Rockford Corporation, Audio
Innovations, Inc.
Advanced Integration, LLC
Dated as of March 31,
2006
This Asset
Purchase Agreement (“Agreement”) is between:
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(a)
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Rockford Corporation
(“Rockford”) and its wholly owned subsidiary Audio
Innovations, Inc. (“AI” and, with Rockford,
“Seller”); and
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(b)
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Advanced Integration, LLC
(“Purchaser”).
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Seller and
Purchaser agree as follows:
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1.
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Background and
Definitions .
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1.1
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Company Business
. AI is in the business
of designing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing branded
aftermarket car-audio enclosures under the names of Q-Logic,
Q-Forms, and Q-Customs (the “Business”).
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1.2
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Asset Sale . Seller desires to sell, and
Purchaser has agreed to acquire all or substantially all of
Seller’s tangible and intangible assets used exclusively in
the Business and specifically listed in Schedule 1.2
(the “Assets”), including:
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(a)
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the
Business’ inventory as it exists on the Effective Date and as
updated and acquired through the Closing Date, except for inventory
sold in the ordinary course of business (the
“Inventory”);
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(b)
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all
accounts receivable related to the Business as of the Effective
Date as updated and created through the Closing Date, except for
accounts receivable sold in the ordinary course of business (the
“Accounts Receivable”)
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(c)
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the
Intellectual Property used exclusively in connection with the
Business, including those trademarks and trade names identified on
Schedule 1.2 and any federal, state, or foreign
registrations relating to these names (the “Names”),
and the goodwill associated with such Names. Purchaser will not
acquire any interest in any of Seller’s trademarks, names or
other Intellectual Property other than the Names and Intellectual
Property identified on Schedule 1.2 ;
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(d)
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the
additional assets of the Business, including owned or leased
property and equipment, supplies, trade show fixtures specific to
the Business, and other assets listed in Schedule 1.2
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The Assets
specifically exclude the Excluded Assets.
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1.3
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Definitions . In this Agreement:
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(1)
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Affiliate means any individual or Business
Entity which, directly or indirectly, alone or together with
others, controls, is controlled by, or is under common
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control with, another individual or
Business Entity;
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(b)
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Agreement means this Agreement and each of the
Schedules and certificates delivered with this Agreement. The
Schedules and certificates are a part of this Agreement;
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(c)
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Assets has the meaning given in
Section 1.2 ;
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(d)
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Assumed Liabilities
means those debts,
obligations and other liabilities assumed by Purchaser, as
specifically listed in Schedule 2.4 .
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(e)
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Business has the meaning given in
Section 1.1 ;
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(f)
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Business Entity
means any person,
corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company,
or other entity;
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(g)
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Closing means the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
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(h)
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Closing Date means the day on which the Closing
takes place;
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(i)
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Contract means any contract, indenture,
mortgage or deed of trust, lease, purchase order, guaranty,
insurance policy, bond, license, instrument, understanding,
obligation, or other agreement, written or oral;
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(j)
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Employment Contracts
means all employment
agreements, consulting agreements, and collective bargaining
agreements;
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(k)
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Employment Plans
means all executive
compensation plans, bonus plans, holiday and other bonus practices,
deferred compensation agreements, pension or retirement plans,
employee stock option or stock purchase plans, employee life,
health, and accident insurance, and other employee benefit plans,
agreements, arrangements or commitments;
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(l)
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Encumbrance means any mortgage, pledge, lien,
claim, charge, security interest, restriction, easement, right of
way, or other encumbrance;
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(m)
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Environmental Laws
means all Laws relating
to the environmental or Hazardous Materials, including the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act of 1986 (“CERCLA”), 42 U.S.C.
§9601 et seq .; the Toxic Substance Control Act
(“TSCA”), 15 U.S.C. §2601 et seq; the
Hazardous Materials Transaction Act, 49 U.S.C. §1802 et
seq; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(“RCRA”), 42 U.S.C. §9601 et seq; the Clean
Water Act (“CWA”), 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq;
the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S. C. §300(f) et seq;
the Clean Air Act (“CAA”), 42 U.S.C. §7401 et
seq;
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Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and
Rodentcide Act (“FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. §136 et seq;
and Solid Waste Disposal Act (“SVVDA”) §6901 et
seq;
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(n)
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Excluded Assets
means the assets used in
the Business that are not being sold to or acquired by Purchaser,
including any assets used in the Business that are not listed as
Assets on Schedule 1.2 or that are listed as
Excluded Assets on Schedule 1.2 ;
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(o)
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Financial Statements
and Financial
Statement Date have the meaning given in
Section 5.5;
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(p)
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Government means any legislature, executive,
department, administrative agency, municipality, subdivision,
instrumentality, or other authority of the United States, any
state, any locality, or any foreign country or political
subdivision of a foreign country;
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(q)
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Hazardous Materials
means hazardous wastes,
hazardous substances, hazardous constituents, toxic substances,
pollutants, contaminants, radioactive materials, related materials,
and any other substances, constituents or wastes, whether solids,
liquids or gases, subject to regulation under any Environmental
Laws;
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(r)
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Information means information Seller has
supplied to Purchaser under Section 7.7 of this
Agreement;
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(s)
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Intellectual Property
means patents,
trademarks, trade names, service marks, other trade rights,
copyrights, licenses, and similar intangibles;
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(t)
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Knowledge means and an individual will be
deemed to have “knowledge” of a particular fact or
other matter if such individual is actually aware of such fact or
other matter after due inquiry that is reasonable under the
circumstances.
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(u)
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Laws means any law, statute, ordinance,
rule, regulation, or Order;
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(v)
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Liabilities shall mean, without limitation, any
direct or indirect liability, indebtedness, guaranty, endorsement,
claim, loss, damage, either accrued, absolute, contingent, mature,
unmature or otherwise and whether known or unknown, fixed or
unfixed, choate or inchoate, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or
unsecured.
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(w)
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Loss means all expenses (including
reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees), losses,
taxes, claims, damages, awards, fines, interest, penalties, and
liabilities;
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(x)
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Material Adverse Change
or Material Adverse
Effect means any change or effect that is or would be
materially adverse to a party and its Affiliates,
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taking into account the business,
properties, assets, employees, financial condition and results of
operations of the party and its Affiliates; but
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•
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excluding those changes, effects,
and developments that directly result from (1) the
announcement of this Agreement, or (2) any act or omission of
Purchaser (if the event has an effect on Seller) or Seller (if the
event has an effect on Purchaser)
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(y)
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Order means any order, decree, decision,
injunction, finding, or judgment;
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(z)
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Permits means all approvals, permits,
licenses, filings, registrations, certificates, orders,
authorizations, qualifications, or other consents from any
Government, self-regulatory authority, or any other third
party;
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(aa)
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Proceeding means any claim, action, suit,
mediation, arbitration, labor grievance, Government investigation,
or other legal or administrative proceeding;
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(bb)
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Purchase Price
means the purchase price
for the Assets, in a total amount of $1,750,000, including $750,000
payable in cash at the Closing (the “Cash Purchase
Price”) and $1,000,000 payable in 30 monthly
installments after the closing (the “Deferred Purchase
Price”);
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(cc)
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Purchaser means Advanced Integration, LLC, an
Oklahoma corporation;
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(dd)
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Seller means Rockford Corporation, an
Arizona corporation, and Rockford’s wholly owned subsidiary
Audio Innovations, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation; and
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(ee)
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Tax means any tax, assessment, duty, or
governmental charge or deposit (including income, property, ad
valorem, gross receipts, sales, use, value added, occupation,
franchise, transfer, excise, goods and services, payroll,
employment, profits, capital, severance, production, premium,
payroll, stamp, unemployment insurance, disability, workers’
compensation, withholding, and social security tax), and all
interest and penalties, whether disputed or not, imposed by any
Government.
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Other terms used
as defined terms have the meanings used in this
Agreement.
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2.
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Purchase and Sale of
Assets . At
the Closing, and subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement:
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2.1
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Purchase of Assets
. Seller will sell to
Purchaser, and Purchaser will purchase from Sellers, the Assets
free and clear of all Encumbrances, except the Assumed
Liabilities.
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2.2
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No Purchase of Other
Assets .
Other than the Assets, Purchaser will not acquire any other asset
of Seller.
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2.3
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No General Assumption of Certain
Liabilities . Except for the Assumed
Liabilities, Purchaser will not assume any liabilities of Seller.
Seller will be solely responsible for paying all liabilities
(except for the Assumed Liabilities) related to the Business and
the Assets, including executory contracts, purchase orders,
judgments, obligations and debts.
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2.4
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Assumption of Assumed
Liabilities .
Purchaser will assume liability only for the leases, accounts
payable, contract obligations, warranty obligations, and other
liabilities specifically described in Schedule 2.4 (the
“Assumed Liabilities”).
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3.
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Closing . The Closing will take place at
10:00 A.M., local time, on or before March 31, 2006, at
the offices of Steptoe & Johnson, 201 E. Washington St.,
Suite 1600, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, or at another agreed upon
time and place.
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4.
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Purchase Price
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4.1
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Purchase Price; Closing
Adjustments . At the Closing, Purchaser will
pay to Seller the Purchase Price for the Assets in the following
manner:
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(a)
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Cash Purchase Price
. The Cash Purchase
Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the
account Seller designates; and
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(b)
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Deferred Purchase Price
. The Deferred Purchase
Price by delivery to Seller of the Loan and Security Agreement
providing for payment of $1,000,000 in 30 equal monthly
installments beginning on the first day of the month following the
closing and continuing for 30 months. The Deferred Purchase
Price will be secured by (a) a first priority security
interest in the receivables owed to AI or to Purchaser by Best Buy
or any Affiliate of Best Buy and (b) a second priority
security interest in all other assets of Purchaser including the
Assets.
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4.2
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Allocation of Purchase
Price . The
Parties will allocate the Purchase Price among the Assets for tax
purposes in accordance with Section 1060 of the Internal
Revenue Code. Purchaser and Seller will each prepare and file on a
timely basis with the Internal Revenue Service substantially
identical initial and supplemental Internal Revenue Service Forms
8594 “Asset Acquisition Statements Under
Section 1060” consistent with such
allocation.
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5.
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Representations and Warranties by
Seller . To
the extent information on which the following representations are
made depend upon information supplied by AI management located at
AI’s facility in Oklahoma, Buyer’s representations and
warranties are made in reliance upon such management and are made
to Seller’s Knowledge. Because such members of management are
also principals of Buyer, Buyer acknowledges that this reliance is
reasonable and that Seller is not responsible for errors,
inaccuracies or misrepresentations
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resulting from
Seller’s reliance upon information from such management,
unless Seller has Knowledge of such errors, inaccuracies or
misrepresentations prior to Closing. Except as stated otherwise in
a Schedule to this Agreement, and subject to the disclaimer
made above, Seller represents and warrants to Purchaser
that:
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5.1
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Organization and Authority to
Conduct Business . Rockford is duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Arizona and
AI is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of Oklahoma. Each Seller is qualified to do business and
is in good standing in each of the jurisdictions identified on
Schedule 5.1 . Each Seller has all requisite corporate
power and authority to carry on its business as now being
conducted, to own, lease, or operate its properties and to carry
out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Seller
has delivered to Purchaser complete copies of Seller’s
articles or certificate of incorporation and bylaws as
amended.
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5.2
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Authorization and Approval of
Agreement .
Seller:
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(a)
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has
taken, or will take before the Closing, all actions; and
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(b)
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has
secured, or will secure before the Closing, all material
Permits
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required to
authorize the execution, delivery, and consummation of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
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5.3
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Binding Effect
. This Agreement, and
each document executed by Seller in connection with this
Agreement:
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(a)
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constitutes the legal, valid,
binding, and enforceable obligation of Seller;
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(b)
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has
been duly executed and delivered by Seller; and
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(c)
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has
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action.
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5.4
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Execution, Delivery and Performance
of Agreement . The execution, delivery, and
performance of this Agreement by Seller and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby will not (with or without the
giving of notice or the passage of time or both) conflict with,
result in a default under, result in the creation of any
Encumbrance on the Assets pursuant to, or result in the
acceleration of any obligation under or permit the termination
of:
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(a)
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Seller’s certificate of
incorporation or bylaws; or
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(b)
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any
material Contract or Law to which Seller is a party or by which it,
the Business or the Assets may be bound.
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5.5
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Required Filings and
Consents . No
waiver, consent, approval, order or authorization of, or
registration, declaration or filing with, any Governmental Entity
or any other person is required by or with respect to Seller in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
consummation by Seller of any of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, except for:
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(a)
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the
consents identified as required on Schedule 5.5 , which
are:
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(1)
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all
consents, waivers and approvals required in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
under any of Seller’s Contracts or Permits; and
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(2)
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will be secured before the
Closing;
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(b)
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such other waivers, consents,
approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations and
filings as would not individually or in the aggregate:
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(1)
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have a material adverse effect on
AI;
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(2)
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impair Seller’s ability to
perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
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(3)
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prevent the consummation of any of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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5.6
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Financial Statements
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(a)
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Sellers have delivered to Purchaser
financial information relating to the Business for the periods
ending December 31, 2005, and February 28, 2006. The last
such date is the Financial Statements Date. The financial
information includes asset and liability information and income and
expense information derived from Rockford’s consolidated
financial statements, but are not audited. Because Rockford
prepares its financial statements on a consolidated basis, and
because the Business is only a small part of Rockford’s total
operations, the financial information was not prepared in
accordance with GAAP. The financial information was derived from
Rockford’s financial statements (which were prepared in
accordance with GAAP) and other financial records.
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(b)
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Except as contemplated by this
Agreement, there are no liabilities or obligations of any nature
(whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) related to the
Business, except liabilities:
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(1)
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provided for in the Business’
financial information delivered to Buyer as of the Financial
Statements Date; or
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(2)
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incurred since the Financial
Statement Date in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practices.
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5.7
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Absence of Undisclosed
Liabilities .
As of the Financial Statements Date, Seller does not have any debts
or liabilities related to the Business except as disclosed in the
financial information delivered under Section 5.6 or in
Schedule 5.7 or elsewhere in this Agreement. Since the
Financial Statements Date Seller has not incurred additional debts
or liabilities related to the Business except as disclosed in
Schedule 5.7 or elsewhere in this Agreement;
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5.8
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Litigation .
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(a)
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There is no Proceeding pending or,
to Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against; and
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(b)
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There is no Order in effect or, to
its Knowledge, threatened against or relating to
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(1) the
Business, (2) Seller’s officers, directors, or employees
who participate in the Business, (3) the properties, assets,
or operations related to the Business, or (4) the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Seller does not know, or have
reason to know, of any basis for such a Proceeding or
Order;
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5.9
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Bankruptcy Proceedings
. Seller is not involved
in any Proceeding by or against it (a) under the Bankruptcy
Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq., (b) under any other
insolvency or debtors’ relief act, or (c) for the
appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, assignee,
sequestrator or other similar official.
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5.10
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Taxes .
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(a)
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Seller has paid, or will pay before
their due date, all Taxes related to the Business due on or before
the Closing and has reserved, or will reserve before the Closing,
amounts necessary to pay Taxes due after the Closing in respect of
periods ending on or before the Closing;
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(b)
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Seller has timely filed, or will
timely file, all tax returns required in connection with any Taxes
related to the Business, and has not made any requests for
extensions. All such returns are accurate and comply with
applicable Law;
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(c)
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Seller has made all deposits
required by Law and (1) has not been delinquent in the payment
of any Tax or (2) has paid any penalty associated with a
delinquency;
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(d)
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Seller has no reassessment of any
Tax proposed and knows of no basis for any such reassessment;
and
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(e)
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To
the Knowledge of Seller, there is no pending property, sales, use
or other tax dispute relating to or arising out of the Business or
affecting the Assets.
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5.11
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Compliance with Laws, Permits, and
Contracts .
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(a)
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Seller has complied in all material
respects with all Laws applicable to the Business, Assets, or
operations of the Business as presently conducted;
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(b)
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Seller has secured and is in
compliance with all material Permits required for the Assets and
the Business as presently conducted;
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(c)
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Seller is not in default concerning
any Order, writ, injunction or decree of any federal, state or
municipal court, or other governmental department or agency
affecting the Assets or the Business;
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(d)
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Seller has not offered, paid, or
agreed to pay money or anything of value for the purpose of or with
the intent of obtaining or maintaining business for Seller or
otherwise benefiting Seller in violation of any Law (including
Section 30A(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended); and
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(e)
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The
ownership and present use of Seller’s properties related to
the Business and the conduct of the Business,
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(1)
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does not materially conflict with
the rights of any other person; and
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(2)
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will not (with or without the giving
of notice or the passage of time or both) conflict with or result
in a default under:
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•
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Seller’s certificate of
incorporation or bylaws; or
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•
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any
material Contract or Law to which Seller is a party or by which it
is affected.
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5.12
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Enforceability of Contracts, No
Defaults .
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(a)
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All
Contracts identified in any schedule to this Agreement, or required
to be so identified, to which Seller is a party are effective,
valid, binding, and enforceable in accordance with their
terms;
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(b)
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Seller is not in material default
under any such Contracts; and
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(c)
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Seller does not know, or have reason
to know, of any material default (or event which, after notice or
lapse of time, would constitute a material default) of such
Contracts.
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5.13
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Product Recalls
. Seller has not within
the past 5 years:
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(a)
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been party to any Proceeding brought
by a Government; or
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(b)
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been subject to any
Order;
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that related to
the Business and required, or sought to require, that Seller recall
any products designed, manufactured, assembled, shipped, sold,
distributed, installed, repaired or maintained by Seller in
connection with the Business. Seller does not know, or have reason
to know, of any voluntary recall undertaken to avoid a Proceeding
or Order or of any pending or threatened Proceeding or Order that
would require such a recall.
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5.14
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Environmental Matters
.
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(a)
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The
Business is in material compliance with Environmental
Laws;
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(b)
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Seller has secured all material
Permits required under Environmental Laws for the operation of the
Business (and such Permits are listed on Schedule 5.14
);
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(c)
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Seller does not know, or have reason
to know, of any pending or threatened Proceedings against Seller
related to the Business with respect to Environmental
Laws;
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(d)
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Seller does not know, or have reason
to know, of any act related to the Business and attributable to
Seller that could give rise to material liability under CERCLA or
any other Environmental Law. Seller has not submitted notice
pursuant to Section 103 of CERCLA with respect to any of the
Assets;
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(e)
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To
Seller’s Knowledge, Seller does not own or operate in
connection with the Business an underground storage tank
exc
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