|
Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION VERSION
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
by and between
BRAND HOLDINGS, LLC,
BRAND ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES,
INC.,
and
FR BRAND ACQUISITION CORP.
Dated December 29, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| |
|
|
|
Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
|
|
|
i
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44
|
|
|
ii
|
|
|
|
|
|
45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
52
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
52
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57
|
|
|
iii
STOCK PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
This STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT is made as of December 29, 2006,
by and between BRAND HOLDINGS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (" Seller "), BRAND ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE
SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the " Company "),
and FR BRAND ACQUISITION CORP., a Delaware corporation ("
Purchaser "). Capitalized terms used in this Agreement
not otherwise defined have the meanings ascribed to them in
Section 1.01 .
R E C I T A L S
WHEREAS, Seller owns all of the issued and outstanding shares
(the " Shares ") of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
(" Common Stock "), of the Company; and
WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell to Purchaser, and Purchaser
desires to purchase from Seller, the Shares, on the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and
the mutual representations, warranties and agreements set forth
herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt
and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.01
Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, except as
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise
requires:
" Acquisition " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01 .
" Affiliate " means, with respect to any Person, any
other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with, such Person; provided ,
that , for the purposes of this definition,
"control" (including, with correlative meanings, the terms
"controlled by" and "under common control with"), as used with
respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
" Agreement " means this agreement and all amendments
made hereto by written agreement by and between Seller, the Company
and Purchaser, including all Schedules and Exhibits attached
hereto.
" Alternative Arrangements " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 8.08(a) .
" Applicable Law " means all applicable
laws (including, without limitation, common law), statutes,
ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, regulatory norms,
administrative resolutions, Orders, decrees and other requirements
of a Governmental Authority.
" Balance Sheet " means the consolidated balance sheet of
the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of December 31,
2005, as set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company
for the year ended December 31, 2005.
" Brand Services " means Brand Services, Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Company.
" Business Day " means each day other than Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New
York are authorized or obligated by law or regulation to close.
" Claim Notice " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.06(a) .
" Closing " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.02 .
" Closing Cash " means the aggregate amount of the
Company’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ cash and cash
equivalents on hand or in bank accounts as of immediately prior to
the Closing on the Closing Date, less any amounts with respect to
checks drawn against such cash but not yet cleared as of
immediately prior to the Closing on the Closing Date, plus any
amounts with respect to checks for the benefit of the Company and
its Subsidiaries but not yet cleared as of immediately prior to the
Closing on the Closing Date, and, in each case, net of any
repatriation costs, including without limitation any Taxes, that
would be incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
order to distribute or transfer any such cash or cash equivalent
from any non-U.S. Subsidiary in which it is located as of
immediately prior to the Closing on the Closing Date to the
Company.
" Closing Date " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.02 .
" Closing Date Statement " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 2.03(c)(i) .
" Closing Indebtedness " means the aggregate amount of
Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries outstanding as of
immediately prior to the Closing on the Closing Date, but after
giving effect to (i) the Preferred Redemption described in
Section 2.04(a) , (ii) the repayment at Closing of all
Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries under the Senior
Credit Agreement as described in Section 2.04(b) , (iii) the
PIK Note Repurchase described in Section 2.04(c) , and (iv)
the Senior Subordinated Note Repurchase described in Section
2.04(d) .
" Code " means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
" Common Stock " shall have the meaning set forth in the
Recitals to this Agreement.
" Company " shall have the meaning set forth in the
Preamble to this Agreement.
2
" Company Employee " means any current or
former employee, director, officer, consultant or agent of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
" Company Intellectual Property Rights " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3.16(b)(iii) .
" Company Material Adverse Effect " means any change,
circumstance, event or condition that has, or would reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material
adverse effect on the business, assets, liabilities, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole); provided , however ,
that none of the following will be deemed, individually or
collectively, to constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i)
the effect of any changes, circumstances or effects resulting from
or relating to changes in general economic conditions, including,
without limitation, any change affecting general national,
international or regional political, economic, financial or capital
market conditions, including changes in interest or exchange rates,
that, in each such case, do not affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) disproportionately as compared to
other Persons in the industries in which they operate, (ii)
any changes in conditions or developments generally applicable to
the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate
that, in each such case, do not affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) disproportionately as compared to
other Persons in such industries in which they operate, (iii) the
effect of any change arising in connection with earthquakes, acts
of war or terrorism, military actions or the escalation thereof,
that, in each such case, do not affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries (individually or taken as a whole) disproportionately
as compared to other Persons in such industries in which they
operate, (iv) the effect of any changes in Applicable Laws, GAAP or
interpretations thereof, (v) the effect of the Company’s
ongoing interaction with the SEC relating to the Company’s
segment reporting to the extent related to such reporting or (vi)
any effect directly attributable to the public announcement of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
" Competition Act " means the Competition Act
(Canada).
" Competition Act Approval " means the Commissioner of
Competition appointed under the Competition Act shall have (i)
issued an advance ruling certificate under Section 102 of the
Competition Act or (ii) advised Purchaser in writing that it has
determined not to file an application for an Order under Part VIII
of the Competition Act and any terms and conditions attached to
such advice shall be acceptable to Purchaser.
" Compliant " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.08(a) .
" Confidentiality Agreement " means that certain letter
agreement, dated as of April 19, 2006, between Seller and an
Affiliate of Purchaser.
" Consent " means any consent, approval, permit, waiver
or authorization of, or registration or filing with, or
notification to any Person.
" Contract " means any contract, agreement, indenture,
note, bond, loan, instrument, lease, license, purchase order,
commitment or other arrangement or agreement, whether written or
oral.
3
" Current Assets " means, with respect to
the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as of the opening of
business on the Closing Date, the current assets as determined in
accordance with GAAP, in a manner consistent with the accounting
policies, procedures, principles and classifications used in the
preparation of the Financial Statements, and shall include trade
accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts),
accrued revenue, and other current assets (excluding (i) the fair
value of interest rate or currency swap assets, (ii) prepaid
acquisition costs incurred in connection with the acquisitions of
Interstate Scaffolding, Inc., Safway Steel Scaffolds Co. of
Pittsburgh or the assets of Keating Self-Storage Ltd., (iii)
prepaid interest, and (iv) the current portion of notes receivable
in excess of $300,000), but shall exclude cash and cash equivalents
and all assets related to federal, state, provincial, local, or
foreign Income Taxes (both current and deferred). Current
Assets shall exclude all current assets related to any Post-Signing
Acquisition. By way of example, Schedule 1.01 sets forth a
calculation of Current Assets as of the Balance Sheet
date.
" Current Liabilities " means, with respect to the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as of the opening of
business on the Closing Date, the current liabilities as determined
in accordance with GAAP, in a manner consistent with the accounting
policies, procedures, principles and classifications used in the
preparation of the Financial Statements, and shall include accounts
payable and accrued expenses, and deferred revenue, but shall
exclude all liabilities for (x) the total estimated federal, state,
provincial, local, or foreign Income Taxes attributable to periods
beginning on or after January 1, 2006 less any estimated Tax
payments made with respect to such Income Taxes for such periods,
and (y) to the extent included in Closing Indebtedness or otherwise
treated as a reduction in Purchase Price, current maturities of
long-term debt, current maturities of notes payable and capital
lease obligations, accrued interest, the fair value of interest
rate or currency swap liabilities, accrued exit costs related to
the lease facilities referred to in clause (viii) of the
definition of Indebtedness, accruals related to deferred
compensation yet to be paid to John Monter, Jeff Petersen, Dave
Cichy and Steve Loftus, accrued legal expenses directly related to
the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 and
related documentation in connection with the Company’s
pending initial public offering, and accrued severance related to
the termination of John Monter, Dave Cichy, Steve Loftus, Ray
Edwards, Scott Robinson and Jeff Peterson in 2005. Current
Liabilities shall exclude all current liabilities related to any
Post-Signing Acquisition. By way of example, Schedule 1.01
sets forth a calculation of Current Liabilities as of the Balance
Sheet date.
" Debt Commitment Letter " means the letter agreement
between Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Credit Suisse, Cayman
Islands Branch, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and FR Brand
Holdings Corp., dated as of the date hereof.
" D&O Indemnified Party " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 5.06(a) .
" D&O Indemnifying Party " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 5.06(a) .
" DGCL " means the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended.
" Employee " means each such person employed by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date.
4
" Employee Benefit Plan " means all
"employee benefit plans," as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, and
all employment, consulting, retention, change in control, fringe
benefit, group insurance, transaction bonus, split-dollar life
insurance, pension, superannuation, retirement, severance pay,
vacation pay, awards, salary continuation, sick leave, disability,
deferred compensation, bonus or other incentive compensation, stock
or other equity-related award, restricted stock, stock purchase,
stock option, phantom stock, employee loan programs, agreements,
arrangements or practices under which (i) any Company Employee has
any present or future right to benefits sponsored or maintained by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries has any present or future obligation or
liability (contingent or otherwise), in each case, other than any
Multiemployer Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, the term
"Employee Benefit Plan" shall exclude (x) any directors and
officers insurance policy, (y) any employment or similar agreement
which, pursuant to the terms thereof, does not become effective
until the effectiveness of the Company’s pending initial
public offering and (z) the limited liability company agreement of
the Seller.
" Environmental Law " means any applicable foreign,
federal, state, provincial, municipal or local law (including,
without limitation, common law) statute, regulation, ordinance,
court order or decision or other legal requirement relating to the
protection of human health from contamination or pollution, the
environment or natural resources, including, without limitation,
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act (42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.), the Hazardous
Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq.),
the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C.
§ 6901 et seq.), the Emergency Planning and Community
Right to Know Act (42 U.S.C. §§11001 et seq.), the Safe
Drinking Water Act (41 U.S.C. §§300f et seq.), the Clean
Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act
(42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.) the Toxic Substances Control
Act (15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.), and the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C.
§ 136 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated pursuant
thereto.
" ERISA " means the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended.
" ERISA Affiliate " means any entity which is treated as
a single employer with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under
Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code.
" Escrow Agent " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.03(b)(iii) .
" Escrow Agreement " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.03(b)(iii) .
" Estimated Purchase Price " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 2.03(b)(i) .
" Exchange Act " means the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
" Final Closing Date Statement " shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 2.03(c)(iv) .
" Final Purchase Price " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 2.03(c)(iv) .
5
" Financial Statements " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3.05 .
" Financing " means the financing transactions
contemplated by the Financing Commitments.
" Financing Commitments " means the Debt Commitment
Letter and that certain letter agreement between FR X Offshore,
L.P., FR XI Offshore AIV, L.P. and Purchaser, dated as of the date
hereof.
" Fundamental Representations " shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 8.01 .
" GAAP " shall mean, at any time or during any period,
United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect
at such time or during such period (or if no period is specified,
as of the date of this Agreement), applied on a consistent
basis.
" Governmental Authority " means any federal, state,
provincial, local or foreign court of competent jurisdiction,
governmental agency, authority, department, instrumentality or
regulatory body or arbitral or similar forum.
" Hazardous Material " means any form of substance,
material, waste or other matter which is defined, characterized or
regulated under any Environmental Law as "hazardous," "toxic," "a
contaminant," "a pollutant," "carcinogenic," "designated",
"controlled" or words of similar meaning or effect, including,
without limitation, petroleum and its by-products, asbestos and
polychlorinated biphenyls.
" HSR Act " means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.
" Income Tax " means any Tax on or measured by gross or
net income, profits, receipts or earnings. For the avoidance
of doubt, Income Tax shall exclude, without limitation, withholding
taxes, sales and use taxes, royalty taxes, property taxes, and,
except with respect to jurisdictions where franchise taxes are paid
in lieu of income taxes, franchise taxes.
" Indebtedness " shall mean, with respect to any Person,
(i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money
(including, without limitation, (x) accrued interest and any
premiums, costs or penalties associated with prepaying any such
indebtedness and terminating any rate or currency swap, or other
hedging, agreements, and (y) with respect to any PIK Notes or
Senior Subordinated Notes not tendered or repurchased pursuant to
Section 2.04(c)(ii) or Section 2.04(d)(ii) ,
respectively, the amount which equals the difference between the
amount which would have been paid for such notes if such PIK Notes
or Senior Subordinated Notes, as the case may be, were tendered and
repurchased in the PIK Note Repurchase or Senior Subordinated Note
Repurchase, respectively, and the face amount of such PIK Notes or
Senior Subordinated Notes), (ii) any indebtedness for the deferred
purchase price of property or services (other than current trade
payables incurred in the ordinary course of business and payable in
accordance with customary practices), (iii) any other
indebtedness of such Person that is evidenced by a note, bond,
debenture or similar instrument, (iv) all obligations of such
Person under financing or capital leases, (v) all indebtedness
of any other Person secured by any Lien on any property of such
Person, (vi) amounts drawn under surety bonds or letters of
credit,
6
guarantees or similar obligations of such Person
in respect of indebtedness of any other Person; provided ,
however , that, in no event shall any undrawn letters of
credit, surety bonds or performance bonds of the Company be deemed
"Indebtedness" for the purposes of this Agreement, (vii) all
accrued deferred bonuses, deferred compensation, severance and
other similar payment obligations with respect to Company Employees
no longer employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of
the Closing Date, but excluding any such amounts payable pursuant
to that certain Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement
between John Monter and Brand Services, Inc. entered into on June
20, 2005, effective as of January 1, 2005, as amended from time to
time, to the extent such amounts are included in the definition of
Transaction Expenses hereunder, (viii) any lease breakage costs
incurred and unpaid as of the Closing Date for leases or subleases
for the properties located at 4810 Dufferin Street, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada and 4700 West Drive, Pasadena, Texas which
the Company or its Subsidiaries were a party prior to the Closing
Date, (ix) all unpaid legal and other expenses related to the
preparation and filing of the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-1 and related documentation in connection with
the Company’s pending initial public offering and (x) an
amount equal to the total estimated federal, state, provincial,
local, or foreign Income Taxes attributable to periods beginning on
or after January 1, 2006 less any estimated Tax payments made with
respect to such Income Taxes for such periods; provided ,
however , that, in no event shall any Indebtedness of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of
its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries be deemed Indebtedness for the
purposes of this Agreement.
" Indemnification Expiration Date " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 8.01 .
" Indemnifying Party " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 8.06 .
" Indemnitee " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.06 .
" Indemnitee Threshold " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 8.05(a) .
" Indemnity Escrow Account " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 2.03(b)(iii) .
" Indemnity Escrow Amount " means $20 million.
" Intellectual Property Rights " means any and all rights
under United States, Canadian and foreign intellectual property
whether registered or not, including, without limitation, all
trademarks (including service marks), trade names, domain names,
and associated goodwill, patents, technology and know-how, trade
secrets and confidential or proprietary information, copyrights and
copyrightable works.
" IP Contract " means a Contract concerning Intellectual
Property Rights to which the Company or one of its Subsidiaries is
a party and which is necessary to permit the Company and its
Subsidiaries to operate their business, taken as a whole, in a
manner materially consistent with past practices.
" Knowledge " when used in any representation or warranty
with respect to Seller or the Company means actual knowledge, after
reasonable inquiry, of any of the individuals set
7
forth on Annex I and when used in any
representation or warranty with respect to Purchaser means actual
knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, of Alan Schwartz, Tim Day,
Jeff Quake and Gary Reaves.
" Leases " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3.14(b) .
" Legal Proceeding " means any judicial, administrative,
or arbitral action, suit, proceeding (public or private), claim or
investigation by or before any Governmental Authority.
" Liabilities " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.06(a) .
" Liens " means, collectively, all mortgages, liens,
charges, claims, options to purchase, restrictions on transfer,
title retention agreements or other encumbrances of any kind.
" Marketing Period " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.08(a) .
" Material Contracts " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3.08(a) .
" Multiemployer Plan " means (i) all multiemployer plans
within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA as to which the
Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate has any
obligation or liability (contingent or otherwise), and (ii) any
other plan provided for current or former non-U.S. employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than such plans that are
mandated by Applicable Law and administered by a Governmental
Authority) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
required to contribute and which is not maintained or administered
by the Company or its Subsidiaries.
" Net Working Capital " means the difference of (x) the
Current Assets, minus (y) the Current Liabilities (it being
understood that Net Working Capital may be either a positive or
negative number).
" Net Working Capital Adjustment Amount " shall mean the
difference of (x) the Net Working Capital, minus (y) the
Target Net Working Capital (it being understood that the Net
Working Capital Adjustment Amount may be either a positive or
negative number); provided, however, that in the event that either
(A) the Net Working Capital exceeds the Target Net Working Capital
by an amount that is equal to or less than $1,000,000, or (B) the
Target Net Working Capital exceeds the Net Working Capital by an
amount that is equal to or less than $1,000,000, then, in either
such case, the Net Working Capital Adjustment Amount shall equal
zero.
" Order " means any order, injunction, judgment, decree,
ruling, writ, assessment, settlement, stipulation or award.
" Other Antitrust Laws " means the antitrust and
competition laws of all jurisdictions other than those of the
United States and Canada.
" Owned Properties " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.14(a) .
" Permits " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.17 .
8
" Permitted Exceptions " means (i) all
non-monetary defects, exceptions, restrictions, easements, rights
of way and encumbrances of record identified as exceptions to title
(other than customary general title exceptions) in policies of
title insurance which have been made available to Purchaser prior
to the date hereof, (ii) statutory liens for current taxes,
assessments or other governmental charges not yet delinquent or the
amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings, provided an appropriate reserve is
established therefor on the Balance Sheet, (iii) Liens in respect
of deferred purchase prices payable under purchase agreements
entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practices, (iv) Liens arising under leases (whether as lessor
or lessee) or subleases (whether as sublessor or sublessee) with
third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices other than any such leases or
subleases of real property, (v) rights of set-off of banks, (vi)
Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business
in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment
insurance and other types of governmental insurance benefits or
social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory
obligations, insurance obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids,
leases, government contracts, trade contracts, performance and
return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of
obligations for the payment of borrowed money), (vii) Liens in
favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law
to secure payment of customs duties not yet due or payable in
connection with the importation of goods as to which adequate
reserves therefor have been established on the Balance Sheet,
(viii) Liens arising under the Senior Credit Agreement, the Senior
Subordinated Indenture or the PIK Indenture, in each case, which
shall be fully released at or prior to the Closing, (ix)
mechanics’, carriers’, workers’,
landlords’, repairers’, and similar Liens arising or
incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practices, (x) zoning, entitlement and other land use and
environmental restrictions by any Governmental Authority relating
to the use or occupancy of the assets to which they relate or the
activities conducted thereon, none of which are violated by the
current use or occupancy or operation of the assets to which they
relate, and (xi) such other imperfections in title, charges,
easements, restrictions and encumbrances which, individually or in
the aggregate, do not and are not reasonably likely to (A)
materially detract from the value of or materially interfere with
the continued use and operation of the assets or properties to
which they relate, as used on the date hereof, or (B) materially
interfere with the ordinary course of business of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
" Person " means any individual, partnership, joint
venture, association, joint stock company, corporation, trust,
trustee, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, or
other entity, including, without limitation, a Governmental
Authority.
" PIK Indenture " means that certain Indenture, dated as
of October 16, 2002, among the Company and The Bank of New York
Trust Company of Florida, N.A., as trustee, as amended, modified or
supplemented from time to time.
" PIK Note Repurchase " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 2.04(c)(ii) .
" PIK Notes " means the 13% Senior Subordinated
Pay-In-Kind Notes due 2013 issued by the Company pursuant to the
PIK Note Indenture.
9
" Post-Signing Acquisition " means any
acquisition by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any other
Person or business (whether by means of stock or equity purchase,
merger or asset purchase) that, as expressly permitted by and in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, is consummated by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on or after the date hereof
but on or prior to the Closing Date.
" Post-Signing Acquisition Costs " means the aggregate
purchase price, whether paid from cash on hand or through the
proceeds of additional Indebtedness, paid in cash by the Company
and its Subsidiaries prior to the Closing in connection with any
Post-Signing Acquisitions together with all reasonable fees, costs
and expenses of third parties incurred by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in connection with the negotiation and the
consummation of such Post-Signing Acquisitions to the extent such
fees, costs and expenses are paid prior to Closing.
" Pre-Closing Tax Period " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 8.02(c)(i) .
" Preferred Redemption " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 2.04(a) .
" Preferred Stock " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.04(a) .
" Purchase Price " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01 .
" Purchase Price Escrow Account " shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 2.03(b)(iv) .
" Purchase Price Escrow Amount " means $3 million.
" Purchaser " shall have the meaning set forth in the
Preamble to this Agreement.
" Purchaser Cure Period " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7.01(a)(iv) .
" Purchaser Indemnified Parties " shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 8.02 .
" Purchaser Losses " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.02 .
" Purchaser Material Adverse Effect " means any change,
circumstance, event or condition that, individually or in the
aggregate, materially impairs or delays, or would reasonably be
likely to materially impair or delay, the ability of Purchaser to
consummate the Acquisition or any of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
" Purchaser’s Benefit Plans " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 5.09(b) .
" Referral Firm " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.03(c)(iv) .
" Required Information " shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 5.08(b) .
" SEC " means the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission.
" SEC Documents " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.05 .
10
" Securities Act " means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
" Seller " shall have the meaning set forth in the
Preamble to this Agreement.
" Seller Indemnified Parties " shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 8.03 .
" Seller Losses " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.03 .
" Seller Material Adverse Effect " means any change,
circumstance, event or condition that, individually or in the
aggregate, materially impairs or delays, or would reasonably be
likely to materially impair or delay, the ability of Seller to
consummate the Acquisition or any of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
" Seller Payment Adjustment Amount " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(vi)(C) .
" Senior Credit Agreement " means that certain Amended
and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 29, 2005, among
Brand Services, Credit Suisse, as administrative agent, and the
lenders named therein, as amended, modified or supplemented from
time to time.
" Senior Subordinated Indenture " means that certain
Indenture, dated as of October 16, 2002, among Brand Services and
The Bank of New York Trust Company of Florida, N.A., as trustee, as
amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
" Senior Subordinated Note Repurchase " shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.04(d)(ii) .
" Senior Subordinated Notes " means the 12% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2012 issued by Brand Services pursuant to
the PIK Note Indenture.
" Shares " shall have the meaning set forth in the
Recitals to this Agreement.
" Specified Employee " means either Paul T. Wood or
Anthony A. Rabb.
" Straddle Period " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.02(c)(i) .
" Subsidiary " means, with respect to any Person, any
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture,
or other legal entity, of which such Person (x) owns, directly or
indirectly, more than 50% of the stock or other ownership interests
of such other legal entity or (y) controls the vote or otherwise
has the right to elect, nominate or designate, more than 50% of the
board of directors or other governing body of such corporation or
other legal entity.
" Target Net Working Capital " means $92,500,000.
" Tax " means any federal, state, provincial, local, or
foreign income, gross receipts, capital, license, payroll,
employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, windfall
11
profits, environmental (including taxes under Code section 59A),
customs, duties, capital stock, franchise, profits, withholding,
social security (or similar), Canadian government pension plan
premiums or contributions, unemployment, disability, real property,
personal property, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added,
alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, or other tax of any kind
whatsoever or any obligation to contribute to the payment of Taxes
determined on a consolidated, combined or unitary basis with
respect to a group of corporations that includes the Company and
its Subsidiaries, including any interest, penalty, or addition
thereto.
" Tax Benefit " shall mean the value of any actually
realized Tax refund, credit or reduction in otherwise required Tax
payments, including any interest payable thereon. For
purposes of this definition, a Tax Benefit shall be considered
realized when it results in an increase in a Tax refund or a
reduction in Taxes (including estimated Taxes) otherwise due, or a
combination thereof or when a credit is actually utilized to
increase a Tax refund or reduce a Tax payment otherwise due.
" Tax Return " means any return (including estimated
returns), declaration, report, claim for refund, or information
return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or
attachment thereto and any amendment thereto.
" Termination Date " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.01(a)(v) .
" Termination Fee " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.03(a) .
" Transaction Expenses " means all fees and expenses of
the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with the negotiation
and the consummation of the Acquisition and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and any other agreements entered
into in connection therewith and all stay, transaction,
change-in-control or similar payments required to be paid to
Employees as a result of the consummation of the Acquisition
(including, without limitation, any payments to be made pursuant to
that certain Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement
between John Monter and Brand Services, Inc. entered into on June
20, 2005, effective as of January 1, 2005, as amended from time to
time), other than, in each such case, such fees and expenses paid
in full prior to the Closing; provided , that , the
term "Transaction Expenses" shall exclude any and all fees or
expenses incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
pursuant to, or as required by, Section 5.08(b) .
" Transfer Tax " or " Transfer Taxes " means any
federal, state, provincial, county, local, foreign and other sales,
use, value added, transfer, conveyance, documentary transfer,
recording or other similar tax, fee or charge imposed upon the
sale, transfer or assignment of property or any interest therein or
the recording thereof pursuant to this Agreement, and any penalty,
addition to tax or interest with respect thereto.
" WARN " shall have the meaning set forth in Section
8.02(d) .
" Wholly-Owned Subsidiary " means any Subsidiary of the
Company of which all the outstanding capital stock or other
ownership interests (other than in the case of a non-U.S.
Subsidiary, directors’ qualifying shares or an immaterial
amount of shares required to be owned by other Persons pursuant to
Applicable Law) are owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company.
12
Section
1.02
Construction . Unless the context otherwise clearly
indicates, words used in the singular include the plural and words
used in the plural include the singular. The Schedules and
Exhibits referred to herein shall be incorporated into this
Agreement as an integral part hereof to the same extent as if they
were set forth verbatim herein. All "Article" and "Section"
references herein are references to Articles and Sections of this
Agreement, unless otherwise specified. The Recitals and the
captions and headings of Articles and Sections of this Agreement
are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the
agreement of the parties and shall not affect the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement. All references herein to
dollars (or $) shall mean US Dollars.
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS
Section
2.01
Purchase and Sale of Shares . Upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing, Seller
agrees to sell, transfer, assign and deliver to Purchaser, the
Shares, free and clear of all Liens, and Purchaser agrees to
purchase, acquire and accept from Seller, the Shares, for an
aggregate purchase price (the " Purchase Price ") of,
without duplication, (a) $1,135,000,000 (subject to increase, if
any, pursuant to Section 5.08(d) ), plus (b) the Net
Working Capital Adjustment Amount (which may be a positive or
negative number), plus (c) the Closing Cash, minus
(d) the Closing Indebtedness, minus (e) the Transaction
Expenses, plus (f) the Post-Signing Acquisition Costs,
minus (g) the aggregate amount required to be paid by the
Company to the holders of the Preferred Stock on the Closing Date
in connection with the Preferred Redemption pursuant to Section
2.04(a) , minus (h) the aggregate amount required to be
paid on the Closing Date to repay and payoff all Indebtedness of
the Company and its Subsidiaries under the Senior Credit Agreement
pursuant to Section 2.04(b) , minus (i) the aggregate
amount required to be paid by the Company to the holders of the PIK
Notes on the Closing Date in connection with the PIK Note
Repurchase pursuant to Section 2.04(c) , minus (j)
the aggregate amount required to be paid by the Company or its
Subsidiaries to the holders of the Senior Subordinated Notes on the
Closing Date in connection with the Senior Subordinated Note
Repurchase pursuant to Section 2.04(d) . The Purchase
Price shall be paid by Purchaser to Seller at the Closing as set
forth in Section 2.03 . The purchase and sale of
the Shares, and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, are collectively referred to in this Agreement as the "
Acquisition ".
Section
2.02
Closing; Effective Time . The closing of the
Acquisition (the " Closing ") shall take place, subject to
the conditions in Article VI , at the offices of Mayer,
Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP, 1675 Broadway, New York, New York, at
10:00 a.m. on the third Business Day after the conditions set
forth in Article VI (other than those conditions that
by their nature are to be satisfied by actions taken at the
Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those
conditions) have been satisfied or waived ( provided ,
that in no event shall the Closing occur prior to the date that is
the later of (a) five Business Days after the completion of the
Marketing Period or (b) March 15, 2007), or at such other place,
time and date as may be agreed by Seller and Purchaser. The
date on which the Closing occurs is referred to in this Agreement
as the " Closing Date ".
13
Section
2.03
Payment of Purchase Price; Delivery of Shares .
(a)
Delivery of Shares . At the Closing, Seller shall
deliver to Purchaser or its designee stock certificates of the
Company, duly endorsed in blank (or accompanied by duly executed
stock powers), representing the Shares so as to transfer and assign
to Purchaser, good and valid title to the Shares, free and clear of
all Liens.
(b)
Payments at Closing .
-
-
(i)
Not less than two Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Seller
shall deliver to Purchaser a statement containing its good faith
estimate of the Purchase Price (the " Estimated Purchase
Price ") and the components thereof, together with reasonable
supporting detail, in each case as of the opening of business on
the Closing Date.
(ii)
At Closing, Purchaser shall deliver to Seller, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to an account designated in writing by
Seller (such designation to be made at least one Business Day prior
to the Closing Date), payment in an amount equal to (x) the
Estimated Purchase Price, minus (y) the Indemnity Escrow
Amount, which shall be paid pursuant to clause (iii) below,
minus (z) the Purchase Price Escrow Amount, which shall be
paid pursuant to clause (iv) below.
(iii) At
Closing, Purchaser shall pay the Indemnity Escrow Amount to an
escrow agent (the " Escrow Agent ") to be held by the Escrow
Agent in an escrow account (the " Indemnity Escrow Account
") pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement (the " Escrow
Agreement ") to be mutually agreed to by Purchaser and Seller
prior to the Closing Date. At the Closing, each of Seller and
Purchaser shall deliver a duly executed counterpart to the Escrow
Agreement.
(iv) At
Closing, Purchaser shall pay the Purchase Price Escrow Amount to
the Escrow Agent to be held by the Escrow Agent in an escrow
account (the " Purchase Price Escrow Account ") pursuant to
the terms of the Escrow Agreement.
(c)
Post-Closing Adjustment .
-
-
(i)
As promptly as practicable after the Closing, but in no event more
than forty-five (45) calendar days after the Closing Date,
Purchaser shall in good faith prepare and deliver to Seller a
statement (the " Closing Date Statement ") indicating
Purchaser’s calculation of the Purchase Price and the
components thereof, together with reasonable supporting
detail. The Closing Date Statement shall include all of the
line items described in the definition of "Purchase Price",
including all of the components set forth in the definitions of
"Net Working Capital Adjustment Amount," "Closing Cash," "Closing
Indebtedness", "Transaction Expenses" and "Post-Signing Acquisition
Costs."
(ii)
In calculating Net Working Capital and the Net Working Capital
Adjustment Amount, if there is any conflict between GAAP and
consistency with the accounting policies, procedures, principles
and classifications used in the preparation of the Financial
Statements, then GAAP shall control, except in connection with
the
14
-
-
Company’s rental revenue recognition for
time and material type Contracts, in which case, the methodology
applied in the preparation of the Financial Statements to record
revenues as billed, is to be consistently applied in the
determination of Net Working Capital. In addition, the Seller
shall cause the Company and its Subsidiaries to, and the Company
shall (and shall cause it Subsidiaries to), (x) maintain consistent
billing practices from the date hereof through the Closing Date and
(y) classify and deploy, consistent with past practices, inventory
included in other current assets that represent newly acquired
scaffolding and forming and shoring assets that are held in
inventory until they are deployed into capital expenditures or sold
to customers. Net Working Capital shall also be calculated
without giving effect to the purchase accounting adjustments
resulting from the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby. By way of example, Schedule 1.01 sets forth a
calculation of Net Working Capital as of the Balance Sheet
date.
(iii)
Until the earlier of such time as the Final Closing Date Statement
shall become final in accordance with clause (iv) below or
such earlier time as any disputed items in respect thereof are
submitted to a Referral Firm in accordance with clause (iv)
below, Purchaser and the Company shall permit Seller and its
representatives reasonable access, during normal business hours, to
the books and records and personnel of the Company and its
Subsidiaries to aid in its review of the Closing Date
Statement. Seller shall have the right to review the work
papers of Purchaser and the Company underlying or utilized in
preparing the Closing Date Statement and the calculation of the
Purchase Price set forth therein to the extent reasonably necessary
to verify the accuracy of the Closing Date Statement and the
calculation of the Purchase Price in conformity with this
Agreement.
(iv)
Within thirty (30) calendar days after its receipt of the Closing
Date Statement, Seller shall either inform Purchaser in writing
that the Closing Date Statement is acceptable or object thereto in
writing, setting forth in reasonable detail a description of each
of its objections. If Seller so objects and the parties do
not resolve such objections on a mutually agreeable basis within
thirty (30) calendar days after Purchaser’s receipt of
Seller’s objections, the remaining disputed items shall be
resolved within an additional thirty (30) calendar days by KPMG
International or another mutually agreed accounting firm (the "
Referral Firm "). Upon the agreement of the parties,
the decision of the Referral Firm, or if Seller fails to deliver an
objection to Purchaser within the first 30-day period referred to
above, then the Closing Date Statement, as so adjusted (the "
Final Closing Date Statement "), shall be final, conclusive
and binding against the parties hereto. The calculation of
the Purchase Price set forth in the Final Closing Date Statement
shall be the " Final Purchase Price " for all purposes
hereunder.
(v)
In resolving any disputed item, the Referral Firm (A) shall be
bound by the provisions of this Section 2.03 , (B) may not
assign a value to any item greater than the greatest value claimed
for such item or less than the smallest value for such item claimed
by either Seller or Purchaser (except to the extent that the
resolution of a disputed items results in a corresponding change to
any other item), (C) shall limit its decision to such items as are
in dispute and (D) shall make its determination based solely on
presentations by Seller and Purchaser which are in accordance with
the guidelines and
15
-
-
procedures set forth in this Agreement (i.e. not on the basis of
independent review). The fees, costs and expenses of the
Referral Firm shall be allocated by the Referral Firm between
Seller, on one hand, and Purchaser, on the other hand, in the same
proportion that the aggregate amount of the disputed items so
submitted to the Referral Firm are unsuccessfully disputed by each
such party (as finally determined by the Referral Firm) bears to
the total amount of such disputed items so disputed.
(vi)
Within three (3) Business Days following the final determination of
the Final Purchase Price in accordance with clause (iv)
above:
-
-
-
-
(A) in the
event that the Final Purchase Price shall exceed the Estimated
Purchase Price:
-
-
(1)
Purchaser shall deliver to Seller, by wire transfer of immediately
available funds, payment in an amount equal to the difference of
(x) the Final Purchase Price, minus (y) the Estimated
Purchase Price; and
(2)
Purchaser and Seller shall take all actions necessary under the
Escrow Agreement to cause the Escrow Agent to release to Seller all
amounts then contained in the Purchase Price Escrow Account;
(B)
in the event that the Estimated Purchase Price shall exceed the
Final Purchase Price by an amount less than all amounts then
contained in the Purchase Price Escrow Account, Purchaser and
Seller shall take all actions necessary under the Escrow Agreement
to cause the Escrow Agent to (x) release to Purchaser from the
Purchase Price Escrow Account an amount equal to (i) the Estimated
Purchase Price, minus (ii) the Final Purchase Price, and (y)
release to Seller from the Purchase Price Escrow Account an amount
equal to all amounts remaining in the Purchase Price Escrow Account
after giving effect to the release to Purchaser pursuant to the
foregoing clause (i) ; and
(C)
in the event that the Estimated Purchase Price shall exceed the
Final Purchase Price by an amount equal to or greater than all
amounts then contained in the Purchase Price Escrow Account (the
difference of (i) the Estimated Purchase Price, minus (ii)
the Final Purchase Price, minus (iii) all amounts then
contained in the Purchase Price Escrow Account, is herein referred
to as the " Seller Payment Adjustment Amount "), (x)
Purchaser and Seller shall take all actions necessary under the
Escrow Agreement to cause the Escrow Agent to release to Purchaser
all amounts then contained in the Purchase Price Escrow Account,
and (y) Seller shall deliver, by wire transfer of immediately
available funds, payment in an amount equal to the Seller Payment
Adjustment Amount.
16
-
-
(vii) The
Purchase Price Escrow Account exists solely to secure the
obligations of the parties pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)
and shall not be subject to any other provision of this
Agreement.
(viii) The parties
agree that any such payments to be made pursuant to this Section
2.03(c) shall accrue interest from the Closing Date to the date
such payment is made at an annual rate equal to 4.97%.
(d)
Withholding Taxes . Purchaser, Brand Services or the
Company, as applicable, shall be entitled to deduct and withhold
from the consideration otherwise payable to Seller, holders of
Preferred Stock, PIK Notes or Senior Subordinated Notes pursuant to
this Agreement such amounts as it is required to deduct and
withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any
provision of state, local or foreign tax law. To the extent
that amounts are so withheld by Purchaser, Brand Services or the
Company, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of
this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Shares,
Preferred Stock, PIK Notes or Subordinated Notes in respect of
which such deduction and withholding was made by Purchaser, Brand
Services or the Company, as applicable.
Section
2.04
Treatment of Outstanding Preferred Stock and Indebtedness
. At the Closing, Seller shall cause the Company and Brand
Services to, and the Company shall (and shall cause Brand Services
to), apply a portion of the proceeds from the Financing to effect
each of the transactions described in this Section 2.04
.
(a)
Preferred Stock . Concurrently with the Closing, the
Company shall redeem (the " Preferred Redemption ") all of
its outstanding shares of Non-Voting Cumulative Redeemable Series A
Preferred Stock, without par value (the " Preferred Stock ")
in accordance with Article FOURTH, Section II(c)(5) of the
Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation. Prior to Closing, the Company shall take all
actions necessary, including, without limitation, providing any
notices, necessary to effect the Preferred Redemption on the
Closing Date.
(b)
Senior Credit Agreement . Concurrently with the
Closing, the Company shall repay and payoff all Indebtedness of the
Company and its Subsidiaries under the Senior Credit
Agreement. At or prior to the Closing, the Company shall, and
shall cause its Subsidiaries to, make arrangements with the lenders
under the Senior Credit Agreement reasonably satisfactory to
Purchaser to provide Purchaser, the Company and its Subsidiaries
with customary payoff letters, releases, recordable form mortgage
and lien releases, cancelled notes and other similar documents
reasonably requested by Purchaser.
(c)
PIK Notes .
-
-
(i)
Prior to the Closing, the Company shall consummate a tender offer
and consent solicitation in respect of the PIK Notes pursuant to
which (A) the Company will offer to purchase all of the outstanding
PIK Notes and (B) solicit the consent of such number of holders of
the PIK Notes as is required under the PIK Indenture to obtain such
waivers or amendments as are deemed reasonably necessary by the
Company and
17
-
-
Purchaser to permit the Acquisition, the Preferred Redemption,
the Senior Subordinated Note Repurchase and any other transaction
contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, to permit the
consummation of the transactions pursuant to the Debt Commitment
Letter and to eliminate substantially all restrictive covenants in
the PIK Indenture (other than those which require the consent of
the holders of 100% of the outstanding PIK Notes, or the consent of
each holder of PIK Notes affected, to effect), or as may otherwise
by reasonably requested by Purchaser, in each case, the
effectiveness of which shall be subject to the closing of the
Acquisition.
(ii)
Concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall repurchase all of
the outstanding PIK Notes pursuant to the tender offer referred to
in clause (i) above (the " PIK Note Repurchase ");
provided , that , this clause (ii) shall be
deemed satisfied in the event that no more than $1,100,000 in face
amount of PIK Notes shall remain outstanding after the PIK Note
Repurchase is consummated, so long as such remaining PIK Notes
shall remain subject to the PIK Indenture as amended pursuant to
clause (i) and shall be treated as "Closing Indebtedness"
for purposes of this Agreement.
(d)
Senior Subordinated Notes .
-
-
(i)
Prior to the Closing, the Company shall cause Brand Services to
consummate a tender offer and consent solicitation in respect of
the Senior Subordinated Notes pursuant to which (A) the Company
will offer to purchase all of the outstanding Senior Subordinated
Notes and (B) solicit the consent of such number of holders of the
Senior Subordinated Notes as is required under the Senior
Subordinated Indenture to obtain such waivers or amendments as are
deemed reasonably necessary by the Company and Purchaser to permit
the Acquisition, the Preferred Redemption, the PIK Note Repurchase
and any other transaction contemplated hereby, including, without
limitation, to permit the consummation of the transactions pursuant
to the Debt Commitment Letter and to eliminate substantially all
restrictive covenants in the Senior Subordinated Indenture (other
than those which require the consent of the holders of 100% of the
outstanding Senior Subordinated Notes, or the consent of each
holder of Senior Subordinated Notes affected, to effect), or as may
otherwise by reasonably requested by Purchaser, in each case, the
effectiveness of which shall be subject to the closing of the
Acquisition.
(ii)
Concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall cause Brand
Services to repurchase all of the outstanding Senior Subordinated
Notes pursuant to the tender offer referred to in clause (i)
above (the " Senior Subordinated Note Repurchase ");
provided , that , this clause (ii) shall be
deemed satisfied in the event that no more than $2,000,000 in face
amount of Senior Subordinated Notes shall remain outstanding after
the Senior Subordinated Note Repurchase is consummated, so long as
such remaining Senior Subordinated Notes shall remain subject to
the Senior Subordinated Indenture as amended pursuant to clause
(i) and shall be treated as "Closing Indebtedness" for purposes
of this Agreement.
Section
2.05
FIRPTA Certificate . Seller shall deliver to Purchaser at or
prior to the Closing a certificate or certificates substantially in
form and substance as set forth on Exhibit
18
A hereto, duly executed and acknowledged, certifying any
facts that would exempt the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement from withholding pursuant to Section 1445 of the Code and
the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER
Except (other than with respect to Section 3.19(b) ) to
the extent set forth in the SEC Documents filed with the SEC on or
after January 1, 2006 and prior to the date of this Agreement
(excluding, in each case, any disclosures set forth in any risk
factor section, in any section relating to forward looking
statements and any other disclosures included therein to the extent
that they are predictive or forward-looking in nature, including,
without limitation, disclosure set forth under "Risk Factors", "Key
Factors Affecting Our Business" and "Key Factors Affecting Our
Results" sections of the SEC Documents), each of Seller and the
Company hereby represents and warrants to Purchaser as follows:
Section
3.01
Organization and Good Standing . Each of Seller and
the Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation and has
all requisite corporate and company power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as
now conducted.
Section
3.02
Ownership of Capital Stock .
(a)
The authorized capital of the Company consists of (i) 1,000 shares
of Common Stock and (ii) 30,000 shares of Preferred Stock. As
of the date hereof, (x) 1,000 shares of Common Stock are issued and
outstanding and held by Seller and (y) 30,000 shares of Preferred
Stock are issued and outstanding and are held, of record and
beneficially, by the Persons, and in the respective amounts, set
forth on Schedule 3.02(a) .
(b)
All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly authorized, are validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable and have not been issued in violation of any
preemptive or similar rights. Seller has good and valid title
to, and sole record and beneficial ownership of, the Shares.
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.02(b) , the Shares are
held by Seller free and clear of all Liens.
(c)
Except for the shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock issued
and outstanding on the date hereof, the Company has not granted
any, and there are no, outstanding options, warrants, rights or
other securities or equity-based awards exercisable or exchangeable
for or convertible into shares of Common Stock or any other equity
securities of the Company, any other commitments or agreements
providing for the issuance of additional shares of the
Company’s Common Stock or other equity securities of the
Company. There are no outstanding stock appreciation rights,
phantom stock units, performance units, profit participation or
similar equity based-rights with respect to the Company, and,
except as set forth on Schedule 3.02(c) , no authorization
therefor of the board of directors or stockholders of the Company
has been given.
19
(d)
There are no voting trusts or other agreements or understandings to
which Seller, any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the Knowledge of
Seller or the Company, any other Person is a party with respect to
the voting, ownership or transfer of the capital stock of the
Company.
Section
3.03
Authorization . Each of Seller and the Company has all
requisite company power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution, delivery and performance by each of
Seller and the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly
authorized by all necessary company action on behalf of each of
Seller and the Company. This Agreement has been duly and
validly executed and delivered by each of Seller and the Company
and this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement
of each of Seller and the Company, enforceable against Seller and
the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws
affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally, and
subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity,
including principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and
fair dealing (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a
proceeding at law or in equity).
Section
3.04
No Conflicts or Violations; No Consents or Approvals
Required .
(a)
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(a) , none of the
execution and delivery by Seller of this Agreement, the
consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor
the compliance by Seller with any of the provisions hereof will (i)
conflict with, or result in the breach of, any provision of the
certificate of formation or limited liability company agreement of
Seller, (ii) conflict with, violate, result in the breach of, or
constitute a default under, or give rise to a right of any party to
accelerate, cancel or modify any right or obligation, or result in
the loss of any material right, under, any Contract to which Seller
is a party, or (iii) violate any Applicable Law by which Seller is
bound, except, in the cases of clauses (ii) and (iii)
, for such violations, breaches, defaults, accelerations,
cancellations or modifications that would not have a Seller
Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(b) , none of the
execution and delivery by Seller or the Company of this Agreement,
the consummation by Seller or the Company of the transactions
contemplated hereby, nor the compliance by Seller or the Company
with any of the provisions hereof will (i) conflict with, or result
in the breach of, any provision of the certificate of incorporation
or bylaws (or other similar organizational documents) of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, violate,
result in the breach of, or constitute a default under, or give
rise to a right of any party to accelerate, cancel or modify any
right or obligation under, or result in the loss of any material
right under, any Contract to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party, except as have been consented to or waived
in writing by the other Persons party to such Contract prior to the
Closing, (iii) violate any Applicable Law by which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or
properties is bound, or (iv) other than Permitted Exceptions or any
Liens that are contemplated to be created or imposed in connection
with the Financing, create or impose any Lien on the assets of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except, in the cases of
clauses (ii) and (iii) , for such violations,
breaches, defaults, accelerations, cancellations, modifications or
Liens that would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
20
(c)
No Consent of any Person is required on the part of Seller, the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the execution
and delivery of this Agreement or the compliance by Seller, the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries with any of the provisions
hereof or the consummation by Seller, the Company and its
Subsidiaries of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for
(i) the Consents set forth on Schedule 3.04(c) , (ii)
filings under the HSR Act, the Competition Act and Other Antitrust
Laws, (iii) the filing with the SEC of such reports under and such
other compliance with the Exchange Act as may be required in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby, (iv) such filings and approvals as may be required by any
applicable federal or state securities laws and (v) Consents which
if not obtained would not reasonably be expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect, a Seller Material Adverse Effect or
materially impair or delay the Company’s ability to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
3.05
SEC Documents; Financial Statements . Except as set
forth on Schedule 3.05 , the Company and, to the extent
applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, has filed all required forms,
reports and documents with the SEC since December 31, 2004 (the "
SEC Documents "). Except as set forth on Schedule
3.05 , to the extent applicable, each of the SEC Documents, as
of their respective filing dates, complied in all material respects
with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act or Exchange
Act, as the case may be, as in effect on the date such forms,
reports and documents were filed, and, as of their respective
filing dates, none of the SEC Documents contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.05 ,
the financial statements (the " Financial Statements ")
included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material
respects with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with
respect thereto, were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a
consistent basis during the periods covered thereby (except as may
be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of any unaudited
statements, as permitted by Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the
SEC) and fairly present in all material respects (subject, in the
case of the unaudited statements, to normal year-end adjustments,
which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material) the
consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries as of their respective dates and the consolidated
results of operations of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries for the periods presented therein. The Company
maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurances that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of its financial statements in
accordance with GAAP.
Section
3.06
No Undisclosed Liabilities; Indebtedness .
(a)
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.06(a) , neither the
Company nor any of its consolidated Subsidiaries has any
Indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of any kind (whether
accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, and whether due or to
become due) (" Liabilities ") that, if known, would have
been required to be reflected in, reserved against or otherwise
described on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, or in the notes thereto, prepared in accordance with
GAAP, which was not fully reflected in, reserved against or
otherwise described in the Balance Sheet or the notes thereto or
otherwise disclosed in the SEC Documents filed prior to the date of
this Agreement, other than (x) Liabilities incurred in the
21
ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice since the date of the Balance Sheet and (y) Liabilities
under this Agreement.
(b)
Schedule 3.06(b) sets forth a true and correct list of the
outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of
the date of this Agreement.
Section
3.07
Taxes .
(a)
All Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries have been timely filed with the
appropriate taxing authorities in all jurisdictions in which such
Tax Returns are required to be filed (after giving effect to any
extensions of time in which to make such filings), except where any
such failure to file would not reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. All such Tax Returns are
true, complete and correct in all material respects. All
Taxes (including installments on account of Taxes for the current
year) that are shown due from the Company on such Tax Returns with
respect to the periods covered thereby have been fully and timely
paid or are adequately reserved for in the Financial Statements in
accordance with GAAP.
(b)
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.07(b) , all deficiencies
asserted or assessments made as a result of any examinations by the
Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing authority of the Taxes
and Tax Returns of or covering or including the Company and its
Subsidiaries have been paid in whole or in part, including, without
limitation, as required by Applicable Law, and to the extent not
required to have been paid, are adequately reserved for in the
Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP. As of the date
of this Agreement, to the Knowledge of Seller or the Company,
except as set forth on Schedule 3.07(b) , there are no Tax
audits or investigations by any taxing authority with respect to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in progress, nor has the
Company received any written notice from any taxing authority that
it intends to conduct such an audit or investigation.
(c)
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.07(c) , none of the
Company or any other Person on behalf of the Company has (i) agreed
to or is required to make any adjustments pursuant to Section
481(a) of the Code or any similar provision of state, provincial,
local or foreign law by reason of a change in accounting method
initiated by the Company or has any knowledge that the Internal
Revenue Service has proposed any such adjustment or change in
accounting method, or has any application pending with any taxing
authority requesting permission for any changes in accounting
methods that relate to the business or operations of the Company,
(ii) executed or entered into a closing agreement pursuant to
Section 7121 of the Code or any predecessor provision thereof or
any similar provision of state, local or foreign law with respect
to the Company, (iii) extended the time within which to file
any Tax Return, which Tax Return has since not been filed or the
assessment or collection of Taxes, which Taxes have not since been
paid or (iv) granted any power of attorney with respect to any Tax
matter currently in force.
(d)
None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, bound
by or has any obligation under, any Tax sharing agreement or
similar contract or arrangement. None of the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries (i) is currently or has ever been a member of
an affiliated group (other than a group the common parent of which
is the Company) filing a
22
consolidated federal income tax return, or (ii)
has any liability for the Taxes of any person under Treasury
Regulation 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, provincial,
local or foreign law), or as a transferee or successor, by contract
or otherwise. None of the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has been a party to any distribution occurring during
the last two years in which the parties to such distribution
treated the distribution as one to which Section 355 of the Code is
applicable. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has engaged in any "reportable transaction" under
Section 6011 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
Section
3.08
Material Contracts .
(a)
Schedule 3.08(a) sets forth a true and complete list of all
Contracts to which (i) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
currently a party or by which the Company or any such Subsidiary is
currently bound which require payments to be made by the Company or
such Subsidiary in excess of $2,500,000 per year and are not
terminable by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on less than
sixty (60) days’ notice without penalty or premium or (ii)
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party and which (x) in
the year ended December 31, 2005 generated, or (y) are expected to
generate in the year ending December 31, 2006, revenues (including,
without limitation, rental, licensing or similar revenues) in
excess of $5,000,000, or (iii) the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is bound and are of a type described below
(collectively, " Material Contracts "):
-
-
(A) any
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture or other
similar agreement or arrangement;
(B)
any Contract (or group of related Contracts) under which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries created, incurred, assumed or
guaranteed any Indebtedness which, individually or in the
aggregate, exceeds $5,000,000 (other than any such Contracts
relating to intercompany Indebtedness between the Company and any
of its wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiaries or among its
wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiaries);
(C)
any Contract that contains a covenant or agreement limiting (or
that would limit after the date hereof) the freedom or ability of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or controlled Affiliates to
compete with any other Person in any material manner in any line of
business or in any geographic area;
(D) any
Contract with any stockholders, directors or officers of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than employments
agreements or customary confidentiality agreements and invention
assignment agreements entered into with Company Employees
generally, but including any Contracts which would require the
payment of a cash bonus to any director, officer or employee of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby; and
(E)
any Contract pursuant to which Seller or any of its Affiliates
(other than the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective officers or employees)
23
(b)
Except as set forth on Schedule 3.08(b) and except as
otherwise would not reasonably be expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Material Contract constitutes a
valid and binding obligation of the Company or its Subsidiary party
thereto and, assuming such Material Contract is binding against the
other parties thereto, is enforceable against the Company or its
Subsidiary party thereto in accordance with its terms and (ii)
neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries nor, to the Knowledge of
Seller or the Company, any other party to any of the Material
Contracts (x) is in default under (nor does there exist any
condition that
|