Exhibit 10.20
SHARE PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
Dated 21 February
2008
Between
Nord Pool ASA
(as Seller)
And
OMX AB (publ)
(as Buyer)
1
21 feb. 08
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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1
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DEFINITIONS
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4
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2
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SALE OF SHARES
AND ASSETS
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7
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2.1
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Sale of Shares
in Nord Pool International
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7
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2.2
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Establishment
of Nord Pool International
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7
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2.3
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FMSA
Addendum
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7
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3
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PURCHASE PRICE
AND PAYMENT
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8
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3.1
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Provisional
Purchase Price
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8
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3.2
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Price
adjustment
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8
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3.3
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Procedure for
determination of the Adjustment Amount
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8
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3.4
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Payment of
Consideration
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9
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4
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EARN
OUT
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9
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5
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CLOSING
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11
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5.1
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Time and
place
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11
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5.2
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The
Seller’s closing obligations
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11
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5.3
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The
Buyer’s closing obligations
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12
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6
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CLOSING
CONDITIONS
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12
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6.1
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Conditions to
Buyer’s Closing obligations
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12
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6.2
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Conditions to
Seller’s Closing obligations
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12
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7
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WARRANTIES OF
THE SELLER
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13
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7.1
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Corporate
existence and power
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13
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7.2
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Corporate
authorisation and non-contravention
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13
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7.3
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Capitalisation
and title
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13
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7.4
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Records
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13
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7.5
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The
International Exchange Business
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14
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7.6
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Accounts
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14
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7.7
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No undisclosed
liabilities
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14
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7.8
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Assets
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14
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7.9
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[intentionally
left blank)
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15
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7.10
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Leased
premises
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15
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7.11
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Intellectual
property
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15
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7.12
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Absence of
certain changes or events
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15
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7.13
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Agreements
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16
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7.14
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Insurance
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16
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7.15
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Environmental
matters
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16
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7.16
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IT and data
protection
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17
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7.17
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Employment and
pension agreements and labour controversies
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17
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7.18
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Compliance with
laws
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18
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7.19
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Litigation
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18
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2
21 feb. 08
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7.20
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Taxes
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19
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7.21
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Relationship
with the Seller
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19
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7.22
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Information
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19
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8
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COVENANTS OF
THE SELLER
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19
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8.1
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Conduct of
Business of the Group prior to Closing Date
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19
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8.2
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Restrictive
covenants
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19
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8.3
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Co-operation by
Seller and Buyer
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20
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8.4
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Exchange
memberships
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20
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9
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TERMINATION
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20
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9.1
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Termination
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20
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10
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COMPENSATION
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20
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10.1
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Compensation
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20
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10.2
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Limitation of
liability - time
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21
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10.3
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Limitation of
liability - amount
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21
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10.4
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Indemnification
procedures with respect to third party claims
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21
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11
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NOTICES
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22
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12
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ASSIGNMENT
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22
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13
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CONFLICTS WITH
FRAME AGREEMENT
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23
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14
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GOVERNING LAW
AND ARBITRATION
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23
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Appendices
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A.
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Definition of
International Business and the Business Assets
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B.
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Exchange
Service Agreement
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C.
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Clearing
Service Agreement
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D.
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Support Service
Agreement
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E.
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FMSA
Addendum
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F.
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Vendor
Note
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G.
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Nord Pool Spot
Service Agreement Addendum
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3.1
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Reference
Balance Sheets (Nord Pool International, Nord Pool Clearing ASA and
Nord Pool Consulting AS)
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7.6
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2006
Accounts
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7 etc
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Disclosure
Schedule (7.4, 7.7, 7.10, 7.11, 7.13, 7.14, 7.17, 7.18, 7.19,
7.21)
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8.1
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Interim
Cooperation Agreement
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3
21 feb. 08
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This agreement (the “ Agreement
”) is entered into the 21 day of February 2008
between:
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(1)
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Nord Pool
ASA , a public limited
company incorporated and existing under the laws of Norway with
company registration no. 965 662 952, (the “ Seller
”) and
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(2)
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OMX
AB ( publ ), a
public limited company incorporated and existing under the laws of
Sweden with company registration no. 556243-8001 (the “
Buyer ”).
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WHEREAS:
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(A)
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The Seller and
certain of its subsidiaries are engaged in the trading and clearing
of derivatives;
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(B)
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The Seller is
the owner of the entire issued share capital of Nord Pool
International AS, a limited liability company to be organised under
the laws of Norway that is to acquire the International Business
from the Seller prior to Closing.
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(C)
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The
International Business consists of (a) the International
Exchange Business, (b) 100 per cent of the shares in Nord
Pool Clearing ASA, company registration no. 980 247 899, a public
limited liability company duly incorporated and organised under the
laws of Norway, and (c) 100 per cent of the shares in
Nord Pool Consulting AS, company registration no. 880 321 862, a
limited liability company duly incorporated and organised under the
laws of Norway.
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Nord Pool International AS, Nord
Pool Clearing ASA and Nord Pool Consulting AS are hereinafter
referred to as the “Subsidiaries”.
The International Exchange Business
and the Business Assets are defined in Appendix A
hereto;
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(D)
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On
19 December 2007, the Seller and the Buyer entered into a
certain Frame Agreement setting out the main terms and conditions
for the sale and purchase of all shares in Nord Pool International
AS and certain transaction related thereto;
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(E)
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On the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Seller desires
to sell and the Buyer desires to purchase the outstanding shares of
Nord Pool International AS.
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IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
In this Agreement, the following definitions
shall have the following meanings:
4
21 feb. 08
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a)
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2006 Accounts
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means in
respect of the Seller and each Subsidiary, its audited annual
accounts ( årsregnskap ), consisting of the profit and
loss account, balance sheet, statement of cash flow and the notes
thereto, the consolidated profit and loss account, the consolidated
balance sheet, statement of cash flow and the notes thereto, for
the financial year ended on 31 December 2006;
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b)
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2007
Accounts
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means in
respect of the Seller and each Subsidiary, its audited annual
accounts ( årsregnskap ), consisting of the profit and
loss account, balance sheet, statement of cash flow and the notes
thereto, the consolidated profit and loss account, the consolidated
balance sheet, statement of cash flow and the notes thereto, for
the financial year ended on 31 December 2007;
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c)
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2007 Balance Sheet
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means the pro
forma consolidated balance sheet of Nord Pool International AS,
derived from the 2007 Accounts;
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d)
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Accounting Principles
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means Norwegian
generally accepted accounting principles as defined by Norwegian
law and regulations and accounting standards issued by the
Norwegian Accounting Standards Board (Nw: Norsk
Regnskapsstiftelse/NRS ), applied on a consistent
basis;
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e)
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Additional Purchase Price
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has the meaning
set out in Clause 4;
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f)
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Affiliate
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of any person
means, as of any time, (i) any other person directly or indirectly
controlled by or under the direct or indirect common control of
that first-mentioned person or (ii) any other legal person(s)
directly or indirectly controlling or jointly controlling such
first-mentioned person (whereby “control” and
“controlling” means the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or influence the direction of
the management or policies of a person, whether through ownership,
by contract or otherwise);
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g)
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Agreement
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means this
Agreement including the appendices attached hereto;
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h)
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Business
Assets
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shall have the
meaning set out in Appendix A;
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i)
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Business
Day
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means a day on
which banks are open for general banking business in Norway and
Sweden;
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j)
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Buyer
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement;
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5
21 feb. 08
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k)
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Closing
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 5.1 below;
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l)
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Closing
Date
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means the date
when Closing actually takes place according to Clause 5.1
below;
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m)
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Companies Act
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means the
Norwegian Limited Liability Companies Act of 1997;
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n)
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Encumbrance
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means any
mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, option or other security interest
or restriction of any kind;
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o)
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FMSA Addendum
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means the
addendum agreement enclosed as Appendix E, setting procedures for
amendment of the Facility Management Service Agreement between Nord
Pool, Nord Pool Clearing ASA and OMX Technology AB.
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p)
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Group, or
Nord Pool International Group
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means Nord Pool
International AS and its subsidiaries;
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q)
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Initial
Purchase Price
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 3.2;
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r)
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Intellectual
Property
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 7.11;
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s)
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International Exchange Business
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means the
derivatives business of the Seller that does not relate to the
Nordic Financial Energy Market, as defined in Appendix
A;
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t)
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Losses
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 10;
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u)
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Material
Agreement
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 7.13;
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v)
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Net
Equity
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means the pro
forma consolidated net book equity of Nord Pool International as it
appears in the Reference Balance Sheet and the 2007 Balance Sheet,
as the case may be;
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w)
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Parties
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means the
Seller and the Buyer, collectively;
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x)
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Party
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means the
Seller or the Buyer;
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y)
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Provisional
Purchase Price
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 3.1 below;
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z)
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Purchase
Price
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 3 below;
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aa)
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Reference
Balance Sheets
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in Clause 3.1;
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6
21 feb. 08
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bb)
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Seller
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shall have the
meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement;
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cc)
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Service Agreements
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means the
Exchange Service Agreement, the Support Service Agreement between
the Seller and Nord Pool International AS, and the Clearing Service
Agreement between the Seller and Nord Pool Clearing ASA, included
as Appendices B-D.
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dd)
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Shares
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shall mean all
shares in Nord Pool International AS;
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ee)
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Taxes
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means all taxes
(including VAT and similar taxes), however denominated, including
interest, penalties and other additions to tax that may become
payable or imposed by any applicable statute, rule or regulation or
any governmental agency, including all taxes, withholdings and
other charges in respect of income, profits, gains, payroll, social
security or other social benefit taxes, sales, use, excise, real or
personal property, stamps, transfers and workers’
compensation, which the Group is required to pay, withhold or
collect;
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ff)
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Vendor
Note
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means the
vendor note in the form of Appendix F, to be delivered by the Buyer
to the Seller at Closing; and
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gg)
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Warranties
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means the
warranties set out in Clause 7.
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2
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SALE OF
SHARES AND ASSETS
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2.1
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Sale of
Shares in Nord Pool International
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Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
out in this Agreement, the Seller agrees to sell and the Buyer
agrees to purchase all Shares in Nord Pool International AS,
together with all rights attached to them.
The Shares shall be transferred to the Buyer on
the Closing Date, free and clear from any Encumbrances.
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2.2
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Establishment of Nord Pool
International
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On the terms and subject to the conditions set
out in this Agreement, the Seller shall prior to Closing transfer
the International Exchange Business and all the shares in Nord Pool
Clearing ASA and Nord Pool Consulting AS to Nord Pool International
AS. Such transfer shall be carried out by ways of a share
subscription in Nord Pool International AS against consideration in
kind (where the International Exchange Business and all the shares
in Nord Pool Clearing ASA and Nord Pool Consulting AS constitute
the consideration).
The Parties have in connection with this
Agreement agreed to make the changes to the Facility Management and
Services Agreement (FMSA) entered into between the Seller, Nord
Pool Clearing ASA and OMX Technology AB set out in Appendix
E.
7
21 feb. 08
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3
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PURCHASE
PRICE AND PAYMENT
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3.1
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Provisional
Purchase Price
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In consideration for the Shares, the Buyer shall
pay the amount of NOK 2,150 million, (the “
Provisional Purchase Price ”) an amount which is based
upon the projected reference balance sheets of the subsidiaries as
of 31.12.2007 attached to the Frame Agreement (the “
Reference Balance Sheets ”). The Provisional Purchase
Price shall be adjusted pursuant to Clause 3.2 below.
The Provisional Purchase Price of NOK
2,150 million shall be adjusted for any deviation between Nord
Pool International pro forma consolidated Net Equity based on the
Reference Balance Sheets, TNOK 276.998, and at 31 December
2007 shall lead to an adjustment of the Provisional Purchase Price
upwards (if the Group’s Net Equity at 31 December 2007
is higher) or downwards (in case the Group’s Net Equity at
31 December 2007 is lower), with the same amount on a NOK for
NOK basis (the “ Adjustment Amount ”), such
adjustment to be allocated to the Cash Portion of the Purchase
Price.
The sum of the Provisional Purchase Price and
the adjustments above shall be referred to as the “
Initial Purchase Price ”.
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3.3
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Procedure
for determination of the Adjustment Amount
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3.3.1
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Proposal -
disagreement
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As promptly as practicable, but not later than
15 Business Days after the date hereof, the Seller shall deliver to
the Buyer (i) the audited 2007 Accounts, (ii) draft 2007
Balance Sheet, (iii) its calculation of the Net Equity and
(iv) the Adjustment Amount.
If the Buyer disagrees with the Seller’s
calculation of the Adjustment Amount the Buyer shall, within 30
calendar days after the Seller’s delivery thereof, deliver a
notice to the Seller explaining in reasonable detail the basis for
such disagreement. The Notice shall also include the Buyer’s
calculation of the disputed amounts. For the purpose of determining
its view on the proposed Adjustment Amount the Buyer shall, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, give the Seller or its duly
authorised representatives reasonable access to the accounts,
documents and records of the Seller and the Subsidiaries which are
relevant in order to deliver the above mentioned (i), (ii),
(iii) and (iv) and which are relevant to such
determination.
If a notice of disagreement has been duly
delivered by the Buyer, the Parties shall in good faith use all
reasonable efforts to reach agreement on the disputed items or
amounts in order to determine and mutually agree upon the sum of
the Adjustment Amount.
If the Parties have not reached agreement on the
sum of the Adjustment Amount within 10 Business Days after the date
of the Buyer’s notice of disagreement, the matters in dispute
shall be submitted for final resolution to an authorised auditor
(the “ Expert ”) mutually appointed by the
Parties within an additional 5 Business Days. The Expert shall
determine the sum of the Adjustment Amount. The Stockholm Chamber
of Commerce shall on request of either Party, appoint the Expert,
if the Parties cannot agree on such joint appointment within 10
Business Days after expiry of the 15 Business Day negotiation
period.
8
21 feb. 08
Each Party shall be entitled to present its case
in writing to the Expert within 10 Business Days following the
appointment. The Expert shall only consider the items and amounts
in dispute, applying the Accounting Principles.
The Expert shall submit its final determination,
including its reasoning, to the Parties as soon as practicably
possible (within 30 Business Days of the appointment is considered
a reasonable period), and its determination shall be final and
binding upon the Parties and shall preclude judicial or arbitral
review.
The costs of the Expert shall be borne equally
by the Parties regardless of the outcome of the Expert’s
evaluation, but the Parties shall otherwise bear their respective
own expenses, including auditors and lawyer’s fees and
expenses, incurred in connection with any such dispute resolution
procedure.
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3.4
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Payment of
Consideration
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Of the Initial Purchase Price, NOK
1,700 million shall be paid by the Buyer to the Seller in cash
upon Closing (the “ Cash Portion ”), and NOK
450 million shall be paid in the form of a Vendor Note on the
terms set out in Appendix F.
The Cash Portion will carry an annualized
interest rate of 3 months NIBOR for the period from 1 August
2008 until Closing, to be paid at the time of Closing.
The Vendor Note will carry an annualized
interest rate of 3 months NIBOR, to be paid at the time of
settlement. Interest will start accruing on the earliest of the
Closing Date and 1 August 2008. Earned interest is to be added
to the face amount on the note annually.
In addition to the Initial Purchase Price, the
Buyer shall pay to the Seller an amount in cash (the “
Additional Purchase Price ”) calculated as
follows:
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(i)
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An earn-out of
up to NOK 250 million, to be settled before the end of January
2010, provided the following earn-out criteria are met (and where
the left column refers to the clearing volumes of Nord Pool
Clearing in 2009 relating to Nord Pool International power products
excluding Carbon Products (as defined below):
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Earn-out payment
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300-600
TWh
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Maximum
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