EXHIBIT 4.3
AMENDED AND RESTATED
STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT
AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER
AGREEMENT, dated as of November 7, 2005, among PAXSON
COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (together with
its successors, the “ Company ”), NBC UNIVERSAL,
INC. (f/k/a NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.), a Delaware
corporation (together with its successors, the “
Investor ”), and Mr. LOWELL W. PAXSON, SECOND
CRYSTAL DIAMOND LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a Nevada limited partnership,
and PAXSON ENTERPRISES, INC., a Nevada corporation (collectively,
the “ Paxson Stockholders ”).
W I T N E S S E T
H:
WHEREAS, on September 15, 1999,
the Investor, and certain of its Affiliates, invested $415,000,000
(the “ Initial Investment ”) in the Company,
and, in connection with the Initial Investment,
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1.
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the Company and the Investor entered into an
Investment Agreement (the “ Original Investment
Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Investor purchased
certain securities from the Company;
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2.
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the Company, the Investor and the Paxson
Stockholders entered into a Stockholder Agreement (the “
Original Stockholder Agreement ”), to provide for
certain matters with respect to the governance of the Company;
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3.
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the Paxson Stockholders and NBC Palm Beach
Investment II, Inc. (“ NBC Palm II ”) entered
into a Call Agreement (the “ Original Call Agreement
”), pursuant to which the Paxson Stockholders granted NBC
Palm II an option to purchase certain securities of the Company
held by them; and
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4.
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the Company and the Investor entered into a
Registration Rights Agreement (the “ Original Registration
Rights Agreement ” and, together with the Original
Investment Agreement, the Original Stockholder Agreement and the
Original Call Agreement, the “ Existing Agreements
”), pursuant to which the Company granted the Investor and
certain of its Affiliates certain registration rights with respect
to certain shares of Class A Common Stock (as defined below)
held or acquired by the Investor and certain of its Affiliates;
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WHEREAS, since the date of the
Initial Investment, certain disputes have arisen among the parties
as to their rights and obligations under the Existing Agreements,
and the parties have agreed to resolve those disputes and
restructure the Initial Investment, subject to the terms and
conditions of the Transaction Agreements;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the mutual agreements and understandings set forth herein, the
parties hereto hereby agree to amend and restate the Original
Stockholder Agreement as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings
set forth below:
“ Affiliate ”
shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person that
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such
Person, including the executive officers and directors of such
Person. As used in this definition, “control”
(including its correlative meanings, “controlled by”
and “under common control with”) shall mean the
possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the
direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of
securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by contract
or otherwise).
“ Agreement ”
shall mean this Agreement, as from time to time amended, modified
or supplemented.
“ Beneficially Own
” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under
the Exchange Act.
“ Board of Directors
” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company as from
time to time constituted.
“ Business Day ”
shall mean any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which
commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.
“ Call Agreement
” shall mean the Call Agreement, dated as of the date hereof,
between NBC Palm II and the Paxson Stockholders, as from time to
time amended, modified or supplemented.
“ Call Closing ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 of the Call
Agreement.
“ Call Right ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1 of the Call
Agreement.
“ Call Period ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the Call
Agreement.
“ Call Shares ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the Call
Agreement.
“ Certificate of
Designation ” shall mean the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Designation of the Series B Preferred Stock,
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on or
prior to the date hereof, as from time to time amended, modified or
supplemented.
“ Change of Control
” shall mean, with respect to the Company, (i) any
Person (including a Person’s Affiliate), other than a
Permitted Holder, Beneficially Owning 50% or more of the Total
Voting Power, (ii) any Person (including a Person’s
Affiliate), other than a Permitted Holder, Beneficially Owning more
than 33 1/3% of the Total Voting Power, and the Permitted Holders
Beneficially Owning, in the aggregate, a lesser percentage of the
Total Voting Power than such other Person and not having the right
or ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or
designate for election a majority of the Board of Directors,
(iii) the consummation of a consolidation or merger of the
Company in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving
corporation or pursuant to which the Common Stock is converted into
cash, securities or other property, other than a consolidation or
merger of the Company in which the holders of Common Stock of the
Company outstanding immediately prior to the consolidation or
merger hold, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the
total voting power of the common stock of the surviving corporation
immediately after such consolidation or merger, (iv) during
any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors
(together with any new directors whose election by such Board of
Directors or whose nomination for election by the stockholders of
the Company has been approved by a majority of the directors then
still in office who either were directors at the beginning of such
period or whose election or recommendation for election was
previously so approved) cease to constitute a majority of the Board
of Directors or (v) any “change of control” occurs
(as defined at such time) with respect to any outstanding preferred
stock or indebtedness of the Company.
“ Class A Common
Stock ” shall mean the shares of Class A Common
Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.
“ Class B Common
Stock ” shall mean the shares of Class B Common
Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.
“ Class C Common
Stock ” shall mean the shares of Class C Non-Voting
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.
“ Common Stock ”
shall mean the Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock
and Class C Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, and any
other class of common stock of the Company hereafter created and
any securities of the Company into which such Common Stock may be
reclassified, exchanged or converted.
“ Communications Act
” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the
Investment Agreement.
“ Company ” shall
have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“ Company CEO ”
shall mean the chief executive officer of the Company appointed on
the date hereof in connection with the execution of the Transaction
Agreements and any successor, unless the initial Company CEO was
terminated by the Company without Cause or the initial Company CEO
resigned for Good Reason (in each case, as such terms are defined
in the Burgess Employment Agreement (as defined in the Master
Agreement)).
“ Company Sale ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.5 of the
Investment Agreement.
“ Company Stations
” shall mean, collectively, each full service television, low
power television and television translator station owned and
operated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
“ Conversion Shares
” shall mean the shares of Common Stock into which the shares
of Series B Preferred Stock are convertible, as such shares
may be equitably adjusted to reflect any stock dividend or
distribution on, stock split or reverse stock split of, or similar
event with respect to Common Stock (other than the issuance of
preferred stock of the Company to the Eligible Stockholders
pursuant to Section 3.6(b) hereof) and any merger,
consolidation, combination, reclassification, recapitalization or
similar transaction involving Common Stock.
“ DMA ” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the Investment
Agreement.
“ Early Tender Offer
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(b).
“ EDP Attribution
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(a).
“ Effective Date
” shall mean the date hereof.
“ Eligible Stockholders
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.6(b).
“ Escrow Agent ”
shall mean the escrow agent named in the Escrow Agreement or any
successor thereto.
“ Escrow Agreement
” shall mean the Escrow Agreement to be entered into among
the Investor, the Paxson Stockholders and the Escrow Agent within
three Business Days following the Effective Date, as from time to
time amended, modified or supplemented.
“ Exchange Act ”
shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ Existing Agreements
” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
hereto.
“ Existing Preferred
Stock ” shall mean the (i) 14 1/4% Cumulative Junior
Exchangeable Preferred Stock and (ii) 9 3/4% Series A
Convertible Preferred Stock, collectively.
“ Expiration Date
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(c).
“ FCC ” shall
mean the Federal Communications Commission and any successor
governmental entity performing functions similar to those performed
by the Federal Communications Commission on the date hereof.
“ FCC Single Majority
Stockholder ” shall mean a Person who holds or has the
right to vote shares of voting stock having more than 50% of the
Total Voting Power of all of the outstanding Voting Stock and
voting stock equivalents of the Company, whether such shares of
voting stock are issued to such Person or such Person’s
Affiliate.
“ 14 1/4% Cumulative Junior
Exchangeable Preferred Stock ” shall mean the 14 1/4%
Cumulative Junior Exchangeable Preferred Stock, par value $0.001
per share, issued pursuant to the Certificate of Designation of the
Powers, Preferences and Relative, Participating, Optional and Other
Special Rights of 13 1/4% Cumulative Junior Exchangeable Preferred
Stock and Qualifications, Limitations and Restrictions Thereof,
filed on August 7, 1998.
“ Grantee ” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(b).
“ Independent ”
shall mean, with respect to a director or proposed director, that
such person is (i) “independent”, as determined in
accordance with Section 121A of the Company Guide of the
American Stock Exchange rules and (ii) was not employed by,
engaged by or affiliated with the Company, the Investor or any
Paxson Stockholder or any of their Affiliates within the past three
years.
“ Initial Investment
” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
hereto.
“ Initial Expiration
Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(c).
“ Investment Agreement
” shall mean the Amended and Restated Investment Agreement,
dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and the Investor,
as such agreement may from time to time be amended, modified or
supplemented.
“ Investor ”
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“ Investor Call Right
Termination ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.1 of the Call Agreement.
“ Investor Call Right
Termination Amount ” shall mean the amount of
$105,000,000, increasing at a rate per annum equal to 10% from
October 1, 2005 through the date of the Investor Call Right
Termination.
“ Investor Nominee
” shall mean any individual proposed by a Permitted
Transferee for election to the Board of Directors, which individual
(i) shall not have an attributable interest in the Investor or
any entity having an attributable interest in a broadcast license
for purposes of the FCC and (ii) shall be Independent.
“ Investor Rights
” shall mean the rights of the Investor set forth in Articles
II, III and IV of this Agreement and in Articles IV and VI, other
than Section 6.12, of the Investment Agreement.
“ Investor Transfer
Restriction Period ” shall mean the period commencing on
the Effective Date and ending on the earlier of the exercise of the
Call Right by the Investor or a Permitted Transferee, as
applicable, or the date of the Investor Call Right Termination.
“ Issuance Restriction
Period ” shall mean the period commencing on the
Effective Date and ending on the earlier of (i) the
consummation of the Early Tender Offer or the Tender Offer, as the
case may be, or (ii) the termination of the Restricted
Period.
“ Lien ” shall
mean any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, encumbrance,
lien (statutory or other) or security agreement of any kind or
nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, any conditional
sale or other title retention agreement or any financing lease
having substantially the same effect as any of the foregoing).
“ Master Agreement
” shall mean the Master Transaction Agreement, dated as of
the date hereof, among the Company, the Investor, the Paxson
Stockholders, Paxson Management Corporation, NBC Palm I and NBC
Palm II, as from time to time amended, modified or
supplemented.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” shall mean a material adverse effect on
(i) with respect to the Company, the business, assets,
operations or financial or other condition of the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) with respect to
any party to any Transaction Agreement, the ability of such party
to perform its obligations under such Transaction Agreement to
which it is a party.
“ Minimum Investment
” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the
Investment Agreement.
“ 9 3/4% Series A
Convertible Preferred Stock ” shall mean the 9 3/4%
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per
share, issued pursuant to the Certificate of Designation of the
Powers, Preferences and Relative, Participating, Optional and Other
Special Rights of 9 3/4% Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
and Qualifications, Limitations and Restrictions Thereof, dated as
of June 9, 1998.
“ NBC Palm I ”
shall mean NBC Palm Beach Investment I, Inc., a California
corporation.
“ NBC Palm II ”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
“ New Exchange
Debentures ” shall have the meaning set forth in
paragraph (n) of the Certificate of Designation.
“ Observers ”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).
“ Offer Documents
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(c).
“ Offer Price ”
shall mean $1.25 per share of Class A Common Stock to be
offered in a Tender Offer, increasing at a rate per annum equal to
10% from October 1, 2005 through the date of the commencement
of the Tender Offer, as such price may be equitably adjusted to
reflect (i) any stock dividend or distribution on, stock split
or reverse stock split of, or similar event with respect to Common
Stock, (ii) any merger, consolidation, combination,
reclassification, recapitalization or similar transaction involving
Common Stock and (iii) any issuance of Common Stock for
consideration less than fair market value on the date of issue
(other than shares issued pursuant to Stock-Based Compensation
Awards or upon conversion or exchange of convertible or
exchangeable securities the conversion or exchange price of which
was not less than the fair market value on the date of issue) or,
except as set forth in the Transaction Agreements, any repurchase
or redemption of Common Stock by the Company at a price greater
than fair market value on the date of repurchase or redemption.
“ Offeror ” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3.5(c).
“ Operating Rights
” shall mean the rights of the Investor set forth in
Section 7.2 of the Investment Agreement.
“ Original Call
Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals hereto.
“Original Investment
Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals hereto.
“ Original Registration
Rights Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in
the recitals hereto.
“ Original Stockholder
Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals hereto.
“ Parent ” shall
mean General Electric Company, a New York corporation.
“ Paxson ” shall
mean Mr. Lowell W. Paxson.
“ Paxson Estate Planning
Affiliates ” shall mean collectively, (i) all
limited partners of Second Crystal Diamond Limited Partnership,
other than Paxson and Paxson Enterprises, Inc., and (ii) Marla
J. Paxson, the children or other lineal descendants (whether
adoptive or biological) of Paxson and any revocable or irrevocable
inter vivos or testamentary trust (including any trustee of such
trust in his or her capacity as trustee) or the probate estate
(including any executor or executrix of such estate in his or her
capacity as such) of any such individual, so long as one or more of
the foregoing individuals is the principal beneficiary of such
trust or probate estate, or any corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or other entity in which any of the foregoing
individuals has a controlling interest.
“ Paxson Shares ”
shall mean, as of any date of determination, all shares of Common
Stock held at such time by any Paxson Stockholder.
“ Paxson Stockholders
” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto and
any other stockholders that become parties to this Agreement
pursuant to Section 6.11 after the date hereof, including,
without limitation, any Paxson Estate Planning Affiliates.
“ Permitted Holders
” shall mean, collectively, any Paxson Stockholder and the
spouse, children or other lineal descendants (whether adoptive or
biological) of Paxson and any revocable or irrevocable inter vivos
or testamentary trust or the probate estate of any such individual,
so long as one or more of the foregoing individuals is the
principal beneficiary of such trust or probate estate.
“ Permitted Liens
” shall mean (i) mechanics’, carriers’,
repairmen’s or other like Liens arising or incurred in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) Liens arising under original
purchase price conditioned sales contracts and equipment leases
with third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice, (iii) statutory Liens for taxes
not yet due and payable, (iv) Liens securing the indebtedness
included as “long-term debt” on the June 30, 2005
financial statements of the Company or securing any indebtedness
that replaces or refinances any of such indebtedness and
(v) other encumbrances or restrictions or imperfections of
title which do not materially impair the continued use and
operation of the assets to which they relate.
“ Permitted Transferee
” shall have the meaning set forth in the
Section 3.10.
“ Person ” shall
mean an individual, corporation, unincorporated association,
partnership, group (as defined in subsection 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act), trust, joint stock company, joint venture, business
trust or unincorporated organization, limited liability company,
any governmental entity or any other entity of whatever nature.
“ Refinance ”
shall mean, in respect of any capital stock, to refinance, extend,
renew, refund, repay, prepay, repurchase, redeem, or retire, or to
issue other capital stock in exchange or replacement for, such
capital stock.
“ Restricted Period
” shall mean the period commencing on the Effective Date and
ending on the earlier of the Call Closing or the date of the
Investor Call Right Termination.
“ Same Market Station
” shall mean any Company Station (i) in which the
Investor would be permitted to have an attributable interest under
the ownership rules adopted by the FCC in MM Docket Nos. 94-150,
92-51 and 87-154, as such rules may be amended from time to time,
and (ii) which, even if the Investor were deemed to have an
attributable interest therein, would not increase the
Investor’s national broadcast coverage as calculated under
the FCC’s national ownership rules because the Investor has
an owned or operated television station in the same DMA. For the
purpose of this definition, a television station shall be deemed to
be “operated” by the Investor if the Investor supplies
more than 15% of the total weekly broadcast programming hours of
such station.
“ Schedule 14D-9
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(c).
“ Schedule TO
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(c).
“ SEC ” shall
mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Securities Act
” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ Series B Preferred
Stock ” shall mean the 11% Series B Convertible
Exchangeable Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the
Company.
“ Senior Secured Floating
Rate Notes ” shall mean the Company’s Senior
Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2010 issued pursuant to the
Indenture, dated as of January 12, 2004, among the Company,
the subsidiary guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York,
as trustee.
“ Settlement Agreement
” shall mean the Settlement Agreement, dated as of the date
hereof, between the Investor and the Company, as from time to time
amended, modified or supplemented.
“ Stock-Based Compensation
Awards ” shall mean options, restricted stock and any
other stock-based compensation awards issued or issuable under any
of the Company’s Stock Incentive Plan, 1996 Stock Incentive
Plan, 1998 Stock Incentive Plan or any other stock-based
compensation plan approved by the Board of Directors or any
employment, consulting or similar agreements in effect as of the
date hereof or entered into after the date hereof and approved by
the Board of Directors.
“ Stockholder Meeting
” shall mean the first annual meeting of the stockholders of
the Company occurring after the date hereof, which meeting the
Company shall hold and convene no later than June 30, 2006, in
order to vote on certain matters including, but not limited to, the
Stockholder Proposals, and any adjournment thereof or action or
approval by stockholder consent with respect to all or any part of
the Stockholder Proposals; provided that if the Investor or
a Permitted Transferee, as applicable, exercises the Call Right
prior to such time, the Company shall seek stockholder approval of
the Stockholder Proposals as soon as practicable and all reasonable
and customary documented expenses incurred by the Company in
connection with seeking stockholder approval of the Stockholder
Proposals prior to the first annual meeting shall be borne by the
Investor or a Permitted Transferee, as applicable.
“ Stockholder Proposals
” shall mean the proposals to be submitted to the
stockholders of the Company for approval of: (i) an amendment
to the Company’s certificate of incorporation increasing the
number of authorized shares of Common Stock, Class A Common
Stock and Class C Common Stock to not less than 857,000,000,
505,000,000 and 317,000,000, respectively; (ii) a stock-based
compensation plan to authorize the issuance of an additional
50 million shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to
Stock-Based Compensation Awards which may be granted to certain
senior executives of the Company; (iii) the issuance of the
Conversion Shares if and to the extent required to satisfy
conditions to the listing thereof under applicable rules of the
American Stock Exchange; and (iv) any other matters necessary
to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Agreements.
“ Subject Securities
” shall mean the Series B Preferred Stock, the
Conversion Shares and the Call Shares.
“ Subsequent Period
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(c).
“ Subsidiary ”
shall mean, as to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, joint venture or other entity of which shares of
stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power
(other than stock or such other ownership interests having such
power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) to elect a
majority of the board of directors or other managers of such
corporation, partnership or other entity are at the time owned,
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries
(including, without limitation, other Subsidiaries), or both, by
such Person.
“ 10 3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes ” shall mean the Company’s 10
3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 issued pursuant to the
Indenture, dated as of July 12, 2001, among the Company, the
subsidiary guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York, as
trustee.
“ Tender Offer ”
shall mean an offer to purchase for cash at the Offer Price, by the
Investor or a Permitted Transferee, as applicable, pursuant to
Regulation 14D under the Exchange Act, any and all of the
issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock,
conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.5 of
this Agreement, other than (i) any shares of Class A Common
Stock held by any Paxson Stockholders or any Paxson Estate Planning
Affiliates on the date of the commencement of a Tender Offer and
(ii) any shares of Class A Common Stock issued after the
Effective Date upon the exercise, grant or vesting of any
Stock-Based Compensation Awards or upon conversion or exchange of
convertible or exchangeable securities, unless such shares are
issued pursuant to any contractual obligations of the Company as
existing immediately prior to the Effective Date.
“ Tender Offer Event
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(a).
“ Total Voting Power
” shall mean, with respect to any corporation, the total
number of votes which may be cast in the election of directors of
such corporation if all securities entitled to vote in the election
of such directors (excluding shares of preferred stock that are
entitled to elect directors only upon the occurrence of customary
events of default) are present and voted.
“ Transaction
Agreements ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1 of the Master Agreement.
“ Transfer ”
shall mean, with respect to any shares of capital stock or the Call
Right, any direct or indirect sale, assignment, pledge, offer or
other transfer or disposal of any interest in such capital stock or
right.
“ 12 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Discount Notes ” shall mean the
Company’s 12 1/4% Senior Subordinated Discount Notes due 2009
issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of January 14,
2002, among the Company, the subsidiary guarantors named therein
and The Bank of New York, as trustee.
“ Voting Stock ”
shall mean shares of the capital stock and any other securities of
the Company having the ordinary power to vote in the election of
directors of the Company.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
Section 2.1 Board of
Directors.
(a) The Investor may appoint
two representatives (“ Observers ”) to receive
notice of and have the right to attend all meetings of the Board of
Directors and any of its standing committees and receive copies of
all materials distributed to members of the Board of Directors at
the same time such materials are distributed to members of the
Board of Directors, subject to (i) the letter agreements between
the Company and each of Paul Bird and James Stewart, dated
April 27, 2004, and between the Company and the Investor,
dated April 29, 2004, and (ii) any similar
conflict-of-interest restrictions that the Company may impose on
any other Observers who may be appointed by the Investor. Such
Observers shall have no right to vote on any matters presented to
the Board of Directors.
(b) Unless the Communications
Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the FCC prohibit a
Permitted Transferee from having board nomination or similar
rights, at the request of the Permitted Transferee, the Company
shall have the right, but not the obligation, to nominate up to
three Investor Nominees for election or appointment to the Board of
Directors as part of the management slate that is included in the
proxy statement (or consent solicitation or similar document) of
the Company relating to the election of directors, and shall
provide the same support for the election of each such Investor
Nominee as it provides to other persons standing for election as
directors of the Company as part of the Company’s management
slate, but in no event shall the Permitted Transferee have the
right to appoint any directors to the Board of Directors.
(c) Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Section 2.1(b) shall terminate on, and have no
further force and effect from and after, the termination of the
Restricted Period.
Section 2.2 Certain Matters
Relating to Directors .
(a) The Company shall use
reasonable best efforts to cause the Board of Directors to consist
of nine members, comprised of not more than two employee directors,
one of whom shall be the chief executive officer of the Company,
and the remainder of whom shall be Independent directors.
(b) The Company shall engage an
executive search firm of recognized national standing as soon as
practicable, but in no event later than five Business Days
following the Effective Date, and shall use reasonable best efforts
to fill the four vacancies on the Board of Directors existing as of
the Effective Date as promptly as practicable following the
Effective Date.
ARTICLE III
CERTAIN
AGREEMENTS
Section 3.1 Financial
Statements and Other Reports. The Company shall deliver, or cause
to be delivered to the Investor:
(a) Monthly Financials
: as soon as practicable and in any event within 30 days after
the end of each calendar month of the Company, copies of all
monthly financial reports prepared for the chief executive officer
or the chief operating officer of the Company with respect to the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for and as of the end of
such month, including, without limitation, a monthly balance sheet
and income statement and a comparison of the income statement to
the budget;
(b) Quarterly
Financials : as soon as practicable and in any event within
five days after it files them with the SEC, a consolidated balance
sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the
end of such period, and the related unaudited consolidated
statements of income and of cash flows, as contained in the Form
10-Q for such fiscal quarter provided by the Company to the SEC,
and if such Form 10-Q is no longer required to be so provided by
the Company, then the Company shall provide the Investor, within
45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company,
with comparable financial statements, certified by the chief
financial officer of the Company that they fairly present the
financial position and results of operations of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries, as appropriate, as at the end of such
periods and for such periods, subject to changes resulting from
audit and normal year-end adjustments;
(c) Year-End Financials
: as soon as practicable and in any event within five days after it
files them with the SEC, or if the Company is no longer required to
file such statements with the SEC, within 90 days after the
end of each fiscal year of the Company, the audited consolidated
balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as
at the end of such year, and the related consolidated statements of
income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company
and its consolidated Subsidiaries for such fiscal year,
(1) accompanied by a report thereon of independent certified
public accountants selected by the Company, which report shall
state that the examination by such accountants in connection with
such financial statements has been made in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards without any limitations being
imposed on the scope of such examination and (2) certified by
the chief financial officer of the Company that they fairly present
the financial position and results of operations of the Company and
its consolidated Subsidiaries, as at the dates and for the periods
indicated, as appropriate;
(d) Accountants’
Certification : so long as not contrary to the then current
recommendations of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, the year-end financial statements delivered pursuant
to this Section 3.1 shall be accompanied by a written
statement of the Company’s independent certified public
accountants that in making the examination necessary for
certification of such financial statements nothing has come to
their attention which would lead them to believe that the Company
is not in compliance with the terms of the instruments governing
its outstanding debt or, if any such violation has occurred,
specifying the nature and period of existence thereof, it being
understood that such accountants shall not be liable directly or
indirectly for any failure to obtain knowledge of any such
violation;
(e) Accountants’
Reports : promptly upon receipt thereof (unless restricted by
applicable professional standards), copies of all significant
reports submitted to the Company by independent public accountants
in connection with each annual, interim or special audit of the
financial statements of the Company made by such accountants,
including, without limitation, the comment letter submitted by such
accountants to management in connection with their annual
audit;
(f) Reports and Filings
: within five days after the same are sent, copies of all financial
statements and reports which the Company sends to its
stockholders;
(g) Events of Default
etc. : promptly upon, but in any event no later than five
Business Days after, any executive officer of the Company obtaining
knowledge (1) of any condition or event that constitutes a
violation or default, or becoming aware that any lender has given
any notice or taken any other action with respect to a claimed
violation or default under the instruments governing then
outstanding debt and preferred stock, (2) that any Person has
given any notice to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or taken
any other action with respect to a claimed default or event or
condition that would be required to be disclosed in a Current
Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC or (3) of
any condition or event which has had or could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, an officer’s
certificate specifying the nature and period of existence of such
condition or event, or specifying the notice given or action taken
by such holder or Person and the nature of such claimed violation,
default, event or condition, and what action the Company has taken,
is taking and proposes to take with respect thereto;
(h) Litigation :
promptly upon any executive officer of the Company obtaining
knowledge of (1) the institution of any action, suit,
proceeding, governmental investigation or arbitration against or
affecting the Company or any Company Subsidiary not previously
disclosed by the Company to the Investor, or (2) an