
the Company or any stockholder of the Company:
(a)
each share of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “ Company
Common Stock ” and such shares, “
Shares ”) issued and outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time (other than any Shares to be canceled
pursuant to Section 1.5(b) and any Dissenting Shares) shall be
canceled and shall be converted automatically into the right to
receive from the Surviving Corporation $11.00 in cash (the “
Per Share Merger Consideration ”). All
Shares that have been converted into the right to receive the Per
Share Merger Consideration as provided in this Section 1.5 shall be
automatically canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and
the holders of certificates which immediately prior to the
Effective Time represented such Shares shall cease to have any
rights with respect to such Shares other than the right to receive
the Per Share Merger Consideration;
(b)
each Share held in the treasury of
the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be
canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and no consideration
shall be delivered in exchange therefor; and
(c)
each share of common stock, $0.01
par value per share, of Merger Sub then outstanding shall be
converted into one share of common stock of the Surviving
Corporation, and shall thereupon constitute all of the issued and
outstanding shares of the Surviving Corporation.
1.6.
Company Stock
Options. At
the Effective Time, each Company Option that is then outstanding,
whether under the Company’s 1996 Stock Option Plan, the New
York Restaurant Group, Inc. 1997 Stock Option Plan or The Smith
& Wollensky Restaurant Group, Inc. 2001 Stock Incentive Plan,
as amended (collectively, the “Option
Plans” ) or otherwise, shall be treated as
follows:
As soon as practicable following the
date of this Agreement, the Board of the Company (or, if
appropriate, any committee thereof administering the Option Plans)
shall adopt such resolutions or take such other actions as may be
required to adjust the terms of all outstanding Company Options,
whether vested or unvested, as necessary to provide that Company
Options outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time,
whether or not then vested or exercisable, shall be canceled and
the holder thereof shall then become entitled to receive, in full
satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto, an
amount of cash equal to (i) the product of (a) the aggregate number
of shares of Company Common Stock subject to any unexercised
Company Option (whether vested or unvested) which is outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (b) the
amount, if any, by which the Per Share Merger Consideration exceeds
the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock which is
subject to such Company Option (the “Option
Consideration” ). The right of any holder of
Company Options to receive the Option Consideration shall be
subject to and reduced by the amount of any withholding that is
required under applicable Law. At the Effective Time, each
Company Option outstanding as of the Effective Time with an
exercise price per share that is equal to or greater than the Per
Share Merger Consideration shall be terminated, without any
consideration therefor. The Company agrees that the Board of
the Company (or, if appropriate,
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any committee administering the
Option Plans) shall adopt such resolutions or take such other
actions (including obtaining any required consents) as may be
required to effect the transactions described in this Section 1.6
as of the Effective Time.
1.7.
Closing of the Company’s
Transfer Books. At the Effective Time: (a) all
shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall automatically be canceled and retired and
shall cease to exist, and all holders of certificates representing
shares of Company Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights as
stockholders of the Company, and each certificate representing any
such Company Common Stock (a “Company Stock
Certificate” ) shall thereafter represent the right
to receive the consideration referred to in Section 1.5(a) (or, if
applicable, Section 1.9) until surrendered in accordance with
Section 1.8; and (b) the stock transfer books of the Company
shall be closed with respect to all shares of Company Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. No
further transfer of any such shares of Company Common Stock shall
be made on such stock transfer books after the Effective
Time. If, after the Effective Time, a Company Stock
Certificate is presented to the Payment Agent or to the Surviving
Corporation or Parent, such Company Stock Certificate shall be
canceled and shall be converted as provided in Section
1.8.
1.8.
Exchange of Certificates and
Company Options.
(a)
Prior to the Closing Date, the
Company shall select a reputable bank or trust company reasonably
acceptable to Parent to act as payment agent in the Merger (the
“Payment Agent” ). On or prior to
the Closing Date, Parent shall deposit with the Payment Agent cash
in the amount of the aggregate amount payable to all holders of
Company Common Stock and Company Options hereunder. Such
amount shall be invested by the Payment Agent as directed by
Parent; provided that (i) any such investment shall be in
obligations of or guaranteed by the United States of America and
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America
or in commercial paper obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by
Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. or Standard &
Poor’s Corporation, respectively, and (ii) no gain or loss on
any such investment shall affect the Per Share Merger
Consideration, Option Consideration or other amounts payable to
holders of Company Common Stock or Company Options hereunder and
following any losses Parent shall promptly provide additional funds
to the Payment Agent for the benefit of the stockholders of the
Company and holders of such Company Options in the amount of any
such losses. Any interest or income produced by such
investments will be payable to the Surviving Corporation or Parent,
as Parent directs. As soon as reasonably practicable but in
no event later than five (5) business days after the
Effective Time, the Payment Agent shall mail to the record holders
of Company Common Stock and Company Options: (i) a letter of
transmittal in customary form accompanied by appropriate tax forms,
and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of Company
Stock Certificates and agreements evidencing Company Options (
“Company Option Agreements” ) in exchange
for the cash amounts payable in accordance with Section 1.5(a)
or Section 1.6, as applicable. Upon surrender of a Company
Stock Certificate or Company Option Agreement to the Payment Agent
for payment, together with a duly executed letter of transmittal,
the holder of such Company Stock Certificate or Company Option
Agreement shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor, the
consideration set forth in Section 1.5(a) or Section 1.6, as
applicable with respect to the Company Common Stock evidenced by
such Company Stock Certificate or the Company Option evidenced by
such
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Company Option Agreement, as
applicable. If any Company Stock Certificate or Company
Option Agreement shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, Payment
Agent or Parent may, as a condition to the payment of the Per Share
Merger Consideration with respect thereto, require the owner of
such Company Stock Certificate or Company Option to provide an
appropriate affidavit, surety bond or other documentation
reasonably satisfactory to Parent.
(b)
Any portion of the cash amounts that
are held by the Payment Agent pursuant to Section 1.8(a) and remain
undistributed to holders of Company Stock Certificates or Company
Options as of the first anniversary of the date on which the Merger
becomes effective shall be delivered to Parent upon demand, and any
holders of Company Stock Certificates or Company Options who have
not theretofore surrendered their Company Stock Certificates or
Company Option Agreements in accordance with this Section 1.8 shall
thereafter look only to Parent or the Surviving Corporation for
satisfaction of their claims for the cash amounts payable in
accordance with Section 1.5(a) or Section 1.6, as applicable,
without interest.
(c)
Neither Parent nor the Surviving
Corporation shall be liable to any holder or former holder of
Company Common Stock or Company Option with respect to any cash
amounts properly delivered to any public official pursuant to any
applicable abandoned property law or escheat law.
(d)
Payment Agent or Parent will be
entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise
payable under this Agreement to any holder of Company Common Stock
and any Company Options any amounts Parent is required to deduct
and withhold under the Code or any other applicable Law. If
any holder of Company Common Stock or Company Options believes that
the withholding obligation may be lessened or avoided, such holder
shall provide the Payment Agent or Parent, as applicable, with such
information as Payment Agent or Parent, as applicable, reasonably
believes necessary to substantiate such reduced or avoided
withholding obligation. Any withheld amounts will be treated
as having been paid to the applicable holder of Company Common
Stock or Company Options, as applicable.
1.9.
Appraisal Rights.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement to the contrary, shares of Company Common Stock
that have not been voted in favor of (or consented to) adoption of
this Agreement, and with respect to which a demand for payment and
appraisal has been properly made and perfected in accordance
with Section 262 of the DGCL (the “Dissenting
Shares” ), shall not be converted into or represent
the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration in
accordance with Section 1.5(a), but shall be converted into the
right to receive such consideration as may be determined to be due
with respect to such Dissenting Shares pursuant to the DGCL;
provided that if a holder of Dissenting Shares (a
“Dissenting Stockholder” ) withdraws such
holder’s demand for such payment and appraisal or becomes
ineligible for such payment and appraisal then, as of the later of
the Effective Time or the date of which such Dissenting Stockholder
withdraws such demand or otherwise becomes ineligible for such
payment and appraisal, such holder’s Dissenting Shares shall
cease to be Dissenting Shares and shall automatically be converted
into the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration in
accordance with Section 1.5(a).
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(b)
The Company shall give Parent (i)
prompt notice of any written demands for dissenters’ rights
of any Company Common Stock, withdrawals of such demands, and any
other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the
Company which relate to any such demand for dissenters’
rights and (ii) the opportunity reasonably to direct all
negotiations and proceedings (subject to the Company’s right
to object to any actions or positions taken by Parent that it
deems, in its sole discretion, unreasonable) with respect to
demands for dissenters’ rights under the DGCL. The
Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent
(which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), make any
payment with respect to any demands for dissenters’ rights or
offer to settle or settle any such demands.
1.10.
Further Action.
If, at any time after
the Effective Time, any further action is necessary or desirable to
carry out the purposes of this Agreement or to vest the Surviving
Corporation with full right, title and possession of and to all
rights and property of Merger Sub and the Company, the directors
and officers (including Board members, as applicable) of the
Surviving Corporation and Parent shall take such action, so long as
such action is not inconsistent with this Agreement.
1.11.
Creation of Holding
Company. At
the request of Merger Sub made not less than five days prior to the
Effective Time, the Company shall immediately prior to the
Effective Time cause some or all of the assets to be acquired
pursuant to the Stillman Transaction to be transferred to a newly
formed wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company; provided ,
however , that such transfer will not have to be effectuated
if in the reasonable opinion of the Company this could result in
additional Taxes being due and payable by the Company; and
provided further , that such transfer shall not cause any of
the representations and warranties of Parent or Merger Sub in
Article 3 to be untrue, incomplete or inaccurate in any
respect. Merger Sub will prepare at its expense all documents
necessary to effectuate the provisions of this Section 1.11 and
will pay any taxes, recording fees or the costs incurred in
connection therewith.
2.
Representations and Warranties of
the Company
The Company represents and warrants
to Parent and Merger Sub as follows, except as set forth in the
Company SEC Documents filed or furnished prior to the date hereof
(other than disclosures referred to in sections entitled
“Risk Factors” in such Company SEC Documents or any
forward-looking statements contained in such Company SEC
Documents):
2.1.
Due Organization; Qualification;
Subsidiaries.
(a)
The Company and each Company
Subsidiary is a corporation or other form of entity duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization and has all necessary power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business in the manner in which its business is currently being
conducted.
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(b)
The Company and each Company
Subsidiary is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation,
and is in good standing, under the Laws of all states where the
nature of its business requires such qualification.
(c)
Except as set forth in Part 2.1(c)
of the Disclosure Schedule, other than with respect to the Company
Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any
capital stock of or other equity interest in any corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or other
business association or entity, other than marketable
securities.
(d)
Each Company Subsidiary is, directly
or indirectly, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and there
are no issued and outstanding options, warrants, calls,
subscriptions or other commitments or rights of any nature
(including conversion rights, exchange rights, stock appreciation
rights, or subscription rights convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for capital stock of or other equity interests in any
Company Subsidiary. “Company
Subsidiaries” shall mean the entities set forth on
Part 2.1(d) of the Disclosure Schedule. The authorized
capital stock of or other equity interests in each Company
Subsidiary and the issued and outstanding shares of such capital
stock or other equity interest as of the date of this Agreement are
reflected in Part 2.1(d) of the Disclosure Schedule. All such
outstanding shares (i) are duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable, (ii) are free of any Liens and (iii) were
not issued in violation of any preemptive rights or rights of first
refusal created by statute, the certificate of incorporation or
bylaws or other equivalent organizational document (collectively,
“Organizational Documents” ) of any
Company Subsidiary or any agreement to which the Company or any
Company Subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound.
2.2.
Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws. The
Company has delivered or otherwise made available to Parent or its
counsel true, correct and complete copies of the Organizational
Documents of the Company and of each Company Subsidiary, as amended
and currently in force. All records of ownership of the
capital stock of or other equity interest in the Company and each
Company Subsidiary, and all minute books and similar records of the
Company and each Company Subsidiary from and after such
entity’s date of formation have been furnished for inspection
by Parent and its Representatives. Said records accurately
reflect all transactions in the capital stock of or equity interest
in the Company and the Company Subsidiaries from and after such
date, and the current ownership thereof. The minute books and
similar records contain true, correct and complete copies of all
resolutions adopted by the stockholders and the Boards of the
Company and the Company Subsidiaries and any other action formally
taken by them from and after such date. Neither the Company
nor any Company Subsidiary is in violation of any of the provisions
of its Organizational Documents.
2.3.
Capitalization,
Etc. The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 40,000,000
shares of Company Common Stock, of which 8,600,127 shares were
issued and outstanding as of May 3, 2007. All outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock (i) are duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) are free
of any Liens created by the Company, and (iii) were not issued in
violation of any preemptive rights or rights of first refusal
created by statute, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of
the Company or any agreement to which the Company is a party or by
which it is bound. As of May 3, 2007, there were 801,278
shares of Company Common Stock reserved for issuance under the
Option
7
Plans, of which 610,566 shares of
Company Common Stock were subject to outstanding options and
190,712 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for future
option grants. The Company has delivered to Parent or its
Representatives (or made available in a data room) true and
complete copies of the Option Plans and each form of agreement
evidencing each award thereunder (and each such agreement
accurately reflects the actual date of grant of such award
determined in accordance with GAAP). Except for the rights
created pursuant to this Agreement and the options and other rights
disclosed in the preceding sentences, there are no options,
warrants, calls, rights, commitments or agreements that are
outstanding to which the Company is a party or by which it is
bound, obligating the Company to issue, deliver, sell, repurchase
or redeem, or cause to be issued, delivered, sold, repurchased or
redeemed, any shares of Company Common Stock or other capital stock
of or equity interests in the Company or the Company Subsidiaries
or obligating the Company to grant, extend, accelerate the vesting
of, change the price of, or otherwise amend or enter into any
option, warrant, call, right, commitment or agreement regarding
shares of Company Common Stock or other capital stock of or equity
interests in the Company or the Company Subsidiaries. All
shares of Company Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the
options described in this Section 2.3 will be, when issued pursuant
to the terms of such options, duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable. There are no other contracts,
commitments or agreements relating to the voting, purchase or sale
of Company Common Stock between or among the Company and any of its
stockholders; and (ii) to the Company’s Knowledge, between or
among any Company Common Stockholders.
2.4.
SEC Filings; Reports and
Financial Statements.
(a)
Except as set forth in Part 2.4(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has filed or furnished all
forms, documents and reports (including exhibits) required to be
filed or furnished prior to the date of this Agreement by it with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC” ) since January 1, 2004 (the
“ Company SEC Documents ”). As of
their respective dates, or, if amended, as the date of the last
such amendment, the Company SEC Documents complied when filed in
all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the applicable rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder, and none of the Company SEC
Documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state or incorporate by reference any material fact
required to be stated or incorporated by reference therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No
Subsidiary of the Company is required to file any form or report
with the SEC.
(b)
Except as set forth in Part 2.4(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has been, since January 1,
2004 and is in compliance in all material respects with (i) the
applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the related
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and (ii) the
applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations
of the NASDAQ Stock Market.
(c)
The Company has delivered or
otherwise made available to Parent or its Representatives
(i) the Company’s audited consolidated balance sheets
and statements of operations and cash flows for each of the three
years ended January 2, 2006, January 3, 2005 and January 5, 2004
and (ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and statements of
operations and cash flows of the Company for the 9-month period
ended October 2, 2006 (the
“Unaudited
8
Balance
Sheet” ) (all
of the foregoing financial statements of the Company and any notes
thereto are hereinafter collectively referred to as the
“Company Financial Statements” ).
The Company Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with
GAAP applied on a consistent basis through the periods covered and
fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of
the Company (on a consolidated basis) at the dates therein
indicated and the results of operations of the Company (on a
consolidated basis) for the periods therein specified in accordance
with GAAP, except (i) as may be indicated in the footnotes to such
financial statements and (ii) that the unaudited financial
statements do not contain footnotes and are subject to normal year
end adjustments.
2.5.
Absence of Certain
Changes.
Except as set forth in Part 2.5 of the Disclosure Schedule, between
October 2, 2006 (the “Company Balance Sheet
Date” ) and the date of this Agreement, the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries have conducted their business in the
ordinary and usual course of business and consistent with
past practice, and there has not occurred (i) any acquisition, sale
or transfer of any material asset of the Company or the Company
Subsidiaries other than in the ordinary course of business; (ii)
any amendment to the Organizational Documents of the Company or the
Company Subsidiaries; (iii) any material increase in, or material
modification of, the compensation or benefits payable by the
Company or the Company Subsidiaries to any of their respective
directors or officers (or Board members, as applicable), except in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (iv)
any declaration, setting aside or payment of a dividend or other
distribution with respect to shares of Company Common Stock; or (v)
any incurrence of indebtedness for borrowed money. Between
the Company Balance Sheet Date and the date of this Agreement,
there has not been any event or occurrence that has had,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect.
2.6.
Internal Controls and
Procedures. The Company has established and maintains
disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over
financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e)
and (f), respectively, of Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) as
required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act. The
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably
designed to ensure that all material information required to be
disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or furnishes
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms
of the SEC, and that all such material information is accumulated
and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make
the certifications required pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley
Act” ). The Company has disclosed, based on its
most recent evaluation prior to the date of this Agreement, to the
Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Board and
to Parent (i) any deficiencies and material weaknesses known to the
Company in the design or operation of internal controls over
financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
in any material respect the Company’s ability to record,
process, summarize and report financial information and (ii) any
fraud known to the Company, whether or not material, that involves
executive officers or employees who have a significant role in the
Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
Except as set forth in the Company’s SEC Documents, and as of
the date of this Agreement, the Company has not identified any
material weaknesses in the design or operation of its internal
control over financial reporting. There are no outstanding loans
made by the Company or any Company Subsidiary to
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any executive officer (as defined in
Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act) or director of the
Company.
2.7.
No Undisclosed
Liabilities. Except (i) as reflected or reserved against in
the Unaudited Balance Sheet, (ii) for liabilities incurred pursuant
to or in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of
this Agreement, (iii) for liabilities and obligations incurred in
the ordinary course of business since the date of the Unaudited
Balance Sheet, and (iv) for liabilities or obligations which have
been discharged or paid in full in the ordinary course of business,
as of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any
Company Subsidiary has any material liabilities or obligations of
any nature, whether or not accrued, contingent or otherwise, that
would be required by GAAP to be reflected on a consolidated balance
sheet of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries (or in the notes
thereto).
2.8.
Title to Assets.
The Company and each
Company Subsidiary has good and valid title to all of their
material owned assets, including all assets (other than capitalized
or operating leases) reflected in the Company Balance Sheet (except
for assets sold or otherwise disposed of since the date of the
Company Balance Sheet in the ordinary course of business).
All of said assets are owned by the Company or the Company
Subsidiaries, as applicable, free and clear of all Liens, except
for the following (collectively, “Permitted
Encumbrances” ): (i) Liens for current taxes not yet
due and payable or that are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings; (ii) mechanic’s, materialman’s
or similar statutory Liens for amounts not yet due and payable or
that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;
(iii) encumbrances that do not materially impair the ownership or
use of the assets to which they relate; (iv) Liens securing debt
and capital leases that are reflected on the Company Balance Sheet;
(v) statutory or common law Liens to secure obligations to
landlords, lessors or renters under leases or rental agreements;
(vi) deposits or pledges made in connection with, or to secure
payment of, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or
similar programs mandated by Law; and (vii) licenses to
Trademarks.
2.9.
Equipment; Real Property;
Leasehold.
(a)
All material items of equipment and
other tangible assets owned by or leased to the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries are adequate in all material respects for the
uses to which they are being put, and the Company or any Company
Subsidiary owns or leases equipment and other tangible assets
sufficient for the operation of the Company’s
business.
(b)
The Company or the Company
Subsidiaries own fee title to four (4) parcels of real property
more fully described in Part 2.9(b) of the Disclosure Schedule (the
“Real Property” ), free and clear of all
Liens except such Liens as are set forth in Part 2.9(b) of the
Disclosure Schedule. The Company has delivered or otherwise
made available to Parent or its counsel true and complete copies of
the deeds, as well as any title insurance policies, surveys and
environmental reports in respect to the Real Property which the
Company or any Company Subsidiary has in its possession.
(c)
The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries do not own any real property other than the Real
Property. The Company and the Company Subsidiaries do not
own
10
any other interest in real property,
except for the leaseholds created under the real property leases
identified in Part 2.9(c) of the Disclosure Schedule (each, a
“Leased Property” ). With respect
to each Leased Property, except as set forth in Part 2.9(c) of the
Disclosure Schedule, (i) the Company or the Company Subsidiary, as
applicable, has good and valid title to the leasehold estate
relating thereto free and clear of all Liens except Permitted
Encumbrances, (ii) each lease relating to such Leased Property is
legal, valid, binding, in full force and effect and enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting
creditors’ rights and remedies generally, and subject, as to
enforceability, to general principles of equity, including
principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair
dealing (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a
proceeding at law or in equity), (iii) neither the Company nor
any Company Subsidiary, as applicable, is in breach or violation of
such lease or has received any written notice of any breach or
violation of such lease, which breach or violation is alleged to
remain uncured as of the date of execution of this Agreement, and,
to the Knowledge of the Company, no other party to each lease
relating to such Leased Property is, in breach or violation of
(other than in immaterial respects), or in default under, such
lease, which breach or violation or default is alleged to remain
uncured as of the date of execution of this Agreement, (iv) there
are no material disputes or forbearance programs in effect as to
the lease relating to such Leased Property and (v) there is no
Lien, lease, assignment, sublease, or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, easement, covenant, right of way or other restriction or
condition applicable to such Leased Property or to the
Company’s or the Company Subsidiary’s leasehold estate
therein that could materially impair the current uses or occupancy
by the Company or the Company Subsidiary of such Leased Property
(including, without limitation, anything which could adversely
affect in any material way the accessibility to, egress from and/or
the visibility of, the Leased Property).
(d)
None of the following Persons is the
lessor (or otherwise holds a direct or indirect interest) in
respect to any Leased Property (including a direct or indirect
interest in the real property in or upon which the Leased Property
is located): (i) any current officer or Board member of the
Company or any Company Subsidiary, (ii) any past officer or Board
member of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or (iii) any
Affiliate of any of the foregoing.
(e)
There are no leasing, broker’s
or finder’s commissions or compensation of any kind unpaid
with respect to the Real Property or any of the Leased Properties,
or any unpaid installments thereof on account of any leasing
commissions heretofore earned, and no leasing, broker’s or
finder’s commissions will be payable in connection with any
assignment or deemed assignment of any lease with respect to the
Leased Properties.
(f)
The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries have not received any notice of any extraordinary
assessments to be imposed against the Real Property or payable by
the Company or any Company Subsidiary with respect to any of the
Leased Properties.
(g)
Except as set forth in Part 2.9(g)
of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary has given or received any written notice of any
violation of any easement agreement or other similar agreements
concerning the use, operation or maintenance of the Real Property
or the Leased Properties.
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(h)
Except as set forth in Part 2.9(h)
of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Real Property nor the
Leased Properties, nor any of them, have suffered any material
damage by fire or other casualty which has not been completely
restored and repaired. Except as set forth in Part 2.9(h) of
the Disclosure Schedule, no proceeding for a taking by condemnation
or otherwise of all or any part of the Real Property or the Leased
Properties has occurred or is pending or, to the Company’s
Knowledge, is threatened.
(i)
Except as permitted under applicable
Environmental Laws, to the Company’s Knowledge, neither the
Real Property nor the Leased Properties contain any Hazardous
Materials defined in or controlled pursuant to Environmental
Laws.
(j)
The Company has not granted any
options or rights of first refusal or any other rights to acquire
any interest in the Company (other than interests in Company Common
Stock pursuant to Section 2.3) or any Real Property or Leased
Property.
(k)
The transactions contemplated by
this Agreement will not result in any termination or result in a
right of termination under any lease, result in any rent increase
under any lease or require the consent of any party thereto or any
mortgagee, except as set forth in Part 2.9(k) of the
Disclosure Schedule.
(l)
Since January 1, 2003, the Company
has received no written notice and has no Knowledge of any current
default by a landlord under any mortgage or other lien that is
superior with respect to the Leased Properties that has not been
cured.
(m)
The Company or a Company Subsidiary
has a good, marketable and insurable leasehold estate in each
Leased Property.
(n)
The list of Leased Properties in
Part 2.9(c) of the Disclosure Schedule includes and specifically
indicates any real property that is leased to the Company or a
Company Subsidiary pursuant to a lease which has been assigned or
sublet by such entity or another Person but with respect to which
the Company or any Company Subsidiary retains any
liability.
(o)
Except as set forth in Part 2.9(o)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement will not result in the imposition of any transfer taxes
greater than $1,000 with respect to any of the Leased
Properties.
(p)
To the Knowledge of the Company, the
improvements and operations of the business of the Company or the
Company Subsidiaries do not encroach on the property of another
Person. All such improvements are in good working order and
repair, normal wear and tear excepted.
(q)
None of the Real Property or any
Leased Property relies on any other property for parking or other
services, except as disclosed in Part 2.9(q) of the Disclosure
Schedule.
(r)
To the Knowledge of the Company and
except as set forth in Part 2.9(r) of the Disclosure
Schedule:
12
(i)
No material defect or condition of
the Real Property or the Leased Properties or the soil or geology
thereof exists which would impair the current or planned use
thereof.
(ii)
The Company and each Company
Subsidiary has legal and practical access to all roads and
utilities needed for the conduct of its business or the
business’s Real Property and Leased Properties; neither the
Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received written notice of
any adverse claims to such access that would materially adversely
affect the use currently being made of such access by the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries.
(iii)
No material violation of any
recorded covenant, condition, restriction or easement affecting the
Real Property or any of the Leased Properties or the use or
occupancy of any of such properties exist, and no notice of any
such violation has been received from any Person entitled to
enforce the same.
(iv)
Public and private utilities
servicing the Real Property and the Leased Properties have adequate
capacity to meet the utility requirements for the current use of
such properties.
(v)
Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary has any oral or written agreement with any real estate
broker, agent or finder with respect to the Real Property or the
Leased Properties.
(s)
Part 2.9(s) of the Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a list of all Real Property and Leased
Properties that are encumbered by Liens securing debt (reflected on
the Unaudited Balance Street as secured debt), identifying each
property so encumbered, the nature and amount of the Lien and the
name of the creditor.
(t)
To the Company’s Knowledge,
none of the Real Property or Leased Property or, in either case,
the buildings or improvements thereon, is currently a
“non-conforming use” or “permitted non-conforming
use” under applicable zoning Laws.
(u)
There are no Contracts affecting any
Real Property or Leased Property which are not terminable within
one month of receipt of notice by the other Person or Persons party
thereto(or require a penalty or premium in the event of such
termination).
(v)
True and correct copies of all
leases with respect to each Leased Property (including all
amendments thereto) have been delivered by the Company to
Parent.
2.10.
Intellectual
Property.
(a)
The registered Trademarks (including
applications for registration) owned by or licensed to the Company
and currently used (or used at any time within the past twelve (12)
months) by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries are as listed
in Part 2.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedule. The unregistered
Trademarks owned by or licensed to the Company and currently used
(or used at any time within the past twelve (12) months) by the
Company and the Company Subsidiaries and material to the businesses
of the Company and the Company
13
Subsidiaries are as listed in Part
2.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedule. The Company and the
Company Subsidiaries own or have a valid right to use all such
Trademarks used in the operation of their businesses as now being
conducted (all such Trademarks owned by the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries being the “ Owned Trademarks
” and all such Trademarks licensed to the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries being the “ Licensed
Trademarks” ), free and clear of all Liens. The
Owned Trademarks are not subject to any license, royalty or other
agreements, and neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has
granted any license (whether exclusive or non-exclusive) or agreed
to pay or receive any royalty in respect to any Owned Trademarks or
Licensed Trademarks (other than the Amended and Restated Sale and
License Agreement, dated January 1, 2006, by and between St. James
Associates, L.P. and The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group,
Inc.). Except as described in Part 2.10(a) of the Disclosure
Schedule, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has
licensed others to use the Owned Trademarks or the Licensed
Trademarks in any country outside the United States and, to the
Knowledge of the Company, the Owned Trademarks and Licensed
Trademarks are not used by third-parties in connection with any
restaurant business in any country outside the United
States.
(b)
All registered Owned Trademarks and
applications therefor are owned by the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries as indicated therein and have been duly registered or
filed with or issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or
other applicable foreign patent and trademark offices. All
registered Owned Trademarks and applications therefor are
subsisting, and to the Company’s Knowledge, all Owned
Trademarks are valid and enforceable.
(c)
Part 2.10(c) of the Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a true, correct and complete list of all
registered Intellectual Property and applications therefor material
to the regular operations by the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries of their businesses. The Company owns or has a
valid right to use, free and clear of all liens, all Intellectual
Property held for use in connection with and material to the
businesses of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries as currently
conducted (the “ Company Intellectual Property
”). All such Intellectual Property rights are
subsisting, and to the Company’s Knowledge, and are valid and
enforceable.
(d)
To the Company’s Knowledge, no
Company Intellectual Property or Owned Trademarks are infringing
upon, any Intellectual Property or Trademark rights of
others. No Person has asserted in writing any claim regarding
the use of, or challenging or questioning the Company’s or
any Company Subsidiary’s right or title in, any of the
Company Intellectual Property or Owned Trademarks. No Person
has given the Company written notice that the Company or any
Company Subsidiary is infringing upon or misappropriating any
Intellectual Property or Trademark rights of others.
2.11.
Material
Contracts.
(a)
Except for this Agreement, the
Company Plans or documents filed as an exhibit (or incorporated by
reference) to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K with
the SEC , or as set forth in Part 2.11(a) of the Disclosure
Schedule, as of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor
any Company Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any Contract (i)
constituting a “material contract” (as such term is
defined in Item 601(b)(10) of
14
Regulation S-K of the SEC); (ii)
under which expected receipts or expenditures exceeds $250,000 in
the current or any future calendar year; (iii) evidencing
indebtedness for borrowed or loaned money of $250,000 or more,
including guarantees of such indebtedness by the Company or any
Company Subsidiary, other than those guarantees by the Company of
real property leases of certain Company Subsidiaries as identified
in Part 2.11(a) of the Disclosure Schedule; (iv) creating or
relating to any partnership or joint venture or any sharing of
profits or losses by the Company or any Company Subsidiary with any
third party; (v) containing covenants binding upon the Company or
any of its Affiliates that materially restricts the ability of the
Company or any of its Affiliates (or which, following the
consummation of the Merger could materially restrict the ability of
the Surviving Corporation or its Affiliates) to compete in any
business that is material to the Company and its Affiliates, taken
as a whole, as of the date of this Agreement, or that restricts the
ability of the Company or any of its Affiliates (or which,
following the consummation of the Merger, would restrict the
ability of the Surviving Corporation or its Affiliates) to compete
with any Person or in any geographic area; (vi) relating to the
lease or license of any material asset, including material
Intellectual Property or Trademarks; (vii) constituting a franchise
agreement entered into between a franchisee and the Company and one
or more of its Subsidiaries; or (viii) under which expected
receipts or expenditures exceed $200,000 and that has a term of
more than one year which cannot be terminated on written notice of
sixty (60) days or less without payment of penalty or premium (all
contracts of the type described in this Section 2.11(a), the
“Company Material Contracts”
).
(b)
Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary is in material breach of or default under the terms of
any Company Material Contract. To the Knowledge of the Company, no
other party to any Company Material Contract is in breach of or
default under the terms of any Company Material Contract where such
breach or default would have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect. Each Company Material Contract is a valid
and binding obligation of the Company or the Company Subsidiary
which is party thereto and, to the Knowledge of the Company, of
each other party thereto, and is in full force and effect, except
that (i) such enforcement may be subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws now or
hereafter in effect, relating to creditors’ rights generally
and (ii) equitable remedies of specific performance and injunctive
and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.12.
Compliance with Laws.
The Company and the
Company Subsidiaries are, and since January 1, 2003, have been, in
compliance with and are not in default under or in violation of,
and have not received any written or oral notices of any pending
violation with respect to, any and all Laws applicable to the
Company or any Company Subsidiary.
2.13.
Governmental Authorizations;
Permits. The
Company and the Company Subsidiaries have obtained each Permit of a
Governmental Authority (including the Liquor Licenses) which is
required for the regular operations by the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries of their businesses, (including the Real Property and
the Leased Properties), and all of such Permits are in full force
and effect, except for failure to obtain such approvals or
authorizations or failure of such approvals and authorization to be
in full force and effect that would not materially affect the
regular operations of the Company or the Company
Subsidiaries. With respect to each Permit (including each of
the Liquor Licenses), neither the Company nor
15
any Company Subsidiary has received
written notice that such Permit will not be renewed and the
transaction contemplated by this Agreement will not adversely
affect the validity of such Permit or cause a cancellation of or
otherwise adversely affect such Permit, subject to compliance by
Parent and the Company with applicable Law (including post-Closing
notice requirements) after the Closing.
2.14.
Tax Matters.
Except as otherwise set
forth in Part 2.14 of the Disclosure Schedule:
(a)
Each of the income, franchise, gross
receipt, sales, real property and employment Tax Returns required
to be filed by or on behalf of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary on or before the date hereof (i) has been filed on
or before the applicable due date (including any extensions of such
due date) and (ii) has been prepared in material compliance
with all applicable Laws and governmental regulations. The
Company has delivered to Parent or its Representatives a copy of
all material income Tax, Sales Tax, gross receipts Tax and property
Tax Returns filed by it or by any Company Subsidiary since July 10,
2004.
(b)
The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries have timely paid all Taxes shown as due on their Tax
Returns (taking Tax Return extensions into account) unless such
Taxes are being contested in good faith with the relevant
Governmental Authority (with all such contests described in Part
2.14(b) of the Disclosure Schedule) and have accrued in accordance
with GAAP on the Unaudited Balance Sheet all Taxes greater than
$10,000 for or with respect to all periods ending on or before
October 2, 2006 to the extent such Taxes had not become due on or
before such date.
(c)
No Tax Return of the Company or of
any Company Subsidiary has been audited for any period ending on or
after July 10, 2003 by the relevant Governmental Authority and no
such audit is in progress or, to the Knowledge of the Company or
any Company Subsidiary, threatened in writing with respect to any
Taxes concerning a Tax liability greater than $10,000.
Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has given or has
been requested to give a waiver or extension of any statute of
limitations relating to the assessment or payment of any Tax, which
waiver or extension has not since expired. Except as set
forth in Part 2.14(c) of the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has
not received any written, proposed Tax assessment for greater than
$10,000 against the Company or any Company Subsidiary and none of
the Company or any Company Subsidiary has received written notice
of any claim concerning its Tax liability, in each case, for any
taxable period ending on or after July 10, 2003.
(d)
To the Knowledge of the Company,
neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has any material
liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than the Company
Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation § 1.1502-6 ( or any
similar provision of state, local or foreign Law) as a transferee
or successor.
(e)
Since January 1, 1998, neither the
Company nor any Company Subsidiary has been a partner in an entity
treated as a partnership for federal income Tax
purposes.
16
(f)
The Company is not and has not been,
during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii)
of the Code, a United States real property holding corporation
within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code. Neither
the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a “foreign
corporation” within the meaning of Section 1445 of the Code
and will deliver a certification to that effect at the
Closing.
(g)
Since January 1, 2003, no written
claim has been made by any Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction
where the Company or any Company Subsidiary does not file Tax
Returns that it is or may be subject to Tax by that
jurisdiction.
(h)
All Taxes which the Company or any
Company Subsidiary is or was by any requirement of Law to collect
measured by or with respect to sales or gross receipts of the
Company (collectively, “Sales Taxes” )
have been collected and to the extent required have been paid to
the proper Governmental Authority, provided this Section 2.14(h)
shall not apply to Sales Taxes to the extent the amount required to
be collected is les than or equal to $10,000.
(i)
There are no liens for any material
amount of Taxes upon any of the assets of the Company or any
Company Subsidiary, except liens for Taxes not yet due or liens for
Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and listed in Part 2.14(i) of the Disclosure
Schedule.
(j)
Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary will be required to include any material item of income
in, or exclude any deduction from, taxable income for any taxable
period after the Closing Date as a result of (i) any change in
method of accounting for a taxable period ending on or prior to the
Closing Date under Section 481(c) or 263A of the Code (or any
corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Law); (ii) any
closing statement (as described in Section 7121 of the Code or any
corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Law) executed on
or before the Closing Date; or (iii) any installment sale or open
transaction disposition made on or before the Closing
Date.
(k)
There is no agreement, plan,
arrangement or other contract covering any employee or independent
contractor or former employee or independent contractor of the
Company or any Company Subsidiary that, considered individually or
considered collectively with any other such contracts, will give
rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible by
the Company or any Company Subsidiary pursuant to
Section 280G, of the Code (or any comparable provision under
state, local or foreign tax Laws).
(l)
Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary has any liability to compensate any service provider for
excise taxes paid pursuant to Section 4999 (or any corresponding
provision of state, local or foreign law) under any
contract.
(m)
None of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary has (i) promoted an abusive tax shelter within the
meaning of Section 6700 of the Code, or (ii) engaged in a
“reportable transaction” or a “listed
transaction” within the meaning of Section 6707A of the
Code.
17
2.15.
Employee Benefit
Plans.
(a)
“Company
Plans” means
every Plan, fund, contract, program and arrangement (whether
written or not) which is maintained or contributed to by the
Company or a Company Subsidiary for the benefit of present or
former employees and with respect to which the Company or a Company
Subsidiary has any material liability.
“Plan” includes any arrangement intended
to provide: (i) employee welfare benefits within the meaning of
Section 3(1) of ERISA, including medical, surgical, health care,
hospitalization, dental, vision, workers’ compensation, life
insurance, death, disability, legal services, severance, sickness,
accident, educational assistance, dependent care assistance or
cafeteria plan benefits, (ii) employee pension benefits within the
meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA, including pension, profit
sharing, stock bonus, retirement, supplemental retirement or
deferred compensation benefits (whether or not tax-qualified), and
(iii) bonuses, incentive compensation, stock options, stock
appreciation rights, phantom stock or stock purchase benefits,
change in control benefits, salary continuation benefits,
unemployment and supplemental unemployment benefits, termination
pay, vacation or holiday benefits, whether or not considered a plan
within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA.
(b)
Part 2.15(b) of the Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a list of all Company Plans. The Company
has provided or made available to Parent or its counsel with
respect to each and every Company Plan a true and complete copy of
all Plan documents, if any, including related trust agreements,
funding arrangements, and insurance contracts and all amendments
thereto; and, to the extent applicable, (i) the most recent
determination letter, if any, received by the Company or Company
Subsidiary from the Internal Revenue Service (the
“IRS” ) regarding the tax-qualified
status of such Company Plan; (ii) the most recent financial
statements for such Company Plan, if any, for each of the three
most recent plan years; (iii) the actuarial valuation report, if
any, for each of the three most recent plan years; (iv) the current
summary plan description and any summaries of material
modifications; (v) Form 5500 Annual Returns/Reports, including all
schedules and attachments, including the certified audit opinions,
for each of the three most recent plan years; (vi) written results
of all compliance testing required pursuant to Sections 125,
401(a)(4), 401(k), 401(m), 410(b), 415, and 416 of the Code for
each of the three most recent plan years, (vii) any other filings
with the IRS or Department of Labor (the
“DOL” ) within the last five years
preceding the date of this Agreement, and (viii) service agreements
with service providers for any Company Plan, if any. To the
Knowledge of the Company or a Company Subsidiary, nothing has
occurred that could have an adverse effect on the tax-qualified
status of any of the Company Plans and their related trusts, or the
favorable tax treatment intended under the Code.
(c)
All Company Plans are in compliance
in all material respects with the requirements of ERISA. All
Company Plans, including the Option Plans, that are subject to
Section 409A of the Code have been administered in reasonable good
faith compliance with such Section and IRS Notice 2005-1.
With respect to the Company Plans (i) all required contributions
(including all Company or Company Subsidiary contributions and
employee salary reduction contributions) have been accrued and
timely made (and, in the case of employee salary reduction
contributions under Section 401(k) of the Code “timely
made” means timely within the meaning of DOL regulations);
(ii) accruals have been made on the books and records of the
Company or Company Subsidiary for all future contribution
obligations to the extent required by GAAP; (iii) there are no
actions, suits or claims pending, other than routine uncontested
claims for benefits; and (iv) during the six (6) year period prior
to the date of this Agreement, to the Company’s Knowledge, no
non-exempt prohibited transactions as defined in Section 406 of
ERISA or
18
Section 4975 of the Code have
occurred, except as disclosed in Part 2.15(c) of the Disclosure
Schedule.
(d)
The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries do not maintain or contribute to (and have never
maintained or contributed to) any multiemployer plan within the
meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA. Neither the Company nor
any Company Subsidiary has any actual or potential material
liabilities under Title IV of ERISA, including Section 4201 of
ERISA, for any complete or partial withdrawal from a multiemployer
plan, and no material liabilities under Title IV of ERISA,
including Section 4201 of ERISA, will result from the consummation
of the Merger or any post-Closing transaction that is contingent
upon the consummation of the Merger.
(e)
The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries do not maintain or contribute to (and have never
contributed to) a defined benefit pension plan within the meaning
of Section 3(35) of ERISA, whether or not subject to Title IV of
ERISA.
(f)
Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary maintains any Company Plan that provides for
post-retirement health and medical benefits for retired employees
of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, except as required by
applicable Law. With respect to any Company Plans which are
group health plans within the meaning of Section 4980B of the
Code and Section 607 of ERISA, there has been timely compliance in
all material respects with all requirements imposed thereunder, and
under Parts 6 and 7 of Title I of ERISA generally, so that the
Company and the Company Subsidiary have no (and will not incur any)
material loss, assessment, tax penalty or other sanction with
respect to any such Company Plan.
(g)
Except as set forth in
Part 2.15(g) of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company
nor any Company Subsidiary has any actual or potential material
liability for death or medical benefits under the Company Plans
(whether or not subject to ERISA) or for health care continuation
benefits described in Section 4980B of the Code or other applicable
Law.
(h)
Except as set forth in Part 2.15(h)
of the Disclosure Schedule, there has been no amendment,
interpretation, or announcement (whether or not written) by the
Company or any Company Subsidiary relating to any Company Plan
which would materially change employee participation or coverage,
or materially increase the expense of maintaining such Company Plan
above the level of the expense incurred with respect thereto for
the fiscal year ended immediately prior to the Closing
Date.
(i)
Except as set forth in Part 2.15(i)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the events contemplated by this
Agreement will not trigger, accelerate, or otherwise entitle any
current or former employees of the Company or Company Subsidiary to
severance or other benefits.
(j)
Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary, nor any of their directors or officers (or Board
members, as applicable), employees or other fiduciaries, within the
meaning of Section 3(21) of ERISA, have committed any breach of
fiduciary
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responsibility imposed by ERISA with
respect to the Company Plans which would subject the Company or any
Company Subsidiary or any of their directors or officers (or Board
members, as applicable), employees or other fiduciaries to any
material liability under ERISA.
(k)
There are no other trades or
business (other than the Company Subsidiaries) whether or not
incorporated which, together with the Company, would be deemed to
be a “single employer” within the meaning of Section
414(b), (c) or (m) of the Code.
(l)
Except with respect to taxes on
benefits earned, no material tax has been waived, excused or paid
or is owed by any Person (including any Company Plan, any Company
Plan fiduciary or the Company or any Company Subsidiary) with
respect to the operations of, or any transactions with respect to,
any Company Plan. To the Knowledge of the Company, no action
has been taken by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, nor has
there been any failure by the Company or any Company Subsidiary to
take any action, nor is any action or failure to take action
contemplated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary (including
all actions contemplated under this Agreement), that would subject
any Person to any material liability or tax imposed by the IRS, the
DOL, or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in connection with
any Company Plan, other than taxes on benefits earned. To the
Knowledge of the Company, no reserve for any taxes has been
established with respect to any Company Plan by the Company or any
Company Subsidiary nor has any advice been given to the Company or
any Company Subsidiary with respect to the need to establish such a
reserve.
(m)
There are no legal, administrative
or other proceedings or Governmental Authority investigations or
audits, or written complaints to or by any Governmental Authority,
which are pending, anticipated or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, threatened against any Company Plan or its assets,
or against any Plan fiduciary or administrator, or against the
Company or any Company Subsidiary, or their directors or officers
(or Board members, as applicable), employees or other fiduciaries
with respect to any Company Plan other than any proceedings,
investigations, audits, or complaints that are not
material.
(n)
There are no leased employees, as
defined in Section 414(n) of the Code providing services to the
Company or any Company Subsidiary that must be taken into account
with respect to the requirements under Section 414(n)(3) of the
Code.
(o)
Except as may be otherwise provided
in Section 5.3, and other than the liabilities of Company Plans for
benefits owed to the employees participating in the Company Plans
accrued prior to the Closing Date, or if later, the time of
termination of such Plans, and reasonable expenses of
administration of such Plans, no Company Plan has unfunded
liabilities and any Company Plan may be terminated, directly or
indirectly by the Company or sponsoring Company Subsidiary, in its
sole discretion, at any time before or after the Closing Date in
accordance with its terms, without causing the Company or
sponsoring Company Subsidiary to incur any material liability to
any Person for any action, conduct, practice or omission of the
Company or sponsoring Company Subsidiary which occurred prior to
the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, certain
Company Plans have liabilities for continuation coverage as may be
required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1985, as amended, or other applicable Law, as described in the Part
2.15(o) of Disclosure Schedule.
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(p)
Except as set forth in Part 2.15(p)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the Merger will not result in (i)
any “golden parachute” that will trigger the imposition
of a Tax under Section 4999 of the Code, or severance payments to
any employee or Board member of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary; (ii) any payment being made that will result in its, or
any part thereof, becoming nondeductible under Section 162(m) of
the Code, (iii) any increase in the benefits payable under any
Company Plan; and (iv) any acceleration of the time of payment or
vesting of any benefits under any Company Plan, except as described
in Part 2.15(p) of the Disclosure Schedule.
2.16.
Employee Matters.
(a)
Except as set forth in Part 2.16(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries are in material compliance with all Laws respecting
employment, discrimination in employment, terms and conditions of
employment, wages, hours and occupational safety and health and
employment practices, and are not engaged in any unfair labor
practice. Except as set forth in Part 2.16(a) of the
Disclosure Schedule, the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have
withheld all amounts required by Law or by agreement to be withheld
from the wages, salaries, and other payments to employees and are
not liable for any arrears of wages or any material Taxes or any
penalty for failure to comply with any of the foregoing. The
Company and the Company Subsidiaries are not liable for any
material payment to any trust or other fund or to any Governmental
Authority, with respect to unemployment compensation benefits,
social security or other benefits or obligations for employees
(other than routine payments to be made in the ordinary and usual
course of business and consistent with past practice). No
Governmental Authority responsible for the enforcement of labor or
employment Laws intends to conduct an investigation with respect to
the Company or any Company Subsidiary, and no such investigation is
in progress. Except as set forth in Part 2.16(a) of the
Disclosure Schedule, no employee of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary has a written employment agreement. Except as set
forth in Part 2.16(a) of the Disclosure Schedule, every employee of
the Company or any Company Subsidiary is an employee at will whose
employment may be terminated without the payment of severance
benefits other than those required by applicable federal or state
Law.
(b)
Except as set forth in Part 2.16(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary is a party to or bound by or has previously had or
currently has an obligation to perform (including make payments)
under any collective bargaining agreement or any contract or other
agreement or understanding with a labor union, labor organization
or labor advocacy group. To the Company’s Knowledge,
there are no labor unions or other organizations attempting to
represent any employees of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary. There are no pending material representation
petitions involving either the Company or any Company Subsidiary
before the National Labor Relations Board or any state labor
board. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary
is subject to any material unfair labor practice charge or any
complaint, dispute, strike, work stoppage or public
demonstration. To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no
material organizational efforts with respect to the formation of a
collective bargaining and presently being made or threatened
involving employees of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary.
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2.17.
Environmental
Matters.
(a)
Except as set forth in Part 2.17(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule, the Real Property and the Leased
Properties and the operations and activities of the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries are in material compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws.
(b)
Except as set forth in Part 2.17(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary or the properties and operations of any of them, are
subject to any existing or threatened in writing claim, action,
suit, citation, summons, order, agreement, penalty assessment,
judgment, decree, proceeding, investigation or remedial or
corrective action by or before any court or Governmental Authority
under any Environmental Law.
(c)
The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries have all material Permits required to be
obtained or filed by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries under
any applicable Environmental Law in connection with their
businesses (hereinafter “Environmental
Permits” ). Each such Environmental
Permit will remain in full force and effect upon consummation of
the Closing without notice to or approval by any Person, without
additional payment and without any material modification of rights
and privileges thereunder. Such Environmental Permits are
valid and in full force and effect and have not been threatened in
writing with suspension or revocation by any Governmental
Authority. The Company and the Company Subsidiaries are in
material compliance with the terms and conditions of all
Environmental Permits.
(d)
Neither Company nor any Company
Subsidiary currently stores any Hazardous Materials on real
properties now owned, leased or used by any of them in a manner
that violates any applicable Environmental Law and has not, to the
Company’s Knowledge, Released any Hazardous Materials in a
manner that is materially contrary to any applicable Environmental
Laws.
(e)
The Company has made available true
and complete copies of all documents, reports, or analyses in its
possession or control relating to the presence or absence of
Hazardous Materials on, at, under or migrating from or onto any
Real Property or Leased Property. Part 2.17(e) of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of all such documents,
reports or analyses.
(f)
Except as set forth in Part 2.17(f)
of the Disclosure Schedule, to the Company’s Knowledge, there
are no underground storage tanks which now exist on any Real
Property or, to the Company’s Knowledge, any Leased
Property.
(g)
Except as set forth in
Part 2.17(g) of the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has not
been notified in writing that any building or structure at any Real
Property or Leased Property contains any asbestos or
asbestos-containing material in violation of Environmental Laws,
urea formaldehyde foam insulation, or polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) in concentrations exceeding 50 parts per million
(ppm).
(h)
During the Company’s (or the
Company Subsidiary’s) period of ownership with respect to any
Real Property and during the lease term with respect to
any
22
Leased Property: (i) there has not
been any closure or cessation of the use of such property as a
result of any Release of Hazardous Materials and (ii) the Company
or any Company Subsidiary has not been identified in any
litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation as a
responsible party or potentially responsible party for any
liability for response costs or other damages or liability for
prior disposal or Release of Hazardous Materials.
2.18.
Insurance.
Part 2.18 of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete schedule of
insurances of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries. All
applications for the Company’s and the Company
Subsidiaries’ insurance policies were substantially true and
correct when submitted, and the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries did not omit to disclose any material information
required to be disclosed. Except as set forth in Part 2.18 of
the Disclosure Schedule, there is no material claim pending under
the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s insurance
policies or fidelity bonds as to which coverage has been
questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such policies
or bonds. There is no claim pending under the Company’s
or any Company Subsidiary’s insurance which, individually or
in the aggregate, can be reasonably expected to exceed the
applicable policy limits. The Company and the Company
Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and
bonds. The Company has no Knowledge of any threatened
termination of, or material premium increase with respect to, any
such policies or bonds.
2.19.
Litigation.
(a)
Except as set forth in Part 2.19(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule, there is no private or governmental
action, lawsuit, proceeding, arbitration or other legal proceeding
pending before any court, administrative body, regulatory body or
arbitration forum (or, to the Knowledge of the Company, being
threatened in writing) against the Company or any Company
Subsidiary. To the extent any such legal proceeding is not
covered by insurance or the insurance is not adequate, Part 2.19(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth the amounts the Company has
reserved for defense costs and indemnity.
(b)
Except as set forth in Part 2.19(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule, there are no judgments, decrees or
orders against the Company or any Company Subsidiary or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, against any of their respective directors
or officers (or Board members, as applicable) (in their capacities
as such) unsatisfied of record or docketed in any court located in
the United States of America. No petition in bankruptcy has
ever been filed by or against the Company or any Company
Subsidiary. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary
has ever made any assignment for the benefit of creditors or taken
advantage of any insolvency act or any act for the benefit of
debtors. No receiver, conservator, liquidating agent or
similar person or entity has been appointed, nor has anyone sought
such a receiver, conservator, liquidating agent or similar person
or entity to be appointed, for any portion of the assets of the
Company or any Company Subsidiary.
2.20.
Corporate Authority; Binding
Nature of Agreement. The Company has all necessary
corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and,
subject to receipt of the Required Company Stockholder Vote, to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly
and validly
23
authorized by the Board and, to the
extent required, unanimously by the Special Committee of the Board
of the Company (the “Special Committee” )
and, except for (i) the Required Company Stockholder Vote, and (ii)
the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware, no other corporate proceedings on the
part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. As of the date hereof, the Special Committee
unanimously determined and resolved, and the Board has determined
and resolved (i) that the Merger is fair to, and in the best
interests of, the Company Common Stockholders, (ii) to propose this
Agreement for adoption by the Company Common Stockholders and to
declare this Agreement is advisable and (iii) to recommend that the
Company Common Stockholders approve this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the
“Recommendation” ), all of which
determinations and resolutions have not been rescinded, modified or
withdrawn in any way as of the date of this Agreement. This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the
Company and constitutes the valid and binding agreement of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, subject to (A) Laws of general application relating to
bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors, and (B) rules of
Law governing specific performance, injunctive relief and other
equitable remedies.
2.21.
Vote Required.
Subject to the accuracy
of the representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub in
Section 3.9, and subject to Section 7.4, the affirmative vote of
the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company
Common Stock on the record date of the Company Meeting ,
voting together as a single class, is the only vote of holders of
securities of the Company which is required to approve this
Agreement and the Merger (the “Required Company
Stockholder Vote” ).
2.22.
Non-Contravention;
Consents.
Except as set forth in Part 2.22 of the Disclosure Schedule, the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the
consummation by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not cause a
default on the part of the Company or any Company Subsidiary under
any lease in respect to any Leased Property or any other Company
Material Contract, and will not conflict with or cause a violation
of any of the provisions of the Organizational Documents of the
Company or any Company Subsidiary. Except for violations and
defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
materially affect the Company’s or any Company
Subsidiary’s regular operations, the execution and delivery
of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and compliance
with the provisions of this Agreement by the Company will not
conflict with or cause a violation by the Company or any Company
Subsidiary of any Law applicable to it or result in any violation
of, or default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both)
under, or give rise to a right of termination, amendment,
cancellation or acceleration of any material obligation or to the
loss of a material benefit under Company Material Contract binding
upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or to which any of
them is a party or any of their respective properties are bound, or
result in the creation of any Liens, other than any Permitted
Encumbrances. Except as may be required by the DGCL, the HSR
Act or any other antitrust Law or governmental antitrust
regulation, the Company is not required to obtain any Consent or
Permit from any Governmental Authority at any time prior to the
Closing in connection with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or the consummation by the Company of the
Merger.
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2.23.
Broker’s or Finder’s
Fee. Except
for TM Capital Corp. ( the “Advisor”
), no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any
brokerage or finder’s fee or any similar charges in
connection with this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements
made by or on behalf of the Company. Part 2.23 of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth all of the fees, commissions or
other amounts that have been paid to, or may become payable to the
Advisor, and includes a summary of all indemnification and other
agreements related to the engagement of the Advisor.
2.24.
Permits and Liquor
Licenses.
Part 2.24 of the Disclosure Schedule separately sets forth a
complete and correct list of all liquor licenses (including beer
and wine licenses) held or used by the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries (collectively, the “ Liquor Licenses
” ) in connection with the operation of each restaurant
operated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, along with the
name and address of each such restaurant, and the expiration date
of each such Liquor License. To the extent required by
applicable Law, each restaurant currently operated by the Company
or any Company Subsidiary possesses a Liquor License. The
Company has no reason to believe that any currently pending
application for a Liquor License sought by the Company or any
Company Subsidiary will be ultimately denied. Each of the
Liquor Licenses has been validly issued, and any subsequent changes
in fact affecting such licensees that were required by Law to be
reported to the applicable alcoholic beverage licensing
authorities, have been s