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Form of METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

Shareholder Agreement

Form of 

METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY 

SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT
 | Document Parties: METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY  | WPM, L.P You are currently viewing:
This Shareholder Agreement involves

METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY | WPM, L.P

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Title: Form of METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Wisconsin     Date: 4/9/2007
Industry: Regional Banks     Sector: Financial

Form of 

METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY 

SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT
, Parties: metavante holding company  , wpm  l.p
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Exhibit 10.03

Form of

METAVANTE HOLDING COMPANY

SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

Dated as of []


Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

Page

 

  

ARTICLE I

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

GOVERNANCE

  

 

 

 

 

1.1

  

Composition of the Board of Directors

  

2

1.2

  

Committees.

  

4

1.3

  

Articles of Incorporation and By-laws

  

4

1.4

  

Approval Rights

  

4

1.5

  

Venture Capital Qualifying Investment

  

5

1.6

  

Termination of Article I

  

5

 

 

 

 

  

ARTICLE II

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

  

 

 

 

 

2.1

  

Demand Registrations.

  

6

2.2

  

Piggyback Registrations.

  

9

2.3

  

Registration Procedures

  

10

2.4

  

Registration Expenses.

  

13

2.5

  

Participation in Underwritten Registrations.

  

13

2.6

  

Rule 144; Legended Securities; etc.

  

14

2.7

  

Holdback

  

15

 

 

 

 

  

ARTICLE III

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

TRANSFERS; STANDSTILL PROVISIONS; PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS

  

 

 

 

 

3.1

  

Investor Group Transfer Restrictions

  

15

3.2

  

Standstill Provisions

  

16

3.3

  

Anti-Takeover Provisions

  

18

3.4

  

Buyout Transactions

  

18

3.5

  

Preemptive Rights.

  

18

 

 

 

 

  

ARTICLE IV

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

INDEMNIFICATION

  

 

 

 

 

4.1

  

Indemnification.

  

21

 

 

 

 

  

ARTICLE V

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

DEFINITIONS

  

 

 

 

 

5.1

  

Defined Terms

  

24

5.2

  

Terms Generally

  

30

 

i


Table of Contents

(continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

Page

 

  

Article VI

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

MISCELLANEOUS

  

 

 

 

 

6.1

  

Term

  

30

6.2

  

No Inconsistent Agreements

  

30

6.3

  

Legend.

  

30

6.4

  

Amendments and Waivers

  

31

6.5

  

Successors and Assigns

  

31

6.6

  

Severability

  

32

6.7

  

Counterparts

  

32

6.8

  

Descriptive Headings

  

32

6.9

  

Governing Law

  

32

6.10

  

Consent to Jurisdiction

  

32

6.11

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

  

32

6.12

  

Enforcement; Attorneys’ Fees

  

33

6.13

  

No Third Party Beneficiaries

  

33

6.14

  

Notices

  

33

6.15

  

Entire Agreement

  

34

 

ii


SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT, dated as of [] (as it may be amended from time to time, this “ Agreement ”), among ( i ) Metavante Holding Company, a Wisconsin corporation (the “ Company ”), ( ii ) WPM, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“ Investor ”), and ( iii ) any other Shareholder that may become a party to this Agreement after the date and pursuant to the terms hereof.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, pursuant to an Investment Agreement, dated as of April 3, 2007 (the “ Investment Agreement ”), among the Company, Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (“ MI Corp. ”), New M&I Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation, Metavante Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation, and Investor, Investor has agreed to acquire, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in such agreement, ( i ) newly issued shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Class A Common Stock ”) of the Company and ( ii ) certain purchase rights with respect to shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Stock Purchase Right Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and Investor (“ Purchase Rights ”) (such transaction, the “ Investment ”);

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, Investor will own [] shares of Class A Common Stock;

WHEREAS, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the first day following the date hereof, each outstanding share of Class A Common Stock held by Investor shall automatically convert into a share of Common Stock;

WHEREAS, it is a condition to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Investment Agreement that the Company execute and deliver this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, each of the parties hereto wishes to set forth in this Agreement certain terms and conditions regarding the Investment and the ownership of shares of Common Stock, including certain registration rights applicable to such shares, restrictions on the transfer of such shares, restrictions on certain actions relating to the Company, and the management of the Company and its subsidiaries.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:


ARTICLE I

GOVERNANCE

1.1 Composition of the Board of Directors . (a) The by-laws of the Company shall provide that so long as this Article I is in effect the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) shall consist of eleven directors, such directors to be nominated and elected in accordance with this Agreement and the provisions of the by-laws of the Company. As of the Closing Date, the directors shall consist of ( i ) three directors designated by Investor (such designees and any persons nominated pursuant to Section 1.1(b) and elected as directors and any persons designated as replacement directors for such designees or their replacements pursuant to Section 1.1(c), the “ Investor Designees ”), ( ii ) two directors who shall be officers of the Company, one of whom shall be the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and one of whom shall be the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, ( iii ) one director who shall be designated by MI Corp. and shall initially be Dennis J. Kuester (such designee and any person designated as a replacement director for such designee or their replacement pursuant to Section 1.1(d), the “ MI Designee ”), and ( iv ) five additional directors designated pursuant to Section 6.2 of the Investment Agreement, each of whom shall qualify as Independent Directors and one of whom shall also be a director of MI Corp. (such designees, any persons nominated and elected as directors or designated as replacement directors for such designees or their replacements pursuant to Section 1.1(d), the “ Initial Unaffiliated Directors ”); provided , however , that if Investor or MI Corp. is prevented by Applicable Law or regulatory process from designating any of its designees pursuant to the foregoing clause (i), (iii) or (iv) (in the case of a MI Corp. director), as applicable, or if such designation is otherwise prohibited by Section 6.2(a) of the Investment Agreement (because such designation would result in the Company being an affiliate of New MI Corp. for purposes of Section 23A or 23B of the Federal Reserve Act), then such directors shall be Independent Directors selected pursuant to the foregoing clause (iv) in a manner which addresses the reason that the designee was originally prevented from being designated. The Chairman of the Board of the Company shall be Dennis J. Kuester for a period of one year from the date hereof. If Dennis J. Kuester is unable to serve as Chairman of the Board during such one-year period, and after such one-year period, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company shall, subject to the approval of the Board, succeed Dennis J. Kuester as the Chairman of the Board. In connection with the 2008 annual meeting of the Company, the Company shall take all actions necessary to provide that the Investor Designees are nominated for re-election to the Board at such annual meeting and the remaining directors shall be nominated in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the by-laws of the Company.

(b) Following the 2008 annual meeting of shareholders of the Company: ( i ) so long as the Investor Percentage Interest equals or exceeds 17.5%, Investor shall

 

2


have the right to nominate three directors; (ii) if the Investor Percentage Interest is less than 17.5% but equals or exceeds 7.5% Investor shall have the right to nominate two directors; ( iii ) if the Investor Percentage Interest is less than 7.5% but the fair market value, as determined by the Board in good faith, of the Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by the Investor Group equals or exceeds $150 million, Investor shall have the right to nominate one director; and (iv) if the Investor Percentage Interest is less than 7.5% and the fair market value, as determined by the Board in good faith, of the Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by the Investor Group is less than $150 million, Investor shall not have the right to nominate any directors. Such nominees shall, subject to Applicable Law, be the Company’s nominees to serve on the Board and the Company shall solicit proxies for them to the same extent as it does for any of its other nominees to the Board. Following the 2008 annual meeting of shareholders of the Company, the remaining directors of the Board shall be nominated in accordance with this Agreement and the provisions of the by-laws of the Company.

(c) Subject to Section 1.1(b), the remaining Investor Designees then in office shall have the right to designate any replacement for an Investor Designee upon the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office of such director; provided , that if an Investor Designee is removed for cause by the shareholders, the remaining Investor Designee shall not designate the person who was removed as such replacement Investor Designee.

(d) Until the 2008 annual meeting of shareholders of the Company, ( i ) the remaining MI Designees then in office shall have the right to designate any replacement for a MI Designee upon the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office of such director; provided , that if an MI Designee is removed for cause by the shareholders, the remaining MI Designees shall not designate the person who was removed as such replacement MI Designee and ( ii ) the Initial Unaffiliated Directors by majority vote or consent of those Initial Unaffiliated Directors then in office shall have the right to designate any replacement for an Initial Unaffiliated Director upon the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office of such director; provided , that if an Initial Unaffiliated Director is removed for cause by the shareholders, the remaining Initial Unaffiliated Directors shall not designate the person who was removed as such replacement Initial Unaffiliated Director.

(e) For purposes of constituting the initial Board as of the Closing Date upon consummation of the Transactions, no Investor Designee shall be deemed not to be an Independent Director because of the ownership of Common Stock by Investor or because of the rights of Investor under this Agreement.

(f) Until the Board shall determine otherwise, the regular meetings of the Board shall be held on the third Thursday of each February, April, June, August, October and December.

 

3


1.2 Committees .

(a) The Board shall have the following committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (as such terms are defined in the Company’s by-laws). Each of the foregoing committees shall have three members.

(b) All the members of each of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall qualify as Independent Directors. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, at least one member of the Compensation Committee (who shall be the Chairman of the Compensation Committee), Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Audit Committee shall be an Investor Designee.

1.3 Articles of Incorporation and By-laws . The Company and Investor shall take or cause to be taken all lawful action necessary to ensure at all times as of and following the Closing Date that the articles of incorporation and by-laws of the Company are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

1.4 Approval Rights . In addition to any other approval required, during any time that the restrictions of Section 3.1(a) and Section 3.1(b) are in effect, the Company shall not, and shall cause its subsidiaries not to, take any of the following actions without the approval of the Board by Supermajority Vote:

(i) entering into a merger, reorganization, share exchange, consolidation, business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company that if consummated, would result in a Change of Control; provided , however , that for the purposes of this clause (i) of Section 1.4, the words “a majority of” and “all or substantially all of” in the definition of “Change of Control” shall be replaced by the words “twenty percent of”;

(ii) acquiring (including by merger, business combination, reorganization or other similar transaction), in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, any business or assets for consideration having a value (valuing any non-cash consideration at fair market value as determined by the Board in good faith) in excess of $300 million;

(iii) making or committing to make any capital expenditure or series of related capital expenditures in excess of $300 million;

(iv) disposing of (including by merger, business combination, reorganization or other similar transaction), in a single transaction or a series of

 

4


related transactions, any business or assets for consideration having a value (valuing non-cash consideration at fair market value as determined by the Board in good faith) in excess of $100 million; and

(v) (A) incurring any indebtedness for borrowed money or issuing any debt securities (other than indebtedness or debt securities owed or issued solely between or among the Company and/or one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries), or (B) guaranteeing any indebtedness for borrowed money of any other Person if the amount of such incurred or guaranteed indebtedness exceeds $300 million.

1.5 Venture Capital Qualifying Investment . (a) Investor represents and warrants that Investor Fund is a “venture capital operating company” within the meaning of Department of Labor “plan asset” regulations (“ VCOC ”). Investor agrees to notify the Company promptly if Investor Fund ceases to be a VCOC or if, in Investor’s good faith judgment, the provisions set forth in Section 1.5(b) are no longer required in order for the ownership of Common Stock to qualify as a venture capital investment within the meaning of Department of Labor “plan asset” regulations.

(b) The Company hereby agrees that, subject to Applicable Law and existing contractual restrictions and provided that Investor Fund executes a confidentiality agreement in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company covering Investor Fund and its representatives which governs the confidentiality and use of any information received by Investor Fund or its representatives from the Company pursuant to this Section 1.5 , it shall ( i ) furnish Investor Fund with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business and properties of the Company as the Company prepares and compiles for its directors in the ordinary course and as Investor Fund may from time to time reasonably request, ( ii ) permit Investor Fund to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company, and to make proposals and furnish advice with respect thereto, with the principal officers of the Company within thirty days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company, and ( iii ) invite a representative of Investor Fund to attend all meetings of the Board in a nonvoting observer capacity if none of the Investor Designees is a member of the Board and, in this respect, shall give such representative copies of all notices, minutes, consents and other material that it provides to the directors and such representative shall be entitled to participate in discussions of matters brought to the Board. The provisions of this Section 1.5 (b)  shall terminate on the earlier of ( i ) the date of termination of this Article I pursuant to Section 1.6 , ( ii ) the date on which Investor Fund ceases to be a VCOC and (iii) the date on which, in Investor’s good faith judgment, the provisions of this Section 1.5(b) are no longer required in order for the ownership of Common Stock to qualify as a venture capital investment within the meaning of Department of Labor “plan asset” regulations.

1.6 Termination of Article I . Subject to Section 6.1 , this Article I (other than Section 1.3 ) shall terminate and be of no further force or effect on the earlier of ( i ) the

 

5


date on which the Investor Percentage Interest is less than 7.5% and the fair market value, as determined by the Board in good faith, of the Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by the Investor Group is less than $150 million and ( ii ) the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

2.1 Demand Registrations .

(a) Requests for Registration . At any time following the first anniversary of the Closing Date, Investor may request in writing, on behalf of Investor Group, that the Company effect the registration of all or any part of the Registrable Securities held by Investor Group (a “ Registration Request ”), provided that, prior to the second anniversary of the Closing Date, the number of shares of Common Stock to be sold by Investor Group pursuant to a Registration Request shall be limited to an amount that will not cause the Investor Percentage Interest to be less than 25%. Promptly after its receipt of any Registration Request, the Company will give written notice of such request to all other Shareholders, and will use its reasonable best efforts to register, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, all Registrable Securities that have been requested to be registered in the Registration Request or by any other Shareholders by written notice to the Company given within fifteen Business Days after the date the Company has given such Shareholders notice of the Registration Request. The Company will pay all Registration Expenses incurred in connection with any registration pursuant to this Section 2.1. Any registration requested by Investor pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or 2.1(c) is referred to in this Agreement as a “ Demand Registration ”.

(b) Limitation on Demand Registrations . Investor will be entitled to initiate no more than four Demand Registrations (including Short-Form Registrations permitted pursuant to Section 2.1(c)). No request for registration will count for the purposes of the limitations in this Section 2.1(b) if ( i ) Investor determines in good faith to withdraw the proposed registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement relating to such request due to marketing conditions or regulatory reasons relating to the Company, ( ii ) the Registration Statement relating to such request is not declared effective within 180 days of the date such Registration Statement is first filed with the Commission (other than solely by reason of Investor having refused to proceed) and Investor withdraws its Registration Request prior to such Registration Statement being declared effective, ( iii ) prior to the sale of at least 90% of the Registrable Securities included in the applicable registration relating to such request, such registration is adversely affected by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the Commission or other governmental agency or court for any reason and the Company fails to have such stop order, injunction or other order or requirement removed, withdrawn or resolved to Investor’s reasonable satisfaction within thirty days of the date of such order, ( iv ) more

 

6


than 10% of the Registrable Securities requested by Investor to be included in the registration are not so included pursuant to Section 2.1(f), or ( v ) the conditions to closing specified in the underwriting agreement or purchase agreement entered into in connection with the registration relating to such request are not satisfied (other than as a result of a material default or breach thereunder by Investor). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any request for registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a) regardless of whether or not such request counts toward the limitation set forth above.

(c) Short-Form Registrations . The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to qualify for registration on Form S-3 or any comparable or successor form or forms or any similar short-form registration (“ Short-Form Registrations ”), and, if requested by Investor and available to the Company, such Short-Form Registration will be a “shelf” registration statement providing for the registration of, and the sale on a continuous or delayed basis of the Registrable Securities, pursuant to Rule 415. In no event shall the Company be obligated to effect any shelf registration other than pursuant to a Short-Form Registration. The Company will pay all Registration Expenses incurred in connection with any Short-Form Registration.

(d) Restrictions on Demand Registrations . If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a registration statement, including a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415, with respect to a Demand Registration would ( i ) require the Company to make a public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure in the good faith judgment of the Board (A) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement so that such Registration Statement would not be materially misleading, (B) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing, effectiveness or continued use of such Registration Statement and (C) would in the good faith judgment of the Board reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company or its business if made at such time, or ( ii ) would in the good faith and judgment of the Board reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company or its business or on the Company’s ability to effect a planned or proposed acquisition, disposition, financing, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction, then the Company may upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the participants in such registration (each of whom hereby agrees to maintain the confidentiality of all information disclosed to such participants) delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement, provided , that the Company shall not be permitted to do so ( x ) more than three times during any twelve-month period or ( y ) for periods exceeding, in the aggregate, one hundred twenty-five days during any twelve-month period. In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, such Shareholders agree to suspend, promptly upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of any prospectus relating to such registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities. If the Company so postpones the filing of a prospectus or the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, Investor will be

 

7


entitled to withdraw such request and, if such request is withdrawn, such registration request will not count for the purposes of the limitation set forth in Section 2.1(b). The Company will pay all Registration Expenses incurred in connection with any such aborted registration or prospectus.

(e) Selection of Underwriters .

(i) If Investor intends that the Registrable Securities covered by its Registration Request shall be distributed by means of an underwritten offering, Investor will so advise the Company as a part of the Registration Request, and the Company will include such information in the notice sent by the Company to the other Shareholders with respect to such Registration Request. In such event, the lead underwriter to administer the offering will be chosen by Investor subject to the prior written consent, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, of the Company.

(ii) If the offering is underwritten, the right of any Shareholder to registration pursuant to this Section 2.1 will be conditioned upon such Shareholder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Shareholder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting, and each such Shareholder will (together with the Company and the other Shareholders distributing their securities through such underwriting) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting. If any Shareholder disapproves of the terms of the underwriting, such Shareholder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company, the managing underwriter and Investor.

(f) Priority on Demand Registrations . The Company will not include in any underwritten registration pursuant to this Section 2.1 any securities that are not Registrable Securities, without the prior written consent of Investor. If the managing underwriter advises the Company that in its reasonable opinion the number of Registrable Securities (and, if permitted hereunder, other securities requested to be included in such offering) exceeds the number of securities that can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price), the Company will include in such offering only such number of securities that in the reasonable opinion of such underwriters can be sold without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price), which securities will be so included in the following order of priority: ( i ) first, Registrable Securities of Investor Group and ( ii ) second, Registrable Securities of any other Shareholders who have delivered written requests for registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a), pro rata on the basis of the aggregate number of Registrable Securities owned by each such Shareholder and ( iii ) any other securities of the Company that have been requested to be so included, subject to the terms of this Agreement.

 

8


(g) Effective Registration Statement . A registration requested pursuant to Section 2.1(a) shall not be deemed to have been effected unless it is declared effective by the Commission and remains effective for the period specified in Section 2.3(b).

2.2 Piggyback Registrations .

(a) Right to Piggyback . Whenever the Company proposes to register any of its securities, other than a registration pursuant to Section 2.1 or a Special Registration, and the registration form to be filed may be used for the registration or qualification for distribution of Registrable Securities, the Company will give prompt written notice (and in any event no later than fifteen Business Days prior to the filing of a Registration Statement with respect to such registration) to all Shareholders of its intention to effect such a registration and, subject to Section 2.2(d), will include in such registration all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within ten Business Days after the date of the Company’s notice (a “ Piggyback Registration ”). Any Shareholder that has made such a written request may withdraw its Registrable Securities from such Piggyback Registration by giving written notice to the Company and the managing underwriter, if any, on or before the tenth Business Day prior to the planned effective date of such Piggyback Registration. The Company may terminate or withdraw any registration under this Section 2.2 prior to the effectiveness of such registration, whether or not any Shareholder has elected to include Registrable Securities in such registration, and except for the obligation to pay Registration Expenses pursuant to Section 2.2(c) the Company will have no liability to any Shareholder in connection with such termination or withdrawal.

(b) Underwritten Registration . If the registration referred to in Section 2.2(a) is proposed to be underwritten, the Company will so advise the Shareholders as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 2.2(a). In such event, the right of any Shareholder to registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 will be conditioned upon such Shareholder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Shareholder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting, and each such Shareholder will (together with the Company and the other Shareholders and other holders of securities distributing their securities through such underwriting) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting by the Company. If any Shareholder disapproves of the terms of the underwriting, such Shareholder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company, the managing underwriter and Investor.

(c) Piggyback Registration Expenses . The Company will pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any Piggyback Registration, whether or not any registration or prospectus becomes effective or final.

(d) Priority on Primary Registrations . If a Piggyback Registration relates to an underwritten primary offering on behalf of the Company, and the managing

 

9


underwriters advise the Company that in their reasonable opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold without adversely affecting the marketability of such offering (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price), the Company will include in such registration or prospectus only such number of securities that in the reasonable opinion of such underwriters can be sold without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price), which securities will be so included in the following order of priority: ( ifirst , the securities the Company proposes to sell, ( iisecond , Registrable Securities of any Shareholders who have requested registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to Sections 2.1 or 2.2, pro rata on the basis of the aggregate number of such securities or shares owned by each such Shareholder and ( iiithird , any other securities of the Company that have been requested to be so included, subject to the terms of this Agreement.

2.3 Registration Procedures . Subject to Section 2.1(d), whenever the Shareholders of Registrable Securities have requested that any Registrable Securities be registered pursuant to Sections 2.1 or 2.2 of this Agreement, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration and sale of such Registrable Securities as soon as reasonably practicable in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof and pursuant thereto. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to as expeditiously as possible:

(a) prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities, make all required filings with the National Association of Securities Dealers and thereafter use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably practicable, provided that before filing a Registration Statement or any amendments or supplements thereto, the Company will, in the case of a Demand Registration, furnish to Shareholders’ Counsel copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to review of such counsel at the Company’s expense;

(b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for a period of either ( i ) not less than (A) three months, (B) if such Registration Statement relates to an underwritten offering, such longer period as a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of Registrable Securities by an underwriter or dealer or (C) two years in the case of shelf registration statements (or in each case such shorter period ending on the date that the securities covered by such shelf registration statement cease to constitute Registrable Securities) or ( ii ) such shorter period as will terminate when all of the securities covered by such Registration Statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement (but in any event not before the expiration of any longer period required under the Securities Act), and comply

 

10


with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement until such time as all of such securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement;

(c) furnish to each seller of Registrable Securities such number of copies, without charge, of such Registration Statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, including each preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, any other prospectus (including any prospectus filed under Rule 424, Rule 430A or Rule 430B under the Securities Act and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as such term is defined under Rule 433 promulgated under the Securities Act), all exhibits and other documents filed therewith and such other documents as such seller may reasonably request including in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller;

(d) register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any seller reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or reasonably advisable to enable such seller to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller ( provided that the Company will not be required to ( i ) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subsection, ( ii ) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction or ( iii ) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction);

(e) notify each seller of such Registrable Securities and Shareholders’ Counsel, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, upon discovery that, or upon the discovery of the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, and, as soon as reasonably practicable, prepare and furnish to such seller a reasonable number of copies of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made;

(f) notify each seller of any Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and Shareholders’ Counsel ( i ) when such Registration Statement or the prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed and, with respect to such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, ( ii ) of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement or to amend or to supplement such prospectus or for additional information, and ( iii ) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes;

 

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(g) cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or, if no similar securities issued by the Company are then listed on any securities exchange, use its reasonable best efforts to cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, as determined by the Company;

(h) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

(i) enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting agreements and, subject to Section 2.7, lock-up agreements in customary form, and including provisions with respect to indemnification and contribution in customary form) and take all such other customary actions as Investor, the selling Shareholders or the underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, making members of senior management of the Company available to participate in “road show” and other customary marketing activities);

(j) make available for inspection by any seller of Registrable Securities and Shareholders’ Counsel, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such seller or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and documents relating to the business of the Company, and cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such Registration Statement, provided that it shall be a condition to such inspection and receipt of such information that the inspecting Person ( i ) enter into a confidentiality agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company and ( ii ) agree to minimize the disruption to the Company’s business in connection with the foregoing;

(k) timely provide to its security holders earning statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;

(l) in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or ceasing trading of any securities included in such Registration Statement for sale in any jurisdiction, use every reasonable effort to promptly obtain the withdrawal of such order;

(m) obtain one or more comfort letters, addressed to the underwriters, if any, dated the effective date of such Registration Statement and the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement for such offering, signed by the Company’s independent public accountants in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by comfort letters as such underwriters shall reasonably request; and

 

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(n) provide legal opinions of the Company’s counsel, addressed to the underwriters, if any, dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement, with respect to the Registration Statement, each amendment and supplement thereto (including the preliminary prospectus) and such other documents relating thereto as the underwriter shall reasonably request in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by legal opinions of such nature.

As a condition to registering Registrable Securities, the Company may require each Shareholder of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish the Company with such information regarding such Shareholder and pertinent to the disclosure requirements relating to the registration and the distribution of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.

2.4 Registration Expenses .

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all expenses incidental to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws, word processing, duplicating and printing expenses, messenger and delivery expenses, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and all independent certified public accountants, underwriters and other Persons retained by the Company (all such expenses, “ Registration Expenses ”), will be borne by t


 
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