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Exhibit 2.1
ASSET PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
by and
between
CNET
NETWORKS, INC.
and
AG.COM, INC.
Dated as of
October 25, 2007
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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| ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS |
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1 |
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Section 1.1
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Definitions
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1 |
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| ARTICLE II TRANSFER OF ASSETS, ASSUMED
LIABILITIES |
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7 |
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Section 2.1
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Assets
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7 |
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Section 2.2
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Purchase Price; Assumption of
Liabilities
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9 |
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Section 2.3
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Closing
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10 |
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Section 2.4
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Allocation of Purchase Price
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10 |
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Section 2.5
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Transfer Taxes
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10 |
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| ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
SELLER |
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10 |
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Section 3.1
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Organization
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11 |
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Section 3.2
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Authorization
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11 |
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Section 3.3
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Title to Assets
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11 |
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Section 3.4
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Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
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12 |
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Section 3.5
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Financial Matters
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12 |
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Section 3.6
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Absence of Changes
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13 |
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Section 3.7
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Litigation
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13 |
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Section 3.8
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Compliance with Applicable Law;
Permits
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13 |
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Section 3.9
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Certain Contracts and
Arrangements
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13 |
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Section 3.10
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IT Assets
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14 |
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Section 3.11
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Intellectual Property
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16 |
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Section 3.12
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Taxes
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19 |
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Section 3.13
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Books and Records
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20 |
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Section 3.14
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Certain Fees
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20 |
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Section 3.15
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Sufficiency of Assets
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20 |
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Section 3.16
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Disclosure
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20 |
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Section 3.17
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Advertising Insertion Orders
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20 |
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Section 3.18
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Revenues
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21 |
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| ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
BUYER |
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21 |
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Section 4.1
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Organization and Authority of
Buyer
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21 |
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Section 4.2
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Consents and Approvals; No
Violations
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21 |
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Section 4.3
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Litigation
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22 |
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Section 4.4
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Certain Fees
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22 |
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Section 4.5
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Availability of Funds
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22 |
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| ARTICLE V COVENANTS |
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23 |
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Section 5.1
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Access to Information
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23 |
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Section 5.2
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Consents
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23 |
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Section 5.3
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Reasonable Efforts
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24 |
i
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Section 5.4
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Public Announcements; Other
Communications
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24 |
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Section 5.5
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Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation;
Confidentiality
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25 |
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Section 5.6
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Taxes
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27 |
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Section 5.7
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WARN
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27 |
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Section 5.8
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Severance
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27 |
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Section 5.9
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Co-operation
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28 |
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Section 5.10
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Bulk Transfer Laws
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28 |
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Section 5.11
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Insurance
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28 |
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Section 5.12
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Post-Closing Liabilities
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28 |
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| ARTICLE VI CLOSING DELIVERIES |
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28 |
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Section 6.1
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Deliveries by Seller
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28 |
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Section 6.2
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Deliveries by Buyer
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29 |
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| ARTICLE VII SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS;
INDEMNIFICATIONS |
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30 |
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Section 7.1
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Survival of Representations
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30 |
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Section 7.2
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Seller’s Agreement to
Indemnify
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30 |
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Section 7.3
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Buyer’s Agreement to
Indemnify
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31 |
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Section 7.4
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Other Claims
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32 |
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Section 7.5
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Third Party Indemnification
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33 |
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Section 7.6
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Payment of Claims
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33 |
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Section 7.7
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Sole Remedy
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33 |
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Section 7.8
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No Consequential Damages
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34 |
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Section 7.9
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Tax Treatment of Indemnification
Payments
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34 |
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| ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENT AND WAIVER |
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34 |
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Section 8.1
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Amendment, Extension and
Waiver
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34 |
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| ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS |
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34 |
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Section 9.1
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Fees and Expenses
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34 |
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Section 9.2
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Further Assurances
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35 |
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Section 9.3
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Counterparts
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35 |
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Section 9.4
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Notices
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35 |
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Section 9.5
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Severability
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36 |
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Section 9.6
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Binding Effect; Assignment
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37 |
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Section 9.7
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No Third Party Beneficiaries
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37 |
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Section 9.8
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Headings
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37 |
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Section 9.9
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Jurisdiction; Consent to Service; Waiver
of Jury Trial
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37 |
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Section 9.10
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Waivers, etc.
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37 |
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Section 9.11
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Entire Agreement
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38 |
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Section 9.12
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Specific Performance
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38 |
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Section 9.13
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Governing Law
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38 |
ii
ASSET PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
THIS ASSET PURCHASE
AGREEMENT, dated as of October 25, 2007 (the “
Agreement ”), is by and between CNET
Networks, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Seller
”), and AG.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“
Buyer ”). Capitalized terms used herein shall have the
meanings assigned to such terms in this Agreement.
WHEREAS, Seller operates,
through its Webshots division (the “ Division
”), an online photo-sharing community (the “
Business ”);
WHEREAS, the Business
heretofore has been conducted as an integrated part of Seller as
the Division and not on a stand-alone basis, and it is the
intention of the parties to transfer to Buyer certain assets of
Seller related primarily to the Business, as described herein, and
by the assumption by Buyer of the obligations and liabilities set
forth herein; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement, Seller desires to sell to
Buyer, and Buyer desires to purchase from Seller, the Assets (as
defined below) for consideration that includes the assumption by
Buyer of certain obligations and liabilities, all more fully
described herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations,
warranties, covenants, agreements and conditions hereinafter set
forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1
Definitions
For all purposes of this
Agreement, the exhibits and the Disclosure Schedules, except as
otherwise expressly provided, the following definitions shall
apply:
The term “
Affiliate ” of, or a person “ Affiliated
” with, a specified person, is a person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, the person
specified.
“ Additional
Claim ” has the meaning set forth in Schedule
1.1(A) .
“ Agreement
” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this
Agreement.
“ Acquired
Business ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.5(a).
“ Ancillary
Agreements ” means the Transition Services
Agreement.
“ Applicable Law
” means all applicable provisions of all (i) policies,
industry standards, (ii) constitutions, treaties, statutes,
laws (including, but not limited to, the common law), rules,
regulations, ordinances, codes and orders of any Governmental
Authority and (iii) orders, decisions, injunctions, judgments,
awards and decrees or consents of and agreements with any
Governmental Authority.
1
“ Applicable
Period ” means the period beginning on August 2,
2004 and ending on the Closing Date.
“ Assets ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).
“ Asset
Allocation ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4.
“ Assumed
Liabilities ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(b).
“ Basket Amount
” has the meaning set forth in Schedule 1.1(D)
.
“ Bill of Sale
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(b).
“ Business
” has the meaning set forth in the Recital to this
Agreement.
The term “ business
day ” shall mean any day, other than Saturday, Sunday or
any other day on which banks are not required or authorized to
close in New York City.
“ Buyer ”
has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“ Buyer Damages
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.2(a).
“ Buyer
Indemnitees ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.2(a).
“ Cap ”
has the meaning set forth in Schedule 1.1(E) .
“ Cases ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.7.
“ Change of
Control ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.5.
“ Closing
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.
“ Closing Date
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.
“ Co-Ownership
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(e).
“ Code ”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“ Confidentiality
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.1(d).
“ Contract
” means any written contract or any other legally binding
agreement, commitment or undertaking, including any insertion
orders.
“ Copyrights
” means any work of authorship, published or unpublished (in
digital or print media), and any United States or foreign
copyrights, and registrations thereof and applications therefor,
including all renewals and extensions thereof and rights
corresponding thereto in both published and unpublished works
throughout the world, used by Seller primarily in connection with
the conduct of the Business.
2
“ Custom
Software ” means any Software developed by or for
Seller.
“ Database
” means any data and other information recorded, stored,
transmitted and retrieved in electronic form, and which is used,
developed, sold, distributed or marketed by Seller primarily in the
conduct of the Business.
“ Disclosure
Schedules ” has the meaning set forth in Article
III.
“ Division
” has the meaning set forth in the Recital to this
Agreement.
“ Embedded
Control ” means any microprocessor, microcontroller,
smart instrumentation or other sensor, driver, monitor, robotic or
other device containing a semiconductor, memory circuit, BIOS, PROM
or other microchip, and which is used, developed, sold, distributed
or marketed by Seller primarily in the conduct of the
Business.
“ Employee
Payments ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8.
“ Excluded
Assets ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(c).
“ Excluded
Liabilities ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(c).
“ Governmental
Authority ” means any government, governmental,
regulatory or administrative authority, agency, commission or
department or any court or judicial body, whether federal,
national, supranational, state, provincial, or local.
“ Hardware
” means any mainframe, midrange computer, server, switch or
any component of any of the foregoing, which is used, developed,
sold, distributed or marketed by Seller primarily in the conduct of
the Business.
“ Indemnity
Period ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.1.
“ Instrument of
Assumption ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(b).
“ Intellectual
Property Rights ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(a)(v).
“ Inventions
” means any idea, design, concept, technique, methodology,
process, invention, discovery, or improvement, whether or not
patentable, any invention disclosures or similar disclosures of any
of the foregoing, and any shop rights in any of the foregoing, used
by Seller primarily in connection with the conduct of the
Business.
“ IT Assets
” means any Software, Hardware, Database, or Embedded
Control.
“ IT Business
Assets ” means any IT Assets used by Seller primarily in
the Business other than IT Development and Delivery
Assets.
3
“ IT Development and
Delivery Assets ” means any IT Assets used by Seller to
develop IT Products or deliver services to customers in the course
of the Business.
“ IT Products
” means any IT Assets sold, distributed, or marketed, or
developed or acquired for sale, distribution or marketing with
respect to the Business, to customers of the Business.
“ IT Services
” means any service relating to information technology in any
form, including without limitation, information technology design,
development, implementation, consulting, training, support,
maintenance, hosting, subscription, and application service
provider services related primarily to the Business.
“ IP Rep ”
has the meaning set forth in the Section 7.1.
“ knowledge
” means the actual knowledge of Sam Parker, Andrew Sherman,
Gokhan Kutlu, Amy McDonough and Mitzi Chang.
“ Liabilities
” means obligations or liabilities, absolute or contingent,
accrued or unaccrued, known or unknown, liquidated or unliquidated,
whether due or to become due and regardless of when or by whom
asserted.
“ Licenses
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(d).
“ Lien ”
means any liens, claims, encumbrances, security interests, options,
charges or restrictions of any kind.
“ Mask Works
” means any mask works, whether commercially exploited or
not, and any United States or foreign registrations for a claim of
protection therein and applications therefor, including all rights
corresponding thereto in mask works, whether commercially exploited
or not, throughout the world, used by Seller primarily in
connection with the conduct of its business of any nature
whatsoever.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means any change, event or effect that is
materially adverse to the assets, condition, liabilities or results
of operations of the Business taken as a whole, other than any
change, event or effect to the extent arising from or relating
primarily to (1) the United States or the global economy or
securities markets in general, (2) any change in financial
condition or results of operation of the Business resulting from
the announcement of the execution of this Agreement,
(3) actions taken pursuant to the obligations of the parties
expressly set forth in this Agreement, (4) the industry in
which the Business operates generally (and which is not specific to
the Business and which does not affect the Business
disproportionately as compared to other companies that compete with
the Business), or (5) any change in law, rule or regulation
applicable to either Seller or Buyer.
“ Maximum Cap
” has the meaning set forth in Schedule 1.1(F)
.
“ Off-the-Shelf
Software ” means any pre-packaged or otherwise
standardized computer software product marketed and available to
the general public through standardized license agreements (such as
click-through or shrink-wrap licenses, or through ASP service
agreements), and excluding, by way of example and without
limitation, software developed for a particular
customer.
4
“ Other
Instruments ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(b).
“ Patents
” means any United States or foreign patents, together with
any extensions, reexaminations and reissues of such patents,
patents of addition, patent applications, divisions, continuations,
continuations-in-part, and any subsequent filings in any country or
jurisdiction claiming priority therefrom, used by Seller primarily
in connection with the conduct of the Business.
“ Patent
Application ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(c).
“ Permitted
Encumbrances ” means (i) Liens for Taxes and other
governmental charges which are not yet past due or are being
contested in good faith, (ii) landlord’s Liens, whether
arising by statute or contract or under common law, securing the
payment of rent under real property leases for property at which
the Assets are located that are not yet delinquent or rent which is
being contested, and (iii) mechanics’, carriers’,
workmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising or
incurred in the ordinary course of business provided no such Lien,
individually or in the aggregate, materially impairs the value of
or continued use and operation of any Asset to which it relates or
the conduct of the Business as presently conducted, Liens arising
under original purchase price conditional sales contracts and
equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary
course of business.
The term “
person ” means and includes an individual, a
partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a group,
a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated
organization and a government or any department or agency thereof
or any other entity.
“ Prohibited
Business ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.5(a).
“ Purchased
Contracts ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(a)(vi).
“ Purchase Price
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(a).
“ Purchase Price
Allocation ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4.
“ Reimbursement
Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Schedule
1.1(B) .
“ Retained Claim
Liability ” shall mean any Liability arising from the
Additional Claim for damages attributable to the operations of the
Business prior to the Closing.
“ Retained Specified
Liability ” shall mean any Liability arising from the
Specified Lawsuit for damages attributable to the operations of the
Business prior to the Closing.
“ Seller ”
has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this
Agreement.
“ Seller Damages
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(a).
5
“ Software
” means any computer software products, in object code and
source code form (to the extent Seller possesses or controls such
source code), which are used, developed, sold, distributed or
marketed by Seller, other than Off-the-Shelf Software, that is used
by Seller primarily in the conduct of the Business, including all
such software comprising operating systems, applications software,
firmware, middleware, development tools, Internet software, and any
and all documentation in print or digital form related to any of
the foregoing, including programming manuals, user manuals,
technical support manuals or instructions, and source code
comments.
“ Specified
Lawsuit ” has the meaning set forth in Schedule
1.1(C) .
“ Tangible
Assets ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(a)(i).
“ Tax ” or
“ Taxes ” means all taxes, levies, charges or
governmental fees including, without limitation, income,
corporation, gross receipts, transfer, excise, property, sales,
use, value-added, goods and services, license, payroll,
withholding, social security and franchise or other governmental
taxes or charges, imposed by the United States or any state,
county, local or foreign government, in each case relating to the
Business, and such term shall include any interest, penalties or
so-called additions to tax attributable thereto.
“ Tax Return
” means any report, return (including any information return)
or statement required to be supplied to a taxing authority in
connection with Taxes including, without limitation, any amendments
thereto.
“ Trademark
Assignment ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(b).
“ Trademarks
” means any unregistered trademarks and service marks in the
United States or foreign jurisdictions or multinational trademark
authorities; any trademarks or service marks registered in the
United States or foreign jurisdictions or multinational trademark
authorities and any applications therefor; any trade names, brand
names, product identifiers, certification marks, logos, trade
dress, and Internet domain names, and any registration thereof or
application therefor in the United States or foreign jurisdictions,
including any extension, modification or renewal of any such
registration or application, and all goodwill associated with all
of the foregoing throughout the world, used by Seller primarily in
connection with the conduct of the Business.
“ Trade Secrets
” means any know-how, formulae, specifications, technical
information, data, process, technology, plans, drawings (including
engineering and CAD drawings), research and development,
proprietary information, blueprints, and all documentation related
to any of the foregoing, in each instance that is maintained as
confidential, except in each instance for any such item that is
generally available to the public as of the date hereof, used by
Seller primarily in connection with the conduct of the
Business.
“ Transfer Taxes
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5.
“ Transition
Services Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(f).
6
ARTICLE II
TRANSFER OF ASSETS,
ASSUMED LIABILITIES
Section 2.1 Assets
(a) Subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing provided for in
Section 2.3, Seller will sell, convey, assign, transfer and
deliver (or in the case of open source Software, distribute), or
will cause to be sold, conveyed, assigned, transferred and
delivered (or in the case of open source Software, distributed) to
Buyer all of Seller’s right, title and interest in and to the
assets (other than the Excluded Assets) listed below that are owned
or leased directly or indirectly by Seller or an Affiliate of
Seller on the Closing Date and used primarily in connection with
the conduct of the Business (collectively, the “
Assets ”), free and clear of any Liens, except for
Permitted Encumbrances:
(i) all of Seller’s or
any Affiliate of Seller’s right, title and interest in and to
the tangible assets owned or leased by Seller or such Affiliate
listed on Schedule 2.1(a)(i) of the Disclosure
Schedules (collectively, the “ Tangible Assets
”);
(ii) a list of all customers
and subscribers (whether or not paid subscribers) of the
Business;
(iii) all deposits, advance
payments, and prepaid items made by Seller or any Affiliate of
Seller associated with the Purchased Contracts;
(iv) cash in an amount equal
to any advance payments made by any customers of the Business
associated with the Purchased Contracts for services to be
performed after the Closing Date, but specifically excluding any
such amounts associated with customer subscriptions included among
the Purchased Contracts;
(v) all (A) Patents,
Inventions, Copyrights (including Software), Mask Works,
Trademarks, Trade Secrets, and Databases; in each case, owned (and
in the case of Copyrights, open source Software licensed by Seller
or an Affiliate of Seller) and used primarily in the Business by
Seller, including without limitation, those listed on
Schedule 2.1(a)(v) of the Disclosure Schedules, and as
to such items owned by Seller the right to sue for past
infringement, misappropriation, or improper, unlawful or unfair use
of any of the foregoing (all of the foregoing being collectively
hereinafter referred to as “ Intellectual Property
Rights ”), and (B) all documentation regarding the
foregoing;
(vi) all rights in Contracts
that relate primarily to the Business and that are listed on
Schedule 3.9(b) of the Disclosure Schedules (the “
Purchased Contracts ”); and
(vii) copies of all books and
records to the extent relating primarily to the Business
(including, without limitation, all product requirements
documentation and technical specification documentation, all files
related to Intellectual Property Rights and documentation for
Software in tangible media, in each case to the extent related
primarily to the Business).
7
(b) Such sale, conveyance,
assignment, transfer and delivery will be effected by delivery by
Seller to Buyer of (i) a duly executed bill of sale (the
“ Bill of Sale ”) substantially in the form of
Exhibit A attached hereto, (ii) duly executed
instruments of assignment assigning Seller’s interest in the
Trademarks, substantially in the form of Exhibit B
attached hereto (the “ Trademark Assignment ”),
and (iii) such other good and sufficient instruments of
conveyance, transfer and assignment, as shall be reasonably
necessary to vest in Buyer good and valid title to the other Assets
(collectively, the “ Other Instruments ”), free
and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Encumbrances;
provided , however , that such instruments shall not
require Seller or its Affiliates to make any additional
representations, warranties or covenants, expressed or implied, not
contained in this Agreement.
(c) Anything contained in
Section 1.1(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the term
“Assets” shall not include any assets of Seller or any
of its Affiliates whether or not relating to the conduct of the
Business that are not specifically included in the Assets (each and
all such items being herein referred to as the “ Excluded
Assets ”). Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the following shall constitute Excluded
Assets:
(i) except as specifically
set forth in Section 2.1(a)(iv), all cash, cash equivalents
and securities of Seller or any of its Affiliates;
(ii) all bank and other
depository accounts of Seller or any of its Affiliates;
(iii) all accounts receivable
related to services rendered prior to the Closing Date;
(iv) all refunds of
Taxes;
(v) all assets, whether real
or personal, tangible or intangible, which are owned, used or held
for use by Seller or any of its Affiliates, except those used
primarily in the conduct of the Business;
(vi) any real estate owned or
leased by Seller or any of its Affiliates;
(vii) all insurance policies
relating to the Business, any refunds paid or payable in connection
with the cancellation or discontinuance of any insurance policies
applicable to the Business, and any claims made under any such
insurance policies;
(viii) any rights, claims and
credits of Seller or any of its Affiliates relating to any Excluded
Asset or any Excluded Liability, including any guarantees,
warranties, indemnities and similar rights in favor of Seller or
any of its Affiliates relating to any Excluded Asset or any
Excluded Liability;
(ix) the “CNET”
and “CNET Networks” names and logos;
(x) any rights to receive
corporate and other services provided to the Business by Seller or
any of its Affiliates;
8
(xi) all rights of Seller
under this Agreement or any agreement, certificate, instrument or
other document executed and delivered by Seller or Buyer in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby;
(xii) U.S. Patent Application
titled “Adaptable transfer and publication of digital
media” (Serial No. 11/302,684) (the “ Patent
Application ”); and
(xiii) any and all assets of
Seller or its Affiliates not used in, by or constituting any part
of, the Business.
Section 2.2 Purchase Price;
Assumption of Liabilities
(a) Subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, in reliance on Seller’s
representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, as the
consideration of the sale, conveyance, assignment, transfer and
delivery of the Assets, together with the assumption of the Assumed
Liabilities (as defined below), Buyer shall pay or cause to be paid
to Seller at the Closing by wire transfer of immediately available
funds the sum of Forty Five Million
Two Hundred Thousand Dollars (US $45,200,000.00) (the
“ Purchase Price ”).
(b) At the Closing, Buyer
will deliver to Seller an instrument of assignment and assumption
substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto
(the “ Instrument of Assumption ”), whereby
Buyer will solely and exclusively undertake, assume and agree to
perform, pay, become liable for and discharge when due (without
limiting any rights of indemnification in favor of Buyer
Indemnitees hereunder), the Assumed Liabilities. The term “
Assumed Liabilities ” means only the following
Liabilities:
(i) Liability for the
deferred subscription revenue of the Business listed on Schedule
3.5 of the Disclosure Schedules;
(ii) Liabilities accruing and
to be performed, after the Closing Date, under each Purchased
Contract; except, in each case for such Liabilities that, but for a
breach or default by Seller, would have been paid, performed or
otherwise discharged on or prior to the Closing Date;
(iii) all Liabilities in
respect of Taxes for which Buyer is liable pursuant to
Section 5.6 ;
(iv) all Liabilities in
respect of any Cases (as defined in Section 3.7 ),
including the Specified Lawsuit, arising out of or relating to the
Intellectual Property Rights or the ownership, sale, in-licensing
or out-licensing of any of the Intellectual Property Rights prior
to the Closing Date, or on or after the Closing Date, other than
the Retained Claim Liability and the Retained Specified Liability;
and
(v) Nothing in this
Section 2.2(b) shall be construed or implied to impose
upon Buyer any Liabilities retained by Seller under
Section 2.2(c) .
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(c) Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, Buyer shall not assume or have
any responsibility with respect to any Excluded Liabilities.
“ Excluded Liabilities ” means all Liabilities
of Seller or its Affiliates except the Assumed
Liabilities.
(d) Seller agrees to pay or
otherwise satisfy and discharge promptly after the Closing or
otherwise in accordance with their terms all Liabilities, except
the Assumed Liabilities.
Section 2.3 Closing
The closing of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “
Closing ”) shall take place 9:00 A.M., local
time, at the offices of Calfee, Halter and Griswold LLP, 800
Superior Avenue, Suite 1400, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, on
October 25, 2007 or at such other time or place as to which
the parties shall agree. The effective time of the Closing is
sometimes referred to herein as the “ Closing Date
.”
Section 2.4 Allocation of Purchase
Price
The Purchase Price, as
adjusted, will be allocated (the “ Purchase Price
Allocation ”) by Buyer and Seller among the Assets in
accordance with this Section 2.4. Within 90 days
following the Closing Date, Buyer shall deliver a proposed
allocation of the Purchase Price (including, for purposes of this
Section 2.4, any other consideration paid to Seller, including
the Assumed Liabilities) among the Assets in accordance with
Section 1060 of the Code and the applicable Treasury
Regulations. Seller shall have the right to review and comment on
such allocation and the parties shall negotiate in good faith to
resolve any differences between them (as agreed between Seller and
Buyer, the “ Asset Allocation ”). Seller and
Buyer (1) shall be bound by the Asset Allocation for purposes
of determining any Taxes, (2) shall prepare and file all Tax
Returns (including IRS Form 8594) in a manner consistent with
the Asset Allocation, and (3) shall take no position
inconsistent with the Asset Allocation in any Tax Return or any
proceeding before any taxing authority; provided ,
however , that neither Seller nor Buyer shall be
unreasonably impeded in its ability to settle any Tax audit,
contest or other proceeding relating to the allocation of the
Purchase Price.
Section 2.5 Transfer
Taxes
Seller and Buyer shall each
pay one half of all transfer, personal property, sales and use,
value added, stamp, documentary and similar Taxes (collectively,
“ Transfer Taxes ”) incurred in connection with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF SELLER
Except as specifically
disclosed in a separate disclosure schedule, a copy of which is
being delivered to Buyer herewith (the “ Disclosure
Schedules ”), Seller, solely with respect to the
Business, hereby represents and warrants to Buyer as set forth
below.
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Section 3.1
Organization
(a) Seller is a corporation
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware, and has all requisite corporate
power and corporate authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to carry on the Business as now being conducted,
except where any such failure to be so organized, existing or in
good standing or to have such power and authority would not
individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) Seller is duly qualified
or licensed to do business in each jurisdiction in which the
property owned, leased or operated by Seller in the conduct of the
Business or the nature of the Business makes such qualification
necessary, except in any such jurisdictions where the failure to be
duly qualified or licensed would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 3.2
Authorization
Seller has the corporate
power and corporate authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and the Ancillary Agreements and consummate or cause to be
consummated the transactions contemplated hereby and by the
Ancillary Agreements. The execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the Ancillary Agreements and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and
validly authorized by the Board of Directors of Seller and no other
corporate proceedings on the part of Seller are necessary to
authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
and the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. This Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by Seller and the Ancillary
Agreements will be duly executed and delivered by Seller and this
Agreement constitutes, and when executed and delivered by Seller,
each of the Ancillary Agreements to which Seller is a party will
constitute, a valid and binding agreement of Seller, enforceable
against Seller in accordance with their terms, except to the extent
that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
moratorium, reorganization and other laws affecting the enforcement
of creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity.
Section 3.3 Title to
Assets
(a) Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.3 of the Disclosure Schedules, Seller is the
owner of, or, in the case of leased or licensed assets, has a
legally sufficient right to use, the Assets, and has good and valid
title to all owned Assets, and the Assets are held free and clear
of all Liens except for Permitted Encumbrances.
(b) Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.3 of the Disclosure Schedules, the material
Tangible Assets are in good operating condition (subject to normal
wear and tear). There are no outstanding or unsatisfied rights or
options of any person, other than Buyer, to purchase or acquire any
of the Assets.
(c) This Section 3.3
does not relate to Intellectual Property Rights, which are governed
by Section 3.11.
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Section 3.4 Consents and Approvals;
No Violations
(a) There are no governmental
approvals or consents required for the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements or the
consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby.
(b) Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.4 of the Disclosure Schedules, neither the
execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or the
Ancillary Agreements nor the consummation by Seller of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby will (i) conflict
with or result in any breach or violation of any provision of the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of Seller;
(ii) require Seller to file or register with, or give notice
to, or obtain the authorization, consent or approval of any person
(other than a governmental entity); (iii) violate, conflict
with or result in a default (or any event which, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under, or result
in any termination, cancellation or acceleration, or give rise to
any such right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under,
any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any Purchased
Contract or any other material agreement to which Seller is a
party; (iv) violate any order, injunction, decree, statute,
rule or regulation applicable to Seller, or any of the assets or
properties of the Business, or (v) result in the creation or
imposition of any Lien upon any of the Assets, excluding from the
foregoing clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), such requirements,
violations, conflicts, defaults, rights, Liens or violations that
are not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably likely to
have a Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Section 3.4,
references to Seller shall refer only to Seller in connection with
the conduct of the Business.
Section 3.5 Financial
Matters
(a) Set forth on Schedule
3.5 of this Disclosure Schedules is true, correct and complete
calculation of the monthly website traffic measured by unique users
(as determined by Nielsen Net Ratings) for the Business for the
period between January 1, 2007 and September 30, 2007.
For the period of 60 days prior to the Closing Date, no more than
five percent (5%) of the monthly user traffic on the
Business’s website was referred through links from
Seller’s other websites (as determined by CNET Data
Warehouse).
(b) Except as set forth on
Schedule 3.5 of the Disclosure Schedules, Seller has not
received any prepayments or deposits from customers for products to
be provided, or services to be performed, in the future. Set forth
on Schedule 3.5 of the Disclosure Schedules is a true,
correct and complete list of the deferred revenue balance of the
Business as of October 24, 2007. Seller’s most recently
filed Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006, accurately and completely details in all
material respects Seller’s revenue recognition policy. The
Business complies with and has complied with the revenue
recognition policy detailed in Seller’s most recently filed
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006 in all material respects.
(c) Seller has no outstanding
liability to any former owner of the Business for the payment of
any sums of money in such person’s capacity as an owner. No
liability to any former owner of the Business is included among the
Assumed Liabilities.
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Section 3.6 Absence of
Changes
Except as identified on
Schedule 3.6 of the Disclosure Schedules or as otherwise
contemplated by this Agreement, since September 30, 2007, the
Business has been operated in the ordinary course, consistent with
past practice.
Section 3.7 Litigation
Except as set forth on
Schedule 3.7 of the Disclosure Schedules, there are no
actions or suits, or any administrative, arbitration or other
proceedings (collectively, “ Cases ” ) pending,
or, to Seller’s knowledge, threatened, against Seller, by or
before any court, governmental or regulatory authority or by any
third party, in each case relating to the Business. To the
knowledge of Seller there is no state of facts or event which could
reasonably be expected to form the basis for such a Case. There is
no outstanding arbitration award, judgment, order, decree or
similar restriction relating to the Business.
Section 3.8 Compliance with
Applicable Law; Permits
With respect to the Business,
Seller is and has been in material compliance with all Applicable
Laws. Except as listed on Schedule 3.8 of the Disclosure
Schedules, there have been no written allegations of or written
inquiries concerning any violations of Applicable Law by the
Business within the past three years. With respect to the Business,
Seller holds all material permits and authorizations necessary for
the conduct of the Business as historically conducted. All such
permits held by Seller are listed on Schedule 3.8 of the
Disclosure Schedules.
Section 3.9 Certain Contracts and
Arrangements
Schedule 3.9(a) of the
Disclosure Schedules sets forth any Contract described below to
which Seller is a party relating primarily to the
Business:
(a) any indenture, mortgage,
note, installment obligation, agreement or other instrument, in
each case relating to the borrowing or loaning of money in excess
of $25,000, or any capital lease or the guaranty of any obligation
for the borrowing of money in excess of $25,000;
(b) any material partnership,
joint venture or other similar Contract;
(c) any lease;
(d) all Contracts containing
covenants limiting the freedom of Seller to compete in any line of
business that competes with the Business or with any person or in
any geographic area or market;
(e) all other Contracts
relating primarily to the Business involving amounts in excess of
$25,000;
(f) any material sales
representation, distribution or other similar Contract;
(g) any Contract for the
purchase of supplies or materials providing for annual payments in
excess of $25,000;
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(h) (i) all Contracts
relating to the purchase by, lease to, license to, or escrow for
the benefit of, Seller of IT Assets; (ii) all Contracts
relating to the purchase by Seller of IT Services from a third
party; (iii) all Contracts relating to the sale, lease, or
license of IT Products by Seller to third parties, or the escrow of
any IT Product for the benefit of, any of its customers; and
(iv) all Contracts relating to the provision of IT Services by
Seller to any of its customers, in each case in respect of clauses
(i)-(iv) above, Contracts providing for annual payments in
excess of $25,000 and other than any Contracts relating to open
source Software or Off-the-Shelf Software or;
(i) all Contracts relating to
Intellectual Property Rights (other than any Contracts otherwise
described under Section 3.9(h));
(j) any Contract for the
purchase of services providing for annual payments in excess of
$25,000;
(k) any Contract for the sale
of goods or services providing for annual payments in excess of
$25,000; or
(l) any Contract (except as
otherwise set forth in (a) through (k) above or on the
Disclosure Schedules), entered into other than in the ordinary
course of business that is material to the Business.
Except as set forth on
Schedule 3.9(a) of the Disclosure Schedules, each such
Contract (including any Purchased Contract) is a valid, binding and
enforceable obligation of Seller and to the knowledge of Seller, of
each other party thereto, enforceable against each party thereto in
accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
reorganization and other laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity. Seller is not in material default under any Purchased
Contract or any of the other aforesaid Contracts and, to the
knowledge of Seller, no other party to any Purchased Contract or
any of the other aforesaid Contracts is in material default under
any such Contract. Seller has provided a true, correct and complete
copy of each Purchased Contract (including all material
amendments). Schedule 3.9(b) of the Disclosure Schedules
sets forth a list of all the Purchased Contracts.
Section 3.10 IT Assets
(a) Schedule 3.10(a)
of the Disclosure Schedules contains a complete list, sorted by
category of IT Asset, of all IT Assets (other than Off-the-Shelf
Software). Each of the IT Development and Delivery Assets owned by
Seller, each of the IT Products owned or used by Seller, and, to
the knowledge of Seller, each of the IT Business Assets owned or
used by Seller and each of the IT Development and Delivery Assets
used by Seller, conforms substantially to the specifications,
documentation and other written material used in connection with
the sale, license, distribution, marketing or use thereof, and is
free of defects in programming and operation except for such
non-conformities as would not materially and adversely affect the
use of such IT Asset for its intended purposes.
(b) Except as to any open
source Software and as set forth in Schedule 3.10(b) of the
Disclosure Schedules, no other person has been granted any license,
option or other right in or to any of the Software owned by Seller
or granted any sublicense or other right by Seller in or to any of
the Software licensed to Seller.
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(c) Seller has kept secret
and has not disclosed the source codes for any of the Software
(other than open source Software and any Software (e.g., HTML code
and javascript code) delivered to an end-user’s browser in
the ordinary course of viewing the websites of the Business) to any
person.
(d) Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.10(d) of the Disclosure Schedules, any Custom
Software purchased by, leased by or licensed to Seller and used
primarily in the Business functions as intended and is in
machine-readable form, and Seller is in possession of all computer
programs, documentation, materials, tapes, know-how, object and
source codes and procedures relating thereto necessary for the
Business.
(e) None of the IT Assets
owned by Seller is jointly owned by Seller with any other
person.
(f) To the knowledge of
Seller, no employee of Seller has entered into any Contract with
respect to the Business that restricts or limits in any way the
scope or type of work in which the employee may be engaged or
requires the employee to transfer, assign or disclose information
(other than pursuant to modifications to open source Software, if
any, in accordance with the terms of such open source Software)
concerning his or her work to anyone other Seller.
(g) Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.10(g) of the Disclosure Schedules to the
knowledge of Seller, no employee of Seller, and no contractor of
Seller in the course of performing services for Seller,
(i) has infringed the intellectual property, proprietary, or
contractual rights of any person in the course of his or her work
for or on behalf of the Business or (ii) is in default under
any term of any Contract relating to any Intellectual Property
Rights, or any confidentiality agreement or any other Contract or
restrictive covenant relating to the Intellectual Property Rights
or any IT Asset.
(h) Except for those IT
Assets identified on Schedule 3.10(h)(i) , no material IT
Asset contains any open source code, freeware, shareware or
libraries, or other code governed by an “open source”
license (including any version of the General Public License, the
Lesser General Public License or other similar agreement), the use
of which would restrict free and unencumbered use of the IT Asset
by Seller, or would oblige Seller to distribute source code for any
IT Asset, in the conduct of the Business as it is currently
conducted. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.10(h)(ii) ,
none of the Software components listed as “open source”
in Schedule 2.1(a)(v) has been modified, or distributed,
prior to Closing in such a way as to trigger any obligation to
disclose or distribute such Software.
(i) In the conduct of the
Business as it is currently conducted, the use, handling, transfer
and disclosure of any and all data and information concerning
consumers of Business services or users of any web sites operated
by the Business is in compliance with all applicable privacy
policies,
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