NOTES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
by and between
CHINA SECURITY & SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY, INC.
as the Company
CHINA SAFETECH HOLDINGS
LIMITED
CHINA SECURITY & SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY (HK) LTD.
GOLDEN GROUP CORPORATION (SHENZHEN)
LIMITED
SHANGHAI CHENG FENG DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
CHINA SECURITY & SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY (PRC), INC.
as the Subsidiaries
AND
CITADEL EQUITY FUND LTD.
as the Purchaser
Dated: February 16, 2007
This Notes Purchase Agreement (this “
Agreement ”) is dated as of February 16,
2007, by and between China Security & Surveillance Technology,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company
”), the other Group Companies listed on the signature pages
hereto, and Citadel Equity Fund Ltd. (the “
Purchaser ”).
WHEREAS, the Company proposes to issue, and the
Purchaser proposes to purchase, US$60,000,000 Guaranteed Senior
Unsecured Convertible Notes due 2012 on the terms of this
Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
covenants and promises contained herein and for other good and
valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
For all purposes of this Agreement, except as
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise
requires the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below. Defined terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall
have the meanings given to such terms in the other Sections of this
Agreement or the Indenture (as defined below).
“
Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
“
Affiliate ” of any specified Person
means:
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any other
Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under
direct or indirect common control with such specified Person,
or
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any other
Person who is a director or officer of:
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any Subsidiary
of such specified Person, or
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any Person
described in clause (a) above.
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For the purposes of this definition,
“control” when used with respect to any Person, means
the power to direct the management and policies of such Person,
directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms
“controlling” and “controlled” have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“
Agreement ” has the meaning given in the
recitals.
“
Applicable Agreements ” has the meaning
given in Section 6(i).
“
Applicable Law ” has the meaning given in
Section 6(i).
“
Bridge Notes ” means the Company’s
US$60,000,000 Senior Notes due February 16, 2007, purchased by the
Purchaser pursuant to the Bridge Notes Purchase
Agreement.
“
Bridge Notes Purchase Agreement ” means the
notes purchase agreement dated as of February 5, 2007 by and
between the Company and the Purchaser.
“
Business Day ” has the meaning given in the
Conditions.
“
BVI ” means the British Virgin
Islands.
“
Capital Stock ” means, with respect to any
Person, any shares or other equivalents (however designated) of any
class of corporate stock or partnership interests or any other
participations, rights, warrants, options or other interests in the
nature of an equity interest in such Person, including Preferred
Stock, but excluding any debt security convertible or exchangeable
into such equity interest.
“
Charter Documents ” has the meaning given in
Section 6(i).
“
Cheng Feng ” means Shanghai Cheng Feng
Digital Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSST HK,
incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“
Clearing Facilities ” means Clearstream and
Euroclear.
“
Clearstream ” means Clearstream Banking,
société anonyme, and any successor thereto.
“
Closing ” has the meaning given in Section
5.
“
Closing Date ” means the date of the
Closing.
“
Commission ” means the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
“
Common Stock ” means shares of common stock
of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share.
“
Company ” has the meaning given in the
recitals.
“
Conditions ” means the terms and conditions
of the Notes.
“
Conversion Shares ” means shares of Common
Stock issuable under the conversion of the Notes.
“
CSST HK ” means China Security &
Surveillance Technology (HK) Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Safetech, incorporated under the laws of Hong Kong.
“
CSST PRC ” means China Security &
Surveillance Technology (PRC), Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Company, incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“
Disclosure Schedule ” has the meaning given
in Section 6.
“
Environmental Laws ” has the meaning given
in Section 6(bb).
“
Euroclear ” means Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V.
and any successor thereto.
“
Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
“
FCPA ” has the meaning given in Section
6(dd).
“
Fully-Diluted ” has the meaning given in
Section 6(d)(ii).
“
GAAP ” has the meaning given in Section
6(a)(i).
“
Golden ” means Golden Group Corporation
(Shenzhen) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Safetech,
incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“
Governmental Authority ” has the meaning
given in Section 6(i).
“
Group Companies ” means the Company,
Safetech, CSST HK, Golden, Cheng Feng, CSST PRC and the
Company’s other existing and future, direct and indirect,
Subsidiaries.
“
Guarantees ” has the meaning given in
Section 4.
“
Guarantor ” has the meaning given in Section
4.
“
Indemnified Party ” has the meaning given in
Section 10(a).
“
Indemnifying Party ” has the meaning given
in Section 10(a).
“
Indenture ” means an indenture dated as of
the Closing Date by and among the Company, other Group Companies
and the Trustee, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit
A.
“
Intellectual Property ” has the meaning
given in Section 6(q)(i).
“
Investor Rights Agreement ” means the
investor rights agreement dated the Closing Date by and among the
Company, the other Group Companies, the Shareholders and the
Purchaser, a form which is attached hereto as Exhibit B
.
“
Lien ” means a mortgage, charge, pledge,
lien, hypothecation or other security interest securing any
obligation of any person or any other agreement or arrangement
having a similar effect.
“
Material Adverse Change ” has the meaning
given in Section 6(s)(ii).
“
Material Adverse Effect ” means a material
adverse effect on:
(a) the business, operations, property, earnings,
assets, liabilities or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Group Companies taken as a whole;
(b) the ability of the Group Companies or any
Shareholder to perform its material obligations under the
Transaction Documents; or
(c) the validity or enforceability of the
Transaction Documents or the rights and remedies of any holder of
the Notes under the Notes.
“
Money Laundering Laws ” has the meaning
given in Section 6(jj).
“
Most Recent Balance Sheet ” has the meaning
given in Section 6(s)(iii).
“
Non-Competition Covenant and Agreement ”
means a non-competition covenant and agreement dated as of the
Closing Date between Mr. Tu Guo Shen and the Purchaser, a form
which is attached hereto as Exhibit C .
“
Notes ” has the meaning given in Section
3.
“
OFAC ” has the meaning given in Section
6(ii).
“
Outside Financing ” has the meaning given in
Section 7(l).
“
Permits ” has the meaning given in Section
6(m).
“
Person ” means any individual, corporation,
company (including any limited liability company), association,
partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization,
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any
other entity.
“
PFIC ” has the meaning given in Section
6(hh).
“
PRC ” means the People’s Republic of
China, not including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
“
Proceedings ” has the meaning given in
Section 6(l).
“
Proposal ” has the meaning given in Section
7(u).
“
Purchaser ” has the meaning given in the
recitals.
“
Safetech ” means China Safetech Holdings
Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, incorporated
under the laws of British Virgin Islands.
“
SEC Reports ” has the meaning given in
Section 6(a)(i).
“
Securities ” means, collectively, the Notes,
the Conversion Shares and the Guarantees.
“
Shareholder ” means any of Mr. Tu Guo Shen,
Ms. Li Zhi Qun and Whitehorse.
“
Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any
Person, any corporation, company (including any limited liability
company), association, partnership, joint venture or other business
entity of which at least a majority of the total voting power of
the voting stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or
indirectly, by:
(b) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of
such Person, or
(c) one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person.
“
Superior Proposal ” has the meaning given in
Section 7(u).
“
Tax ” has the meaning given in Section
6(p).
“
Trading Market ” has the meaning given in
Section 5.
“
Transaction Document ” means this Agreement,
the Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees, the Investor Rights
Agreement and the Non-Competition Covenant and Agreement, or any of
them as the context may so require.
“
Trustee ” means The Bank of New York, a New
York banking corporation, acting as trustee under the
Indenture.
“
US$ ” means the lawful currency of the
United States from time to time.
“
Whitehorse ” means Whitehorse Technology
Limited, a British Virgin Islands company wholly owned by Mr. Tu
Guo Shen and the registered owner of Mr. Tu Guo Shen’s equity
interest in the Company.
2.
Rules of
Construction .
Unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to
it;
(b) “or” is not exclusive;
(c) words in the singular include the plural, and
in the plural include the singular;
(d) all references in this Agreement to
“Sections”, “Exhibits” and other
subdivisions are to the designated Sections, Exhibits and
subdivisions of this Agreement as originally executed;
(e) a reference to any person is, where relevant,
deemed to be a reference to or to include, as appropriate, that
person’s successors and permitted assignees or
transferees;
(f) a reference to (or to any specified provision
of) any agreement or document (including any Transaction Document)
is to be construed as a reference to that agreement or document as
it may be amended from time to time;
(g) the words “herein,”
“hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of
similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular Section or other subdivision.
(h) “including” means “including
without limitation;”
(i) provisions apply to successive events and
transactions; and
(j) references to a statute or statutory provision
is to be construed as a reference to that statute or statutory
provision as it may be amended from time to time.
Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, the Company will, on the Closing Date, (i) issue and
sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser will purchase from the
Company, the Company’s 600 Guaranteed Senior Unsecured
Convertible Notes due 2012 (the “ Notes
”) of US$100,000 principal amount each, convertible into
shares of Common Stock, at an initial conversion price of US$18.00
per share, and (ii) cause the Guarantors to issue the Guarantees.
The Notes will be issued pursuant to the provisions of the
Indenture.
The Notes will be offered and sold to the
Purchaser pursuant to Regulation S or other exemption from the
registration requirements under the Act. Upon original issuance
thereof, and until such time as the same is no longer required
under the applicable requirements of the Act, the Notes and the
Conversion Shares shall bear the legends relating to the offer and
the sale of the Notes and the Conversion Shares as required by (i)
Regulation S under the Act or (ii) any other applicable laws or
regulations relating to the issuance of the Notes.
Pursuant to the Indenture and to the fullest
extent permitted by Applicable Laws, Safetech, CSST HK
and all of the Company’s other
existing and future direct and indirect Subsidiaries (only to the
extent such Subsidiary is permitted under Applicable Laws to do so)
(each, a “ Guarantor ”) shall
irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee, on a senior basis, to
the Purchaser and to the Trustee the payment and performance of the
Company’s obligations under this Agreement, the Notes and the
Indenture (collectively, the “ Guarantees
”).
5.
Purchase, Sale and
Delivery .
The issue and sale of the Notes to be purchased
by the Purchaser shall occur at the Hong Kong office of Simpson
Thacher & Bartlett LLP, on or about 9:00 a.m., London time, at
a closing (the “ Closing ”) on
February 16, 2007 or on such other time or Business Day thereafter
on or prior to February 23, 2007 as may be agreed upon by the
Company and the Purchaser. At the Closing, the Company shall
deliver to the Purchaser one or more global certificates
representing the Notes, registered in such names and denominations
as the Purchaser may request, against payment by the Purchaser of
US$60,000,000 as the purchase price therefor by immediately
available federal funds bank wire transfer to such bank account or
accounts as the Company shall have beforehand designated to the
Purchaser. The Notes to be represented by one or more global
certificates in book-entry form, will be deposited on the Closing
Date, by or on behalf of the Company, with the Trustee as common
depositary for Clearstream and Euroclear, or its designated
custodian, and registered in the name of the Trustee. The Common
Stock is approved for quotation on the Over The Counter Bulletin
Board (the “ Trading Market
”).
6.
Representations and
Warranties of the Group Companies . Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule
attached hereto as Exhibit D (“ Disclosure
Schedule ”) which exceptions shall be deemed part of
the representations and warranties made hereunder, each of the
Group Companies, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to
the Purchaser the following:
(a) SEC Reports; Financial Statements
.
(i) Except as set forth on Schedule 6(a) of
the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has filed all reports,
schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be
filed by it under the Act and the Exchange Act (the foregoing
materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to
herein as the “ SEC Reports ”) on a
timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of
filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration
of any such extension, and to the Company’s best knowledge
after due inquiry, no disciplinary actions or proceedings have been
initiated against the Company and no such actions are threatened.
As of the date of filing, in the case of SEC Reports filed pursuant
to the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
thereof, for the twenty-four months preceding the date hereof (or
such shorter period as the Company was required by law to file such
reports, forms or other information) (and to the extent any such
SEC Report was amended, then as of the date of filing of such
amendment), and as of the date of effectiveness in the case of SEC
Reports filed pursuant to the Act (and to the extent any such SEC
Report was amended, then as of the date of effectiveness of such
amendment), the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, as
applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, as of the date of filing,
in the case of SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Exchange Act (and
to the extent any such SEC Report was amended, then as to the date
of filing of such amendment), and as of the date of effectiveness
in the case of SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Act (and to the
extent any such SEC Report was amended, then as of the date of
effectiveness of such amendment), contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company
included in the SEC Reports have been prepared in accordance with
the applicable accounting requirements and the rules and
regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at
the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in
accordance with United States generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods
involved (“ GAAP ”), except as may be
otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes
thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not
contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all
material respects the financial condition, results of operations
and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as
of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash
flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited
statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments. All
other financial, statistical, and market and industry-related data
included in the SEC Reports are based on or derived from sources
that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “filed”
(or any derivations thereof) includes filing, furnishing or
otherwise providing any reports, forms or other information
provided to the Commission.
(ii) Except as set forth on Schedule 6(a) of
the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has not, in the 12 months
preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Trading Market
to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the
requirements of the Trading Market, and to the Company’s best
knowledge after due inquiry, no disciplinary actions or proceedings
have been initiated against the Company and no such actions are
threatened. The Company is, and upon consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby expects to be, in compliance with
all of the listing requirements of the Trading Market.
(b) Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries;
Affiliates.
(i) Schedule 6(b)(i) of the Disclosure Schedule contains complete
and correct lists of each Person in which the Company owns,
directly or indirectly, any Capital Stock, showing, as to each
Subsidiary, the correct name thereof, the jurisdiction of its
organization, and the percentage of shares of each class of its
Capital Stock outstanding owned by the Company and each other
Subsidiary.
(ii) All of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock
of each Subsidiary shown in Schedule 6(b)(i) of the
Disclosure Schedule as being owned by the Company and its
Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary
free and clear of any Lien, except for the Lien granted in favor of
the Purchaser pursuant to the Bridge Notes.
(iii) No Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise
subject to any legal or regulatory restriction or any agreement
(other than this Agreement) restricting the ability of such
Subsidiary to pay dividends out of profits or make any other
similar distributions of profits to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares of Capital Stock of such
Subsidiary.
(c) Organization . Each of the Group Companies (i) has been duly
organized, is validly existing and is in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) has all requisite
power and authority to carry on its business and to own, lease and
operate its properties and assets, and (iii) is duly qualified or
licensed to do business and is in good standing as a domestic or
foreign corporation or limited liability company, as the case may
be, authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the
nature of such business or the ownership or leasing of such
properties requires such qualification, except where, for the
purposes of (ii) or (iii) only, the failure to have all such
requisite power and authority or to be so duly qualified or
licensed does not, and would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect. The constitutional documents and
certificates of each of Golden, Cheng Feng and CSST PRC are valid
and have been duly approved or registered (as applicable) by
competent PRC Governmental Authorities.
(d) Capitalization and Voting Rights
.
(i) Capital Stock . All of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock
of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable, and are free and clear of any Lien.
(ii) Issued and Issuable Shares
. Except as set forth on Schedule
6(d)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule, as at the date hereof and
immediately prior to the Closing, there is no Capital Stock issued
or issuable pursuant to any exercise, conversion, exchange,
subscription or otherwise in connection with any warrants, options
(including pursuant to the Company’s stock option plan),
convertible securities or any agreement to sell or issue Capital
Stock or securities which may be exercised, converted or exchanged
for Capital Stock (collectively, “
Fully-Diluted ”). The Conversion Shares
issuable upon conversion of the Notes have been duly reserved for
issuance, and will constitute 8.36% of the Company’s Capital
Stock on a Fully-Diluted basis. All of the issued and outstanding
shares of each of the Group Company’s Capital Stock as of the
Closing are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, were issued in accordance with the registration or
qualification provisions of the Act, if applicable, and any
relevant “blue sky” laws of the United States, if
applicable, or pursuant to valid exemptions therefrom and were
issued in compliance with other applicable laws (including, without
limitation, applicable PRC or BVI laws, rules and regulations) and
are not subject to any rescission right or put right on the part of
the holder thereof nor does any holder thereof have the right to
require the Company to repurchase such Capital Stock.
(iii) Voting and Other Agreements
. There are no outstanding (A)
options, warrants or other rights to purchase from any Group
Company, (B) agreements, contracts, arrangements or other
obligations of any Group Company to issue, or (C) other rights to
convert any obligation into or exchange any securities for, in the
case of each of clauses (A) through (C), shares of Capital Stock
of, or other ownership or equity interests in, any Group Company.
The Company is not a party or subject to any agreement or
understanding and there is no agreement or understanding with any
Person that affects or relates to (x) the voting or giving of
written consents with respect to any security of the Company
(including, without limitation, any voting agreements, voting trust
agreements, shareholder agreements or similar agreements) or the
voting by a director of the Company or (y) the sale, transfer or
other disposition with respect to any security of the
Company.
(e) No Registration Rights . Except as set forth on Schedule 6(e) of the
Disclosure Schedule, no holder of securities of any of the Group
Companies is or will be entitled to have any registration rights
with respect to such securities.
(f) Authorization . (i) Each of the Group Companies has all
requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to
which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated
thereby, (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Group Companies. and (iii) each of the Transaction
Document has been duly authorized and when executed and delivered
by the Group Companies (to the extent they are parties thereto)
shall constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of
the Group Companies (to the extent they are parties thereto)
enforceable against the Group Companies (to the extent they are
parties thereto) in accordance with its terms, except as limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and
other laws of general application affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally.
(g) Valid Issuance of Notes and the
Guarantees . The Notes,
when issued, sold and delivered in accordance with the terms
thereof and for the consideration set forth herein, will be free of
restrictions on transfer, other than restrictions on transfer under
applicable state and federal securities laws. Assuming the accuracy
of the Purchaser’s representations in Section 8 below, the
Notes will be issued in compliance with applicable state and
federal securities laws. The Notes have been duly authorized by the
Company and, when executed and delivered by the Company,
authenticated by the Trustee, and delivered to the Purchaser, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Notes will have
been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company and will
constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application
affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally. The
Guarantees have been duly authorized, and, when the Notes have been
duly executed, authenticated and issued in accordance with the
provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the
Purchaser with the Guarantees endorsed thereon by the Guarantors,
will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each
Guarantor entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(h) Valid Issuance of Conversion Shares
. The conversion rights attached to
the Notes, when the Notes are issued on the Closing Date, will
provide for the right to convert the Notes into up to 3,333,333
shares of Common Stock of the Company (subject to subdivision or
consolidation thereof) as of the Closing Date (as calculated
immediately following the Closing and assuming the conversion of
all the Notes). The Conversion Shares have been duly and validly
authorized for issuance by the Company, and when issued pursuant to
the terms of the Notes and the Indenture, will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable, not subject to any preemptive or
similar rights, free from all taxes, Liens, charges and security
interests with respect to the issuance thereof and free of
restrictions on transfer other than as expressly contemplated by
the Transaction Documents.
(i) Compliance with Instruments
. None of the Group Companies is in
violation of its respective articles of incorporation, certificate
of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents (the
“ Charter Documents ”). None of the
Group Companies is, nor does any condition exist (with the passage
of time or otherwise) that could reasonably be expected to cause
any of the Group Companies to be, (i) in violation of any statute,
rule, regulation, law or ordinance, or any judgment, decree or
order applicable to any of the Group Companies or any of their
properties (collectively, “ Applicable Law
”) of any federal, state, national, provincial, local or
other governmental authority, governmental or regulatory agency or
body, court, arbitrator or self-regulatory organization of
applicable jurisdictions (each, a “ Governmental
Authority ”), or (ii) in breach of or in default
under any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or any other agreement or
instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them
or their respective property is bound (collectively, “
Applicable Agreements ”), other than in each
of clause (i) and (ii) such violations, breaches or defaults that
do not, and would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(j) No Conflicts . Neither the execution, delivery or performance
of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document nor the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein or
therein will conflict with, violate, constitute a breach of or a
default (with the passage of time or otherwise) under, require the
consent of any Person or a Governmental Authority (other than
consents already obtained) or result in the imposition of a Lien on
any assets of any of the Group Companies under or pursuant to (i)
the Charter Documents, (ii) any Applicable Agreement, or (iii) any
Applicable Law, other than in each of clause (ii) and (iii) such
violations, breaches or defaults that do not, and would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Immediately following consummation of the transactions contemplated
in the Transaction Documents, no default will exist under the
Indenture.
(k) Governmental Filings . No filing with, consent, approval,
authorization or order of, any Governmental Authority is required
to be made by any of the Group Companies for the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except
(i) as have been made or obtained prior to the date of this
Agreement or obtained after the Closing in accordance with the
terms of the Transaction Documents, and (ii) as may be required
under the Act or state securities or “blue sky”
laws.
(l) Proceedings . There is no action, claim, suit, demand,
hearing, notice of violation or deficiency, or proceeding, domestic
or foreign (collectively, “ Proceedings
”), pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened,
that seeks to restrain, enjoin, prevent the consummation of, or
otherwise challenges any of the Transaction Documents or any of the
transactions contemplated therein.
(m) Permits . Each of the Group Companies possesses all
material licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders,
approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all
declarations and filings with, all Governmental Authorities,
presently required or necessary to own or lease, as the case may
be, and to operate their respective properties and to carry on
their respective businesses as now conducted (“
Permits ”), except where the failure to
possess such Permits could not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Permits are valid and in
full force and effect. Each of the Group Companies has fulfilled
and performed all of its respective obligations with respect to
such Permits and no event has occurred which allows, or after
notice or lapse of time could allow, revocation or termination
thereof or result in any other material impairment of the rights of
the holder of any such Permit. None of the Group Companies has
received actual notice of any Proceeding relating to revocation or
modification of any such Permit.
(n) Title to Property . Each of the Group Companies has good and
marketable title to all real property and personal property owned
by it that is material to their respective businesses, in each case
free and clear of any Liens as of the Closing Date. For real
property not owned by any of the Group Companies and currently used
or planned to be used for the business operations of the Group
Companies, each of such Group Companies has good and marketable
title to all leasehold estates in real and personal property being
leased by it that is material to their respective businesses and,
in each case free and clear of all Liens as of the Closing
Date.
(o) Insurance . Each of the Group Companies maintains
reasonably adequate insurance covering its material properties,
operations, personnel and business, and is insured by insurers of
recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks
and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses
in which it is engaged. All policies of insurance insuring the
Group Companies and their respective businesses, assets, employees,
officers and directors are in full force and effect. Each of the
Group Companies is in compliance with the terms of such policies
and instruments in all material respects, and there are no claims
by any of the Group Companies under any such policy or instrument
as to which, to the Company’s knowledge, any insurance
company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of
rights clause. None of the Group Companies has been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for, and none of the Group
Companies has any reason to believe that it will not be able to
renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage
expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may
be necessary to continue its business at a cost that does not, and
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(p) Taxes . All Tax returns required to be filed by each
of the Group Companies have been filed (taking into account all
extensions of due dates), and all such returns are true, complete
and correct in all material respects. All material Taxes that are
due from each of the Group Companies have been paid other than
those (i) currently payable without penalty or interest or (ii)
being diligently contested in good faith and by appropriate
proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established
in accordance with GAAP. To the knowledge of the Company, there are
no proposed Tax assessments against any of the Group Companies. The
accruals and reserves on the books and records of each of Group
Companies in respect of any Tax liability for any Taxable period
not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments of Tax
for any such period. For purposes of this Agreement, the term
“ Tax ” and “
Taxes ” shall mean all federal, state,
national, provincial, local and foreign taxes, and other
assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or
through withholding), including any interest, additions to tax, or
penalties applicable thereto.
(q) Intellectual Property .
(i) Each of the Group Companies owns, or is validly
licensed under, or has the right to use, all patents, patent
rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade
secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or
confidential information, systems, software or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, trade names or master works, whether or
not registered, filed, or issued under the authority of any
governmental authority, (collectively, “ Intellectual
Property ”) necessary for the conduct of its
business and all Intellectual Properties owned by the Group
Companies necessary for the conduct of their businesses are valid
and in full force and effect. As of the Closing Date, such
Intellectual Property is or will be free and clear of all Liens,
except where the failure to own, possess, or have the right to use
such Intellectual Property does not, and would not, individually or
in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the
Company’s knowledge, no Proceedings have been asserted by any
Person challenging the use of any such Intellectual Property by any
of the Group Companies or questioning the validity or effectiveness
of the Intellectual Property or any license or agreement related
thereto, and, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no facts
which would form a valid basis for any such Proceeding. To the
Company’s knowledge, the use of such Intellectual Property
any of the Group Companies will not infringe on the Intellectual
Property rights of any other Person.
(ii) Each of the Group Companies has taken
reasonable steps and measures to establish and preserve ownership
of or right to use all Intellectual Property material to the
operation of its business, including any Intellectual Property that
was jointly developed with any third-parties, or any Intellectual
Property for which improper or unauthorized disclosure would impair
its value or validity, and has had executed appropriate
nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements and made all
appropriate filings, registrations and payments of fees in
connection with the foregoing. To the Company’s knowledge,
there is no infringement or misappropriation by any other Person of
any Intellectual Property of any of the Group Companies. No
Proceedings in which any of the Group Companies alleges that any
Person is infringing upon, or otherwise violating, any Intellectual
Property of any of the Group Companies are pending, and none has
been served, instituted or asserted by any of the Group
Companies.
(iii) No former or current employee, no former or
current consultant, and no third-party joint developer of any of
the Group Companies has any rights in any Intellectual Property
made, developed, conceived, created or written by the aforesaid
employee or consultant during the period of his or her retention by
the Group Companies which can be asserted against any Group
Company.
(iv) No Intellectual Property owned by any Group
Company is the subject of any Lien, license or other contract
granting rights or security interest therein to any other Person,
except for Liens, licenses or other contracts granting rights or
security interest that do not materially interfere with the use
made and proposed to be made of such Intellectual Property by any
Group Company. Each of the Group Companies has not (A) transferred
or assigned, (B) granted an exclusive license to or (C) provided or
licensed, any Intellectual Property owned by the Group Companies
and necessary for the conduct of their business to any
Person.
(r) Internal Controls . Each of the Group Companies maintains a
system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP
and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals
and appropriate action is taken with respect to any material
differences.
(s) Financial Statements; No Undisclosed
Liabilities .
(i) The audited consolidated financial statements
and related notes of the Company contained in the Form 20-F for the
three years ended December 31, 2005 present fairly in all material
respects the financial position, results of operations and cash
flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as of the respective
dates and for the respective periods to which they apply and have
been prepared in accordance with GAAP and comply as to form with
the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the
Act.
(ii) Subsequent to the date of the Company’s
audited financial statements filed for the year ended December 31,
2005, except as disclosed therein or in any subsequent SEC Report,
(A) none of the Group Companies has incurred any liabilities,
direct or contingent, that are material, individually or in the
aggregate, to the Company, or has entered into any material
transactions not in the ordinary course of business, (B) there has
not been any material decrease in the Capital Stock or any material
increase in long-term indebtedness or any material increase in
short-term indebtedness of the Group Companies, or any payment of
or declaration to pay any dividends or any other distribution with
respect to the Group Companies, and (C) there has not been any
material adverse change in the properties, business, operations,
earnings, assets, liabilities or condition (financial or otherwise)
of the Group Companies taken as a whole; excluding any changes
caused by (x) the condition of the industry of the Company that do
not disproportionately affect the Company, (y) the failure of the
Company to meet its financial projections or (z) the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby (each of clauses (A), (B) and (C), a “
Material Adverse Change ”). To the knowledge
of the Company, there is no event that is reasonably likely to
occur in the foreseeable future, which if it were to occur, could,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Change.
(iii) Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing paragraph (ii), except as disclosed in the SEC Reports,
the Company has no liabilities or obligations (whether actual,
accrued, absolute, fixed, contingent, liquidated, unliquidated or
otherwise, and whether due or to become due), except for (i)
liabilities or obligations shown on the balance sheet as of
December 31, 2005 (the “ Most Recent Balance
Sheet ”), (ii) liabilities under any agreements,
contracts, commitments, licenses or leases which have arisen prior
to the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet and which are not
required to be reflected in a balance sheet, or the notes thereto,
prepared in accordance with GAAP (none of which relates to a breach
of contract, breach of warranty, tort, infringement, environmental,
health or safety matter, violation of Applicable Laws or
proceed
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