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Exhibit 2.1
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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER AND REORGANIZATION
among:
MOLECULAR DEVICES CORPORATION
a Delaware corporation;
ASTROS ACQUISITION SUB I, INC.,
a California corporation;
ASTROS ACQUISITION SUB II, LLC,
a California limited liability company; and
AXON INSTRUMENTS, INC.
a California corporation.
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Dated as of March 20, 2004
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Section 1.
Description Of Transaction
................................................... 1
1.1 Mergers
..........................................................................
1
1.2 Effect of the Mergers
............................................................
2
1.3 Closing; Effective
Times .........................................................
2
1.4 Articles of
Organization and Operating Agreement; Directors and Officers
.........
2
1.5 Conversion of Shares
.............................................................
3
1.6 Stock Options
....................................................................
4
1.7 Closing of the
Company's Transfer Books ..........................................
5
1.8 Exchange of
Certificates
.........................................................
5
1.9 Dissenting Shares
................................................................
7
1.10
Tax Consequences
.................................................................
7
1.11
Further Action
...................................................................
7
Section 2.
Representations And Warranties Of The Company
................................ 7
2.1 Due Organization;
Subsidiaries; Etc ..............................................
7
2.2 Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws
............................................. 8
2.3 Capitalization, Etc
..............................................................
8
2.4 Financial Statements
.............................................................
10
2.5 ASIC; ASX
........................................................................
10
2.6 Absence of Changes
...............................................................
11
2.7 Title to Assets
..................................................................
13
2.8 Reserved
.........................................................................
13
2.9 Receivables; Customers
...........................................................
13
2.10
Property;
Leasehold
..............................................................
13
2.11
Intellectual
Property
............................................................
13
2.12
Contracts
........................................................................
16
2.13
Products;
Performance of Services
................................................ 19
2.14
Liabilities
......................................................................
19
2.15
Compliance with
Legal Requirements ...............................................
19
2.16
Certain Business
Practices .......................................................
20
2.17
Governmental
Authorizations
...................................................... 20
2.18
Tax Matters
......................................................................
20
2.19
Employee and
Labor Matters; Benefit Plans
........................................ 21
2.20
Environmental
Matters
............................................................
26
2.21
Insurance
........................................................................
27
2.22
Reserved
.........................................................................
27
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2.23
Legal
Proceedings; Orders
........................................................
27
2.24
Authority;
Inapplicability of Anti-takeover Statutes; Binding Nature of
Agreement
27
2.25
Non-Contravention; Consents
...................................................... 28
2.26
No Discussions
...................................................................
28
2.27
Financial
Advisor
................................................................
29
2.28
Fairness Opinion
.................................................................
29
2.29 Required Vote
....................................................................
29
2.30
Full Disclosure
..................................................................
29
Section 3.
Representations And Warranties Of Parent And Merger Subs
..................... 30
3.1 Organization, Standing
and Power .................................................
30
3.2 SEC Filings; Financial
Statements ................................................
31
3.3 Capitalization, Etc
..............................................................
31
3.4 Authority; Binding
Nature of Agreement ...........................................
32
3.5 Non-Contravention;
Consents ......................................................
32
3.6 Vote Required
....................................................................
33
3.7 Valid Issuance
...................................................................
33
3.8 Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus and Registration Statement; Australian
Prospectus
33
3.9 Commitment Letter
................................................................
33
3.10
Financial
Advisor
................................................................
34
3.11
Fairness Opinion
.................................................................
34
3.12
Legal
Proceedings; Orders
........................................................
34
3.13
Insurance
........................................................................
34
3.14
Compliance with
Legal Requirements ...............................................
34
3.15
Absence of
Changes
...............................................................
35
Section 4. Certain
Covenants Of The Company
............................................. 35
4.1 Access and
Investigation
.........................................................
35
4.2 Operation of the
Company's Business ..............................................
35
4.3 Notification
.....................................................................
37
4.4 No Solicitation
..................................................................
38
4.5 Operation of Parent's
Business ...................................................
39
Section 5. Additional
Covenants of the Parties ..........................................
40
5.1 Registration
Statement; Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus
......................... 40
5.2 Company Shareholders'
Meeting ....................................................
40
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5.3 Parent Stockholders'
Meeting .....................................................
41
5.4 Regulatory Approvals
.............................................................
41
5.5 Additional Agreements
............................................................
42
5.6 Disclosure
.......................................................................
42
5.7 Resignation of
Officers and Directors ............................................
43
5.8 Termination of
Employee Plans ....................................................
43
5.9 FIRPTA Matters
...................................................................
43
5.10
Termination of
Agreements ........................................................
43
5.11
Employment
Matters
...............................................................
43
5.12
Tax Matters
......................................................................
44
5.13
Commercially
Reasonable Efforts
.................................................. 44
5.14
Indemnification
of Officers and Directors ........................................
44
5.15
Letter of the
Company's Accountants
.............................................. 45
5.16
Listing
..........................................................................
45
5.17
Australian
Prospectus
............................................................
45
Section 6. Conditions
Precedent To Obligations Of Parent And Merger Subs ................
46
6.1 Accuracy of
Representations
...................................................... 46
6.2 Performance of
Covenants .........................................................
46
6.3 Effectiveness of
Registration Statement ..........................................
46
6.4 Stockholder Approval
.............................................................
46
6.5 Shareholder Approval
.............................................................
46
6.6 Reserved
.........................................................................
46
6.7 Agreements and
Documents .........................................................
46
6.8 HSR Act
..........................................................................
47
6.9 Listing
..........................................................................
47
6.10 No Restraints
....................................................................
47
6.11
No Governmental
Litigation .......................................................
47
6.12
No Other
Litigation
..............................................................
47
6.13
Termination of
Employee Plans ....................................................
47
Section 7. Conditions
Precedent To Obligation Of The Company ............................
48
7.1 Accuracy of Representations
...................................................... 48
7.2 Performance of
Covenants .........................................................
48
7.3 Effectiveness of
Registration Statement ..........................................
48
7.4 Stockholder Approval
.............................................................
48
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7.5 Shareholder Approval
.............................................................
48
7.6 Certificate
......................................................................
48
7.7 HSR Act
..........................................................................
48
7.8 Listing
..........................................................................
48
7.9 No Restraints
....................................................................
48
7.10 No Governmental Litigation
.......................................................
49
7.11
No Other
Litigation
..............................................................
49
Section 8.
Termination
..................................................................
49
8.1 Termination
......................................................................
49
8.2 Termination Procedures
...........................................................
50
8.3 Effect of Termination
............................................................
51
8.4 Expenses; Fees
...................................................................
51
Section 9.
Miscellaneous Provisions
..................................................... 51
9.1 Amendment
........................................................................
51
9.2 Waiver
...........................................................................
51
9.3 Entire Agreement;
Counterparts ...................................................
52
9.4 Applicable Law;
Jurisdiction .....................................................
52
9.5 Company Disclosure
Letter ........................................................
52
9.6 Attorneys' Fees
..................................................................
52
9.7 Assignability
....................................................................
52
9.8 Notices
..........................................................................
52
9.9 Cooperation
......................................................................
53
9.10
Construction
.....................................................................
53
9.11
Non-Survival of
Representations and Warranties ...................................
54
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AGREEMENT AND PLAN
OF MERGER AND REORGANIZATION
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER AND REORGANIZATION (this "AGREEMENT")
is
made and entered into as of March 20, 2004,
by and among: MOLECULAR DEVICES
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation
("PARENT"); ASTROS ACQUISITION SUB I, INC.,
a California corporation and a wholly owned
subsidiary of Parent ("MERGER SUB
I"); ASTROS ACQUISITION SUB II, LLC, a
California limited liability company and
a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent
("MERGER SUB II," and together with Merger
Sub I, "MERGER SUBS"); and AXON
INSTRUMENTS, INC., a California corporation (the
"COMPANY"). Certain capitalized terms used
in this Agreement are defined in
Exhibit A.
RECITALS
A. Parent,
Merger Subs and the Company intend to effect (1) a merger of
Merger Sub I with and into the Company in
accordance with this Agreement and the
California General Corporation Law (the
"CGCL") ("MERGER I") and (2) immediately
following the effectiveness of Merger I, a
merger of the Company with and into
Merger Sub II in accordance with this
Agreement and the CGCL and the
Beverly-Killea Limited Liability Company
Act (the "LLC ACT") ("MERGER II," and
together with Merger I, the "MERGERS").
Upon consummation of the Mergers, the
Company will cease to exist.
B. Parent,
Merger Subs and the Company intend that Merger I and Merger II
shall be treated as an integrated
transaction and that the Mergers shall qualify
as a tax-free reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "CODE").
C. For
financial accounting purposes, it is intended that the Mergers
be
accounted for as a "purchase."
D. The
respective boards of directors of Parent, Merger Sub I and
Merger
Sub II have approved this Agreement and the
Mergers and the board of directors
of the Company has approved this Agreement
and Merger I.
E.
Contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement,
certain holders of voting capital stock of
the Company are executing and
delivering to Parent a voting agreement (a
"VOTING AGREEMENT") of even date
herewith.
AGREEMENT
The
parties to this Agreement, intending to be legally bound, agree
as
follows:
SECTION 1.
DESCRIPTION OF TRANSACTION
1.1 MERGERS. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth
in this Agreement and in accordance with
the CGCL, at the Effective Time of
Merger I, Merger Sub I shall be merged with
and into the Company, and the
separate existence of Merger Sub I shall
cease. The Company shall continue as
the surviving corporation in Merger I
("SURVIVING ENTITY I"). Immediately
following the Effective Time of Merger I,
upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement and
in accordance with the CGCL and the
LLC Act, the Company will be merged with
and into Merger Sub II, and the
separate existence of the Company shall
cease. Merger Sub II shall continue
1.
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as the surviving entity in Merger II (the
"SURVIVING ENTITY") and shall succeed
to and assume all the rights and
obligations of the Company in accordance with
the CGCL and the LLC Act.
1.2 EFFECT OF THE MERGERS. The Mergers shall have the effects
set
forth in this Agreement and in the
applicable provisions of the CGCL and the LLC
Act.
1.3 CLOSING; EFFECTIVE TIMES. Subject to the satisfaction or
waiver
(as permitted by this Agreement and
applicable Legal Requirements) of the
conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7
(other than those conditions that by
their nature must be satisfied or waived at
the Closing), the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (the "CLOSING") shall take place
at the offices of Cooley Godward llp,
located at 3175 Hanover Street, Palo Alto,
California, at 10:00 a.m. on a date to be
designated by Parent (the "CLOSING
DATE"), which shall be no later than the
third business day after the
satisfaction or waiver of each of the
conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7,
unless another time or date is agreed to in
writing by the parties hereto.
Contemporaneously with or as promptly as
practicable after the Closing, the
parties shall cause to be filed a properly
executed agreement of merger
("AGREEMENT OF MERGER") for Merger I
conforming to the requirements of the CGCL
with the Secretary of State of the State of
California. Immediately following
the Effective Time of Merger I, the parties
shall cause to be filed a properly
executed Agreement of Merger for Merger II
conforming to the requirements of the
CGCL and the LLC Act with the Secretary of
State of the State of California.
Each Merger shall become effective at the
time such Agreement of Merger is filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of
California or at such other time as
the parties may agree and specify in the
respective Agreement of Merger.
1.4 ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION AND OPERATING AGREEMENT; DIRECTORS
AND
OFFICERS.
(A) Unless otherwise determined by Parent prior to the
Effective
Time of Merger I:
(I) the Articles of Incorporation of Surviving Entity I
immediately after the Effective Time of
Merger I shall be the Articles of
Incorporation of Merger Sub I immediately
prior to the Effective Time of Merger
I;
(II) the bylaws of Surviving Entity I immediately after the
Effective Time of Merger I shall be the
bylaws of Merger Sub I immediately prior
to the Effective Time of Merger I; and
(III) the directors and officers of Surviving Entity I
immediately after the Effective Time of
Merger I shall be the respective
individuals who are directors and officers
of Merger Sub I immediately prior to
the Effective Time of Merger I.
(B) Unless otherwise determined by Parent prior to the
Effective
Time of Merger II:
(I) the Articles of Organization of the Surviving Entity
immediately after the Effective Time of
Merger II shall be in a form approved by
Parent;
(II) the Operating Agreement of the Surviving Entity
immediately after the Effective Time of
Merger II shall be in a form approved by
Parent; and
(III) the directors and officers of the Surviving Entity
immediately after the Effective Time of
Merger II shall be the respective
individuals who are directors and officers
of Merger Sub II immediately prior to
the Effective Time of Merger II.
2.
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1.5 CONVERSION OF SHARES.
(A) Subject to the other subsections of this Section 1.5 and
Section 1.9, at the Effective Time of
Merger I, by virtue of Merger I and
without any further action on the part of
Parent, Merger Subs, the Company or
any shareholder of the Company:
(I) any shares of common stock, no par value per share,
of the Company ("COMPANY COMMON STOCK")
then held by the Company or any of the
Company's Subsidiaries (or held in the
Company's treasury) ("EXCLUDED SHARES")
shall be canceled and retired and shall
cease to exist at the Effective Time of
Merger I, and no consideration shall be
delivered in exchange therefor;
(II) each share of Company Common Stock then held by
Parent, Merger Subs or any other Subsidiary
of Parent shall be canceled and
retired and shall cease to exist at the
Effective Time of Merger I, and no
consideration shall be delivered in
exchange therefor;
(III) each share of common stock, $.001 par value per
share, of Merger Sub I then outstanding
shall be converted into one share of
common stock of Surviving Entity I; and
(IV) except as provided in clauses 1.5(a)(i) and
1.5(a)(ii) above and subject to Section
1.9, each share of Company Common Stock
then issued and outstanding shall be
converted into the right to receive (A)
$0.1359 in cash (the "CASH CONVERSION
RATIO") and (B) 0.007340 of a share of
Parent Common Stock (the "STOCK EXCHANGE
RATIO").
(B) If, between the date of this Agreement and the Effective
Time of Merger I, the outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock or Parent
Common Stock are changed into a different
number or class of shares by reason of
any stock split, division or subdivision of
shares, stock dividend, reverse
stock split, consolidation of shares,
reclassification, recapitalization or
other similar transaction, then the Merger
Consideration shall be appropriately
adjusted to preserve the economic benefits
that the Company and Parent are
reasonably expected on the date of this
Agreement to receive as a result of the
consummation of Merger I and the other
transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(C) If any shares of Company Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time of
Merger I are unvested or are subject
to a repurchase option, risk of forfeiture
or other condition under any
applicable restricted stock purchase
agreement or other agreement with the
Company or under which the Company has any
rights, then the shares of Parent
Common Stock issued, and the cash paid, in
exchange for such shares of Company
Common Stock will also be unvested and
subject to the same repurchase option,
risk of forfeiture or other condition, and
the certificates representing such
shares of Parent Common Stock may
accordingly be marked with appropriate
legends. Surviving Entity I and the
Surviving Entity shall take all action that
may be necessary to ensure that, from and
after the Effective Time of Merger I,
Parent is entitled to exercise any such
repurchase option or other right set
forth in any such restricted stock purchase
agreement or other agreement.
(D) No fractional shares of Parent Common Stock shall be
issued in connection with Merger I
(including pursuant to Section 1.6(a)), and
no certificates or scrip for any such
fractional shares shall be issued. Any
holder of Company Common Stock who would
otherwise be entitled to receive a
fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock
(after aggregating all fractional
shares of Parent Common Stock issuable to
such holder) shall, in lieu of such
fraction of a share and, upon surrender of
such holder's Company Stock
Certificate(s) be paid in cash the dollar
amount (rounded to the nearest whole
cent), without interest, determined by
multiplying such fraction by $18.52.
3.
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(E) Neither Parent, Surviving Entity I nor the Surviving
Entity shall be liable to any holder or
former holder of Company Common Stock
for any shares of Parent Common Stock (or
dividends or distributions with
respect thereto), or for any cash amounts,
required to be delivered to any
public official pursuant to any applicable
abandoned property, escheat or
similar law.
(F) By virtue of Merger II and without any further action on
the part of Parent, Merger Sub II or
Surviving Entity I, (i) each membership
interest of Merger Sub II then outstanding
shall remain outstanding and each
certificate therefor shall continue to
evidence one membership interest of the
Surviving Entity and (ii) each share of
common stock of Surviving Entity I then
outstanding shall remain outstanding and
each certificate therefor shall be
converted into one membership interest of
the Surviving Entity.
1.6 STOCK OPTIONS.
(A) At the Effective Time of Merger I, by virtue of Merger I
and in accordance with the prospectuses
dated April 1, 2000 and January 28, 2000
lodged with ASIC by the Company (the
"PROSPECTUSES"), and without any action on
the part of the parties hereto, each stock
option that is then outstanding under
the Prospectuses, whether vested or
unvested (an "ENTITLEMENT OPTION"), shall be
cancelled and converted into the right to
receive that number of shares of
Parent Common Stock equal to the product of
the number of shares that were
issuable upon exercise of such Entitlement
Option immediately prior to the
Effective Time multiplied by 0.003280 and
cash equal to the product of the
number of shares that were issuable upon
exercise of such Entitlement Option
immediately prior to the Effective Time
multiplied by $0.06074.
(B) At the Effective Time of Merger I, by virtue of Merger I
and in accordance with the Company's 2001
Equity Incentive Plan and the
Company's 1993 Stock Plan, as amended (such
plans collectively referred to as
the "COMPANY STOCK PLANS"), and without any
action on the part of the parties
hereto, each stock option that is then
outstanding under the Company Stock
Plans, whether vested or unvested (a
"COMPANY OPTION"), shall be assumed by
Parent in accordance with the terms (as in
effect as of the date of this
Agreement) of the Company Stock Plans, the
stock option agreement by which such
Company Option is evidenced (including any
amendments thereto) and this
Agreement and converted into an option to
purchase Parent Common Stock in
accordance with this Section 1.6(b) (each,
an "ASSUMED COMPANY OPTION"). Each
Assumed Company Option so converted shall
continue to have, and be subject to,
the same terms and conditions (including
vesting schedule) as set forth in the
applicable Company Stock Plan and any
agreements thereunder immediately prior to
the Effective Time, except that, as of the
Effective Time, (i) each Assumed
Company Option shall be exercisable (or
shall become exercisable in accordance
with its terms) for that number of whole
shares of Parent Common Stock equal to
the product of the number of shares that
were issuable upon exercise of such
Company Option, whether or not
excercisable, immediately prior to the Effective
Time multiplied by 0.01468 (the "ASSUMED
OPTION EXCHANGE RATIO"), rounded down
to the nearest whole number of shares of
Parent Common Stock, (ii) the per share
exercise price for the shares of Parent
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of
such Assumed Company Option so converted
shall be equal to the quotient
determined by dividing the exercise price
per share of Company Common Stock at
which such Assumed Company Option was
exercisable immediately prior to the
Effective Time by the Assumed Option
Exchange Ratio, rounded up to the nearest
whole cent, (iii) any reference in the
agreement evidencing the Assumed Company
Option to the Company shall be deemed a
reference to Parent and (iv) any
reference in the agreement evidencing the
Assumed Company Option to Company
Common Stock shall be deemed a reference to
Parent Common Stock. For purposes of
the foregoing, and consistent with Section
1.5(a)(iv), the parties agree that
the value of Parent Common Stock in
determining the Assumed Option Exchange
Ratio shall be the average of the closing
prices of Parent Common Stock as
reported on The
4.
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Nasdaq Stock Market for the 10 trading days
up to and including the trading day
that is two trading days prior to the
execution of this Agreement.
(C) Parent shall file with the SEC, as promptly as
practicable, and in no event later than 15
days after the date on which Merger I
becomes effective, a registration statement
on Form S-8 relating to the Parent
Common Stock subject to the Assumed Company
Options. Parent shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to maintain
the effectiveness of such
registration statement (and maintain the
current status of the prospectus
contained in such registration statement)
for so long as the Assumed Company
Options remain outstanding. As soon as
practicable after the Effective Time of
Merger I, Parent shall deliver to each
holder of an Assumed Company Option an
appropriate notice setting forth such
holder's rights with respect to such
Assumed Company Option and indicating that
such Assumed Company Option shall
continue in effect on the same terms and
conditions as were in effect
immediately prior to the Effective Time of
Merger I (subject to the adjustments
required pursuant to this Section 1.6).
(D) The Company shall take all commercially reasonable actions
that may be necessary (under the
Prospectuses, the plans pursuant to which
Company Options are outstanding and
otherwise) to effectuate the provisions of
this Section 1.6. The parties intend that
the assumption of Company Options
provided for under this Section 1.6 shall
comply with the provisions of Section
424(a) of the Code, and this Section 1.6
shall be interpreted consistent with
such intent.
1.7 CLOSING OF THE COMPANY'S TRANSFER BOOKS. At the Effective
Time
of Merger I: (a) all shares of Company
Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time of Merger I
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 of Merger I shall cease to
have any rights as shareholders of the
Company; 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 of Merger I. No further
transfer of any such shares of
Company Common Stock shall be made on such
stock transfer books after the
Effective Time of Merger I. If, after the
Effective Time of Merger I, a valid
certificate previously representing any
shares of Company Common Stock (a
"COMPANY STOCK CERTIFICATE") is presented
to Surviving Entity I, the Surviving
Entity or Parent, such Company Stock
Certificate shall be canceled and shall be
exchanged as provided in Section 1.8.
1.8 EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES.
(A) On or prior to the Closing Date, Parent shall select a
reputable
bank or trust company reasonably acceptable
to the Company to act as exchange
agent in Merger I (the "EXCHANGE AGENT").
As soon as practicable after the
Effective Time of Merger I, Parent shall
deposit with the Exchange Agent (i)
certificates representing the Stock
Consideration up to the number of shares
necessary to satisfy the obligation to pay
Stock Consideration to the holders of
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock
and Entitlement Options as of the
Effective Time, (ii) the Cash Consideration
up to the amount necessary to
satisfy the obligation to pay Cash
Consideration to the holders of outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock and
Entitlement Options as of the Effective Time
and (iii) cash sufficient to make payments
in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 1.5(d). The shares
of Parent Common Stock and cash
amounts so deposited with the Exchange
Agent, together with any dividends or
distributions received by the Exchange
Agent with respect to such shares, are
referred to collectively as the "EXCHANGE
FUND."
(B) As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time
of
Merger I, the Exchange Agent will mail to
the record holders of Company Stock
Certificates (i) a letter of transmittal
in
5.
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customary form and containing such
provisions as Parent may reasonably specify
(including a provision confirming that
delivery of Company Stock Certificates
shall be effected, and risk of loss and
title to Company Stock Certificates
shall pass, only upon delivery of such
Company Stock Certificates to the
Exchange Agent) and (ii) instructions for
use in effecting the surrender of
Company Stock Certificates in exchange for
the Merger Consideration. Upon
surrender of a Company Stock Certificate to
the Exchange Agent for exchange,
together with a duly executed letter of
transmittal and such other documents as
may be reasonably required by the Exchange
Agent or Parent (1) the holder of
such Company Stock Certificate shall be
entitled to receive in exchange therefor
(A) a certificate representing the number
of whole shares of Parent Common Stock
that such holder has the right to receive
pursuant to the provisions of Section
1.5 (and cash in lieu of any fractional
share of Parent Common Stock) and (B) an
amount in cash that such holder has the
right to receive pursuant to the
provisions of Section 1.5 and (2) the
Company Stock Certificate so surrendered
shall be canceled. Until surrendered as
contemplated by this Section 1.8(b),
each Company Stock Certificate shall be
deemed, from and after the Effective
Time of Merger I, to represent only the
right to receive the Merger
Consideration (and cash in lieu of any
fractional share of Parent Common Stock)
as contemplated by Section 1. If any
Company Stock Certificate shall have been
lost, stolen or destroyed, Parent may, in
its discretion and as a condition to
the issuance of any certificate
representing Parent Common Stock, require the
owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed
Company Stock Certificate to provide an
appropriate affidavit and to deliver a bond
(in such sum as Parent may
reasonably direct) as indemnity against any
claim that may be made against the
Exchange Agent, Parent, Surviving Entity I
or the Surviving Entity with respect
to such Company Stock Certificate. In the
event of a transfer of ownership of
Company Common Stock that is not registered
in the transfer books of the
Company, a certificate representing the
proper number of shares of Parent Common
Stock may be issued to and an amount in
cash may be delivered pursuant to
Section 1.5 to a person other than the
person in whose name the Company Stock
Certificate so surrendered is registered,
if such Company Stock 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 issuance of shares of Parent
Common Stock to a person other than
the registered holder of such Company Stock
Certificate or establish to the
satisfaction of Parent that such tax has
been paid or is not applicable.
(C) No dividends or other distributions declared or made with
respect to Parent Common Stock with a
record date after the Effective Time of
Merger I shall be paid to the holder of any
unsurrendered Company Stock
Certificate with respect to the shares of
Parent Common Stock that such holder
has the right to receive in Merger I until
such holder surrenders such Company
Stock Certificate in accordance with this
Section 1.8 (at which time such holder
shall be entitled, subject to the effect of
applicable escheat or similar laws,
to receive all such dividends and
distributions, without interest).
(D) Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains undistributed
to
holders of Company Stock Certificates as of
the date one year after the
Effective Time of Merger I shall be
delivered to Parent upon demand, and any
holders of Company Stock Certificates who
have not theretofore surrendered their
Company Stock Certificates in accordance
with this Section 1.8 shall thereafter
look only to Parent for satisfaction of
their claims for Parent Common Stock,
cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent
Common Stock, their portion of the
Cash Consideration and any dividends or
distributions with respect to Parent
Common Stock.
(E) Each of the Exchange Agent, Parent and the Surviving Entity
shall be entitled to deduct and withhold
from any consideration payable or
otherwise deliverable pursuant to this
Agreement to any holder or former holder
of Company Common Stock such amounts as may
be required to be deducted or
withheld therefrom under the Code or any
provision of state, local or foreign
tax law or under any other applicable Legal
Requirement. To the extent such
amounts are so deducted or withheld, such
amounts shall be treated for all
purposes under this Agreement as having
been paid to the Person to whom such
amounts would otherwise have been paid.
6.
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1.9 DISSENTING SHARES.
(A) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement, to the extent that the
provisions of Chapter 13 of the California
Corporations Code are applicable to Merger
I, any shares of Company Common Stock
that, as of the Effective Time of Merger I,
are or may become "dissenting
shares" within the meaning of Section
1300(b) of the CGCL shall not be converted
into or represent the right to receive a
portion of the Merger Consideration,
and the holder or holders of such shares
shall be entitled only to such rights
as may be granted to such holder or holders
in Chapter 13 of the CGCL; provided,
however, that if the status of any such
shares as "dissenting shares" shall not
be perfected, or if any such shares shall
lose their status as "dissenting
shares", then, as of the later of the
Effective Time of Merger I or the time of
the failure to perfect such status or the
loss of such status, such shares shall
automatically be converted into and shall
represent only the right to receive
(upon the surrender of the certificate or
certificates representing such shares)
the Merger Consideration in accordance with
Section 1.5.
(B) The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any
written demand received by the Company
prior to the Effective Time of Merger I
to require the Company to purchase shares
of Company Common Stock pursuant to
Chapter 13 of the CGCL and of any other
demand, notice or instrument delivered
to the Company prior to the Effective Time
of Merger I pursuant to the CGCL and
(ii) the opportunity to participate in all
negotiations and proceedings with
respect to any such demand, notice or
instrument. The Company shall not make any
payment or settlement offer prior to the
Effective Time of Merger I with respect
to any such demand unless Parent shall have
consented in writing to such payment
or settlement offer, except as required by
applicable Legal Requirements.
1.10 TAX CONSEQUENCES. For federal income Tax purposes, the
Mergers
are intended to constitute a reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368 of
the Code. The parties to this Agreement
hereby adopt this Agreement as a "plan
of reorganization" within the meaning of
Sections 1.368-2(g) and 1.368-3(a) of
the United States Treasury Regulations.
1.11 FURTHER ACTION. If, at any time after the Effective Time
of
Merger I, any further action is determined
by Parent to be necessary or
desirable to carry out the purposes of this
Agreement or to vest the Surviving
Entity with full right, title and
possession of and to all rights and property
of Merger Subs and the Company, the
officers and directors of the Surviving
Entity and Parent shall be fully authorized
(in the name of each Merger Sub, in
the name of the Company and otherwise) to
take such action.
SECTION 2.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The
Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Subs as
follows,
except as set forth in the Company
Disclosure Letter:
2.1 DUE ORGANIZATION; SUBSIDIARIES; ETC.
(A) The Company has no Subsidiaries, except for the Entities
identified in Part 2.1(a) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, and neither the
Company nor the other Entity identified in
Part 2.1(a) of the Company Disclosure
Letter owns any capital stock of, or any
equity interest of any nature in, any
other Entity. (The Company and its
Subsidiaries are referred to collectively in
this Agreement as the "ACQUIRED
CORPORATIONS.") None of the Acquired
Corporations has agreed or is obligated to
make, or is bound by any Contract
under which it may become obligated to
make, any future investment in or capital
contribution to any other Entity. None of
the Acquired Corporations has, at any
7.
<PAGE>
time, been a general partner of, or has
otherwise been liable for any of the
debts or other obligations of, any general
partnership, limited partnership or
other Entity.
(B) Each of the Acquired Corporations is a corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation and has
all necessary power and authority: (i)
to conduct its business in the manner in
which its business is currently being
conducted; (ii) to own and use its assets
in the manner in which its assets are
currently owned and used; and (iii) to
perform its obligations under all
Contracts by which it is bound.
(C) Each of the Acquired Corporations is qualified to do
business as a foreign corporation, and is
in good standing, under the laws of
all jurisdictions where the nature of its
business requires such qualification,
except where the failure to be so qualified
would not be material to such
Acquired Corporation.
(D) Except as set forth in Part 2.1(d) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, the Company has not
conducted any business under or otherwise
used, for any purpose or in any
jurisdiction, any fictitious name, assumed name,
trade name or other name.
(E) Part 2.1(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter accurately
sets forth (i) the names of the members of
each of the Acquired Corporations'
board of directors, (ii) the names of the
members of each committee of each of
the Acquired Corporations' board of
directors and (iii) the names and titles of
each of the Acquired Corporations'
officers.
2.2 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS. The Company has
delivered
or made available to Parent accurate and
complete copies of (a) the articles of
incorporation (or other charter or
organizational document), (b) the bylaws (or
other charter or organizational document),
(c) the stock records, minutes and
other records of the meetings and other
proceedings of the shareholders, the
board of directors and all committees of
the board of directors and (d) other
charter and organizational documents of
each of the Acquired Corporations,
including all amendments thereto. There
have been no formal meetings or other
proceedings of the shareholders, the board
of directors, or any committee of the
board of directors of any of the Acquired
Corporations that are not fully
reflected in such minutes or other records.
There has not been any violation of
any of the provisions of any of the
Acquired Corporations' articles of
incorporation or bylaws (or other charter
or organizational document), and none
of the Acquired Corporations has taken any
action that is inconsistent with any
resolution adopted by the shareholders, the
board of directors or any committee
of the board of directors of such Acquired
Corporation. The books of account,
stock records, minute books and other
records of each of the Acquired
Corporations are accurate, up-to-date and
complete in all material respects and
have been maintained in accordance with
prudent business practices.
2.3 CAPITALIZATION, ETC.
(A) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of
800,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock,
of which 482,298,242 shares have
been issued and are outstanding as of March
18, 2004. The Company does not hold
any shares of its capital stock in its
treasury, except for the repurchase of
Common Stock from employees or consultants
upon termination of their employment
or consulting relationship with the
Company. All of the outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock have been duly
authorized and validly issued, and are fully
paid and nonassessable. There are no shares
of Company Common Stock held by the
other Acquired Corporation. Except as set
forth in Part 2.3(a)(i) of the Company
Disclosure Letter: (i) none of the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock is
entitled or subject to any preemptive
right, right of first offer or any similar
right created by the Company or imposed
under applicable law with respect to
capital stock of the Company; (ii) none of
the outstanding shares of Company
Common Stock is subject to any right of
first refusal in favor of the
8.
<PAGE>
Company; and (iii) there is no Acquired
Corporation Contract relating to the
voting or registration of, or restricting
any Person from purchasing, selling,
pledging or otherwise disposing of (or
granting any option or similar right with
respect to), any shares of Company Common
Stock. None of the Acquired
Corporations is under any obligation, or is
bound by any Contract pursuant to
which it may become obligated, to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
outstanding shares of Company Common
Stock.
(B) As of the date hereof: (i) 50,394,237 shares of Company
Common Stock are subject to issuance
pursuant to outstanding options to purchase
shares of Company Common Stock; (ii)
15,312,000 shares of Company Common Stock
are reserved for future issuance pursuant
to the Company's 2001 Equity Incentive
Plan; and (iii) 31,587,572 shares of
Company Common Stock are reserved for
future issuance pursuant to the Company's
1993 Stock Plan, as amended. Part
2.3(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter
sets forth the following information
with respect to each Company Option
outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement: (i) the particular plan pursuant
to which such Company Option was
granted; (ii) the name of the optionee;
(iii) the number of shares of Company
Common Stock subject to such Company
Option; (iv) the exercise price of such
Company Option; (v) the date on which such
Company Option was granted; and (vi)
the applicable vesting schedules (which
applicable vesting schedule may be
provided by means of a general description
of the vesting schedules applicable
to outstanding Company Options), and the
extent to which such Company Option is
vested and exercisable as of the date of
this Agreement. The Company has
delivered or made available to Parent
accurate and complete copies of all stock
option plans pursuant to which the Company
has ever granted stock options and
the forms of all stock option agreements
evidencing such options.
(C) Except as set forth in Part 2.3(c) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, there is no: (i)
outstanding subscription, option, call,
warrant or right (whether or not currently
exercisable) to acquire any shares of
the capital stock or other securities of
the Company; (ii) outstanding security,
instrument or obligation that is or may
become convertible into or exchangeable
for any shares of the capital stock or
other securities of the Company; (iii)
stockholder rights plan (or similar plan
commonly referred to as a "poison
pill") or Contract under which the Company
is or may become obligated to sell or
otherwise issue any shares of its capital
stock or any other securities of the
Company; or (iv) to the Knowledge of the
Company, any condition or circumstance
that may give rise to or provide a basis
for the assertion of a claim by any
Person to the effect that such Person is
entitled to acquire or receive any
shares of capital stock or other securities
of the Company.
(D) All outstanding shares of Company Common Stock, all
outstanding Company Options and all
outstanding shares of capital stock of each
Subsidiary of the Company have been issued
and granted in compliance with (i)
all applicable securities laws and other
applicable Legal Requirement and (ii)
all requirements set forth in applicable
Contracts.
(E) All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock
of each Subsidiary identified in Part
2.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter
have been duly authorized, are validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and
are owned beneficially and of record by the
Company, free and clear of any
Encumbrances, and there are no outstanding
subscriptions, options, calls,
contracts, voting trusts, proxies or other
commitments, understandings,
restrictions, arrangements, rights or
warrants with respect to any such
Subsidiary's capital stock, including any
right obligating any such Subsidiary
to issue, deliver or sell additional shares
of its capital stock.
(F) Except as set forth in Part 2.3(f) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, none of the Acquired
Corporations has ever repurchased,
redeemed or otherwise reacquired any shares
of capital stock or other securities
of the Company. All securities so
reacquired by the Company were reacquired in
compliance with (i) the applicable
provisions of the CGCL and all other
applicable Legal
9.
<PAGE>
Requirements and (ii) all requirements set
forth in applicable restricted stock
purchase agreements and other applicable
Contracts.
2.4 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
(A) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent the
following financial statements and notes
(collectively, the "COMPANY FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS"):
(I) The audited consolidated balance sheets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of December
31, 2003, December 31, 2002 and
December 31, 2001 and the related audited
income statements, statements of
shareholders' equity and statements of cash
flows of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for the years then ended,
together with the notes thereto and the
unqualified report and opinion of Ernst
& Young LLP relating thereto; and
(II) The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of February
29, 2004 (the "UNAUDITED INTERIM
BALANCE SHEET") and the related unaudited
consolidated statement of operations
and statement of cash flows of the Company
and its Subsidiaries for the two
months then ended.
(B) The Company Financial Statements are accurate and complete
in all material respects and present fairly
the financial position of the
Acquired Corporations as of the respective
dates thereof and the results of
operations and (in the case of the
financial statements referred to in Section
2.4(a)(i)) cash flows of the Acquired
Corporations for the period covered
thereby. The Company Financial Statements
have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods covered (except as
indicated in the notes thereto and
that the financial statements referred to
in Section 2.4(a)(ii) do not contain
footnotes and are subject to normal and
recurring year-end audit adjustments,
which will not, individually or in the
aggregate, be material in magnitude.) The
Company Financial Statements have been
prepared from and are in accordance with
the accounting records of the Acquired
Corporations. The Company has also
delivered to Parent copies of all letters
from the Company's auditors to the
Company's board of directors or the audit
committee thereof during the
thirty-six (36) months preceding the
execution of this Agreement, together with
copies of all responses thereto.
(C) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures
that are effective to ensure that all
material information concerning the
Acquired Corporations is made known on a
timely basis to the individuals
responsible for the preparation of the
Company's documents lodged with ASIC (as
defined in Section 2.5) and other public
disclosure documents. Part 2.4(c) of
the Company Disclosure Letter lists, and
the Company has made available to
Parent, copies of the documentation
creating or governing, all securitization
transactions and "off-balance sheet
arrangements" (as defined in Item 303(c) of
Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act)
effected by any of the Acquired
Corporations since January 1, 2001. The
Company's auditor, since the date of
enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, has at
all times since such date been
"independent" with respect to the Company
within the meaning of Regulation S-X
under the Exchange Act.
(D) Part 2.4(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter summarizes
all non-audit services performed by the
Company's auditor for the Acquired
Corporations since January 1, 2001.
2.5 ASIC; ASX.
(A) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent
accurate and complete copies (excluding
copies of exhibits) of each document
lodged by the Company with the ASIC between
January 1, 2001 and the date of this
Agreement (the "COMPANY ASIC DOCUMENTS").
Since
10.
<PAGE>
January 1, 2001, all documents required to
have been lodged by the Company with
ASIC have been so lodged. As of the time it
was lodged with ASIC: (i) each of
the Company ASIC Documents complied in all
material respects with all applicable
Legal Requirements; and (ii) none of the
Company ASIC Documents contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
(B) The Company has complied in all material respects with all
of its disclosure requirements under any
Legal Requirements (including the
listing rules) promulgated by ASX since
January 1, 2001, and there is no
material information or circumstance that
the Company is obliged to notify ASX
about pursuant to ASX Listing Rule 3.1
other than information lawfully permitted
to be withheld from such notification
pursuant to an exemption from ASX Listing
Rule 3.1 or ASX Listing Rule 3.1A.
2.6 ABSENCE OF CHANGES. Except as set forth in Part 2.6 of the
Company Disclosure Letter, since December
31, 2003:
(A) there has not been any Material Adverse Effect on the
Acquired Corporations, and no event has
occurred that would reasonably be
expected to result in any Material Adverse
Effect on the Acquired Corporations;
(B) there has not been any material loss, damage or
destruction to any of the assets of any of
the Acquired Corporations (whether or
not covered by insurance);
(C) none of the Acquired Corporations has (i) declared,
accrued, set aside or paid any dividend or
made any other distribution with
respect of any shares of capital stock or
(ii) repurchased, redeemed or
otherwise reacquired any shares of capital
stock or other securities other than
capital stock acquired from employees or
consultants upon the termination of
their employment or consulting relationship
with such Acquired Corporation after
the date hereof;
(D) none of the Acquired Corporations has sold, issued or
granted, or authorized the issuance of, (i)
any capital stock or other security
(except for Company Common Stock issued
upon the valid exercise of outstanding
Company Options in accordance with the
terms of the option agreement pursuant to
which such Company Options are outstanding,
(ii) any option, warrant or right to
acquire any capital stock or any other
security (except for Company Options
described in Part 2.3(b) of the Company
Disclosure Letter) or (iii) any
instrument convertible into or exchangeable
for any capital stock or other
security of any of the Acquired
Corporations;
(E) the Company has not amended or waived any of its rights
under, or permitted the acceleration of
vesting under, (i) any provision of any
of the Company's stock option plans, (ii)
any provision of any agreement
evidencing any outstanding Company Option
or (iii) any restricted stock purchase
agreement;
(F) there has been no amendment to the articles of
incorporation, bylaws or other charter or
organizational documents of any of the
Acquired Corporations, and none of the
Acquired Corporations has effected or
been a party to any merger, consolidation,
amalgamation, share exchange,
business combination, recapitalization,
reclassification of shares, stock split,
division or subdivision of shares, reverse
stock split, consolidation of shares
or similar transaction;
(G) none of the Acquired Corporations has formed any
Subsidiary or acquired any equity interest
or other interest in any other
Entity;
11.
<PAGE>
(H) none of the Acquired Corporations has made any capital
expenditure outside of the ordinary course
of business and consistent with past
practices;
(I) except in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with past practices, none of the Acquired
Corporations has (i) entered into or
permitted any of the assets owned or used
by it to become bound by any Material
Contract (as defined in Section 2.12(a)) or
(ii) amended or terminated, or
waived, in a manner adverse to any Acquired
Corporation, any material right or
remedy under, any Material Contract;
(J) except for product sales in the ordinary course of
business and consistent with past
practices, none of the Acquired Corporations
has (i) acquired, leased or licensed any
material right or other material asset
from any other Person, (ii) sold or
otherwise disposed of, or leased or
licensed, any material right or other
material asset to any other Person or
(iii) waived or relinquished any material
right;
(K) none of the Acquired Corporations has made any pledge of
any of its material assets or otherwise
permitted any of its material assets to
become subject to any material Encumbrance,
except for liens for current taxes
which are not yet due and payable;
(L) none of the Acquired Corporations has (i) lent money to
any Person, except for advances to
employees for business expenses, in each
case, in the ordinary course of business
and consistent with past practices or
(ii) incurred or guaranteed any
indebtedness for borrowed money;
(M) none of the
Acquired Corporations has (i) established or
adopted any Employee Plan (as defined in
Section 2.19(a)) or (ii) caused or
permitted any Employee Plan to be amended
in any material respect;
(N) none of the Acquired Corporations has paid any bonus or
made any profit-sharing or similar payment
to, or increased the amount of the
wages, salary, commissions, fringe benefits
or other compensation or
remuneration payable to, any of its
directors, officers or employees, except
pursuant to existing bonus plans and other
Employee Plans referred to in Part
2.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter
and for normal bonuses or increases in
wages, salaries and commissions to
employees in accordance with the Company's
customary review process or otherwise
consistent with past practice;
(O) none of the Acquired Corporations has changed any of its
methods of accounting or accounting
practices in any respect, except as required
by generally accepted accounting
principles;
(P) none of the Acquired Corporations has made any material
Tax election;
(Q) none of the Acquired Corporations has settled any material
Legal Proceeding;
(R) none of the Acquired Corporations has entered into any
transaction or taken any other action that
has had, or would reasonably be
expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Acquired Corporations;
(S) none of the Acquired Corporations has entered into any
material transaction or taken any other
material action outside the ordinary
course of business or inconsistent with
past practices except as set forth in
the Company Disclosure Letter; and
12.
<PAGE>
(T) none of the Acquired Corporations has agreed or committed
to take any of the actions referred to in
the foregoing subsections of this
Section 2.6.
2.7 TITLE TO ASSETS. The Acquired Corporations own, and have
good,
valid and marketable title to, all tangible
personal property purported to be
owned by them, including: (a) all tangible
personal property reflected on the
Unaudited Interim Balance Sheet (except for
inventory sold or otherwise disposed
of in the ordinary course of business since
the date of the Unaudited Interim
Balance Sheet); and (b) all other material
assets reflected in the books and
records of the Acquired Corporations as
being owned by the Acquired
Corporations. Except as set forth in Part
2.7 of the Company Disclosure Letter,
all of said items of tangible personal
property are owned by the Acquired
Corporations free and clear of any material
Encumbrances, except for (1) any
lien for current taxes not yet due and
payable and (2) liens described in Part
2.7 of the Company Disclosure Letter.
2.8 RESERVED.
2.9 RECEIVABLES; CUSTOMERS. All existing accounts receivable of
the
Acquired Corporations (including those
accounts receivable reflected on the
Unaudited Interim Balance Sheet that have
not yet been collected and those
accounts receivable that have arisen since
February 29, 2004 and have not yet
been collected) represent valid obligations
of customers of the Acquired
Corporations arising from bona fide
transactions entered into in the ordinary
course of business. Since December 31,
2003, none of the Acquired Corporations
has written off as uncollectible, or
established any extraordinary reserve with
respect to, any account receivable or other
indebtedness. Part 2.9(a) of the
Company Disclosure Letter contains an
accurate and complete list as of the date
of this Agreement of all loans and advances
made by any of the Acquired
Corporations to any employee, director,
consultant or independent contract,
other than routine travel advances and
other expenses made to employees in the
ordinary course of business. Part 2.9(b) of
the Company Disclosure Letter
accurately identifies, and provides a
breakdown of the revenues received from,
the top 10 customers of the Company in
terms of gross revenue generated in
fiscal year 2001, fiscal year 2002 and
fiscal year 2003. The Company has not
received any notice or other communication
(in writing or otherwise) indicating
that any customer is likely to cease
dealing with the Company.
2.10 PROPERTY; LEASEHOLD. All material items of equipment and
other
tangible assets owned by, used by or leased
to the Acquired Corporations are
adequate for the uses to which they are
being put, are in good and safe
condition and repair (ordinary wear and
tear excepted) and are adequate for the
conduct of the business of the Acquired
Corporations in the manner in which such
business is currently being conducted. None
of the Acquired Corporations own any
real property or any interest in real
property, except for the leaseholds
created under the real property leases
identified in Part 2.10 of the Company
Disclosure Letter.
2.11 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
(A) Part 2.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter accurately
identifies (i) each item of Registered IP
in which any Acquired Corporation has
an ownership interest of any nature
(whether exclusively, jointly with another
Person, or otherwise); (ii) the
jurisdiction in which such item of Registered IP
has been registered or filed and the
applicable registration or serial number;
(iii) any other Person that has an
ownership interest in such item of Registered
IP and the nature of such ownership
interest; and (iv) each material common law
trademark or service mark used by an
Acquired Corporation that is not Registered
IP. The Company has delivered to Parent (or
otherwise made available in a data
room to which Parent's Representatives have
had access) complete and accurate
copies of all applications, material
correspondence, and other material
documents related to each such item of
Registered IP.
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(B) Part 2.11(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter (i)
accurately
identifies each Contract under which
Intellectual Property Rights or
Intellectual Property is licensed to any
Acquired Corporation (other than any
commercially available third-party software
that (A) is licensed to the Acquired
Corporations solely in executable or object
code form pursuant to a
non-exclusive, internal use software
license, and (B) is not incorporated into,
or used directly in the development,
manufacturing, testing, distribution, or
support of, any Acquired Corporations
Product); and (ii) specifies whether the
rights licensed to the Acquired
Corporations are exclusive or non-exclusive. The
Company has delivered or made available to
Parent an accurate and complete copy
of each Contract identified, or required to
be identified, in Part 2.11(b) of
the Company Disclosure Letter.
(C) Part 2.11(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter accurately
identifies each Contract pursuant to which
any Person has been granted any
license under, or otherwise has received or
acquired any right (whether or not
currently exercisable) or interest in (i)
any Intellectual Property Rights in
any Acquired Corporation Products, (ii) any
Acquired Corporation IP that is
Registered IP or (iii) any other Acquired
Corporation IP that is material to the
business of any Acquired Corporation. For
each of the Contracts required to be
identified as set forth above, Part 2.11(c)
of the Company Disclosure Letter
identifies whether the rights granted are
exclusive or nonexclusive. The Company
has delivered or made available to Parent
an accurate and complete copy of each
Contract identified, or required to be
identified, in Part 2.11(c) of the
Company Disclosure Letter. No Acquired
Corporation is bound by, and no Acquired
Corporation IP is subject to, any Contract
containing any covenant or other
provision that in any way limits or
restricts the ability of any Acquired
Corporation to use, exploit, assert, or
enforce any Acquired Corporation IP, or
compete or engage in any kind of business,
anywhere in the world.
(D) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent a
complete
and accurate copy of (i) all Contracts to
which an Acquired Corporation is a
party or of which an Acquired Corporation
is aware (other than those identified
in Part 2.11(c) of the Company Disclosure
Letter) pursuant to which any Person
has a currently enforceable or exercisable
right to sublicense or otherwise
transfer rights in any material Acquired
Corporation IP to any other Person;
(ii) each joint marketing, joint
development, strategic alliance, and similar
Contract to which any Acquired Corporation
is a party and which is currently in
effect; and (iii) each distribution,
reseller, sales representative, or other
similar Contract for any Acquired
Corporation Product that is currently in
effect. Part 2.11(d) of the Company
Disclosure Letter accurately identifies each
Contract described in clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii) above.
(E) The Acquired Corporations exclusively own all right, title,
and
interest to and in the Acquired Corporation
IP (other than any Acquired
Corporation IP that is jointly owned with
another Person, as identified in Part
2.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter,
and Intellectual Property Rights
licensed to the Acquired Corporations, as
identified in Part 2.11(b) of the
Company Disclosure Letter) free and clear
of any Encumbrances (other than
licenses granted pursuant to the Contracts
listed in Part 2.11(c) of the Company
Disclosure Letter). Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing:
(I) All documents and instruments necessary to vest or perfect
the rights of the Acquired Corporations in
the Acquired Corporation IP that is
Registered IP have been validly executed,
delivered and filed in a timely manner
with the appropriate Governmental Body.
(II) Each Person who is or was an employee or contractor of
any Acquired Corporation and who is or was
involved in any material respect in
the creation or development of any Acquired
Corporation Product has signed a
valid, enforceable agreement containing an
assignment of all Intellectual
Property Rights in such Acquired
Corporations Product to one or more of the
Acquired Corporations and confidentiality
provisions protecting the Acquired
Corporation IP (other than Acquired
Corporation IP that is generally available
to the public through no fault of the
employee or contractor). No current or
former shareholder, officer, director or
employee of any Acquired Corporation
has any claim,
14.
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right (whether or not currently
exercisable) or interest to or in any Acquired
Corporation IP. To the Company's Knowledge,
no employee of any Acquired
Corporation is in breach of any Contract
with any former employer or other
Person concerning Intellectual Property
Rights or confidentiality.
(III) To the Company's Knowledge, no funding, facilities or
personnel of any Governmental Body or of
any college, university or other
educational institution were used, directly
or indirectly, to develop or create,
in whole or in part, any Acquired
Corporation IP, except for such Acquired
Corporation IP that was in-licensed by a
college, university or other
educational institution.
(IV) Each of the Acquired Corporations has taken reasonable
steps to maintain the confidentiality of
and otherwise protect and enforce the
Acquired Corporations' rights in all
proprietary information that the Acquired
Corporations hold, or purport to hold, as a
trade secret.
(V) To the Knowledge of the Company, no Acquired Corporation
is or ever was a member or promoter of, or
a contributor to, any industry
standards body or similar organization that
could require or obligate any
Acquired Corporation to grant or offer to
any other Person any license or right
to any Acquired Corporation IP.
(VI) The Acquired Corporations own or otherwise have, and
immediately after the Effective Time of
Merger II, the Surviving Entity will
have, all Intellectual Property Rights
needed to conduct their respective
businesses as currently conducted by the
Acquired Corporations.
(F) All Registered IP is valid, subsisting and enforceable.
Without
limiting the generality of the
foregoing:
(I) Each item of Registered IP is and at all times has been in
compliance with all applicable Legal
Requirements and all filings, payments and
other actions required to be made or taken
to maintain such item of Registered
IP in full force and effect have been made
or taken by the applicable deadline.
(II) No interference, opposition, reissue, reexamination or
other Legal Proceeding is pending or, to
the Company's Knowledge, threatened, in
which the scope, validity, or
enforceability of any Registered IP is being, has
been, or could reasonably be expected to be
contested or challenged. To the
Company's Knowledge, there is no basis for
any non-frivolous claim that any
Registered IP is invalid or
unenforceable.
(G) To the Company's Knowledge, since January 1, 2001 no Person
has
infringed, misappropriated or otherwise
violated, and no Person is currently
infringing, misappropriating or otherwise
violating, any Acquired Corporation
IP. The Company has provided or made
available to Parent a complete and accurate
copy of each letter or other written or
electronic communication or
correspondence that has been sent or
otherwise delivered since January 1, 2001
by or to any Acquired Corporation or any
representative of any Acquired
Corporation regarding any actual, alleged,
or suspected infringement or
misappropriation of any Acquired
Corporation IP. Part 2.11(g) of the Company
Disclosure Letter provides an accurate
brief description of the current status
of the matter referred to in each such
letter, communication or correspondence.
(H) Neither the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement
(or any of the ancillary agreements entered
into, or required to be entered
into, in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement) nor
the consummation of any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement will,
with or without notice or lapse of time,
result in, or give any other Person the
right or option to cause or declare, (i) a
loss of, or Encumbrance on, any
Acquired Corporation IP; (ii) a breach
of
15.
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any license agreement listed or required to
be listed in Part 2.11(b), Part
2.11(c) or Part 2.11(d) of the Company
Disclosure Letter; (iii) the release,
disclosure, or delivery of any Acquired
Corporation IP by or to any escrow agent
or other Person; or (iv) the grant,
assignment, or transfer to any other Person
of any license or other right or interest
under, to, or in any Acquired
Corporation IP.
(I) To the Company's Knowledge, no Acquired Corporation and no
Acquired Corporation Product has ever
infringed (directly, contributorily, by
inducement, or otherwise), misappropriated,
or otherwise violated any
Intellectual Property Right of any other
Person. No claim of infringement or
misappropriation or similar claim or
Proceeding is pending or, to the Company's
knowledge, threatened against any Acquired
Corporation or against any other
Person who may be entitled to be
indemnified, defended, held harmless, or
reimbursed by any Acquired Corporation with
respect to such claim or Proceeding.
Except as set forth in Part 2.11(i) of the
Company Disclosure Letter, since
January 1, 2001, no Acquired Corporation
has received any notice or other
communication (in writing or otherwise)
relating to any actual, alleged, or
suspected infringement, misappropriation,
or violation of any Intellectual
Property Rights of another Person.
(J) Each Acquired Corporation Product sold or otherwise available
to
the public is marked with or contains an
accurate listing of all issued patents
that claim such Products for its use.
(K) No Acquired Corporation Software contains any "back door,"
"drop
dead device," "time bomb," "Trojan horse,"
"virus," or "worm" (as such terms are
commonly understood in the software
industry) or any other code designed or
intended to have, or capable of performing,
any of the following functions: (i)
disrupting, disabling, harming, or
otherwise impeding in any manner the
operation of, or providing unauthorized
access to, a computer system or network
or other device on which such code is
stored or installed; or (ii) damaging or
destroying any data or file without the
user's consent.
(L) Except as set forth in Part 2.11(l) of the Company
Disclosure
Letter, no source code for any Acquired
Corporation Software has been delivered,
licensed, or made available to any escrow
agent or other third party. No
Acquired Corporation has any duty or
obligation (whether present, contingent, or
otherwise) to deliver, license, or make
available the source code for any
Acquired Corporation Software to any escrow
agent or other third party. No event
has occurred, and no circumstance or
condition exists, that (with or without
notice or lapse of time) will, or could
reasonably be expected to, result in the
delivery, license or disclosure of the
source code for any Acquired Corporation
Software to any third party.
(M) No Acquired Corporation Software (including any component
thereof) is subject to any "copyleft" or
other obligation or condition
(including any obligation or condition
under any "open source" license such as
the GNU Public License, Lesser GNU Public
License, or Mozilla Public License)
that by its terms (i) requires, or
conditions the use or distribution of such
Acquired Corporation Software on, the
disclosure, licensing, or distribution of
any source code for any portion of such
Acquired Corporation Software, or (ii)
otherwise imposes any limitation,
restriction, or condition on the right or
ability of any Acquired Corporation to use
or distribute any Acquired
Corporations Product.
2.12 CONTRACTS.
(A) Except as set forth in Part 2.12 of the Company Disclosure
Letter none of the Acquired Corporations is
bound by any Contract:
(I) relating to the employment of, or the performance of
services by, any employee or consultant
(other than any offer letter provided to
any employee of any of the Acquired
Corporations which provides for "at will"
employment); any Contract pursuant to which
any of the
16.
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Acquired Corporations is or may become
obligated to make any severance,
termination or similar payment to any
current or former employee or director;
and any Contract pursuant to which any of
the Acquired Corporations is or may
become obligated to make any bonus or
similar payment (other than payments with
respect of salary) in excess of $125,000 to
any current or former employee or
director;
(II) with the exception of standard purchase orders that
contain warranties with a term of less than
twelve months, (A) with any customer
of any of the Acquired Corporations; or (B)
with respect to the distribution or
marketing of any product of any of the
Acquired Corporations;
(III) creating or involving any material agency
relationship, distribution arrangement or
franchise relationship;
(IV) creating or relating to any partnership or joint
venture or any sharing of revenues,
profits, losses, costs or Liabilities;
(V) relating to the grant of rights to manufacture,
produce, assemble, license, market or sell
the Company's products or services to
any other person or otherwise affecting the
Company's exclusive right to
develop, manufacture, assemble, distribute,
market or sell its products or
services;
(VI) of the type to be required under Section 2.11 to be
identified on the Company Disclosure
Letter;
(VII) which provides for indemnification of any officer,
director, employee or agent (other than the
articles of incorporation or other
similar charter document or the bylaws of
the Acquired Corporations delivered or
made available to Parent);
(VIII) imposing any restriction on the right or ability
of any Acquired Corporation: (A) to compete
with any other Person, (B) to
acquire any product or other asset or any
services from any other Person, (C) to
solicit, hire or retain any Person as an
employee, consultant or independent
contractor, (D) to develop, sell, supply,
distribute, offer, support or service
any product or any technology or other
asset to or for any other Person, (E) to
perform services for any other Person or
(F) to transact business or deal in any
other manner with any other Person;
(IX) (A) relating to the acquisition, issuance, voting,
registration, sale or transfer of any
securities, other than pursuant to Company
Options, (B) providing any Person with any
preemptive right, right of
participation, right of maintenance or any
similar right with respect to any
securities or (C) providing any of the
Acquired Corporations with any right of
first refusal with respect to, or right to
purchase or otherwise acquire, any
securities;
(X) incorporating or relating to any guaranty, any
warranty or any indemnity or similar
obligation, except for standard purchase
orders entered into in the ordinary course
of business;
(XI) relating to any currency hedging;
(XII) imposing any confidentiality obligation on any of
the Acquired Corporations, except for
routine confidentiality or nondisclosure
agreements entered into by any Acquired
Corporation in the ordinary course of
business that do not otherwise constitute
Material Contracts under this Section
2.12(a));
17.
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(XIII) to which any Governmental Body is a party, and
any other Contract directly or indirectly
benefiting any Governmental Body
(including any subcontract or other
Contract between any Acquired Corporation
and any contractor or subcontractor to any
Governmental Body), except for
standard purchase orders entered into in
the ordinary course of business for the
license, maintenance or service of
products;
(XIV) with obligations in excess of $125,000 that has a
term of more than 90 days and that may not
be terminated by an Acquired
Corporation (without penalty) within 90
days after the delivery of a termination
notice by such Acquired Corporation;
(XV) requiring that any of the Acquired Corporations
give any notice or provide any information
to any Person prior to considering or
accepting any Acquisition Proposal or
similar proposal, or prior to entering
into any discussions, agreement,
arrangement or understanding relating to any
Acquisition Transaction or similar
transaction;
(XVI) that contemplates or involves the payment or
delivery of cash or other consideration in
an amount or having a value in excess
of $125,000 in the aggregate, or
contemplates or involves the performance of
services by any of the Acquired
Corporations having a value in excess of
$125,000 in the aggregate;
(XVII) that would reasonably be expected to have a
material effect on (A) the business,
condition, capitalization, assets,
liabilities, operations or financial
performance of any of the Acquired
Corporations or (B) the ability of the
Company to perform any of its obligations
under, or to consummate any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
and
(XVIII) (not otherwise identified in clauses "(i)"
through "(xvii)" of this sentence), if a
breach of such Contract would
reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Acquired
Corporations.
(Contracts in the respective categories
described in clauses "(i)" through
"(xviii)" above are referred to in this
Agreement as "MATERIAL CONTRACTS.")
(B) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent and
to Cooley Godward llp an accurate and
complete copy of each Acquired Corporation
Contract that constitutes a Material
Contract.
(C) Each Acquired Corporation Contract is valid and in full
force and effect, and is enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject to
(i) laws of general application relating to
bankruptcy, insolvency and the
relief of debtors and (ii) applicable rules
of law governing specific
performance, injunctive relief and other
equitable remedies.
(D) (i) None of the Acquired Corporations has violated or
breached in any material respect, or
committed any material default under, any
Acquired Corporation Contract; and, to the
Knowledge of the Company, no other
Person has violated or breached, or
committed any default under, any Acquired
Corporation Contract; (ii) to the Knowledge
of the Company, no event has
occurred, and no circumstance or condition
exists, that (with or without notice
or lapse of time) will, or could reasonably
be expected to, (A) result in a
violation or breach of any of the
provisions of any Acquired Corporation
Contract, (B) give any Person the right to
declare a default or exercise any
remedy under any Acquired Corporation
Contract, (C) give any Person the right to
receive or require a rebate, chargeback or
penalty under any Acquired
Corporation Contract, (D) give any Person
the right to accelerate the maturity
or performance of any Acquired Corporation
Contract or (E) give any Person the
right to cancel, terminate or modify in any
material respect any Acquired
Corporation Contract; and (iii) since
January 1, 2002,
18.
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none of the Acquired Corporations has
received any written notice or other
communication regarding any actual or
alleged violation or breach of, or default
under, any Acquired Corporation
Contract.
(E) None of the Acquired Corporations has waived any of its
material rights under any Material
Contract.
(F) No Person is renegotiating, or has a right pursuant to the
terms of any Material Contract to
renegotiate, any amount paid or payable to any
of the Acquired Corporations under any
Material Contract or any other material
term or provision of any Material
Contract.
(G) The Material Contracts collectively constitute all of the
Contracts necessary to enable each of the
Acquired Corporations to conduct their
respective businesses in the manner in
which such businesses are currently being
conducted in all material respects.
2.13 PRODUCTS; PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES.
(A) Except as set forth in Part 2.13(a) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, since January 1, 2003,
each Acquired Corporation Product has
conformed and complied in all material
respects with the terms and requirements
of any applicable warranty or other
Contract and with all applicable Legal
Requirements.
(B) Except as set forth in Part 2.13(b) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, since January 1, 2003,
all services that have been performed
by the Acquired Corporations were performed
properly and in substantial
conformity with the terms and requirements
of all applicable Contracts and with
all applicable Legal Requirements.
(C) Except as set forth in Part 2.13(c) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, since January 1, 2003,
no customer or other Person has
asserted or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, threatened to assert any material
claim against any of the Acquired
Corporations (i) under or based upon any
warranty provided by or on behalf of any of
the Acquired Corporations, (ii)
under or based upon any other warranty
relating to any Acquired Corporation
Product or (iii) based upon any services
performed by any of the Acquired
Corporations.
2.14 LIABILITIES. None of the Acquired Corporations has any
Liabilities of any nature, except for: (a)
Liabilities identified as such in the
"liabilities" column of the Unaudited
Interim Balance Sheet; (b) normal and
recurring current Liabilities that have
been incurred by the Acquired
Corporations since December 31, 2003 in the
ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices; (c)
Liabilities described in Part 2.14 of the
Company Disclosure Letter; and (d)
Liabilities for performance of obligations of
the Acquired Corporations under Acquired
Corporation Contracts that have been
delivered or made available to Parent, to
the extent such Liabilities are
readily ascertainable (in nature, scope and
amount) from the copies of such
Acquired Corporation Contracts provided or
made available to Parent prior to the
date of this Agreement.
2.15 COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. Except as set forth in
Part
2.15 of the Company Disclosure Letter, each
of the Acquired Corporations is, and
has at all times since January 1, 2002
been, in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable Legal
Requirements. To the Knowledge of the
Company, no event has occurred or
circumstance exists that (with or without
notice or lapse of time) (i) may constitute
or result in a violation by any
Acquired Corporation of, or a failure on
the part of any Acquired Corporation to
comply with, any material applicable Legal
Requirement or (ii) may give rise to
any obligation on the part of any Acquired
Corporation to undertake, or to bear
all or any portion of the cost of, any
remedial action of any nature. Except as
set forth in Part 2.15 of the Company
Disclosure Letter, since January 1, 2002,
none of the Acquired Corporations has
received any written
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notice or other communication from any
Governmental Body regarding any actual or
possible material violation of, or failure
to materially comply with, any
material applicable Legal Requirement. None
of the Acquired Corporations is or
has been required to register any equity
security or file reports with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
2.16 CERTAIN BUSINESS PRACTICES. None of the Acquired
Corporations,
nor any director, officer, agent or
employee of any of the Acquired Corporations
has (i) used any funds for unlawful
contributions, gifts, entertainment or other
unlawful expenses relating to political
activity or (ii) made any unlawful
payment to foreign or domestic government
officials or employees or to foreign
or domestic political parties or campaigns
or violated any provision of the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as
amended.
2.17 GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS. The Acquired Corporations have
all
Governmental Authorizations necessary to
enable each of the Acquired
Corporations to conduct its business in the
manner in which its business is
currently being conducted, and all such
Governmental Authorizations are valid
and in full force and effect, except where
such failure has not had, and would
not, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Acquired
Corporations. Each Acquired Corporation is, and
at all times since January 1, 2002 has
been, in compliance in all material
respects with the terms and requirements of
such Governmental Authorizations.
Since January 1, 2002, none of the Acquired
Corporations has received any notice
or other communication from any
Governmental Body regarding (a) any actual or
possible violation of or failure to comply
with any material term or requirement
of any Governmental Authorization or (b)
any actual or possible revocation,
withdrawal, suspension, cancellation,
termination or modification of any
material Governmental Authorization.
2.18 TAX MATTERS. Except as set forth in Part 2.18 of the
Company
Disclosure Letter:
(A) Each Acquired Corporation has duly and timely filed with
the appropriate Tax authorities or other
applicable Governmental Body all Tax
Returns that it is required to file (taking
into account extensions) (the
"ACQUIRED CORPORATION RETURNS"). All
Acquired Corporation Returns are complete
and accurate in all material respects. All
material Taxes of the Acquired
Corporations that are due and payable have
been paid or are being contested in
good faith and adequate reserves for such
contested Taxes are reflected on the
Unaudited Interim Balance Sheet. The
Acquired Corporations have each withheld
and remitted all material Taxes required to
be withheld and remitted in
connection with any amount paid or owing to
any employee, independent
contractor, creditor, stockholder or other
third party.
(B) The unpaid Taxes of the Acquired Corporations did not, as
of February 29, 2004, exceed by a material
amount the reserve for Tax liability
(excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes
established to reflect timing
differences between book and Tax income)
set forth on the face of the Unaudited
Interim Balance Sheet. Since February 29,
2004, none of the Acquired
Corporations has incurred any Liability for
any Tax other than in the ordinary
course of its business.
(C) No Acquired Corporation Return has been examined or
audited by any Governmental Body. No
extension or waiver of the limitation
period applicable to any of the Acquired
Corporation Returns has been granted
(by any Acquired Corporation or any other
Person) that has not expired, and no
such extension or waiver has been requested
from any Acquired Corporation, other
than extensions or waivers that are no
longer in effect.
(D) No claim or Legal Proceeding is pending or has been
threatened against or with respect to any
Acquired Corporation with respect to
any Tax. There are no unsatisfied
Liabilities
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for Taxes (including Liabilities for
interest, additions to tax and penalties
thereon and related expenses) with respect
to any notice of deficiency or
similar document received by any Acquired
Corporation with respect to any Tax
(other than Liabilities for Taxes asserted
under any such notice of deficiency
or similar document which are being
contested in good faith by the Acquired
Corporations and with respect to which
adequate reserves for payment have been
established on the Unaudited Interim
Balance Sheet). There are no liens for
Taxes upon any of the assets of any of the
Acquired Corporations except liens
for current Taxes not yet due and payable.
None of the Acquired Corporations has
entered into or become bound by any
agreement or consent pursuant to former
Section 341(f) of the Code (or any
comparable provision of state or foreign Tax
laws). None of the Acquired Corporations
has been, and none of the Acquired
Corporations will be, required to include
any adjustment in taxable income for
any tax period (or portion thereof) (i)
pursuant to Section 481 of the Code (or
any comparable provision under state or
foreign Tax laws) as a result of
transactions or events occurring, or
accounting methods employed, prior to the
Closing, (ii) as a result of any "closing
agreement" as described in Section
7121 (or corresponding or similar
provisions of state, local or foreign income
Tax law), or (iii) as a result of
intercompany transactions or any excess loss
accounts described in Treasury Regulations
under Section 1502 (or corresponding
or similar provisions of state, local or
foreign income Tax law).
(E) There is no agreement, plan, arrangement or other Contract
to which any of the Acquired Corporations
is a party covering any employee or
independent contractor or former employee
or independent contractor of any of
the Acquired Corporations that, considered
individually or considered
collectively with any other such Contracts,
will, or could reasonably be
expected to, give rise directly or
indirectly to the payment by any Acquired
Corporation of any amount the deduction for
which would be disallowed pursuant
to Section 280G or Section 162(m) of the
Code (or any comparable provision under
state or foreign Tax laws). The Company has
not entered into any Contract
pursuant to which it has agreed to
reimburse or "gross-up" any individual with
respect to any excise tax under Section
4999 of the Code.
(F) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
distributed to its shareholders or security
holders stock or securities of a
controlled corporation, nor has stock or
securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries been distributed, in a
transaction to which Section 355 of the Code
applies (i) in the two years prior to the
date of this Agreement or (ii) in a
distribution that could otherwise
constitute part of a "plan" or "series of
related transactions" (within the meaning
of Section 355(e) of the Code).
(G) None of the Acquired Corporations (i) has ever been a
member of an Affiliated Group filing a
consolidated federal or state income Tax
returns (other than a group of which the
Company was the common parent) or (ii)
has any Liability for Taxes of any Person
(other than the Acquired Corporations)
under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6
(or similar provision of state, local
or foreign Tax laws), as a transferee or
successor, by contract or otherwise.
None of the Acquired Corporations is, or
has ever been, a party to or bound by
any tax indemnity agreement, tax sharing
agreement, tax allocation agreement or
similar Contract.
(H) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent
complete copies of all Acquired Corporation
Returns for all taxable periods
ended on or after December 31, 1998.
2.19 EMPLOYEE AND LABOR MATTERS; BENEFIT PLANS.
(A) Part 2.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter identifies
each employment, consulting, salary, bonus,
vacation, deferred compensation,
incentive compensation, stock purchase,
stock option or other equity-based,
severance, termination, retention,
change-in-control, death and disability
benefits, hospitalization, medical, life or
other insurance, flexible benefits,
supplemental unemployment benefits, other
welfare fringe benefits,
profit-sharing, pension or retirement plan,
program
21.
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or agreement and each other employee
benefit plan or arrangement, whether
written or unwritten, funded or unfunded,
including each Foreign Plan and each
"employee benefit plan," within the meaning
of Section 3(3) of ERISA, which is
sponsored, maintained, contributed to or
required to be contributed to by any of
the Acquired Corporations for the benefit
of any current or former employee,
consultant or director of any of the
Acquired Corporations or with respect to
which any of the Acquired Corporations has
or may reasonably be expected to have
any Liability (collectively, the "EMPLOYEE
PLANS").
(B) With respect to each Employee Plan, the Company has
delivered or made available to Parent: (i)
a complete copy of such Employee Plan
that is in writing (including all
amendments thereto); (ii) a complete copy of
the annual report (Form Series 5500 and all
schedules and financial statements
attached thereto), if any, required under
ERISA or the Code, with respect to
such Employee Plan for the three (3) most
recent plan years; (iii) a complete
copy of the most recent summary plan
description, together with each summary of
material modifications, if required under
ERISA, with respect to such Employee
Plan; (iv) if such Employee Plan is funded
through a trust or any third party
funding vehicle, a complete copy of the
trust or other funding agreement
(including all amendments thereto); (v)
complete copies of all material
Contracts to which any Acquired Corporation
or Employee Plan is a party relating
to such Employee Plan, including service
provider agreements, insurance
contracts, minimum premium contracts,
stop-loss agreements, investment
management agreements, subscription and
participation agreements and
recordkeeping agreements; (vi) all material
written disclosures provided to any
employee or employees relating to such
Employee Plan and any Employee Plan that
any Acquired Corporation proposes to
establish, in each case relating to any
amendments, terminations, establishments,
increases or decreases in benefits,
acceleration of payments or vesting
schedules or other events which could be
reasonably expected to result in any
material liability to the Acquired
Corporations; (vii) all material
correspondence, if any, to or from any
governmental agency, or from any Acquired
Corporation to any governmental
agency, relating to such Employee Plan;
(viii) where applicable to such Employee
Plan, such Employee Plan's standard forms
and related notices required under the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act of 1985, as amended ("COBRA");
(ix) all insurance policies, if any,
maintained by the Company pertaining to
fiduciary liability insurance covering the
fiduciaries for each Employee Plan;
(x) all discrimination tests, if any,
required under the Code for each Employee
Plan intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code for the three (3)
most recent plan years; (xi) the most
recent determination letter (or opinion
letter, if applicable) received from the
Internal Revenue Service with respect
to each Employee Plan intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code;
and (xii) all government and regulatory
approvals received from any foreign
Governmental Body with respect to Foreign
Plans.
(C) None of the Acquired Corporations is or has ever been
required to be treated as a single employer
with any other Person under Section
4001(b)(1) of ERISA or Section 414(b), (c),
(m) or (o) of the Code, except for
the Acquired Corporations.
(D) No Acquired Corporation has ever maintained, established,
sponsored, participated in or contributed
to any: (i) Employee Plan subject to
Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA or Section
412 of the Code; (ii) "multiemployer
plan" within the meaning of Section 3(37)
of ERISA; (iii) plan, intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code
that is subject to Section 413(c) of
the Code; or (iv) Employee Plan that is an
"employee benefit plan" within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA and that
holds any "employer security" within
the meaning of Section 407(d)(1) of
ERISA.
(E) None of the Acquired Corporations has any obligation to
create any additional Employee Plan, or to
modify or change any existing
Employee Plan in any material respect
(other than to comply with the Code,
ERISA, or other applicable Legal
Requirements, in each case as previously
disclosed to Parent in writing, or as
required by this Agreement).
22.
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(F) No Employee Plan provides (except at no cost to the
Acquired Corporations), and none of the
Acquired Corporations has any obligation
under any Employee Plan to provide, retiree
life insurance, retiree health
benefits or other retiree employee welfare
benefits to any Person for any
reason, except as may be required by COBRA
or other applicable Legal
Requirements. To the knowledge of the
Company, other than obligations made that
involve no future costs to any of the
Acquired Corporations, no Acquired
Corporation has ever represented, promised
or contracted (whether in oral or
written form) to any former or current
employee, consultant or director (either
individually or as a group) or any other
Person that any such employee,
consultant or director or other Person
would be provided with retiree life
insurance, retiree health benefits or other
retiree employee welfare benefits,
except to the extent required by COBRA or
other applicable Legal Requirements.
(G) Part 2.19(g) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists all
"qualified beneficiaries" to whom the
Acquired Corporations as of the date of
this Agreement are obligated top provide
"continuation coverage" under any of
the provisions of COBRA or other applicable
Legal Requirements.
(H) Each of the Employ