Exhibit
10.1
ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT
By and Among
Plant Health Care, Inc., a
Pennsylvania corporation,
Plant Health Care plc, incorporated
and registered in England and Wales under the
Companies Act 1985
and
Eden Bioscience Corporation, a
Washington corporation
and its subsidiaries
December 1, 2006
ASSET PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement ”) is dated as of the 1st day of December,
2006 by and among Plant Health Care, Inc., a Pennsylvania
corporation (the “ Buyer ”), Plant Health Care
plc, incorporated and registered in England and Wales under the
Companies Act 1985 (the “ Guarantor ”), Eden
Bioscience Corporation, a Washington corporation (the “
Company ”), and each of Eden Bioscience Mexico, S. de
R.L. de C.V. and Eden Bioscience Europe SARL (each of the foregoing
and the Company, a “ Seller ” and collectively,
the “ Sellers ”). Each of the Buyer, Guarantor
and the Sellers are a “ Party ”, and
collectively, the “ Parties ”.
WHEREAS, the Sellers, among other matters, are
engaged in the business of the creation of plant health technology
incorporating harpin proteins and the manufacture of biopesticide,
plant health and nutrient products utilizing harpin protein
technology for the agricultural and horticultural industries
worldwide (the “ Business ”);
WHEREAS, the Buyer desires to purchase
substantially all of the assets and other rights relating to the
Business and assume certain liabilities relating to the Business,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein,
which terms include Guarantor’s guarantee of the deferred
portion of the closing purchase price payable to Sellers hereunder;
and
WHEREAS, it is the intention of the Parties that
the Sellers retain certain assets and other rights relating to the
operation of the Company’s existing home and garden business,
which the Company intends to continue to operate after the Closing
of the transactions contemplated herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
promises and agreements set forth herein, the Buyer, Guarantor and
each of the Sellers hereby agree as follows:
1.1. Acquired Assets . Subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing
referred to in Section 4 hereof, the Sellers shall sell, assign,
transfer and deliver to the Buyer, and the Buyer shall purchase,
acquire and take assignment and delivery of, all of the assets
(other than the Excluded Assets specified in Section 1.2) of the
Sellers used in or relating to the Business existing as of the
Closing Date (all of which assets are hereinafter referred to
collectively as the “ Acquired Assets ”), that
are specifically described as follows:
(a) All of the
Sellers’ title to, interest in and rights under the real
estate leases (the “ Real Property Leases ”)
described on Schedule1.1(a) hereto relating to the
properties described therein and all buildings, plants and other
structures and improvements thereon, and, to the extent covered by
the Real Property Leases, any and all
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fixtures, machinery, installations, equipment and other property
attached thereto or located thereon (the “ Leased Real
Property ”);
(b) Any and all plants,
fixtures, machinery, installations, equipment, furniture, tools,
spare parts, supplies, materials and other personal property used
in or relating to the Business, including without limitation, those
items as of September 13, 2006 described on Schedule1.1(b)
hereto (subject to the provisions of Section 3.3 collectively, the
“ Equipment ”);
(c) All of the
Sellers’ title to, interest in and rights under the leases of
personal property described on Schedule1.1(c) hereto (the
“ Personal Property Leases ”);
(d) All of the
Sellers’ inventories used in or relating to the Business,
including raw materials, supplies, parts, work in process and
finished goods as of June 30, 2006 described on Schedule
1.1(d) hereto (subject to the provisions of Section 3.3
collectively, the “ Inventories ”);
(e) All of the
Sellers’ rights under the contracts, customer purchase
orders, the Wei Contract and agreements described on
Schedule1.1(e) hereto, and all contracts entered into in the
ordinary course of business prior to the Closing consistent with
the Sellers’ obligations under Section 7 hereof
(collectively, the “ Assumed Contracts
”);
(f) All of the
Sellers’ transferable rights under the licenses, permits and
approvals, both governmental and private, described on
Schedule1.1(f) hereto (collectively, the “
Permits ”);
(g) All Intellectual
Property owned by the Sellers that is used in conducting the
Business, including without limitation the Intellectual Property
described on Schedule1.1(g) hereto (collectively, the
“ Assigned Intellectual Property ”);
and
(h) All of the
Sellers’ documents and records relating to the Acquired
Assets.
1.2. Excluded
Assets . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Sellers are not
selling and the Buyer is not purchasing, pursuant to this
Agreement, and the term “ Acquired Assets ”
shall not include, any of the following assets or rights of the
Sellers (collectively, the “ Excluded Assets
”):
(a) the consideration
received or to be received by the Sellers pursuant to this
Agreement;
(b) the rights of the
Sellers under this Agreement, the bill of sale, the assignment and
assumption instruments, the Note, the Security Agreement, the
Guaranty, the Supply Agreement and the Distributor Agreement (each
as hereinafter defined);
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(c) Sellers’ tax
assets, including without limitation, Seller’s right to
refunds of taxes and other governmental charges of whatever
nature;
(d) Sellers’
financial records;
(e) cash, bank accounts
or similar cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, notes
and investments;
(f) all contracts other
than the Assumed Contracts;
(g) all minute books and
stock records and corporate seals;
(h) those rights relating
to deposits and prepaid expenses and claims for refunds and rights
to offset in respect thereof listed on Schedule 1.2(h)
hereto;
(i) all rights in
connection with and assets of the Employee Benefit Plans, except
pursuant to the Assumed Contracts specified in Schedule
1.1(e) hereto;
(j) all insurance
policies and rights thereunder;
(k) all personnel records
and other records that Sellers are required by law to retain in its
possession; and
(l) the assets listed on
Schedule 1.2(1) hereto.
2. ASSUMPTION OF CERTAIN
OBLIGATIONS.
2.1 Assumed
Obligations . At the Closing, the Buyer shall assume, and agree
to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge, all obligations and
liabilities of any of the Sellers (the “ Assumed
Obligations ”) arising out of the conduct of the Business
from and after the Closing, except for Excluded Liabilities,
including, without limitation, the following:
(a) Any liabilities and
obligations of Sellers arising under the Real Property Leases,
Personal Property Leases and Assumed Contracts from and after the
Closing;
(b) Any liability and
obligations relating to or arising out of any products sold, or
services rendered by the Business from and after the Closing;
and
(c) Any liabilities
arising out of any actual or alleged non-compliance with any
Environmental Laws (as defined in Section 5.11) or for the clean-up
or removal of, or for death or injury to person or property or
other damages and expenses as a result of a Release (as defined in
Section 5.11(a)(iii)), emission or discharge of any Hazardous
Substances (as defined in Section 5.11(a)(ii)) arising out of or
relating to the Buyer’s operation of the Business or the
Buyer’s leasing, owning or operation of real property from
and after the Closing.
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2.2 Excluded
Liabilities . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Buyer shall not assume, and shall not be deemed to
have assumed, any liability or obligation of the Sellers not
otherwise an Assumed Obligation, including without limitation the
following unassumed liabilities and obligations (collectively, the
“ Excluded Liabilities ”):
(a) any liabilities or
obligations for accounts payable or for Indebtedness of the
Sellers;
(b) any liabilities for
Taxes relating to any period prior to the Closing;
(c) any liabilities in
connection with or relating to all actions, suits, claims,
proceedings, demands, warranty claims, assessments and judgments,
costs, losses, damages, deficiencies and expenses (whether or not
arising out of third party claims), including, without limitation,
interest, penalties, reasonable attorney and accountant fees and
all amounts paid in investigation, defense or settlement of any of
the foregoing, to the extent such liability arises out of injuries,
actions, omissions, conditions or events that occurred or existed
prior to the Closing in connection with the operation of the
Business;
(d) any liability arising
in connection with the employment or termination of employment of
any persons affiliated with any Seller prior to the Closing,
including any workers’ compensation claims relating to events
which transpired prior to the Closing, any employee grievances, any
liabilities with respect to Employee Benefit Plans (as defined in
Section 13), or arising as a result of the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however,
that the Buyer shall assume all liabilities and obligations of the
Company under the Wei Contract (as defined in Section 7.4);
and
(e) any liabilities
arising out of any actual or alleged non-compliance with any
Environmental Laws (as defined in Section 5.11) or for the clean-up
or removal of, or for death or injury to person or property or
other damages and expenses as a result of a Release (as defined in
Section 5.11(a)(iii)), emission or discharge of any Hazardous
Substances (as defined in Section 5.11(a)(ii)) arising out of or
relating to the Seller’s operation of the Business or the
Seller’s leasing, owning or operation of real property prior
to the Closing.
3.1 Estimated
Purchase Price . At the Closing, Buyer shall pay an amount in
cash of $1,500,000 (One Million Five-Hundred Thousand Dollars) and
deliver to Buyer a promissory note (the “ Note
”) in the principal amount of $1,000,000 (One Million
Dollars) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the
“ Estimated Purchase Price ”), subject to
adjustment as provided for in Sections 3.2 and 3.3. Payments in
cash shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds
to an account of the Company designated thereby in writing and
delivered to Buyer at least two Business Days prior to the
Closing.
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“
Business Day ” shall mean any day other than Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banks in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are
required to be closed for business.
3.2 At least three
Business Days prior to the Closing, the Company and Buyer shall
perform a count or confirmation of all Inventories and Equipment
that will constitute part of the Acquired Assets as of the Closing
Date (respectively, the “ Estimated Equipment ”
and the “ Estimated Inventory ”). If (A) the
recorded value of the Estimated Equipment is less than the recorded
value of the Equipment set out on Schedule 1.1(b) (the dollar
amount of such difference being the “ Equipment Reduction
Amount ”) and/or (B) the recorded value of the Estimated
Inventory is less than the recorded value of the Inventories set
out on Schedule 1.1(d) (the dollar amount of such difference being
the “ Inventory Reduction Amount ”), then, at
the Closing, Buyer shall deduct from the Note portion of the
Estimated Purchase Price (as provided in Section 3.3 below) the
amount, if any, by which the Equipment Reduction Amount exceeds
$25,000 and/or the amount, if any, by which the Inventory Reduction
Amount exceeds $125,000.
3.3 Post-Closing
Adjustment . Within 15 days after the Closing Date, Buyer shall
prepare and deliver to the Company a schedule (the “ Final
Equipment and Inventory Schedule ”) setting forth all
Inventories and Equipment that remained from Schedule 3.2 as of the
Closing Date (the “ Final Equipment and Inventory
”). The Final Equipment and Inventory Schedule shall,
applying the formula set forth in Section 3.2 above, state the
amount, if any, by which the Estimated Purchase Price is to be
reduced by Buyer (the “Purchase Price Adjustment”). If
no Final Equipment and Inventory Schedule is delivered to the
Company within such period, the Estimated Equipment and Estimated
Inventory schedules shall be final and binding on the Parties. The
Company shall have a period of 15 days after its receipt of the
Final Equipment and Inventory Schedule to dispute the amount of the
Purchase Price Adjustment by delivering to Buyer a written notice
of objection (an “ Objection Notice ”) setting
forth a reasonably detailed explanation of the basis of the
Company’s dispute. If no Objection Notice is delivered to
Buyer within such period, the Final Equipment and Inventory
Schedule delivered by Buyer to the Company shall be final and
binding upon the parties. If an Objection Notice is delivered to
Buyer within such period, the parties shall cooperate in good faith
to resolve the Company’s dispute. In the event that Buyer and
the Company are unable to resolve such dispute within 30 days after
the date an Objection Notice was delivered to Buyer, then Buyer and
the Company shall refer the issues in dispute to a nationally
recognized firm of independent public accountants not then engaged
by Buyer or any Seller mutually agreeable to the parties (the
“ Arbiter ”). Buyer and the Company shall submit
their positions on the dispute to the Arbiter within 30 days after
appointment as such, and the Arbiter shall resolve the dispute
within 20 days after such submission (the “ Resolution
Date ”), and such resolution shall be final and binding
upon the Parties. The fees and expenses of the Arbiter shall be
paid one-half by Buyer and one-half by the Company. Upon final
determination of the Purchase Price Adjustment, if any, the
Estimated Purchase Price shall be adjusted in the manner set forth
in Section 3.2 and this Section 3.3, which adjusted purchase price
shall be the “ Closing Purchase Price ” for all
other purposes under this Agreement. If the Closing Purchase Price
is less than the Estimated Purchase Price, then Buyer shall deduct
the difference (if any) from the principal and interest due and
payable under the Note.
3.4 Allocation of
Purchase Price . No later than 60 days following the
Closing
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Date, the Buyer shall submit to the Company its allocation of the
Closing Purchase Price and the Assumed Liabilities among the
Acquired Assets subject to approval of the Company (which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld) (the “ Allocation
”). The Allocation will be made in accordance with Section
1060 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “
Code ”) and the Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder. The Sellers and the Buyer shall comply with the
applicable information requirements of Section 1060 of the Code and
shall file all information and Tax returns (and any amendments
thereto) in a manner consistent with the Allocation (including,
without limitation, filing Form 8594 with their United Stated
federal income tax return for the taxable year that includes he
date of the Closing). If, contrary to the intent of the Buyer and
the Sellers as expressed in this Section 3.4, any taxing authority
makes or proposes an allocation different from that determined in
accordance with the terms of this Section 3.4, the Buyer and the
Sellers shall cooperate with each other in good faith to contest
such taxing authority’s allocation (or proposed allocation);
provided, however, that after consultation with the Parties
adversely affected by such allocation (or proposed allocation), the
other Parties hereto may file such protective claims or returns as
may reasonably be required to protect their interests.
4.1. Time and
Place . The closing of the transfer and delivery of all
documents and instruments necessary to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (the “ Closing ”)
shall be held at the offices of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC,
One Oxford Centre, 20th Floor, 301 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA
15219 at 10:00 a.m. on a mutually acceptable date not more than
four Business Days after the satisfaction of all conditions set
forth in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, or at such other place or time as
the Buyer and the Company may agree. The date on which the Closing
is actually held hereunder is sometimes referred to herein as the
“ Closing Date ” and the Closing shall be deemed
to have occurred as of 12:01 a.m. (Eastern Time) on the Closing
Date.
4.2. Transactions at
Closing . At the Closing:
(a) The Sellers shall
duly execute and deliver to the Buyer such bills of sale,
certificates of title or any other instruments of assignment and
transfer with respect to the Acquired Assets as the Buyer may
reasonably request and/or as may reasonably be necessary to vest in
the Buyer valid and enforceable title to all of the Acquired
Assets, in each case subject to no Encumbrance other than Permitted
Encumbrances (as defined in Section 5.9).
(b) The Buyer shall duly
execute and deliver to the Sellers such instruments of assumption
and other documents with respect to the Assumed Obligations as the
Sellers may reasonably request and/or as may reasonably be
necessary for Buyer to assume and agree to perform all obligations
and liabilities of Sellers arising under the Assumed Obligations,
including but not limited to posting on the Closing Date any letter
of credit, security deposit or similar payments required to be paid
by the tenant under the Real Property Leases in an amount or
amounts not to exceed the amount or amounts previously posted by
the Sellers under each such Real Property Lease.
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(c) Buyer shall pay to
the Sellers the amount of cash set forth in Section 3.1 above by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to such bank account
of the Company as it may designate in writing prior to the Closing
Date and deliver to Sellers the Note, accompanied by the executed
Security Agreement (as defined in Section 9.6) and the Guaranty (as
defined in Section 9.5) and any other instruments of Buyer and
Guarantor as may be reasonably necessary to vest in the Company a
valid and enforceable continuing security interest in the portion
of the Acquired Assets constituting collateral under the Security
Agreement and a valid and enforceable guaranty of all amounts
payable under the Note.
4.3. Required
Consents . (a) If any of the Required Consents (as defined in
Section 7.1.12) have not yet been obtained (or otherwise are not in
full force and effect) as of the Closing, in the case of each
Acquired Asset as to which such Material Consents were not obtained
(or otherwise are not in full force and effect) (the “
Restricted Material Contracts ”), the Buyer may waive
Buyer’s closing condition as to any such Required Consent
and, if the Sellers’ waive the condition to closing set out
in Section 9.11, either:
(i) elect to have the
Sellers continue its efforts to obtain the Required Consents;
or
(ii) elect to have the
Sellers retain that Restricted Material Contract and all
liabilities arising therefrom or relating thereto.
If, pursuant to this Section 4.3, the Buyer
elects to have the Sellers continue their efforts to obtain any
Required Consents and the Closing occurs, notwithstanding Sections
1 and 2 hereof, neither this Agreement nor any assignment and
assumption agreement nor any other document related to the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall constitute a sale, assignment, assumption, transfer,
conveyance or delivery or an attempted sale, assignment,
assumption, transfer, conveyance or delivery of the Restricted
Material Contracts, and following the Closing, the Parties shall
use their commercially reasonable efforts, and cooperate with each
other, to obtain the Required Consent relating to each Restricted
Material Contract as quickly as practicable. Pending the obtaining
of such Required Consents relating to any Restricted Material
Contract, the Parties shall cooperate with each other in any
reasonable and lawful arrangements designed to provide to the Buyer
the benefits of use of the Restricted Material Contract for its
term (or any right or benefit arising thereunder, including the
enforcement for the benefit of the Buyer of any and all rights of
the Sellers against a third party thereunder). Once a Required
Consent for the sale, assignment, assumption, transfer, conveyance
and delivery of a Restricted Material Contract is obtained, Sellers
shall promptly assign, transfer, convey and deliver such Restricted
Material Contract to the Buyer, and the Buyer shall assume the
obligations under such Restricted Material Contract assigned to the
Buyer from and after the date of assignment to the Buyer pursuant
to a special-purpose assignment and assumption agreement (which
special-purpose agreement the Parties shall prepare, execute and
deliver in good faith at the time of such transfer, all at no
additional cost to the Buyer).
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(b) If there are any
consents other than the Required Consents necessary for the
assignment and transfer of any Acquired Assets to the Buyer (the
“ Nonmaterial Consents ”) which have not yet
been obtained (or otherwise are not in full force and effect) as of
the Closing, the Buyer shall elect at the Closing, in the case of
each of the Acquired Assets as to which such Nonmaterial Consents
were not obtained (or otherwise are not in full force and effect)
(the “ Restricted Nonmaterial Contracts ”),
whether to:
(i) accept the assignment
of such Restricted Nonmaterial Contract, in which case, as between
the Buyer and the Sellers, such Restricted Nonmaterial Contract
shall, to the maximum extent practicable and notwithstanding the
failure to obtain the applicable Nonmaterial Consent, be
transferred at the Closing to the Buyer under this Agreement;
or
(ii) reject the
assignment of such Restricted Nonmaterial Contract, in which case,
notwithstanding Sections 1 and 2 of this Agreement, (A) neither
this Agreement nor any assignment and assumption agreement nor any
other document related to the consummation of the Transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall constitute a sale, assignment,
assumption, conveyance or delivery or an attempted sale,
assignment, assumption, transfer, conveyance or delivery of such
Restricted Nonmaterial Contract, and (B) the Sellers shall retain
such Restricted Nonmaterial Contract and all liabilities arising
therefrom or relating thereto.
(a) Except as herein
otherwise provided, on the Closing Date, or as promptly as
practicable following the Closing Date, but in no event later than
60 day thereafter, the real and personal property taxes, water,
gas, electricity and other utilities, common area maintenance
reimbursement to lessors, deposits, royalties, local business and
other license fees or taxes, interest charges, merchant’s
association dues and other similar periodic charges payable with
respect to the Acquired Assets or the Business shall be prorated
between Buyer and Sellers effective as of the Closing
Date.
(b) Sellers shall pay
rent under the Real Property Lease through the end of the calendar
month in which the Closing Date occurs, and on the Closing Date,
Buyer shall reimburse Seller for such rent accrued from the Closing
Date through the end of the month as part of the post-Closing
proration.
5. REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE SELLERS. As a material inducement to the Buyer
and Guarantor to enter into this Agreement and consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby, the Sellers jointly and severally
represent and warrant to the Buyer as follows, except as
specifically contemplated by this Agreement, the Transaction
Documents and/or the Distributor Agreement (as defined in Section
13) and except set forth in the Sellers’ disclosure
schedules, which shall be arranged so as to correspond to the
numbered representation that it modifies and which information so
disclosed shall be deemed to modify the representation or warranty
to
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which it corresponds or is cross-referenced only (each a “
Schedule ” and collectively, the “
Schedules ”):
5.1. Organization of
Seller; Authority . The Company is a corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Washington. Each Seller is duly qualified and in good
standing as a foreign corporation in all jurisdictions in which the
character of the properties owned or leased or the nature of the
activities conducted by it makes such qualification necessary,
except where any such failure would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in Section 13). Each
Seller has delivered or made available to the Buyer complete and
correct copies of its Articles or Certificate of Incorporation, as
the case may be, and By-Laws and all amendments thereto, and no
amendments thereto are pending or under consideration by the
Seller. Sellers are not in violation of any term of their Articles
or Certificate of Incorporation. Each Seller has all requisite
corporate power and corporate authority to own and hold the
Acquired Assets owned or held by it, to carry on the Business as
such business is now conducted and to execute and deliver this
Agreement and the other documents, instruments and agreements
contemplated hereby or thereby (collectively, the “
Transaction Documents ”) to which it is a party and to
carry out all actions required of it pursuant to the terms of the
Transaction Documents, except where any such failure would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Eden
Bioscience Corporation of New York, Inc. and Eden Bioscience
International, Inc., subsidiaries of the Company not named as
Sellers, are shell corporations that owns no assets and conducts no
business.
5.2. Corporate
Approval; Binding Effect . Each Seller has obtained all
necessary authorizations and approvals from its Board of Directors
required for the execution and delivery of the Transaction
Documents to which it is a party and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. As of the Closing,
each Seller shall have obtained all necessary authorizations and
approvals from its shareholders required for the execution and
delivery of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly executed
and, when delivered by Sellers in accordance with the terms hereof
and thereof, will constitute the legal, valid and binding
obligation of each Seller enforceable against such Seller in
accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may
be limited by any applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency
or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by
general principles of equity.
5.3.
Non-Contravention . The execution and delivery by Sellers of
the Transaction Documents and, subject to receipt of required
shareholder approvals, the consummation by the Sellers of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (a) violate
or conflict with any provision of the Articles or Certificate of
Incorporation or By-Laws of any Seller, as amended to date; or (b)
constitute a violation of, or be in conflict with, or constitute or
create a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of
any Encumbrance upon any property of Seller (including without
limitation any of the Acquired Assets) pursuant to (i) any
agreement or instrument to which any Seller is a party
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or by which any Seller or any of its properties (including without
limitation any of the Acquired Assets) is bound or to which any
Seller or any of such properties is subject, or (ii) any statute,
judgment, decree, order, regulation or rule of any court or
governmental or regulatory authority binding on any Seller, except
in the case of clause (b) for such violations, conflicts, defaults
and Encumbrances as could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
5.4. Governmental
Consents; Transferability of Licenses, Etc . Except as set
forth on Schedule 5.4 , no consent, approval or
authorization of, or registration, qualification or filing with,
any governmental agency or authority is required for the execution
and delivery by any Seller of the Transaction Documents to which it
is a party or for the consummation by any Seller of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, other than such as
have been obtained or made. The Sellers have and maintain, and the
Permits listed on Schedule 1.1(f) hereto include, all
licenses, permits and other authorizations from all governmental
authorities as are necessary for the conduct of the Business as it
is now being conducted or in connection with the ownership or
current use of the Acquired Assets, except for such licenses,
permits and other authorizations the lack of which would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as
expressly designated on Schedule 5.4 , all of the Permits
listed on Schedule 1.1(f) are transferable to the Buyer, and
true and complete copies of the Permits listed on Schedule
1.1(f) have previously been delivered or made available to the
Buyer.
5.5. Financial
Statements . The Company has delivered the following financial
statements (the “ Financial Statements ”) to the
Buyer: (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Company
and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2004 and 2005 (the “
Audited Balance Sheets ”), and the related
consolidated statements of operations and cash flows of the Company
and its subsidiaries for the fiscal years then ended (together with
the Audited Balance Sheets, collectively, the “ Audited
Financials ”), and (ii) the unaudited consolidated
balance sheet of the Company and its subsidiaries as of September
30, 2006 (the “ Interim Balance Sheet ”) and the
related unaudited consolidated statements of operations and cash
flows of the Company and its subsidiaries for the period then ended
(together with the Interim Balance Sheet, collectively, the “
Interim Financials ”). Each of the Financial
Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles accepted in the United States (“
GAAP ”), consistently applied; during the periods
involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in the Financial
Statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of Interim
Financials, to the extent that they may not include footnotes, may
be condensed or summary statements or may conform to the Securities
and Exchange Commission’s (“ SEC ”) rules
and instructions for Reports on Form 10-Q). Each of the Audited
Balance Sheets and the Interim Balance Sheets fairly presents the
consolidated financial condition of the Company and its
subsidiaries as of its respective date; and each of the statements
of operations and cash flows included in the Audited Financials and
the Interim Financials fairly presents the consolidated results of
operations and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries for
the periods then ended (subject, in the case of Interim Financials,
to normal recurring year-end adjustments).
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5.6. Absence of
Certain Changes . Except as set forth on Schedule 5.6 or
except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect, since the date of the Interim Financials each of
the Sellers has carried on the Business only in the ordinary course
(as defined in Section 13), and there has not been with respect to
the Business: (a) any change in the assets, liabilities, sales,
income or business of the Sellers, or in their relationships with
suppliers, customers or lessors, other than changes in the ordinary
course of business; (b) any acquisition or disposition by Sellers
of any asset or property other than in the ordinary course of
business; (c) any damage, destruction or loss, whether or not
covered by insurance, adversely affecting, in the aggregate, the
property or business of the Sellers; (d) any declaration, setting
aside or payment of any dividend or any other distributions in
respect of the Company’s capital stock; (e) any increase in
the compensation, pension or other benefits payable or to become
payable by the Sellers to any of their directors, officers,
employees or consultants, or any bonus payments or arrangements
made to or with any of them (other than pursuant to the terms of
any existing written agreement or plan of which the Buyer has been
supplied complete and correct copies ); (f) any forgiveness or
cancellation of any debt or claim by the Sellers or any waiver of
any right of material value other than compromises of accounts
receivable in the ordinary course of business; (g) any entry by the
Sellers into any transaction other than in the ordinary course of
business; (h) any incurrence by the Sellers of any obligations or
liabilities, whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise
(including, without limitation, liabilities as a guarantor or
otherwise with respect to obligations of others), other than
obligations and liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of
business; (i) any mortgage, pledge, lien, lease, security interest
or other charge or encumbrance on any of the assets, tangible or
intangible, of the Sellers, other than in the ordinary course of
business; or (j) any discharge or satisfaction by the Sellers of
any lien or encumbrance or payment by the Sellers of any obligation
or liability (fixed or contingent) other than (A) current
liabilities included in the Interim Balance Sheet and (B) current
liabilities incurred since the date of the Interim Balance Sheet in
the ordinary course of the Business.
5.7. Litigation .
Except as set forth on Schedule 5.7 hereto, no action, suit,
proceeding or investigation is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Sellers, threatened, relating to or affecting any of the Acquired
Assets or the Business, nor, to the knowledge of the Sellers, has
any event occurred that is reasonably likely to give rise to or
serve as a basis for the commencement of any such action, suit,
proceeding or investigation. No action, suit, proceeding or
investigation is pending or, to the knowledge of the Sellers,
threatened, which questions the validity of the Transaction
Documents or challenges any of the transactions contemplated hereby
or thereby, nor, to the knowledge of the Sellers, has any event
occurred that is reasonably likely to give rise to or serve as a
basis for the commencement of any such action, suit, proceeding or
investigation.
5.8. Conformity to
Law . Except as set forth on Schedule 5.8 or except
where any such noncompliance has been cured or would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Sellers have
complied with, and are in compliance with (a) all laws, statutes,
governmental regulations and all judicial or administrative
tribunal orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees or similar
commands applicable to the Business or any of the Acquired Assets
(including, without limitation, any labor,
environmental,
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occupational health, zoning or other law, regulation or ordinance)
and (b) all terms and provisions of all contracts, agreements and
indentures of the Business to which any of the Sellers is a party,
or by which the Business or any of the Acquired Assets is subject.
Except as set forth in Schedule 5.8 hereto, the Sellers have
not committed, been charged with, or, to the knowledge of the
Sellers, are or have been under investigation with respect to, nor
to the knowledge of Sellers does there exist, any violation of any
provision of any federal, state or local law or administrative
regulation which would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
5.9. Title to
Acquired Assets . Except as set forth on Schedule 5.9 ,
the Sellers have valid and enforceable title or interest in or to
all of the Acquired Assets, and have the full right to sell,
convey, transfer, assign and deliver the Acquired Assets, without
the need to obtain the consent or approval of any third party.
Except for Permitted Encumbrances (as defined below), all of the
Acquired Assets are free and clear of any security interests,
liens, claims, charges, options, mortgages, debts, leases (or
subleases), conditional sales agreements, title retention
agreements, encumbrances of any kind, material defects as to title
or restrictions against the transfer or assignment thereof
(collectively, “ Encumbrances ”). Except as set
forth on Schedule 5.9 and except for the Equipment and
tangible personal property held by the Sellers under the Personal
Property Leases, which Equipment and tangible personal property is
in “as is, where is” condition, to Seller’s
knowledge, all of the Acquired Assets are in good condition and
repair (reasonable wear and tear excepted) and are reasonably
adequate to carry on the Business on substantially the same basis
as presently conducted; assuming however, that the Buyer provides
the necessary managerial, administrative and accounting personnel
and systems to oversee and administer operation of the Business. At
and as of the Closing, the Sellers will convey the Acquired Assets
to the Buyer by bills of sale, certificates of title and other
instruments of assignment and transfer effective in each case to
vest in the Buyer, and the Buyer will have, valid and enforceable
title or interest in or to all of the Acquired Assets, free and
clear of all Encumbrances other than (a) those identified in
CSchedule 5.9 ; (b) those for Taxes and other governmental
assessments or charges not yet due and payable or which are being
contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings; (c) any
other Encumbrances which in the aggregate relate to claims totaling
less than $5,000, do not materially detract from the value or
transferability of the property or assets subject thereto or
materially interfere with the present use and have no arisen other
than in the ordinary course of business; and (d) rights, claims,
interests, restrictions and agreements of or with the landlords
under the Real Property Leases and of or with the lessors under the
Personal Property Leases (“ Permitted Encumbrances
”).
5.10. Leased Real
Property .
(a) Leased Real
Property .
(i) Leases . The
copies of the leases of the Leased Real Property (collectively, the
“ Leases ”) delivered by the Sellers to the
Buyer and the information with respect to each of the Leases set
forth in Schedule 1.1(a) is complete, accurate, true
and
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correct in all material respects. With respect to each of the
Leases, except as set forth on Schedule 1.1(a) or
Schedule 5.10(a) :
(A) each of the Leases is
in full force and effect and has not been modified, amended or
altered, in writing or otherwise;
(B) to the knowledge of
Sellers, all obligations of the landlord or lessor under the Leases
which have accrued have been performed, and, to the knowledge of
the Sellers, no landlord or lessor is in default under any
Lease;
(C) all obligations of
the tenant or lessee under the Leases have been performed, and the
Sellers are not in default under any Lease, and no circumstance
presently exists which, with notice or the passage of time, or
both, would give rise to a default by the Sellers;
(D) the Sellers will use
its reasonable efforts to obtain prior to the Closing the consent
of each landlord or lessor under any Leases whose consent is
required to the transfer of the Leased Real Property to the Buyer;
and
(E) the Buyer will as of
the Closing comply with Section 4.2(b).
(ii) Title and
Description . The Sellers hold a valid and enforceable
leasehold interest in the Leased Real Property pursuant to the
Leases.
(iii) Condition .
Except as set forth on Schedule 5.10(a) , to the
Sellers’ knowledge, there are no material defects in the
physical condition of any improvements constituting a part of the
Leased Real Property, including, without limitation, structural
elements, mechanical systems, roofs or parking and loading areas,
and all of such improvements are in reasonably good operating
condition and repair, have been well maintained and are free from
infestation by rodents or insects. Except as set forth on
Schedule 5.10(a) , to the Seller’s knowledge, none of
the Leased Real Property is subject to special flood or mudslide
hazards. All water, sewer, gas, electric, telephone, air
conditioning, heating, drainage and other utilities required by law
or necessary for the current operation of the Leased Real Property
have been installed and are reasonably sufficient to service the
Leased Real Property in accordance with Sellers’ prior
practice.
(iv) Compliance with
Law; Government Approvals . The Sellers have received no notice
from any governmental authority of any violation of any law,
ordinance, regulation, license, permit or authorization issued with
respect to any of the Leased Real Property that has not been
corrected or that will not be corrected prior to the Closing Date,
and, to Sellers’ knowledge, no such violation now exists
which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.. All improvements constituting a part of the Leased Real
Property are in compliance in all respects with all applicable
laws, ordinances, regulations, licenses, permits and
authorizations, and there are presently in effect all licenses,
permits and authorizations required by law, ordinance or
regulation, except
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where such noncompliance or failure to have in effect such license
permit or authorization would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. The Sellers have received no notice of any
pending or threatened material real estate tax deficiency or
reassessment or condemnation of all or any portion of any of the
Leased Real Property.
5.11. Environmental
Matters
(a) Except as set forth
on Schedule 5.11 :
(i) neither the Sellers,
with respect to the Business, nor to the Sellers’ knowledge,
any operator of any real property presently or formerly owned,
leased or operated by the Sellers in connection with the Business
is in violation or alleged violation of any judgment, decree,
order, law, license, rule or regulation pertaining to environmental
matters, including without limitation those arising under the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“ RCRA
”), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act of 1980 as amended (“ CERCLA
”), the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
(“ SARA ”), the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, the Federal Clean
Water Act, the Federal Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control
Act, or any state or local statute, regulation, ordinance, order or
decree relating to health, safety or the environment (collectively,
“ Environmental Laws ”);
(ii) neither of the
Sellers has, in connection with the Business, received notice from
any third party, including without limitation any federal, state or
local governmental authority, (A) that the Sellers or any
predecessor in interest has been identified by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (“ EPA ”) as a
potentially responsible party under CERCLA with respect to a site
listed on the National Priorities List, 40 C.F.R. Part 300 Appendix
B (1986); (B) that any hazardous waste, as defined by 42 U.S.C.
§ 6903(5), any hazardous substance as defined by 42 U.S.C.
§ 9601(14), any pollutant or contaminant as defined by 42
U.S.C. § 9601(33) or any toxic substance, oil or hazardous
material or other chemical or substance (including, without
limitation, asbestos in any form, urea formaldehyde or
polychlorinated biphenyls) regulated by any Environmental Laws
(collectively, “ Hazardous Substances ”) which
the Sellers or any predecessor in interest has generated,
transported or disposed of has been found at any site at which a
federal, state or local agency or other third party has conducted
or has ordered that the Sellers or any predecessor in interest
conduct a remedial investigation, removal or other response action
pursuant to any Environmental Law; or (C) that the Sellers or any
predecessor in interest is or shall be a named party to any claim,
action, cause of action, complaint, (contingent or otherwise),
legal or administrative proceeding arising out of any third
party’s incurrence of costs, expenses, losses or damages of
any kind whatsoever in connection with the Release of Hazardous
Substances;
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(iii) (A) to the
Seller’s knowledge, no portion of any real property presently
or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Sellers in connection
with the Business has been used for the handling, manufacturing,
processing, storage or disposal of Hazardous Substances except in
accordance with applicable Environmental Laws; and to the
Sellers’ knowledge, no underground tank or other underground
storage receptacle for Hazardous Substances is located on such
properties; (B) in the course of any activities conducted by the
Sellers or, to the Sellers’ knowledge, operators of any real
property presently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the
Sellers in connection with the Business, no Hazardous Substances
have been generated or are being used on such properties except in
accordance with applicable Environmental Laws; (C) to the
Seller’s knowledge, all real properties presently or formerly
owned, leased or operated by the Sellers in connection with the
Business are free from contamination of every kind, including
without limitation, groundwater, surface water, soil, sediment and
air contamination, and such properties do not contain any Hazardous
Substances, except in each case to the extent that the presence of
Hazardous Substances on such properties does not violate any
applicable Environmental Laws; (D) to the Sellers’ knowledge,
there have been no Releases (which term, as used herein, shall
include any past or present releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping,
pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping,
disposing or dumping, collectively, a “ Release
”) or threatened Releases of Hazardous Substances on, upon,
into or from any real property presently or formerly owned, leased
or operated by the Sellers in connection with the Business, except
in accordance with applicable Environmental Laws; (E) to the
Sellers’ knowledge, there have been no Releases of Hazardous
Substances on, upon, from or into any real property in the vicinity
of any real property presently or formerly owned, leased or
operated by the Sellers in connection with the Business which,
through soil or groundwater contamination, may have come to be
located on such real property except for Hazardous Substances whose
presence on such real property does not violate any applicable
Environmental Laws; and (F) in addition, to the Sellers’
knowledge, any Hazardous Substances that have been generated on any
real property presently or formerly owned, leased or operated by
the Sellers in connection with the Business have been transported
offsite only by carriers having identification numbers issued by
the EPA and have been treated or disposed of only by treatment or
disposal facilities maintaining valid permits as required under
applicable Environmental Laws, which transporters and facilities
have been and are, to the best of the Sellers’ knowledge,
operating in compliance with such permits and applicable
Environmental Laws; and
(iv) to Sellers’
knowledge, no real property presently or formerly owned, leased or
operated by the Sellers in connection with the Business is or shall
be subject to any applicable environmental cleanup responsibility
law or environmental restrictive transfer law or regulation, by
virtue of the transactions set forth herein and contemplated
hereby.
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(b) Schedule 5.11
hereto sets out a list of all material documents, reports, site
assessments, data, communications or other materials, in the
possession of any Seller, which contain any information with
respect to potential environmental liabilities associated with any
real property presently or formerly owned, leased or operated by
the Sellers and relating to compliance with Environmental Laws or
the environmental condition of such properties. The Sellers have
made available to the Buyer complete and accurate copies of all of
the documents, reports, site assessments, data, communications and
other materials listed on Schedule 5.11 .
5.12. Equipment .
Schedule 1.1(b) hereto sets forth a complete and accurate
list of all of the Equipment existing as of September 13, 2006. The
Personal Property Leases listed on Schedule 1.1(c) hereto
include all leases by the Sellers of all items of tangible personal
property (other than Excluded Assets) reasonably necessary for
operation of the Business as presently conducted. All Equipment and
tangible personal property held by the Sellers under the Personal
Property Leases will be transferred to the Buyer in substantially
the same “as is, where is” condition existing as of the
date hereof (additional ordinary wear and tear
excepted).
5.13. Inventories
. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.13 and except for
obsolete items and items below-standard quality, all of which have
been written off or written down to net realizable value in the
Audited Balance Sheets or the Interim Balance Sheet, all items
included in the Inventories consist solely of, and the items
included in the Inventories to be purchased by the Buyer hereunder
will consist solely of, material and goods of a quality and
quantity which are usable or saleable in the ordinary course of
Business as currently conducted by Sellers. The Inventories are
reasonably adequate for the present needs of the Business of
Sellers, are fairly reflected on the books of account of the
Sellers, stating items of Inventory at the lower of cost or market
value in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied, with adequate
allowance for excessive or obsolete inventories.
5.14. Material
Contracts. Schedule 5.14 sets forth a complete and
accurate list of all material contracts with respect to or relating
to the Business to which any Seller is a party or by which any
Seller is bound or to which any Seller or any of the Acquired
Assets is subject. As used in this Section 5.14, the word “
contract ” means and includes every agreement or
understanding of any kind, written or oral, enforceable or not and
specifically includes (a) contracts and other agreements for the
provision of products or services by the Sellers; (b) contracts and
other agreements for the sale of any of the Sellers’ assets
or properties other than in the ordinary course of business or for
the grant to any person of any preferential rights to purchase any
of the Sellers’ assets or properties; (c) joint venture
agreements relating to the Business or by or to which any of the
Acquired Assets are affected or subject; and (d) any other contract
or other agreement not made in the ordinary course of business. The
Sellers have made available to the Buyer true, correct and complete
copies of all such material contracts, together with all
modifications and supplements thereto. Each of the Acquired
Contracts is in full force and effect in accordance with its terms,
the Sellers are not in breach of any of the material provisions of
any such contract, nor, to the knowledge of any Seller, is any
other party to any such
-17-
contract in default thereunder, nor does any event or condition
exist which with notice or the passage of time or both would
constitute a material default thereunder. The Sellers have in
performed all material obligations required to be performed by them
to date under each Acquired Contract. Subject to obtaining any
necessary consents of the other party or parties to any such
Acquired Contract (the requirement of any such consent being
reflected on Schedule 5.14 ) and except as set out in
Schedule 5.14 , no such contract (a) includes any provision
the effect of which would be to materially enlarge or accelerate
any obligations of the Buyer to be assumed thereunder or give
material additional rights to any other party thereto or will
materially adversely affect the Business as presently conducted by
the Sellers, or (b) contains any material provision which would
terminate or lapse by reason of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
5.15. Intellectual
Property .
(a) Schedule
1.1(g) and Schedule 1.2(l) (Domain Names) hereto set forth a
complete and accurate list of (i) all material patents, trademarks,
trade names, domain names and copyrights used in the Business and
registered in the name of the Sellers, and all applications
therefor (collectively, the “ Registered Intellectual
Property ”); (ii) Schedule 1.1(g) hereto sets out all
material Intellectual Property which the Sellers are licensed or
authorized by others to use in connection with the Business (the
“ Licensed Intellectual Property ”); and (iii)
Schedule 1.1(g) hereto sets out all material Intellectual Property
used in the Business which the Sellers have licensed or authorized
others to use (the “ Licensor Intellectual Property
”).
(b) Except as set forth
in Schedule 5.15(b) and except as would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, the Sellers own or have the sole and exclusive
right to use all Assigned Intellectual Property and have the right
to use the Licensed Intellectual Property used in the ordinary
course of the Business as presently conducted. Upon the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
and subject to receipt of all consents required to assign to Buyer
(i) all Assigned Intellectual Property and (ii) all licenses or
other authorizations to use the Licensed Intellectual Property,
Buyer shall have the right to use the Assigned Intellectual
Property and Licensed Intellectual Property in the ordinary course
of the Business as presently conducted. Sellers agree to cooperate
in placing the Assigned Intellectual Property in the name of Buyer.
No claims have been asserted against the Sellers, and to the
knowledge of the Sellers no claims are pending, by any person that
may affect the use of any Assigned Intellectual Property or
Licensed Intellectual Property, or challenging or questioning the
validity or effectiveness of any material license or agreement
pertaining to the Assigned Intellectual Property, and, except as
set forth in Schedule 5.15(b) , to the knowledge of the
Sellers, there is no basis for such claim. Except as set forth in
Schedule 5.15(b) , to the Sellers’ knowledge, the use
by the Sellers of the Assigned Intellectual Property and the
Licensed Intellectual Property in the ordinary course of the
Business as currently conducted by the Sellers does not infringe on
the rights of any person.
(c) The Sellers have the
legal right to grant licenses or sublicenses with respect to all
the Licensor Intellectual Property that the Sellers have licensed
or authorized
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others to use. All licenses or other agreements pursuant to which
the Sellers have granted licenses or authorized others to use any
Licensor Intellectual Property are, unless they have expired
according to their terms, in full force and effect, and, to the
knowledge of the Sellers, there is no default by any party thereto.
To the Sellers’ knowledge, the licenses granted by the
Sellers with respect to the Licensor of Intellectual Property do
not infringe on the rights of any person.
(d) Except as set forth
in Schedule 5.15(d) and except as would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, all of the Registered Intellectual Property that is
Assigned Intellectual Property has been duly registered in, filed
in or issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the
United States Register of Copyrights, or the corresponding offices
of other jurisdictions as identified on Schedule 1.1(g) ,
and has been maintained and renewed in accordance with all
applicable provisions of law and administrative regulations of the
United States and each such other jurisdiction.
(e) Except as set forth
in Schedule 5.15(e) , the Sellers have taken commercially
reasonable steps to establish and preserve their Intellectual
Property Rights with respect to the Assigned Intellectual Property
used in the operation of the Business as currently conducted by the
Sellers. Except as set forth in Schedule 5.15(e) , the
Sellers have required all professional and technical employees
employed in the Business, and other such employees and consultants
having access to valuable nonpublic information of the Sellers, to
execute agreements under which such employees or consultants are
required to convey to the Sellers ownership of all inventions and
developments conceived or created by them in the course of their
employment or engagement with the Sellers and to maintain the
confidentiality of all such information of the Sellers. Except as
set forth in Schedule 5.15(e), the Sellers have not made
such information available to any person other than employees or
consultants of the Sellers, except pursuant to written agreements
requiring the recipients to maintain the confidentiality of such
information and appropriately restricting the use
thereof.
5.16. Suppliers and
Customers . Schedule 5.16 hereto sets forth the ten (10)
largest suppliers of the Business based on purchases by the
Business, and the ten (10) largest customers of the Business based
on sales by the Business, for the period ending on December 31,
2005. The relationships of the Sellers with such suppliers and
customers are, to Sellers’ knowledge, good commercial working
relationships and, except as set forth on Schedule 5.16 , no
supplier or customer of material importance to the Business has
cancelled or otherwise terminated, or threatened in writing to
cancel or otherwise to terminate, its relationship with the Sellers
or has during the last twelve (12) months decreased materially, or
threatened in writing to decrease or limit materially, its
services, supplies or materials for use in the Business or its
usage or purchase of the services or products of the Sellers,
except for normal cyclical changes related to such suppliers’
or customers’ businesses. Except as set forth on Schedule
5.16 , no Seller has any knowledge that any such supplier or
customer intends to cancel or otherwise substantially modify its
relationship with the Sellers or to decrease materially or limit
its services, supplies or materials to the Sellers, or its usage or
purchase of the Sellers’ services or products, and to the
knowledge of the Sellers, the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby
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would not reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the
post-Closing relationship of Buyer with any customer or supplier of
the Sellers relating to the Business.
5.17. Adequacy of
Acquired Assets . The Acquired Assets are reasonably adequate
to conduct the Business on substantially the same basis as
currently conducted by the Sellers, assuming, however, that the
Buyer provides the necessary managerial, administrative and
accounting personnel and systems to oversee and administer the
operation of the Business.
5.18. No Undisclosed
Liabilities . Except to the extent (a) reflected or reserved
against in the Interim Balance Sheet, (b) incurred in the ordinary
course of the Business after the date of the Interim Balance Sheet,
or (c) described on any Schedule hereto, the Sellers are not
subject to any liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether
accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise in connection with the
Business (including without limitation as guarantors or otherwise
with respect to obligations of others), other than liabilities and
obligations in connection with the Business that would not be
required to be reflected or reserved against on a balance sheet
prepared in accordance with GAAP.
5.19. Taxes . The
Sellers have duly filed (or have obtained an extension of time
within which to file) with the appropriate government agencies all
of the income, sales, use, employment and other Tax returns and
reports required to be filed by it. No waiver of any statute of
limitations relating to Taxes has been executed or given by the
Sellers. All Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental
charges upon the Sellers or upon any of its properties, assets,
revenues, income and franchises which are owed by the Sellers with
respect to any period ending on or before the Closing Date have or
will be paid, other than those currently payable without penalty or
interest, those being contested in good faith, or those the
non-payment of which would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. The Sellers have withheld and paid all
Taxes required to be withheld or paid in connection with amounts
paid or owing to any employee, creditor, independent contractor or
third party. No federal Tax return of the Sellers is currently
under audit by the IRS, and no other Tax return of the Sellers is
currently under audit by any other taxing authority. Neither the
IRS nor any other taxing authority is now asserting or, to
Sellers’ knowledge, threatening to assert against the Sellers
any deficiency or claim for additional Taxes or interest thereon or
penalties in connection therewith or any adjustment that would have
Material Adverse Effect.
5.20. Broker .
None of the Sellers has retained, utilized or been represented by
any broker, agent, finder or intermediary in connection with the
negotiation or consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and neither of the Sellers has incurred or become
liable for any broker’s commission or finder’s fee
relating to or in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
5.21 Accredited
Investor. The Company is an accredited investor as that term is
defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
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5.22 Disclosure .
Subject to Section 5.23 below, no representation or warranty by any
Seller in this Section 5 contains at the time made any untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
contained therein not misleading.
5.23. No Other
Representations and Warranties .
(a) Except for the
representations and warranties of the Sellers contained in this
Section 5, Sellers make no other representations and warranties,
written or oral, statutory, express, or implied. Buyer and
Guarantor acknowledge that except as expressly provided in this
Agreement, Sellers have not made, and Sellers hereby expressly
disclaim and negate, and the Buyer and Guarantor hereby expressly
waive, any representation or warranty, express or implied, at
common law, by statute, or otherwise relating to, and the Buyer and
Guarantor hereby expressly waive and relinquish any and all rights,
claims and causes of action against the Sellers and their
representatives in connection with the accuracy, completeness or
materiality of, any information, data or other information (written
or oral) heretofore furnished to Buyer and Guarantor and each of
their representatives by and on behalf of Sellers.
(b) In connection with
the Buyer’s investigation of the Business of the Sellers, the
Buyer and Guarantor may have received or may receive from or on
behalf of the Sellers certain projections or forward-looking
statements, including projected statements of operating revenues
and income from operations. The Buyer and Guarantor each
acknowledge that there are uncertainties inherent in attempting to
make such estimates, projections and other forecasts and plans, and
the Buyer and Guarantor each is taking full responsibility for
making its own evaluation of the adequacy and accuracy of all
estimates, projections and other forecasts and plans so furnished
to it, including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying
such estimates, projections and forecasts. Accordingly, the Sellers
make no representation or warranty with respect to such estimates,
projections, forward looking statements and other forecasts and
plans (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underling
such estimates, projections and other forecasts and
plans).
6. REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER AND GUARANTOR. As a material inducement to
the Sellers to enter into this Agreement and consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby, the Buyer and Guarantor jointly
and severally represent and warrant to each Seller as follows,
except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement, the
Transaction Documents and/or the Distributor Agreement:
6.1. Organization of
Buyer and Guarantor; Authority . The Buyer is a corporation
duly organized, validly existing and presently subsisting under the
laws of the state of Pennsylvania. Guarantor is a corporation duly
incorporated and registered in England and Wales under the
Companies Act 1985. Each of Buyer and Guarantor has delivered or
made available to the Buyer complete and correct copies of its
Articles or Certificate of Incorporation, as the case may be, and
By-Laws and all amendments thereto, and no
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amendments thereto are pending or under consideration by the Buyer
or Guarantor. Buyer and Guarantor are not in violation of any term
of their Articles or Certificate of Incorporation. Buyer and
Guarantor each has all requisite corporate power and corporate
authority to own and hold all property owned or held by it, to
carry on its business as such business is now conducted and to
execute and deliver this Agreement and the Transaction Documents to
which it is a party, including but not limited to the Note, the
Security Agreement, the Guaranty and the Supply Agreement, and to
carry out all actions required of it pursuant to the terms of the
Transaction Documents, except where any such failure would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
6.2. Corporate
Approval; Binding Effect . The Buyer and Guarantor each has
obtained all necessary authorizations and approvals from its Board
of Directors and stockholders required for the execution and
delivery of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. Each of the Transaction Documents to which the Buyer or
Guarantor is a party has been duly executed and delivered by the
Buyer or Guarantor, as the case may be, and constitutes the legal,
valid and binding obligation of each of the Buyer or Guarantor,
enforceable against the Buyer or Guarantor in accordance with its
terms, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by any
applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency or other laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general
principles of equity.
6.3.
Non-Contravention . The execution and delivery by each of
the Buyer and Guarantor of the Transaction Documents to which it is
a party and the consummation by the Buyer and Guarantor of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (a) violate
or conflict with any provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation
or By-Laws of the Buyer or Guarantor, each as amended to date; or
(b) constitute a violation of, or be in conflict with, constitute
or create a default under, or result in the creation or imposition
of any Encumbrance upon any property of the Buyer or Guarantor
(including without limitation the Acquired Assets to be pledged as
collateral under the Security Agreement) pursuant to (i) any
agreement or instrument to which the Buyer or Guarantor is a party
or by which the Buyer or Guarantor or any of its properties is
bound or to which the Buyer or Guarantor or any of its properties
is subject (including without limitation the Acquired Assets to be
pledged as collateral under the Security Agreement), or (ii) any
statute, judgment, decree, order, regulation or rule of any court
or governmental authority to which the Buyer or Guarantor is
subject, except in the case of clause (b) for such violations,
conflicts, defaults and Encumbrances as could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.4 Governmental
Consents . No consent, approval or authorization of, or
registration, qualification or filing with, any governmental agency
or authority is required for the execution and delivery by each of
the Buyer and Guarantor of the Transaction Documents to which it is
a party or for the consummation by the Buyer and Guarantor of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. The Buyer and
Guarantor have and maintain all licenses, permits and other
authorizations from all governmental authorities as are necessary
for the conduct of their respective businesses or in connection
with the
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ownership of their respective properties, except for such licenses,
permits and authorizations as would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.5. Financial
Statements . The Guarantor has delivered the following
financial statements (the “ Buyer Financial Statements
”) to the Company: (i) the audited consolidated balance
sheets of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries as of December 31,
2005 (the “Buyer Audited Balance Sheet”), and the
related consolidated statements of operations of the Guarantor and
its subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended (together with the
Buyer Audited Balance Sheet, collectively, the “ Buyer
Audited Financials ”), and (ii) the unaudited
consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries as
of September 30, 2006 (the “ Buyer Interim Balance
Sheet ”) and the related unaudited consolidated
statements of operations of the Guarantor for the period then ended
(together with the Buyer Interim Balance Sheet, collectively, the
“ Buyer Interim Financials ”). Each of the Buyer
Financial Statements has been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles accepted in the United Kingdom
(“ UK GAAP ”), consistently applied, during the
periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in the
Buyer Financial Statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the
case of Buyer Interim Financials, to the extent that they may not
include footnotes). Each of the Buyer Audited Balance Sheet and the
Buyer Interim Balance Sheet fairly presents the consolidated
financial condition of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries as of its
respective date; and each of the statements of operations included
in the Buyer Audited Financials and the Buyer Interim Financials
fairly presents the consolidated results of operations and cash
flows of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries for the periods then
ended (subject, in the case of Buyer Interim Financials, to normal
recurring year-end adjustments).
6.6. Absence of
Certain Changes . Since the date of the Buyer Interim
Financials, each of the Guarantor and Buyer has carried on its
business in the ordinary course, and there has not been with
respect to such business: (a) any change in the assets,
liabilities, sales, income or business of the Guarantor or the
Buyer, or in their respective relationships with suppliers,
customer or lessors, other than changes which were in the ordinary
course of business; (b) any acquisition or disposition by Guarantor
or the Buyer of any asset or property other than in the ordinary
course of business; (c) any damage, destruction or loss, whether or
not covered by insurance, materially and adversely affecting, in
the aggregate, the property or business of the Guarantor, the Buyer
or their subsidiaries; (d) any declaration, setting aside or
payment of any dividend or any other distribution in respect of the
Guarantor’s capital stock; (e) any forgiveness or
cancellation of any debt or claim by any of the Guarantor, the
Buyer or their subsidiaries or any waiver of any right of material
value other than compromises of accounts receivable in the ordinary
course of business;(f) any incurrence by any of the Guarantor, the
Buyer or their subsidiaries of any obligations or liabilities,
whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise (including,
without limitation, liabilities as a guarantor or otherwise with
respect to obligations of others), other than obligations and
liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business and the
obligations contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which
Guarantor or Buyer are a party; (i) any mortgage, pledge, lien,
lease, security interest or other charge or encumbrance on any of
the assets, tangible or intangible, of the Guarantor, the Buyer or
their subsidiaries, other than in the ordinary course of business;
(j) any discharge or
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satisfaction by any of the Guarantor, the Buyer or their
subsidiaries of any lien or encumbrance or payment by any of the
Guarantor, the Buyer or their subsidiaries of any obligation or
liability (fixed or contingent) other than (A) current liabilities
included in the Buyer Interim Balance Sheet and (B) current
liabilities incurred since the date of the Buyer Interim Balance
Sheet in the ordinary course of business; or (h) any entry by
Guarantor or the Buyer or any of their subsidiaries into any
transaction other than in the ordinary course of business and which
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
6.7. Litigation .
No action, suit, proceeding or investigation is pending or, to the
knowledge of the Guarantor and Buyer, threatened, against Guarantor
or Buyer in which an adverse decision could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect, nor, to the knowledge of the
Guarantor or Buyer, has any event occurred that is reasonably
likely to give rise to or serve as a basis for the commencement of
any such action, suit, proceeding or investigation.
6.8 Conformity to
Law . Except where any such noncompliance has been cured or
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
the Guarantor and the Buyer each has complied with, and is in
compliance with (a) all laws, statutes, governmental regulations
and all judicial or administrative tribunal orders, judgments,
writs, injunctions, decrees or similar commands applicable to its
business (including, without limitation, any labor, environmental,
occupational health, zoning or other law, regulation or ordinance)
and (b) all terms and provisions of all contracts, agreements and
indentures of its business to which either of the Guarantor or the
Buyer is a party, or by which their respective businesses or their
respective properties are subject. The Guarantor and Buyer have not
committed, been charged with, or, to the knowledge of the Guarantor
or Buyer, are or have been under investigation with respect to, nor
to the knowledge of the Guarantor or Buyer does there exist, any
violation of any provision of any federal, state or local law or
administrative regulation which would reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.9. No Undisclosed
Liabilities . Except to the extent (a) reflected or reserved
against in the Buyer Interim Balance Sheet, (b) incurred in the
ordinary course of their respective businesses after the date of
the Interim Balance Sheet, or (c) described on any Schedule hereto,
the Guarantor and Buyer are not subject to any liabilities or
obligations of any nature, whether accrued, absolute, contingent or
otherwise in connection with the their respective businesses
(including without limitation as guarantors or otherwise with
respect to obligations of others), other than liabilities and
obligations in connection with such businesses that would not be
required to be reflected or reserved against on a balance sheet
prepared in accordance with UK GAAP.
6.10. Taxes . The
Guarantor and Buyer each has duly filed (or has obtained an
extension of time within which to file) with the appropriate
government agencies all of the income, sales, use, employment and
other Tax returns and reports required to be filed by it. No waiver
of any statute of limitations relating to Taxes has been executed
or given by the Guarantor or the Buyer. All Taxes, assessments,
fees and other governmental charges upon the Guarantor or the Buyer
or upon any of their respective properties, assets,
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revenues, income and franchises which are owed by the Guarantor and
the Buyer with respect to any period ending on or before the
Closing Date have or will be paid, other than those currently
payable without penalty or interest, those being contested in good
faith, or those the non-payment of which would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Guarantor and the
Buyer have withheld and paid all Taxes required to be withheld or
paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee,
creditor, independent contractor or third party. No federal Tax
return of the Guarantor or the Buyer is currently under audit by
the IRS, and no other Tax return of the Guarantor or the Buyer is
currently under audit by any other taxing authority. Neither the
IRS nor any other taxing authority is now asserting or, to
Guarantor’s or Buyer’s knowledge, threatening to assert
against the Guarantor or Buyer any deficiency or claim for
additional Taxes or interest thereon or penalties in connection
therewith or any adjustment that would have Material Adverse
Effect.
6.11. Broker .
Neither the Buyer nor Guarantor has retained, utilized or been
represented by any broker, agent, finder or other intermediary in
connection with the negotiation or consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, and the Buyer has not incurred or
become liable for any broker’s commission or finder’s
fee relating to or in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
6.12 Disclosure .
Subject to Section 6.13 below, no representation or warranty by any
of Guarantor or Buyer or their subsidiaries in this Section 6,
contains at the time made any untrue statement of a material fact
or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements contained therein not
misleading.
6.13 No Other
Representations and Warranties .
(a) Except for the
representations and warranties of the Guarantor and Buyer contained
in this Section 6 and in the Security Agreement and the Guaranty,
Guarantor and Buyer make no other representations and warranties,
written or oral, statutory, express, or implied, Sellers
acknowledge that except as expressly provided in this Agreement,
the Note, the Security Agreement, the Guaranty, and the Supply
Agreement, Guarantor and Buyer has not made, and Guarantor and
Buyer hereby expressly disclaim and negate, and the Sellers hereby
expressly waive, any representation or warranty, express or
implied, at common law, by statute, or otherwise relating to, and
the Sellers hereby expressly waive and relinquish any and all
rights, claims and causes of action against the Guarantor and Buyer
and their representatives in connection with the accuracy,
completeness or materiality of, any information, data or other
information (written or oral) heretofore furnished to Sellers and
each of their representatives by and on behalf of Guarantor and
Buyer.
(b) In connection with
the Sellers’ investigation of the business of the Buyer and
Guarantor, the Sellers may have received or may receive from or on
behalf of the Buyer and Guarantor certain projections or
forward-looking statements, including projected statements of
operating revenues and income from operations. The Sellers
acknowledge that there are uncertainties inherent in attempting to
make such estimates,
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projections and other forecasts and plans, and the Sellers each is
taking full responsibility for making its own evaluation of the
adequacy and accuracy of all estimates, projections and other
forecasts and plans so furnished to it, including the
reasonableness of the assumptions underlying such estimates,
projections and forecasts. Accordingly, the Guarantor and Buyer
make no representation or warranty with respect to such estimates,
projections, forward-looking statements and other forecasts and
plans (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying
such estimates, projections and forecasts and plans).
7. COVENANTS AND
AGREEMENTS
7.1. Conduct of
Business by Sellers Pending Closing . Each Seller covenants and
agrees that, from and after the date of this Agreement and until
the Closing, except as otherwise specifically consented to or
approved by the Buyer in writing or except as contemplated by this
Agreement, the Transaction Documents and/or the Distributor
Agreement:
7.1.1 Full Access
. The Sellers shall afford to the Buyer and its authorized
representatives full access during normal business hours to all
properties, assets, books, records, tax returns, financial
information, contracts and documents of the Sellers and a full
opportunity to make such reasonable investigations as they shall
desire to make of the Sellers or with respect to the Acquired
Assets, and the Sellers shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
the Buyer and its authorized representatives all such information
with respect to the Business and with respect to the Acquired
Assets as the Buyer may reasonably request.
7.1.2. Carry on in
Regular Course . The Sellers shall maintain the Acquired Assets
in their current state of repair and condition, excepting normal
wear and tear or failure to replace consistent with Sellers’
past practice, and shall carry on the Business in the ordinary
course and shall not make or institute any unusual or novel methods
of manufacture, purchase, sale, lease, management, accounting or
operation.
7.1.3. No Dividends,
Issuances, Repurchases, etc . The Sellers shall not declare or
pay any dividends (whether in cash, shares of stock or otherwise)
on, or make any other distribution, directly or indirectly, in
respect of any shares of their capital stock, or issue, purchase,
redeem or acquire for value any shares of their capital stock,
except for the issuance or acquisition of shares of Company common
stock in connection with the exercise of Company stock options and
warrants outstanding on the date of this Agreement.
7.1.4. Contracts and
Commitments . The Sellers shall not incur any Indebtedness
other than in connection with purchases of capital assets not in
violation of Section 7.1.5 under lines of credit existing prior to
the date of this Agreement, enter into any contract or commitment
or engage in any transaction with respect to the Business not in
the ordinary course of business (other than this Agreement and the
Transaction Documents and the
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transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder), or for which
disclosure would be required under Schedule 5.6 or
5.14 .
7.1.5. Purchase and
Sale of Capital Assets . Other than pursuant to this Agreement,
the Sellers shall not sell or otherwise dispose of any capital
asset constituting part of the Acquired Assets.
7.1.6. Insurance
. The Company shall maintain with financially sound and reputable
insurance companies, funds or underwriters adequate insurance for
the Business of the kinds, covering such risks and in such amounts
and with such deductibles and exclusions as are customary for
similarly situated companies in the Company’s
industry.
7.1.7. Preservation
of Business Relationships . The Sellers shall use their
commercially reasonable efforts to preserve for the Buyer the
present relationships of the Sellers’ suppliers, customers,
independent contractors and others having business relations with
the Sellers in the Business; provided however, that neither this
Section 7.1.7 nor any other provision of this Agreement shall be
deemed to require or obligate the Sellers to retain or keep
available to the Buyer, or to prohibit or restrict the Sellers from
terminating at any time, any key officers and other employees of
the Sellers employed in the Business.
7.1.8. No Default
. The Sellers shall not do any act or omit to do any act, or permit
any act or omission to act, which will cause a material breach of
any contract, commitment or obligation of the Sellers material to
the Business, including without limitation any of the Real Property
Leases, the Personal Property Leases, Permits or Assumed
Contracts.
7.1.9. Compliance
with Laws . The Sellers shall comply in all material respects
with all laws, regulations and orders material to the Business or
the Acquired Assets, or as may be reasonably required for the valid
and effective transfer of the Acquired Assets.
7.1.10. Advice of
Change . The Sellers will promptly advise the Buyer in writing
of any Material Adverse Change.
7.1.11. Exclusive
Dealing . Prior to the Closing:
(a) The Sellers shall not
directly or indirectly, solicit, initiate, or encourage submission
of proposals or offers from any persons relating to any
liquidation, dissolution, recapitalization, sale of stock
representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the
Company’s voting equity securities, merger, consolidation or
acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or purchase of any equity interest in the Company
representing 50% or more of the combined voting equity power of the
voting securities of the Company, or any other similar transaction
or business combination. Sellers shall cease immediately and cause
to be terminated all contracts (other than confidentiality and
nondisclosure agreements to which the Company is a party as of the
date hereof (each, an “Existing NDA”)), negotiations
and communications with third parties with respect to the
foregoing, if any, existing on the date hereof.
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(b) The Sellers shall not
participate, directly or indirectly, in any negotiations regarding,
or furnish to any other person, any information with respect to, or
otherwise cooperate in any way with, or assist, any effort or
attempt by any other person to do or seek any of the activities
referred to in Section 7.1.11(a). Except to the extent prohibited
by an Existing NDA, and the material terms and conditions thereof,
should any Seller receive any proposal inquiry or contact about any
of the activities referred to in Section 7.1.11(a), the Company
shall by the close of the next Business Day following give oral or
written notice thereof to Buyer and also promptly provide Buyer
with the name of the person making such proposal, inquiry or
contact.
(c) Notwithstanding the
foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement or the
Transaction Documents, at any time prior to the date on which this
Agreement is approved by the shareholders of the Company, in the
event that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good
faith by a majority vote, based on the advice of its outside legal
counsel, that there is a reasonable basis requiring the Company to
consider a Favorable Third Party Offer (as defined below) to comply
with its fiduciary duties, the Company may furnish non-public
information with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries to the
person who made the Favorable Third Party Offer pursuant to a
confidentiality agreement and participate in discussions or
negotiations with such person regarding the Favorable Third Party
Offer. The Board of Directors of the Company may after the third
Business Day following the Company’s written notice to Buyer
that specifies the material terms and conditions of the Favorable
Third Party Proposal, terminate this Agreement (and concurrently
with such termination, if it so chooses, cause the Company to enter
into any agreement with respect to the Favorable Third Party
Proposal) and withdraw any recommendation to the shareholders of
the Company to approve the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Transaction Documents.
(d) As used in this
Agreement, “ Favorable Third Party Proposal ”
means a written proposal from a credible, bona fide third party
relating to any direct or indirect acquisition or purchase of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or 50% or more of the equity
securities of the Company, any tender offer or exchange offer that
if consummated would result in any Person beneficially owning 50%
or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s voting
equity securities, or any merger, consolidation, business
combination, share exchange, recapitalization, liquidation,
dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company or
combined voting power of the Company, and otherwise on terms which
the Board of Directors of the Company determines in its good faith
judgment, taking into account legal, financial, regulatory and
other aspects of the proposal deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company, to be more favorable to the shareholders
of the Company than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(taking into account any amendments to this Agreement proposed by
the Buyer in response to the receipt by the Buyer of information
about the proposal).
(e) Nothing contained in
this Section 7.1.11 shall (i) prohibit the Company from at any time
taking and disclosing to its shareholders a position contemplated
by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Securities
Exchange Act
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of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) or
making any disclosure required by Rule 14a-9 promulgated under the
Exchange Act; or (ii) prohibit or limit the Sellers from at any
time engaging in the activities and transactions referred to in
Section 7.1.11(a) in connection with the development and
implementation of the Sellers’ post-Closing business plan
(assuming completion of the sale of the Acquired Assets and
Business to the Buyer), including but not limited to soliciting,
initiating, encouraging submissions of proposals or offers for the
sale, transfer, disposition, restructuring or similar transactions
relating to the Company’s home and garden business and/or
other Excluded Assets.
7.1.12. Consents of
Third Parties . The Sellers will employ their commercially
reasonable efforts to secure, before the Closing Date, the consent,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Buyer and the
Buyer’s counsel, to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement by each party to any of the Personal
Property Leases, Assumed Contracts, Licensed Intellectual Property,
Real Property Leases and transferable Permits under which such
transactions would constitute a material default, would accelerate
material obligations of the Sellers or would permit cancellation of
any such contract, including without limitation, the following
consents (which consents listed in clauses (a), (b) and (c) being
referred to herein as the “ Required Consents ”)
(a) Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. with respect to the Exclusive
License Agreement dated as of May 1, 1995 and subsequently amended
(which such consent shall include a consent to the security
interest contemplated under the Security Agreement, as defined
below, to the extent required or unless waived by the Sellers), and
(b) S/I North Creek I, LLC with respect to the lease with the
Company dated May 29, 2001 (the “ North Creek Lease
”).
7.2. Cooperation
. The Parties will use their commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the satisfaction of the conditions precedent contained
herein.
7.3 Proxy Statement;
Shareholder Approval .
(a) As promptly as
reasonably practicable following the date hereof, the Company,
acting through its Board of Directors, shall, subject to and in
accordance with applicable law and its Restated Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws, and in all cases subject to Section
7.1.11(c) above, (i) duly call, give notice of and hold a special
meeting of the holders of the Company’s voting equity
securities for the purpose of voting to approve the principal terms
of the transactions contemplated hereby and adopt and approve this
Agreement; (ii) recommend to the shareholders of the Company that
they vote in favor of the matters described in the preceding clause
(i); (iii) include in the proxy statement with respect to such
meeting (the “ Proxy Statement ”) such
recommendation; and (iv) take all reasonable and lawful action to
solicit and obtain such vote in favor of the matters described in
clause (i) above. The Proxy Statement will comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable provisions of Schedule
14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(b) The Company will use
its commercially reasonably efforts, and the Buyer and Guarantor
will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with it,
to, as promptly as reasonably practicable following the date
hereof, cause a preliminary Proxy
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Statement to be filed with the SEC and, following clearance thereof
by the SEC, cause a definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed to
Company shareholders. Buyer and Guarantor shall each shall use its
commercially reasonably efforts to promptly respond to requests
from the Company to assist the Company in responding to SEC
comments on information regarding the Buyer and the Guarantor
required to be included in the Proxy Statement under applicable law
or regulation.
(c) The Buyer and the
Guarantor shall provide to the Company such information for
inclusion in the Proxy Statement regarding Buyer’s and
Guarantor’s business, financial condition, operations and
prospects as the Company and its counsel reasonably determines is
required under applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. Any
such information shall not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not false or
misleading.
(d) Buyer shall promptly
inform the Company if any of the information supplied by Buyer or
Guarantor for inclusion in the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the
shareholders of the Company in connection with the special meeting
will, on the date the Proxy Statement (or any supplement or
amendment thereto) is first mailed to Company shareholders or at
the time of the special meeting, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not false or
misleading.
(e) At or prior to the
Closing, the Company shall deliver to Buyer a certificate of its
Secretary setting forth the voting results from its shareholder
meeting.
7.4 Employees .
Buyer shall at the Closing assume the Change of Control Agreement
between Dr. Zhongmin Wei and the Company dated August 16, 2000 (the
“ Wei Contract ”) and all obligations
thereunder, including but not limited to the obligations arising as
a result of the Closing of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Except with respect to Buyer’s assumption of the Wei
Contract, Buyer shall not be obligated to offer employment to any
of the employees of Sellers. Any offers of employment made to any
employees of the Sellers (other than Dr. Wei) shall be subject to
such hiring criteria as Buyer in its sole discretion may specify.
Except with respect to Buyer’s assumption of the Wei
Contract, no employee of the Sellers shall become an employee of
Buyer automatically as a result of the Closing of the transaction
contemplated hereby. Sellers shall be responsible for all costs,
obligations and liabilities (including without limitation severance
pay, accrued sick leave, accrued vacation pay and any notices or
certificates required by COBRA and HIPAA) which may result from the
termination by Sellers of the employment of any employees of
Sellers as of the Closing that are not hired by Buyer; provided,
however, that Buyer shall be responsible for all costs, obligations
and liabilities arising in respect of Buyer’s assumption of
the Wei Contract.
7.5 Compliance with
Bulk Sales Law Requirements . Buyer hereby waives compliance
with any applicable bulk sales transfer laws in connection with
the
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consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including the bulk transfer provisions of the Uniform Commercial
Code, with indemnification from Seller against claims or
liabilities arising from such noncompliance as provided in Section
11.2.
8. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
TO BUYER’S AND GUARANTOR’S OBLIGATIONS. The obligation
of the Buyer and Guarantor to consummate the Closing shall be
subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing of each of
the following conditions (to the extent noncompliance is not waived
in writing by the Buyer):
8.1. Representations
and Warranties True at Closing . The representations and
warranties made by the Sellers in Section 5 of this Agreement shall
be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the
Closing Date with the same effect as though such representations
and warranties had been made or given at and as of the Closing Date
(except where such representation and warranty is made as of a
specific date and except as contemplated by this
Agreement).
8.2. Compliance with
Agreement . Each Seller shall have performed and complied in
all material respects with all of its obligations under this
Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the
Closing Date.
8.3. No Change .
From the date of this Agreement through the date of the Closing
there shall not have occurred any change or changes concerning the
Business or the Acquired Assets that individually or in the
aggregate has had or would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
8.4. Sellers’
Certificate . The Sellers shall have delivered to the Buyer in
writing, at and as of the Closing, one or more certificates duly
executed by each Seller, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Buyer and the Buyer’s counsel, certifying
that the conditions in each of Section 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3 have been
satisfied and attaching copies of the certified resolutions of the
Company’s Board of Directors approving the transactions
contemplated hereby. Buyer shall have also received the certificate
referenced in Section 7.3(e).
8.5. Estimate of
Equipment and Inventory . The Company and the Buyer shall have
established the Estimated Equipment and Inventory required pursuant
to Section 3.2.
8.6 Approvals .
All corporate and other approvals of the Sellers in connection with
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been
obtained and shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
to the Buyer and its counsel.
8.7. No
Litigation . No restraining order or injunction shall prevent
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and no action, suit
or proceeding shall be pending or threatened before any court or
administrative body in which it will be or is sought to restrain or
prohibit or obtain damages or other relief in connection with this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
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8.8 Board and
Shareholder Approvals . The Company shall have obtained all
necessary authorizations and approvals from its Board of Directors
and its shareholders required for the completion of the transaction
contemplated hereunder.
8.9 Required
Consents . Sellers shall have obtained and delivered to the
Buyer the Required Consents in writing.
8.10 Home and Garden
License Agreement . The Company shall have executed and
delivered the License and Supply Agreement in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “ Supply
Agreement ”).
9. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
TO SELLERS’ OBLIGATIONS. The obligation of the Sellers to
consummate the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction, at or
prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions (to the
extent noncompliance is not waived in writing by the
Sellers):
9.1. Representations
and Warranties True at Closing . The representations and
warranties made by the Buyer and Guarantor in Section 6 of this
Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects at and
as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though such
representations and warranties had been made or given at and as of
the Closing Date (except where such representations and warranty is
made as of a specific date and except as contemplated by this
Agreement).
9.2. Compliance with
Agreement . The Buyer and Guarantor each shall have performed
and complied in all material respects with all of its obligations
under this Agreement that are to be performed or complied with by
it at or prior to the Closing.
9.3. No Change .
From the date of this Agreement through the date of the Closing
there shall not have occurred any change or changes concerning the
respective businesses of or properties owned by the Guarantor and
the Buyer that individually or in the aggregate has had or would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
9.4. Closing
Certificate . The Buyer and Guarantor each shall have delivered
to the Company in writing, at and as of the Closing, a certificate
duly executed by an officer of the Buyer or Guarantor, as the case
may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Company’s counsel, to the effect that the conditions in each
of Sections 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 have been satisfied.
9.5 Guaranty .
The Guarantor shall have executed and delivered a guaranty with
respect to the payments under the Note in favor of the Company in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C
.
9.6. Security
Agreement . The Buyer shall have executed and delivered the
Security Agreement to secure payment under the Note, substantially
the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, and all instruments
contemplated thereby.
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9.7. Estimate of
Equipment and Inventory . The Company and the Buyer shall have
established the Estimated Equipment and Inventory required pursuant
to Section 3.2.
9.8. Supply
Agreement . Buyer shall have executed and delivered the Supply
Agreement to the Company.
9.9 Approvals .
All corporate and other approvals of the Buyer and Guarantor in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
the Transaction Documents, including but not limited to, the Note,
the Security Agreement, the Guaranty and the License Agreement,
shall have been obtained and copies of the minutes or resolutions
reflecting such approvals shall have been delivered to the
Company.
9.10 Required
Consents . Sellers shall have obtained the Required Consents in
writing.
9.11 No
Litigation . No restraining order or injunction shall prevent
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and no action, suit
or proceeding shall be pending or threatened before any court or
administrative body in which it will be or is sought to restrain or
prohibit or obtain damages or other relief in connection with this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
9.12. Shareholder
Approval; Dissenters . The Company shall have obtained all
necessary authorizations and approvals from its shareholders
required for the completion of the transactions contemplated
hereunder and the number of common shares for which asserting
dissenters’ rights under Section 23B.13.210 of the Washington
Business Corporation Act shall not exceed 20% of the total number
of shares of company stock outstanding on the Closing
Date.
10.1. Confidential
Information . Any and all information disclosed by the Buyer or
Guarantor to any Seller or by any Seller to the Buyer or Guarantor
as a result of the negotiations leading to the execution of this
Agreement that is to remain the confidential information of such
party, or in furtherance thereof, which information was not already
known to the Sellers, the Buyer or Guarantor, as the case may be,
shall remain confidential to each Seller, the Buyer and the
Guarantor and their respective employees, agents and investors
until the Closing Date and, if the Closing occurs, in the
Sellers’ case, from and after the Closing Date. If the
Closing does not take place for any reason, each Seller, the Buyer
and the Guarantor agrees to return (or certify that it has
destroyed) all copies, summaries and excerpts of such information
to the disclosing party, and agrees not to further divulge or
disclose any such information at any time in the future unless it
has otherwise become public or its disclosure is required by law.
The information intended to be protected hereby is confidential or
proprietary data of the Sellers, the Buyer and the Guarantor which
shall include, but not be limited to, financial information,
customers,
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sales representatives, and anything else having an economic or
pecuniary benefit to the Buyer, the Guarantor or any Seller,
respectively.
10.2
Non-Competition . For a period of two (2) years after the
Closing Date, Sellers shall n
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