AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
among
BANTA CORPORATION, R.R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY
and
SODA ACQUISITION, INC.
Dated as of October 31, 2006
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (hereinafter called this "Agreement"), dated as
of October 31, 2006, among Banta Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"),
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a Delaware corporation ("Parent"), and Soda Acquisition,
Inc., a Wisconsin corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub,"
the Company and Merger Sub sometimes being hereinafter collectively referred to
as the "Constituent Corporations").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the respective boards of directors of each of Parent, Merger Sub and
the Company have approved the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company (the
"Merger") upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement
and have approved and declared advisable this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company has determined that the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement are in the best interests
of the Companys shareholders and other constituencies; and
WHEREAS, the Company, Parent and Merger Sub desire to make certain representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and of the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto agree
as follows:
ARTICLE I
The Merger; Closing; Effective Time
1.1. The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in this Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.3), Merger Sub
shall be merged with and into the Company and the separate corporate existence of
Merger Sub shall thereupon cease. The Company shall be the surviving corporation
in the Merger (sometimes hereinafter referred to as the "Surviving
Corporation"), and the separate corporate existence of the Company, with all its
rights, privileges, immunities, powers and franchises, shall continue unaffected
by the Merger, except as set forth in Article II. The Merger shall have the
effects specified in the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (the "WBCL").
1.2. Closing. Unless otherwise mutually agreed in writing between the Company
and Parent, the closing for the Merger (the "Closing") shall take place at the offices
of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York, at 9:00 A.M. on
the third business day (the "Closing Date") following the day on which the last
to be satisfied or waived of the conditions set forth in Article VII (other than
those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject
to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions) shall be satisfied or waived in
accordance with this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "business
day" shall mean any day ending at 11:59 P.M. (Eastern Time) other than a Saturday
or Sunday or a day on which banks are required or authorized to close in the City
of New York.
1.3. Effective Time. On the Closing Date the Company and Parent will cause
Articles of Merger specifying that the effective time of the Merger is the time
the Articles of Merger are filed by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions
(the "Wisconsin Articles of Merger") to be executed, acknowledged and delivered
for filing to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions as provided in
Section 180.1105 of the WBCL. The Merger shall become effective at the time when
the Wisconsin Articles of Merger have been filed by the Wisconsin Department of
Financial Institutions or at such later time as may be agreed by the parties in
writing and specified in the Wisconsin Articles of Merger (the "Effective Time").
ARTICLE II
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
2.1. The Articles of Incorporation. The amended and restated articles of
incorporation of the Company as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the articles of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation (the "Charter"),
until duly amended as provided therein or by applicable Law, except that Article
Fourth of the Charter shall be amended to read in its entirety as follows: "The
aggregate number of shares that this corporation shall have the authority to
issue is 1,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share."
2.2. The Bylaws. The parties hereto shall take all actions necessary so
that the by-laws of the Company in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation (the "Bylaws"), until thereafter
amended (subject to 6.11(f) with respect to the period prior to the Effective Time)
as provided therein or by applicable Law.
ARTICLE III
Officers and Directors of the Surviving Corporation
3.1. Directors. The parties hereto shall take all actions necessary so
that the directors of Merger Sub at the Effective Time shall, from and after the
Effective Time, be the directors of the Surviving Corporation until their successors
have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier death,
resignation or removal in accordance with the Charter and the Bylaws.
3.2. Officers. The parties hereto shall take all actions necessary so that
the officers of the Company at the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective
Time, be the officers of the Surviving Corporation until their successors shall
have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier death,
resignation or removal in accordance with the Charter and the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IV
Effect of the Merger on Capital Stock; Exchange of Certificates
4.1. Effect on Capital Stock. At the Effective Time, as a result of the
Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any capital stock of
the Company or Merger Sub:
(a) Merger Consideration. Each share of the Common Stock, par value $0.10
per share, of the Company (a "Share" or, collectively, the "Shares") issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, other than Shares owned by
Parent, Merger Sub or any other direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent
and Shares owned by the Company or any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company, and in each case not held on behalf of third parties (each, an "Excluded
Share" and collectively, "Excluded Shares"), shall be converted into the right to
receive an amount in cash equal to $52.50 per Share, less the $16 per share authorized
to be paid by the Company to its shareholders pursuant to the special cash dividend
(the "Special Dividend") approved by the board of directors of the Company on September
13, 2006 (the "Per Share Merger Consideration"), provided, that the foregoing specifically
contemplates that the Effective Time shall occur after the record date of the Special
Dividend. At the Effective Time, all of the Shares shall cease to be outstanding,
shall be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and each certificate (a "Certificate")
formerly representing any of the Shares (other than Excluded Shares) shall thereafter
represent only the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration, without
interest.
(b) Cancellation of Shares. Each Excluded Share referred to in Section
4.1(a) shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the
holder thereof, cease to be outstanding, shall be cancelled without payment of any
consideration therefor and shall cease to exist.
(c) Merger Sub. At the Effective Time, each share of Common Stock, no par
value, of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be converted into one share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
the Surviving Corporation.
4.2. Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Paying Agent. At or prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit,
or shall cause to be deposited, with a paying agent selected by Parent with the
Companys prior approval (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed)
(the "Paying Agent"), for the benefit of the holders of Shares, a cash amount in
immediately available funds necessary for the Paying Agent to make payments under
Section 4.1(a) (such cash being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Fund").
The Paying Agent shall invest the Exchange Fund as directed by Parent, provided
that such investments shall be in obligations of or guaranteed by the United States
of America, in commercial paper obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by Moodys
Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poors Corporation, respectively, or in certificates
of deposit, bank repurchase agreements or bankers acceptances of commercial banks
with capital exceeding $1 billion or in a mutual fund that invests only in such
permitted investments. Any interest and other income resulting from such investment
shall become a part of the Exchange Fund, and any amounts in excess of the amounts
payable under Section 4.1(a) shall be promptly returned to Parent.
(b) Exchange Procedures. Promptly after the Effective Time (and in any
event within three business days), the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Paying
Agent to mail to each holder of record of Shares (other than holders of Excluded
Shares) (i) a letter of transmittal in customary form specifying that delivery shall
be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon
delivery of the Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof as provided
in Section 4.2(e)) to the Paying Agent, such letter of transmittal to be in such
form and have such other provisions as Parent and the Company may reasonably agree,
and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates (or
affidavits of loss in lieu thereof as provided in Section 4.2(e)) in exchange for
the Per Share Merger Consideration. Upon surrender of a Certificate (or affidavit
of loss in lieu thereof as provided in Section 4.2(e)) to the Paying Agent in accordance
with the terms of such letter of transmittal, duly executed, the holder of such
Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor a cash amount in immediately
available funds (after giving effect to any required tax withholdings as provided
in Section 4.2(f)) equal to (x) the number of Shares represented by such Certificate
(or affidavit of loss in lieu thereof as provided in Section 4.2(e)) multiplied
by (y) the Per Share Merger Consideration, and the Certificate so surrendered shall
forthwith be cancelled. No interest will be paid or accrued on any amount payable
upon due surrender of the Certificates. In the event of a transfer of ownership
of Shares that is not registered in the transfer records of the Company, a check
for any cash to be exchanged upon due surrender of the Certificate may be issued
to such transferee if the Certificate formerly representing such Shares is presented
to the Paying Agent, accompanied by all documents reasonably required to evidence
and effect such transfer and to evidence that any applicable stock transfer taxes
have been paid or are not applicable.
(c) Transfers. From and after the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers
on the stock transfer books of the Company of the Shares that were outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, any Certificate is presented
to the Surviving Corporation, Parent or the Paying Agent for transfer, it shall
be cancelled and exchanged for the cash amount in immediately available funds to
which the holder thereof is entitled pursuant to this Article IV.
(d) Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund (including
the proceeds of any investments thereof) that remains unclaimed by the shareholders
of the Company for 180 days after the Effective Time shall be delivered to the Surviving
Corporation. Any holder of Shares (other than Excluded Shares) who has not theretofore
complied with this Article IV shall thereafter look only to the Surviving Corporation
for payment of the Per Share Merger Consideration (after giving effect to any required
tax withholdings as provided in Section 4.2(f)) upon due surrender of its Certificates
(or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof), without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, none of the Surviving Corporation, Parent, the Paying Agent or any
other Person shall be liable to any former holder of Shares for any amount properly
delivered to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat
or similar Laws. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "Person" shall mean
any individual, corporation (including not-for-profit), general or limited partnership,
limited liability company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization,
Governmental Entity (as defined in Section 5.1(d)) or other entity of any kind or
nature.
(e) Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. In the event any Certificate
shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that
fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and,
if required by Parent, the posting by such Person of a bond in customary amount
and upon such terms as may be reasonably required by Parent as indemnity against
any claim that may be made against it or the Surviving Corporation with respect
to such Certificate, the Paying Agent will issue a check in the amount (after giving
effect to any required tax withholdings) equal to the number of Shares represented
by such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate multiplied by the Per Share Merger
Consideration.
(f) Withholding Rights. Each of Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall
be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant
to this Agreement to any holder of Shares such amounts as it is required to deduct
and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or any other applicable state, local or foreign
Tax (as defined in Section 5.1(n)) Law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld
by the Surviving Corporation or Parent, as the case may be, such withheld amounts
(i) shall be remitted by Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as applicable, to
the applicable Governmental Entity, and (ii) shall be treated for all purposes of
this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Shares in respect of which such
deduction and withholding was made by the Surviving Corporation or Parent, as the
case may be.
4.3. Treatment of Stock Plans.
(a) Treatment of Options. At the Effective Time each outstanding option
to purchase Shares (a "Company Option") under the Stock Plans (as defined in Section
5.1(b)), vested or unvested, shall be cancelled and shall only entitle the holder
thereof to receive, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time (and
in any event, within two business days after the Effective Time), an amount in cash
equal to the product of (x) the total number of Shares subject to the Company Option
times (y) the excess, if any, of the value of the Per Share Merger Consideration
over the exercise price per Share under such Company Option, less applicable Taxes
required to be withheld with respect to such payment.
(b) Treatment of Restricted Shares. All awards granting restricted Shares
from Company that have not vested (collectively, "Restricted Shares") heretofore
granted under the Stock Plans shall, immediately prior to the Effective Time, become
fully vested and without further restrictions with respect to ownership rights thereto,
thereby causing all Restricted Shares to become Shares that are converted into the
right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration as provided in Section 4.1(a).
(c) Company Awards. At the Effective Time, each right of any kind, contingent
or accrued, to acquire or receive Shares or benefits measured by the value of Shares,
and each award of any kind consisting of Shares that may be held, awarded, outstanding,
payable or reserved for issuance under the Stock Plans and any other Benefit Plans,
other than Company Options and Restricted Shares (the "Company Awards"), shall be
cancelled and shall only entitle the holder thereof to receive, an amount in cash
equal to (x) the number of Shares subject to such Company Award immediately prior
to the Effective Time times (y) the value of the Per Share Merger Consideration
(or, if the Company Award provides for payments to the extent the value of the Shares
exceed a specified reference price, the amount, if any, by which the value of the
Per Share Merger Consideration exceeds such reference price), less applicable Taxes
required to be withheld with respect to such payment.
(d) Corporate Actions. At or prior to the Effective Time, the Company,
the Companys board of directors and the compensation committee of the board of
directors of the Company, as applicable, shall, subject to Section 4.3(d) of the
Company Disclosure Letter, adopt any resolutions and take any actions which are
necessary to effectuate the provisions of Section 4.3(a), 4.3(b) and 4.3(c). Subject
to Section 4.3(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Company shall take all actions
necessary to ensure that from and after the Effective Time neither Parent nor the
Surviving Corporation will be required to deliver Shares or other capital stock
of the Company to any Person pursuant to or in settlement of Company Options, Restricted
Shares or Company Awards.
4.4. Adjustments to Prevent Dilution. Other than in respect of the Special
Dividend, in the event that, between the date of this Agreement and the Effective
Time, the Company changes the number of Shares or securities convertible or exchangeable
into or exercisable for Shares issued and outstanding prior to the Effective Time
as a result of a reclassification, stock split (including a reverse stock split),
stock dividend or distribution, recapitalization, merger, issuer tender or exchange
offer, or other similar transaction, the Per Share Merger Consideration shall be
equitably adjusted to provide the holders of the Shares, the Company Options, the
Restricted Shares and the Company Awards with the same economic effect as contemplated
by this Agreement prior to such event. In addition, the parties hereto agree that
the exercise price of, and the number of Shares subject to, the Company Options
shall be adjusted in the manner set forth in the resolutions of the compensation
committee of the board of directors of the Company adopted on September 13, 2006
to take into account the Special Dividend.
ARTICLE V
Representations and Warranties
5.1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth on the
face of the Company Reports (excluding from such Company Reports any "Risk Factors"
or similar sections) filed or furnished after December 31, 2005 and prior to the
date of this Agreement or in corresponding sections of the disclosure letter delivered
to Parent by the Company prior to entering into this Agreement (the "Company Disclosure
Letter") (which Company Disclosure Letter sets forth, among other things, items
the disclosure of which is necessary or appropriate in response to an express disclosure
requirement contained in this Section 5.1, as an exception to one or more representations
or warranties contained in this Section 5.1 or in response to one or more of the
Companys covenants contained in this Agreement; provided, however, that notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (x) disclosure of any item in any section
of the Company Disclosure Letter shall be deemed disclosure with respect to any
other section to which the relevance of such item is reasonably apparent, and (y)
the mere inclusion of an item in the Company Disclosure Letter as an exception to
a representation or warranty shall not be deemed an admission that such item represents
a material exception or a material fact, event or circumstance or that such item
has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect),
the Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub that:
(a) Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. Each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of organization and has all requisite
corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted and is qualified
to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation (or other applicable
entity) in each jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of its assets
or properties or conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to be so organized, validly existing, qualified or in good standing,
or to have such power or authority, would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company has
made available to Parent complete and correct copies of the Companys and its Significant
Subsidiaries certificates of incorporation and by-laws or comparable governing
documents, each as amended to the date hereof, and each as so delivered is in full
force and effect. As used in this Agreement, the term (i) "Subsidiary" means, with
respect to any Person, any other Person of which at least a majority of the securities
or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority
of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions is directly
or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person and/or by one or more of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) "Significant Subsidiary" is as defined in Rule 1.02(w) of Regulation S-X promulgated
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")
and (iii) "Company Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on the
financial condition, properties, assets, liabilities, business or results of operations
of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; provided, however, that to
the extent any effect is caused by or results from any of the following it shall
not be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Company Material
Adverse Effect:
(A) changes in the political conditions, economies or financial
markets generally in the United States or other countries, including the commencement,
continuation or escalation of any war, armed hostilities or acts of terrorism;
(B) changes that are the result of factors generally affecting
the industries and geographic areas in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
operates;
(C) any loss of, or adverse change in, the relationship
of the Company with its customers, employees or suppliers that the Company
establishes through specific evidence was proximately caused by the pendency
or the announcement of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(D) changes in the market price of raw materials, including
paper, of the type and grade customarily purchased by the Company and its
Subsidiaries;
(E) changes in United States generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP") after the date hereof, in the rules or policies of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, in Laws of general applicability
or in interpretations thereof by courts or other Governmental Entities,
in each case, after the date hereof;
(F) any failure by the Company to meet any estimates of
revenues or earnings for any period ending on or after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Closing, provided that the exception in this
clause shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that any change,
effect, circumstance or development underlying such failure has resulted
in, or contributed to, a Company Material Adverse Effect; and
(G) a decline in the price of the Shares on the New York
Stock Exchange (the "NYSE"), including any decline related to the Special
Dividend, provided that the exception in this clause shall not prevent or
otherwise affect a determination that any change, effect, circumstance or
development underlying such decline has resulted in, or contributed to,
a Company Material Adverse Effect; provided, further, that, with respect to clauses (A), (B), (D) and (E), such
change, event, circumstance or development does not disproportionately adversely
affect the Company and its Subsidiaries in any material respect compared to other
companies of similar size operating in the industries in which the Company and its
Subsidiaries operate.
(b) Capital Structure.
(i) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 75,000,000 Shares,
of which 24,340,155 Shares were outstanding as of the close of business on October
27, 2006 and 300,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $10.00 per share, of which
no shares are outstanding. All of the outstanding Shares have been duly authorized
and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable (except for any liability that
may be imposed on shareholders by former Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL, as
judicially interpreted, for debts incurred prior to June 14, 2006). Other than 3,150,723
Shares reserved for issuance under the Companys 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, 1991
Stock Option Plan and Equity Incentive Plan (the "Stock Plans"), Shares subject
to issuance under the Rights Agreement and Shares subject to issuance under the
Banta Corporation Incentive Savings Plan and the Banta Hourly 401(k) Plan (the "401(k)
Plans"), the Company has no Shares subject to issuance. Section 5.1(b)(i) of the
Company Disclosure Letter contains a correct and complete list of options, restricted
stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and any other rights with
respect to the Shares under the Stock Plans, including the holder, number of Shares
and, where applicable, exercise price. Each of the outstanding shares of capital
stock or other equity securities of each of the Companys Subsidiaries is duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable (except for any liability that may
be imposed on shareholders by former Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL, as judicially
interpreted, for debts incurred prior to June 14, 2006) and owned by the Company
or by a direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, free and clear
of any lien, charge, pledge, security interest, claim or other encumbrance (each,
a "Lien"). Except as set forth above, including Section 5.1(b)(i) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, and except for the rights (the "Rights") that have been issued
pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2001, as amended, between
the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agreement"),
there are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion
rights, stock appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, agreements,
arrangements, calls, commitments or rights of any kind that obligate the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries to issue or sell any shares of capital stock or other
equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any securities or
obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, or giving any Person
a right to subscribe for or acquire, any securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, and no securities or obligations evidencing such rights are authorized,
issued or outstanding. Upon any issuance of any Shares in accordance with the terms
of the Stock Plans, such Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable and free and clear of any Liens imposed or created by the Company
(except for any liability that may be imposed on shareholders by former Section
180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL, as judicially interpreted, for debts incurred prior
to June 14, 2006). The Company does not have outstanding any bonds, debentures,
notes or other obligations the holders of which have the right to vote (or convertible
into or exercisable for securities having the right to vote) with the shareholders
of the Company on any matter.
(ii) Section 5.1(b)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth (x) each
of the Companys Subsidiaries and the ownership interest of the Company in each
such Subsidiary, as well as the ownership interest of any other Person or Persons
in each such Subsidiary and (y) the Companys or its Subsidiaries capital stock,
equity interest or other direct or indirect ownership interest in any other Person
other than securities in a publicly traded company held for investment by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries and consisting of less than 1% of the outstanding capital
stock of such company. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any voting
interest in any Person (not taking into account any voting interest owned, directly
or indirectly, by Parent in any Person) that requires an additional filing by Parent
under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the
"HSR Act").
(iii) Each Company Option (A) was granted in compliance with all applicable Laws
and all of the terms and conditions of the Stock Plans pursuant to which it was
issued, (B) has an exercise price per Share equal to or greater than the fair market
value of a Share at the close of business on the date of such grant, (C) has a grant
date identical to the date on which the Companys board of directors or compensation
committee actually awarded such Company Option, and (D) qualifies for the tax and
accounting treatment afforded to such Company Option in the Companys tax returns
and the Companys financial statements, respectively.
(c) Corporate Authority; Approval and Fairness.
(i) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority and has taken
all corporate action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger, subject only to approval of this
Agreement by the holders of two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding Shares
entitled to vote on such matter at a shareholders meeting duly called and held
for such purpose (the "Company Requisite Vote"). This Agreement has been duly executed
and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar
Laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to
general equity principles (the "Bankruptcy and Equity Exception").
(ii) The board of directors of the Company has (A) unanimously determined that
the Merger is fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company, its shareholders
and other constituencies, adopted and approved this Agreement and the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby and resolved to recommend approval of
this Agreement to the holders of Shares (the "Company Recommendation"), (B) directed
that this Agreement be submitted to the holders of Shares for their approval and
(C) received the opinion of its financial advisor, UBS Securities LLC, to the effect
that the consideration to be received by the holders of the Shares in the Merger
is fair, from a financial point of view, as of the date of such opinion, to such
holders (other than Parent and its Affiliates or Subsidiaries).
(d) Governmental Filings; No Violations; Certain Contracts.
(i) Other than the filings and/or notices pursuant to Section 1.3 and under the
HSR Act, Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 (the "ECMR"), if applicable, any other
Antitrust Laws or the Exchange Act (the "Company Approvals"), no notices, reports
or other filings are required to be made by the Company with, nor are any consents,
registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations required to be obtained by the
Company from, any domestic or foreign governmental or regulatory authority, agency,
commission, body, court or other legislative, executive or judicial governmental
entity (each a "Governmental Entity"), in connection with the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby, except those that the failure to
make or obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially
impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. As used
herein, "Antitrust Laws" means the Sherman Act of 1890, the Clayton Act of 1914,
the HSR Act and all other Laws, and administrative and judicial doctrines that are
designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose
or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade.
(ii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company
do not, and the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby will not, constitute or result in (A) a breach or violation of, or a default
under, the Charter or Bylaws of the Company or the comparable governing instruments
of any of its Subsidiaries, (B) with or without notice, lapse of time or both, a
breach or violation of, a termination (or right of termination) or a default under,
the creation or acceleration of any obligations or the creation of a Lien on any
of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any agreement,
lease, license, contract, note, mortgage, indenture, arrangement or other obligation
(each, a "Contract") binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, assuming
(solely with respect to performance of this Agreement and consummation of the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby) compliance with the matters referred
to in Section 5.1(d)(i), under any Law to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is subject, or (C) any change in the rights or obligations of any party under any
Contract binding on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except, in the case
of clause (B) or (C) above, for any such breach, violation, termination, default,
creation, acceleration or change that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially
delay or materially impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement. Section 5.1(d)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a
correct and complete list of Material Contracts (as defined in Section 5.1(j)(i)(L))
pursuant to which consents or waivers are or may be required prior to consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether or not subject to the
exception set forth with respect to clauses (B) and (C) above).
(iii) The Company and its Subsidiaries are not creditors or claimants with respect
to any debtors or debtor-in-possession subject to proceedings under chapter 11 of
title 11 of the United States Code with respect to claims that, in the aggregate,
constitute more than 25% of the gross assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
taken as a whole (excluding cash and cash equivalents).
(e) Company Reports; Financial Statements.
(i) The Company has filed or furnished, as applicable, on a timely basis, all
forms, statements, certifications, reports and documents required to be filed or
furnished by it with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the
Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") since
December 31, 2003 (the "Applicable Date") (the forms, statements, reports and documents
filed or furnished since the Applicable Date and those filed or furnished subsequent
to the date hereof, including any amendments thereto, the "Company Reports"). Each
of the Company Reports, at the time of its filing or being furnished complied or,
if not yet filed or furnished, will comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"), and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
applicable to the Company Reports. As of their respective dates (or, if amended
prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such amendment), the Company Reports
did not, and any Company Reports filed or furnished with the SEC subsequent to the
date hereof will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
made therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading,
provided, that the Company makes no representation or warranty regarding any information
provided in writing by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries for inclusion in such Company
Reports filed after the date hereof.
(ii) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable
listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the NYSE. For purposes
of this Agreement, the term "Affiliate" when used with respect to any party shall
mean any Person who is an "affiliate" of that party within the meaning of Rule 405
promulgated under the Securities Act.
(iii) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule
13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act. The Company has evaluated the effectiveness
of the Companys disclosure controls and procedures and, to the extent required
by applicable Law, presented in any applicable Company Report or any amendment thereto
its conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures
as of the end of the period covered by such Report or amendment based on such evaluation.
The Company maintains internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule
13a-15 or 15d-15, as applicable, under the Exchange Act). The Company has evaluated
the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting and,
to the extent required by applicable Law, presented in any applicable Company Report
or any amendment thereto its conclusions about the effectiveness of the internal
control over financial reporting as of the end of the period covered by such Report
or amendment based on such evaluation. The Company has disclosed, based on the most
recent evaluation of its chief executive officer and its chief financial officer
prior to the date hereof, to the Companys auditors and the audit committee of the
Companys board of directors (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation
of its internal controls over financial reporting that are reasonably expected to
adversely affect the Companys ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial information and has identified for the Companys auditors and audit committee
of the Companys board of directors any material weaknesses in internal control
over financial reporting and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in the Companys internal
control over financial reporting. The Company has made available to Parent (x) a
summary of any such disclosure made by management to the Companys auditors and
audit committee since the Applicable Date and (y) any communication since the Applicable
Date made by management or the Companys auditors to the audit committee required
or contemplated by listing standards of the NYSE, the audit committees charter
or professional standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Since
the Applicable Date, no material complaints from any source regarding accounting,
internal accounting controls or auditing matters have been received by the Company.
The Company has made available to Parent a summary of all complaints or concerns
relating to other matters made since the Applicable Date through the Companys whistleblower
hot line or equivalent system for receipt of employee concerns regarding possible
violations of Law. No attorney representing the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
whether or not employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has reported
evidence of a violation of securities Laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar
violation by the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents
to the Companys chief legal officer, audit committee (or other committee designated
for the purpose) of the board of directors or the board of directors pursuant to
the rules adopted pursuant to Section 307 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or any Company
policy contemplating such reporting, including in instances not required by those
rules.
(iv) Each of the consolidated balance sheets included in or incorporated by reference
into the Company Reports (including the related notes and schedules) fairly presents,
or, in the case of Company Reports filed after the date hereof, will fairly present
in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and
its consolidated Subsidiaries as of its date and each of the consolidated statements
of income, changes in shareholders equity (deficit) and cash flows included in or
incorporated by reference into the Company Reports (including any related notes
and schedules) fairly presents, or in the case of Company Reports filed after the
date hereof, will fairly present in all material respects the results of operations,
retained earnings (loss) and changes in financial position, as the case may be,
of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the periods set forth therein
(subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to notes and normal year-end audit
adjustments that will not be material in amount or effect), in each case in accordance
with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q)
consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may be noted therein.
(f) Absence of Certain Changes. Since December 31, 2005 until the date hereof,
the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses only
in, and have not engaged in any material transaction other than according to, the
ordinary and usual course of such businesses consistent with past practices in all
material respects, and there has not been:
(i) any change in the financial condition, properties, assets, liabilities, business
or results of their operations or any circumstance, occurrence or development (including
any adverse change with respect to any circumstance, occurrence or development existing
on or prior to December 31, 2005) of which management of the Company has knowledge
which, individually or in the aggregate, is reasonably expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect;
(ii) any material damage, destruction or other casualty loss with respect to
any material asset or property owned, leased or otherwise used by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not covered by insurance;
(iii) other than regular quarterly dividends on Shares of $0.18 per Share and
the Special Dividend, any declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend
or other distribution with respect to any shares of capital stock of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries (except for dividends or other distributions by any direct
or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary to the Company or to any wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company), or any repurchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries of any outstanding shares of capital stock or other securities
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(iv) any material change in any method of accounting or accounting practice by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except as required by GAAP, the rules or
policies of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or applicable Law;
(v) (A) any increase in the compensation payable or to become payable to its
officers or employees (except for increases for employees or officers who are not
set forth on Schedule 5.1(f)(v)(A) of the Company Disclosure Letter in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practice) or (B) any establishment,
adoption, entry into or amendment of any collective bargaining, employment, termination
or severance agreement or any material bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation
or other plan, agreement, trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of
any director, officer or employee, except to the extent required by applicable Laws;
or
(vi) any agreement to do any of the foregoing.
As used in this Agreement, the term "knowledge" when used in the phrases
"to the knowledge of management of the Company," "of which management of the Company
has knowledge" or "the Company has no knowledge" or words of similar import shall
mean the actual knowledge of the Persons listed in Section 5.1(f) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, after reasonable inquiry.
(g) Litigation and Liabilities. There are no (i) civil, criminal or administrative
actions, suits, claims, hearings, arbitrations, investigations or other proceedings
pending or, to the knowledge of management of the Company, threatened against the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) obligations or liabilities undisclosed
as of the date hereof of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not
accrued, contingent or otherwise and whether or not required to be disclosed, or
any other facts or circumstances undisclosed as of the date hereof of which management
of the Company have knowledge that could reasonably be expected to result in any
claims against, or obligations or liabilities of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
except for those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay
or materially impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or subject to the
provisions of any judgment, order, writ, injunction, decree or award of any Governmental
Entity which is, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(h) Employee Benefits.
(i) All benefit and compensation plans, contracts, policies or arrangements covering
current or former employees of the Company and its subsidiaries (the "Employees")
and current or former directors of the Company, including, but not limited to, "employee
benefit plans" within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), and deferred compensation, severance,
stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation rights, stock based, incentive
and bonus plans (the "Benefit Plans"), other than Benefit Plans maintained outside
of the United States primarily for the benefit of Employees working outside of the
United States (such plans hereinafter being referred to as "Non-U.S. Benefit Plans"),
are listed on Schedule 5.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter, and each Benefit
Plan which has received a favorable opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service
National Office, including any master or prototype plan, has been separately identified.
True and complete copies of all Benefit Plans listed on Schedule 5.1(h)(i) of the
Company Disclosure Letter, including, but not limited to, any trust instruments,
insurance contracts and, with respect to any employee stock ownership plan, loan
agreements forming a part of any Benefit Plans, and all amendments thereto have
been provided or made available to Parent.
(ii) All Benefit Plans, other than "multiemployer plans" within the meaning of
Section 3(37) of ERISA (each, a "Multiemployer Plan") and Non U.S. Benefit Plans,
(collectively, "U.S. Benefit Plans") are in substantial compliance with ERISA, the
Code and other applicable Laws. Each U.S. Benefit Plan which is subject to ERISA
(an "ERISA Plan") that is an "employee pension benefit plan" within the meaning
of Section 3(2) of ERISA (a "Pension Plan") intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code, has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal
Revenue Service (the "IRS") covering all tax law changes prior to the Economic Growth
and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 or has applied to the IRS for such favorable
determination letter within the applicable remedial amendment period under Section
401(b) of the Code, and the Company is not aware of any circumstances likely to
result in the loss of the qualification of such Plan under Section 401(a) of the
Code. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries maintains any voluntary employees
beneficiary association within the meaning of Section 501(c)(9) of the Code. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with respect
to any ERISA Plan that, assuming the taxable period of such transaction expired
as of the date hereof, could subject the Company or any Subsidiary to a tax or penalty
imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA in an amount
which would be material. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred
or reasonably expects to incur a material tax or penalty imposed by Section 4980F
of the Code or Section 502 of ERISA or any material liability under Section 4071
of ERISA.
(iii) No liability under Subtitle C or D of Title IV of ERISA has been or is
expected to be incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to
any ongoing, frozen or terminated "single-employer plan", within the meaning of
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, currently or formerly maintained by any of them, or
the single-employer plan of any entity which is considered one employer with the
Company under Section 4001 of ERISA or Section 414 of the Code (an "ERISA Affiliate").
The Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any withdrawal liability with
respect to a Multiemployer Plan under Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA (regardless
of whether based on contributions of an ERISA Affiliate) that has not been fully
paid, and do not expect to incur any such liability in the foreseeable future. No
notice of a "reportable event", within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA for
which the reporting requirement has not been waived or extended, other than pursuant
to Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ("PBGC") Reg. Section 4043.33 or 4043.66,
has been required to be filed for any Pension Plan or by any ERISA Affiliate within
the 12-month period ending on the date hereof or will be required to be filed in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.No notices have
been required to be sent to participants and beneficiaries or the PBGC under Section
302 or 4011 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code.
(iv) All contributions required to be made under each Benefit Plan, as of the
date hereof, have been timely made and all obligations in respect of each Benefit
Plan have been properly accrued and reflected in the most recent consolidated balance
sheet filed or incorporated by reference in the Company Reports prior to the date
hereof. Neither any Pension Plan nor any single-employer plan of an ERISA Affiliate
has an "accumulated funding deficiency" (whether or not waived) within the meaning
of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA and no ERISA Affiliate has an
outstanding funding waiver. Neither any Pension Plan nor any single-employer plan
of an ERISA Affiliate has been required to file information pursuant to Section
4010 of ERISA for the current or most recently completed plan year. It is not reasonably
anticipated that required minimum contributions to any Pension Plan under Section
412 of the Code will be materially increased by application of Section 412(l) of
the Code. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has provided, or is required
to provide, security to any Pension Plan or to any single-employer plan of an ERISA
Affiliate pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code.
(v) Under each Pension Plan which is a single-employer plan, as of the last day
of the most recent plan year ended prior to the date hereof, the actuarially determined
present value of all "benefit liabilities", within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(16)
of ERISA (as determined on the basis of the actuarial assumptions contained in such
Pension Plans most recent actuarial valuation), did not exceed the then current
value of the assets of such Pension Plan, and there has been no material change
in the financial condition, whether or not as a result of a change in funding method,
of such Pension Plan since the last day of the most recent plan year. The withdrawal
liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries under each Benefit Plan which is a
Multiemployer Plan to which the Company, any of its subsidiaries or an ERISA Affiliate
has contributed during the preceding 12 months, determined as if a "complete withdrawal",
within the meaning of Section 4203 of ERISA, had occurred as of the date hereof,
does not exceed $11,000,000 as of January 1, 2006.
(vi) As of the date hereof, there is no material pending or, to the knowledge
of the Company threatened, litigation relating to the Benefit Plans other than Multiemployer
Plans. To the knowledge of the management of the Company, the Company has no material
litigation in respect of the Multiemployer Plans. Neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries has any obligations for retiree health and life benefits under
any ERISA Plan or collective bargaining agreement. The Company or its Subsidiaries
may amend or terminate any such plan at any time without incurring any liability
thereunder other than in respect of claims incurred prior to such amendment or termination.
(vii) There has been no amendment to, announcement by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries relating to, or change in employee participation or coverage under,
any Benefit Plan which would increase materially the expense of maintaining such
plan above the level of the expense incurred therefor for the most recent fiscal
year. Neither the execution of this Agreement, shareholder adoption of this Agreement
nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (w) entitle any
employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to severance pay or any increase
in severance pay upon any termination of employment after the date hereof, (x) accelerate
the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding (through a grantor
trust or otherwise) of compensation or benefits under, increase the amount payable
or result in any other material obligation pursuant to, any of the Benefit Plans,
(y) limit or restrict the right of the Company or, after the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, Parent to merge, amend or terminate any of the
Benefit Plans or (z) result in payments under any of the Benefit Plans which would
not be deductible under Section 162(m) or Section 280G of the Code.
(viii) All Non-U.S. Benefit Plans comply in all material respects with applicable
local Law. No later than two weeks following the date hereof, the Company shall
provide Parent with (a) a list of all Non-U.S. Benefit Plans and (b) true and complete
copies of all such Non-U.S. Benefit Plans, including any trust instruments, insurance
contracts and, with respect to any employee stock ownership plan, loan agreements
forming a part of any Benefit Plans, and all amendments thereto. The Company and
its Subsidiaries have no material unfunded liabilities with respect to any such
Non-U.S. Benefit Plan. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of management of
the Company, threatened material litigation relating to Non-U.S. Benefit Plans.
(i) Compliance with Laws; Licenses. The businesses of each of the Company and
its Subsidiaries have not been, and are not being, conducted in violation of any
federal, state, local or foreign law, statute or ordinance, or any rule, regulation,
standard, judgment, order, writ, injunction, decree, arbitration award, agency requirement,
license or permit of any Governmental Entity (collectively, "Laws"), except for
violations that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected
to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially
impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. To the
knowledge of management of the Company, no investigation or review by any Governmental
Entity with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or threatened,
nor has any Governmental Entity indicated an intention to conduct the same, except
for those the outcome of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay
or materially impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
The Company and its Subsidiaries each has obtained and is in compliance with all
permits, licenses, certifications, approvals, registrations, consents, authorizations,
franchises, variances, exemptions and orders issued or granted by a Governmental
Entity ("Licenses") necessary to conduct its business as presently conducted, except
where the failure to so possess or comply would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially
delay or materially impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
(j) Material Contracts.
(i) As of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is a party to or bound by:
(A) any lease of real or personal property providing for
annual rentals of $400,000 or more;
(B) any Contract that is reasonably likely to require either
(x) annual payments to or from the Company and its Subsidiaries of more
than $15 million or (y) aggregate payments to or from the Company and its
Subsidiaries of more than $75 million;
(C) other than with respect to any partnership that is wholly
owned by the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, any
partnership, joint venture or other similar agreement or arrangement relating
to the formation, creation, operation, management or control of any partnership
or joint venture material to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or in
which the Company owns more than a 15% voting or economic interest, or any
interest valued at more than $10 million without regard to percentage voting
or economic interest;
(D) any Contract (other than among direct or indirect wholly
owned Subsidiaries of the Company) relating to indebtedness for borrowed
money or the deferred purchase price of property (in either case, whether
incurred, assumed, guaranteed or secured by any asset) in excess of $5 million;
(E) any Contract required to be filed as an exhibit to the
Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation
S-K under the Securities Act;
(F) any non-competition Contract or other Contract that
(I) purports to limit in any material respect either the type of business
in which the Company or any of its Affiliates may engage or the manner or
locations in which any of them may so engage in any business, (II) could
require the disposition of any material assets or line of business of the
Company or any of its Affiliates, (III) grants "most favored nation" status
that, following the Merger, would apply to the Company or any of its Affiliates
or (IV) prohibits or limits in any material respect the right of the Company
or any of its Affiliates to make, sell or distribute any products or services;
(G) any Contract to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party containing a standstill or similar agreement pursuant to which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has agreed not to acquire assets
or securities of the other party or any of its Affiliates;
(H) any material Contract relating to the license of Intellectual
Property (other than licenses for commercial off-the-shelf or shrink wrap
software that has not been modified or customized);
(I) any Contract between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
and any director or officer of the Company or any Person beneficially owning
five percent or more of the outstanding Shares, other than compensation
or severance arrangements, confidentiality agreements or indemnification
agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(J) any Contract (other than Contracts with customers) providing
for indemnification by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any Person,
except for any such Contract that is (x) not material to the Company and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and (y) entered into in the ordinary
course of business; and
(K) any Contract that contains a put, call or similar right
pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could be required
to purchase or sell, as applicable, any equity interests of any Person or
assets that have a fair market value or purchase price of more than $5 million
(the Contracts described in clauses (A) through (K), together with all exhibits
and schedules to such Contracts, being the "Material Contracts").
(ii) Subject to applicable Law, a true and complete copy of each Material Contract
has previously been made available to Parent and each such Contract is a valid and
binding agreement of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be,
and is in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
nor, to the knowledge of management of the Company, any other party thereto is in
default or breach in any material respect under the terms of any such Material Contract.
(k) Real Property.
(i) Except in any such case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, with respect to the real
property owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries (the "Owned Real Property"), (A)
the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, has good and marketable title
to the Owned Real Property, free and clear of any Encumbrance, and (B) there are
no outstanding options or rights of first refusal to purchase the Owned Real Property,
or any portion thereof or interest therein.
(ii) With respect to the real property leased or subleased to the Company or
its Subsidiaries (the "Leased Real Property"), the lease or sublease for such property
is valid, legally binding, enforceable and in full force and effect, and none of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in breach or violation of or default under
such lease or sublease, and no event has occurred which, with notice, lapse of time
or both, would constitute a breach, violation or default by any of the Company or
its Subsidiaries or permit termination, modification, acceleration or repudiation
by any third party thereunder, or prevent, materially delay or materially impair
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except in each
case, for such invalidity, failure to be binding, unenforceability, ineffectiveness,
breaches, violations, defaults, changes, terminations, modifications, accelerations
or repudiations that is not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expected
to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) Section 5.1(k)(iii) of the Company Disclosure Letter contains a true and
complete list of all Owned Real Property.
(iv) For purposes of this Section 5.1(k) and Section 6.1(a)(v) only,
"Encumbrance"
means any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, easement, covenant,
or other restriction or title matter or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such
asset but specifically excludes (a) specified encumbrances described in Section
5.1(k)(iv) of the Company Disclosure Letter; (b) encumbrances for current Taxes
or other governmental charges not yet due and payable or contested in good faith;
(c) mechanics, carriers, workmens, repairmens or other like encumbrances arising
or incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice relating
to obligations as to which there is no default on the part of Company, or the validity
or amount of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;
and (d) other encumbrances that do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially
impair the continued use or operation of the specific parcel of Owned Real Property
to which they relate or the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries
as presently conducted.
(l) Takeover Statutes. The board of directors of the Company has approved this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, in accordance
with the provisions of Sections 180.1101 and 180.1141 of the WBCL. No other
"fair price," "moratorium," "control share acquisition" or other similar anti-takeover
statute or regulation (each, a "Takeover Statute") or any anti-takeover provision
in the Companys Charter or Bylaws is applicable to the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(m) Environmental Matters. Except for such matters that, alone or in the aggregate,
are not reasonably expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) the Company
and its Subsidiaries have complied at all times with all applicable Environmental
Laws; (ii) no property currently owned or operated by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (including soils, groundwater, surface water, buildings or other structures)
is contaminated with any Hazardous Substance at levels or in circumstances that
could reasonably be expected to require investigation or remediation under Environmental
Laws; (iii) no property formerly owned or operated by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries and for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could reasonably
be expected to bear liability was contaminated with any Hazardous Substance during
or prior to such period of ownership or operation; (iv) neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries is subject to liability under Environmental Laws for any
Hazardous Substance disposal or contamination on any third party property at levels
or in circumstances that could reasonably be expected to require investigation or
remediation under Environmental Laws; (v) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has received any notice, demand, letter, claim or request for information alleging
that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be in violation of or subject to
liability under any Environmental Law; (vi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is subject to any order, decree, injunction or other agreement with any Governmental
Entity or any indemnity or other agreement with any third party relating to liability
under any Environmental Law; (vii) none of the properties contain any underground
storage tanks, asbestos-containing material, lead containing paint, or polychlorinated
biphenyls which could reasonably be expected to require abatement or result in liability
pursuant to any Environmental Law; (viii) there are no other circumstances or conditions
involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected
to result in any claim, liability, investigation, cost or restriction on the ownership,
use, or transfer of any property pursuant to any Environmental Law; and (ix) the
Company has made available to Parent copies of all environmental reports, studies,
assessments and audits in its possession relating to Company or its Subsidiaries
or their respective current and former properties or operations in its possession
at its corporate headquarters.
As used herein, the term "Environmental Law" means any federal, state, local
or foreign statute, law, regulation, order, decree, permit, authorization, opinion,
common law or agency requirement relating to: (A) the protection of the environment,
occupational health and safety, or natural resources, (B) the handling, use, presence,
disposal, release or threatened release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Substance
or (C) noise, odor, indoor air, wetlands, pollution, contamination or any injury
or threat of injury to persons or property relating to any Hazardous Substance.
As used herein, the term "Hazardous Substance" means any substance that is: (A)
listed, classified or regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law and (B) any petroleum
product or by product, asbestos-containing material, lead-containing paint or plumbing,
polychlorinated biphenyls, radioactive material or radon.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the representations
and warranties set forth in this Section 5.1(m) shall be the sole and exclusive
representations and warranties of the Company with respect to Environmental Laws.
(n) Taxes. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries (i) have prepared in good faith and duly and timely filed (taking into
account any extension of time within which to file) all Tax Returns (as defined
below) required to be filed by any of them and all such filed Tax Returns are complete
and accurate in all material respects; (ii) have paid all Taxes (as defined below)
that are required to be paid or that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are
obligated to withhold from amounts owing to any employee, creditor or third party,
except with respect to matters contested in good faith; (iii) have not waived any
statute of limitations with respect to Taxes or agreed to any extension of time
with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency; and (iv) have not been a party to
a "reportable transaction" within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.6011-4.
As of the date hereof, there are not pending or, to the knowledge of the management
of the Company, threatened in writing, any audits, examinations or similar proceedings
in respect of Taxes or Tax matters of the Company, except for such audits, examinations
or proceedings the results of which are, individually or in the aggregate, not reasonably
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. There are not, to the knowledge
of management of the Company, any unresolved questions or claims concerning the
Companys or any of its Subsidiaries Tax liability that are, individually or in
the aggregate, reasonably expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The
Company has made available to Purchaser true and correct copies of the United States
federal income Tax Returns filed by the Company and its Subsidiaries for each of
the fiscal years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003. Neither the Company nor
any of its current or former Subsidiaries has been a "distributing corporation"
or a "controlled corporation" in a distribution of stock intended to qualify for
tax-free treatment under Section 355(a) at any time during the period commencing
two years prior to the date hereof and ending as of the date this representation
is made.
As used in this Agreement, (i) the term "Tax" (including, with correlative meaning,
the term "Taxes") includes all federal, state, local and foreign income, profits,
franchise, gross receipts, environmental, customs duty, capital stock, severances,
stamp, payroll, sales, employment, unemployment, disability, use, property, withholding,
excise, production, value added, occupancy and other taxes, duties or assessments
of any nature whatsoever, together with all interest, penalties and additions imposed
with respect to such amounts and any interest in respect of such penalties and additions,
and (ii) the term "Tax Return" includes all returns and reports (including elections,
declarations, disclosures, schedules, estimates and information returns) required
to be supplied to a Tax authority relating to Taxes.
(o) Labor Matters. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party
to or otherwise bound by any collective bargaining agreement or other Contract with
a labor union or labor organization in respect of employees working in North America,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is the subject of any material proceeding
asserting that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has committed an unfair labor
practice or is seeking to compel it to bargain with any labor union or labor organization
nor is there pending or, to the knowledge of management of the Company, threatened,
nor has there been for the past three years, any labor strike, dispute, walk-out,
work stoppage, slow-down or lockout involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
To the knowledge of the management of the Company, there are no organizational efforts
with respect to the formation of a collective bargaining unit being made as of the
date hereof involving employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company
has previously made available to Parent correct and complete copies of all labor
and collective bargaining agreements, Contracts or other agreements or understandings
with a labor union or labor organization to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is party or by which any of them are otherwise bound in respect of employees working
in North America and no later than two weeks after the date hereof, the Company
shall provide Parent with a correct and complete copy of all such agreements, Contracts
or understandings in respect of employees working outside North America (collectively,
the "Company Labor Agreements"). The consummation of the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement will not entitle any third party (including any labor
union or labor organization) to any payments under any of the Company Labor Agreements.
(p) Intellectual Property.
(i) To conduct the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as presently
conducted in all material respects, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
requires any Intellectual Property that the Company and its Subsidiaries do not
already own or license. All rights in and to such Intellectual Property shall survive
unchanged in all material respects the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not (A) infringed, misappropriated
or otherwise violated ("Infringe") the Intellectual Property rights of any third
party during the three year period immediately preceding the date of this Agreement
and (B) the Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries is not
being Infringed by any third party, except, in each case of (A) and (B), for any
infringement, misappropriation or other violation that would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken all reasonable measures consistent
with industry practices to protect, preserve and maintain its Intellectual Property
(including executing appropriate non disclosure and intellectual property assignment
agreements).
(iii) The IT Assets operate and perform in all material respects in accordance
with their documentation and functional specifications and otherwise as required
by the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with their businesses. To the
knowledge of management of the Company, since the Applicable Date no third party
has gained unauthorized access to the IT Assets. The Company and its Subsidiaries
have implemented reasonable backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with
industry practices.
(iv) For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:
"Intellectual Property" means all (i) trademarks, service marks, brand names,
domain names, logos, symbols, trade dress, trade names, and other indicia of origin
and all goodwill associated therewith and symbolized thereby, including all renewals
of the same; (ii) inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not, and all
patents, , including divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, renewals,
extensions and reissues; (iii) confidential information, trade secrets and know-how,
including processes, schematics, business methods, formulae,, prototypes, models,
designs, customer lists and supplier lists; (iv) published and unpublished works
of authorship, whether copyrightable or not (including, without limitation, software,
databases and other compilations of information), copyrights therein and thereto,
and all renewals, extensions, restorations and reversions thereof; (v) all registrations,
disclosures and applications for the foregoing; and (vi) all other intellectual
property or proprietary rights.
"IT Assets" means computers, computer software, code, firmware, middleware, servers,
workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications lines, and all other
information technology equipment, and all associated documentation used by the Company
and its Subsidiaries (excluding any public networks).
(q) Insurance. All material fire and casualty, general liability, business interruption,
product liability, and sprinkler and water damage insurance policies maintained
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries ("Insurance Policies") are with reputable
insurance carriers and provide adequate coverage for all normal risks incident to
the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective properties
and assets, except for any such failures to maintain insurance policies that, individually
or in the aggregate, are not reasonably expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. Each Insurance Policy is in full force and effect and all premiums due with
respect to all Insurance Policies have been paid, with such exceptions that, individually
or in the aggregate, are not reasonably expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(r) Rights Agreement. The board of directors of the Company has taken all necessary
action to render the Rights Agreement inapplicable to the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereby.
(s) Brokers and Finders. Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors
or employees has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any
brokerage fees, commissions or finders, fees in connection with the Merger or the
other transactions contemplated in this Agreement except that the Company has employed
UBS Securities LLC as its financial advisor. The Company has made available to Parent
a copy of all agreements pursuant to which UBS Securities LLC is entitled to any
fees and expenses in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and Section 5.1(s) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth the amount
of any fees and expenses which UBS Securities LLC is entitled to receive from the
Company.
5.2. Representations and Warranties of Parent and Merger Sub. Except as set forth
in the corresponding sections or subsections of the disclosure letter delivered
to the Company by Parent prior to entering into this Agreement (the "Parent Disclosure
Letter") (it being agreed that disclosure of any item in any section or subsection
of the Parent Disclosure Letter shall be deemed disclosure with respect to any other
section or subsection to which the relevance of such item is readily apparent),
Parent and Merger Sub each hereby represent and warrant to the Company that:
(a) Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. Each of Parent and Merger
Sub is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of organization and has all requisite corporate
or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets
and to carry on its business as presently conducted and is qualified to do business
and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction where the
ownership, leasing or operation of its assets or properties or conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so organized, qualified
or in such good standing, or to have such power or authority, would not, individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or impair
the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Corporate Authority. (i) No vote of holders of capital stock of Parent
is necessary to approve this Agreement and the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereby.Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all requisite corporate power
and authority and has taken all corporate action (including approval of the Merger
by Parent as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub) necessary in order to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement to consummate the Merger.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of Parent and Merger
Sub and is a valid and binding agreement of, Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable
against each of Parent and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, subject to the
Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.
(c) Governmental Filings; No Violations; Etc.
(i) Other than the filings and/or notices pursuant to Section 1.3 and under the
HSR Act, the ECMR, if applicable, any other Antitrust Laws or the Exchange Act (the
"Parent Approvals"), no notices, reports or other filings are required to be made
by Parent or Merger Sub with, nor are any consents, registrations, approvals, permits
or authorizations required to be obtained by Parent or Merger Sub from, any Governmental
Entity in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
by Parent and Merger Sub and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby, except those that the failure to
make or obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to consummate
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(ii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Parent and
Merger Sub do not, and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby will not, constitute or result in (A)
a breach or violation of, or a default under, the certificate of incorporation or
by-laws of Parent or Merger Sub or the comparable governing instruments of any of
its Subsidiaries, (B) with or without notice, lapse of time or both, a breach or
violation of, a termination (or right of termination) or a default under, the creation
or acceleration of any obligations or the creation of a Lien on any of the assets
of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any Contracts binding upon Parent
or any of its Subsidiaries or any Laws or governmental or non-governmental permit
or license to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is subject; or (C) any change
in the rights or obligations of any party under any of such Contracts, except, in
the case of clause (B) or (C) above, for any breach, violation, termination, default,
creation, acceleration or change that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent or Merger
Sub to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Litigation. As of the date of this Agreement, there are no civil, criminal
or administrative actions, suits, claims, hearings, investigations or proceedings
pending or, to the knowledge of the officers of Parent, threatened against Parent
or Merger Sub that seek to enjoin, or would reasonably be expected to have the effect
of preventing, making illegal, or otherwise interfering with, any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent and
Merger Sub to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(e) Available Funds. Parent and Merger Sub have available to them, or as of the
Effective Time will have available to them, all funds necessary for the payment
of the aggregate Per Share Merger Consideration and other amounts payable by Parent
and/or Merger Sub (including the Surviving Corporation) under this Agreement.
(f) Capitalization of Merger Sub. The authorized capital stock of Merger Sub
consists solely of 100 shares of Common Stock, no par value, all of which are validly
issued and outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Merger
Sub is, and at the Effective Time will be, owned by Parent or a direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent. Merger Sub has not conducted any business prior
to the date hereof and has no, and prior to the Effective Time will have no, assets,
liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those incident to its formation
and pursuant to this Agreement and the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
(g) At the time immediately preceding the date of this Agreement, neither Parent
nor any of its Subsidiaries is, with respect to the Company, an "interested stockholder"
as such term is defined in Section 180.1140(8) of the WBCL.
ARTICLE VI
Covenants
6.01. Interim Operations.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees as to itself and its Subsidiaries that,
after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time (unless Parent shall otherwise
approve in writing (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed)),
and except as otherwise expressly contemplated by this Agreement, as set forth in
Section 6.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter or as required by applicable Laws,
the business of it and its Subsidiaries shall be conducted in the ordinary and usual
course and, to the extent consistent therewith, it and its Subsidiaries shall use
their respective reasonable best efforts to preserve their business organizations
intact and maintain existing relations and goodwill with Governmental Entities,
customers, suppliers, distributors, creditors, lessors, employees and business associates
and keep available the services of its and its Subsidiaries present employees and
agents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and in furtherance thereof,
from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, except (A) as otherwise
expressly required by this Agreement, (B) as Parent may approve in writing (such
approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), (C) as set forth in Section
6.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter or (D) as required by applicable Laws, the
Company will not and will not permit its Subsidiaries to:
(i) adopt or propose any change in its articles of incorporation or by-laws or
other applicable governing instruments;
(ii) merge or consolidate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with any other
Person, or restructure, reorganize or completely or partially liquidate any operations
or businesses;
(iii) acquire assets outside of the ordinary course of business from any other
Person with a value or purchase price in excess of $1 million in the aggregate,
other than acquisitions pursuant to Contracts in effect as of the date of this Agreement;
(iv) except for the issuance of Shares upon the exercise of Company Options outstanding
on the date of this Agreement or in accordance with the terms of the 401(k) Plans
as in effect on the date of this Agreement, issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant,
transfer, encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant,
transfer, lease, license, guarantee or encumbrance of, any shares of capital stock
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than the issuance of shares by
a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or another wholly owned
Subsidiary), or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for any
shares of such capital stock, or any options, warrants or other rights of any kind
to acquire any shares of such capital stock or such convertible or exchangeable
securities;
(v) create or incur any Encumbrance (other than the exclusion set forth in clauses
(a) and (d) of the definition of Encumbrance) on any assets of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries;
(vi) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to or investments in any
Person (other than the Company or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company);
(vii) other than regular quarterly cash dividends on Shares of $0.18 per Share
and the Special Dividend, declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other
distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any
of its capital stock (except for dividends paid by any direct or indirect wholly
owned Subsidiary to the Company or to any other direct or indirect wholly owned
Subsidiary) or enter into any agreement with respect to the voting of its capital
stock;
(viii) reclassify, split, combine, subdivide or redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock or securities convertible
or exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of its capital stock;
(ix) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee such indebtedness
of another Person, or issue or sell any debt securities or warrants or other rights
to acquire any debt security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for
indebtedness for borrowed money incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practices;
(x) except as set forth in the capital budgets set forth in Section 6.1(a)(x)
of the Company Disclosure Letter and consistent therewith, make or authorize any
capital expenditure in excess of $2 million in the aggregate;
(xi) enter into any Contract that would have been a Material Contract had it
been entered into prior to this Agreement, except for customer Contracts entered
into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that do not
contain any of the provisions referred to in Section 5.1(j)(i)(F);
(xii) make any changes with respect to accounting policies or procedures, except
as required by changes in applicable generally accepted accounting principles, the
rules or policies of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or applicable
Law;
(xiii) settle any litigation or other proceedings before a Governmental Entity
for an amount in excess of $500,000 or any claim against the Company in excess of
such amount;
(xiv) (i) amend or modify any Material Contract in any material respect or in
manner adverse to the Company or its Subsidiaries, (ii) terminate any Material Contract,
or (iii) cancel, modify or waive any debts or claims held by it or waive any rights
having in each case a value in excess of $500,000;
(xv) make any material Tax election, settle any material Tax claim or change
any material method of Tax accounting;
(xvi) transfer, sell, lease, license, mortgage, pledge, suffer a Lien, divest,
abandon, or allow to lapse or expire, or otherwise dispose of any assets, product
lines or businesses of the Company or its Subsidiaries, including capital stock
of any of its Subsidiaries, except in the ordinary course of business or sales of
obsolete assets;
(xvii) except as provided in Section 6.9(g), as required pursuant to existing
agreements in effect prior to the date of this Agreement and set forth in Section
5.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter, or as otherwise required by applicable
Law, (i) grant or provide any severance or termination payments or benefits to any
director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except,
in the case of employees who are not officers, in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice as disclosed to the Parent prior to the date hereof,
(ii) increase the compensation, bonus or pension, welfare, severance or other benefits
of, pay any bonus to, or make any new equity awards to any director, officer or
employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for increases in base
salary or bonus in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice
for employees who are not officers, (iii) establish, adopt, amend or terminate any
Benefit Plan or amend the terms of any outstanding equity-based awards, (iv) take
any action to accelerate the vesting or payment, or fund or in any other way secure
the payment, of compensation or benefits under any Benefit Plan, to the extent not
already provided in any such Benefit Plan, (v) change any actuarial or other assumptions
used to calculate funding obligations with respect to any U.S. Benefit Plan or Non-U.S.
Benefit Plan or to change the manner in which contributions to such plans are made
or the basis on which such contributions are determined, except as may be required
by GAAP, or (vi) forgive any loans to directors, officers or employees of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries.
(xviii) take any action or omit to take any action that is reasonably likely
to result in any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article VII not being
satisfied;
(xix) perform any services or provide any products to any Person that would expand
in any material respect the scope of services or products subject to any non-compete
provision to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject; or
(xx) agree, authorize or commit to do any of the foregoing.
(b) Prior to making any written or broad-based oral communications to the directors,
officers or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pertaining to the
effect upon employment, compensation or benefit matters that will result as a consequence
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Company shall provide Parent
with a copy of the intended communication, Parent shall have a reasonable period
of time to review and comment on the communication, and Parent and the Company shall
cooperate in providing any such mutually agreeable communication.
(c) From the date of this Agreement until Effective Time, except (A) as otherwise
expressly required by this Agreement, (B) as the Company may approve in writing
(such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), (C) as set forth in
Section 6.1(c) of the Parent Disclosure Letter or (D) as required by applicable
Laws, Parent will not and will not permit its Subsidiaries to take any action or
omit to take any action that is reasonably likely to result in any of the conditions
to the Closing set forth in Article VII not being satisfied.
6.2. Acquisition Proposals.
(a) No Solicitation or Negotiation. The Company agrees that, except as expressly
permitted by this Section 6.2, neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of
the officers and directors of it or its Subsidiaries shall, and that it shall use
its best efforts to instruct and cause its and its Subsidiaries employees, investment
bankers, attorneys, accountants and other advisors or representatives (such directors,
officers, employees, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants and other advisors
or representatives, collectively, "Representatives") not to, directly or indirectly:
(i) initiate, solicit or encourage any inquiries or the making of any proposal
or offer that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition
Proposal (as defined below); or
(ii) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations
regarding, or provide any non-public information or data to any Person relating
to, any Acquisition Proposal; or
(iii) otherwise facilitate knowingly any effort or attempt to make an Acquisition
Proposal.
Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, prior to the time,
but not after, the Company Requisite Vote is obtained, the Company may (A) provide
information in response to a request therefor by a Person who has made an unsolicited
bona fide written Acquisition Proposal providing for the acquisition of more than
50% of the assets (on a consolidated basis) or total voting power of the equity
securities of the Company if the Company receives from the Person so requesting
such information an executed confidentiality agreement on terms not less restrictive
to the other party than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement (as defined
in Section 9.7); it being understood that such confidentiality agreement does not
have to include a provision prohibiting the making, or amendment, of an Acquisition
Proposal; and promptly discloses (and, if applicable, provides copies of) any such
information to Parent to the extent not previously provided to Parent; (B) engage
or participate in any discussions or negotiations with any Person who has made such
an unsolicited bona fide written Acquisition Proposal; and/or (C) after having complied
with Section 6.2(c), approve, recommend, or otherwise declare advisable or propose
to approve, recommend or declare advisable (publicly or otherwise) such an Acquisition
Proposal, if and only to the extent that, (x) prior to taking any action described
in clause (A), (B) or (C) above, the board of directors of the Company determines
in good faith after consultation with outside legal counsel that failure to take
such action would be inconsistent with the directors fiduciary duties under applicable
Law, and (y) in each such case referred to in clause (A) or (B) above, the board
of directors of the Company has determined in good faith based on the information
then available and after consultation with its financial advisor that such Acquisition
Proposal either constitutes a Superior Proposal (as defined below) or is reasonably
likely to result in a Superior Proposal; and (z) in the case referred to in clause
(C) above, the board of directors of the Company determines in good faith (after
consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel) that such Acquisition
Proposal is a Superior Proposal.
(b) Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
"Acquisition Proposal" means (i) any proposal or offer with respect to a merger,
joint venture, partnership, consolidation, dissolution, liquidation, tender offer,
recapitalization, reorganization, share exchange, business combination or similar
transaction involving the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries and (ii)
any proposal or offer to acquire in any manner, directly or indirectly, 15% or more
of the total voting power or of any class of equity securities of the Company or
those of any of its Significant Subsidiaries, or 15% or more of the consolidated
total assets (including equity securities of its Subsidiaries) of the Company, in
each case other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
"Superior Proposal" means an unsolicited bona fide Acquisition Proposal involving
all or substantially all of the assets (on a consolidated basis) or total voting
power of the equity securities of the Company that the board of directors of the
Company has determined in its good faith judgment is reasonably expected to be consummated
in accordance with its terms, taking into account all legal, financial and regulatory
aspects of the proposal, the effect of the proposal on constituencies of the Company
and the Person making the proposal, and if consummated, would result in a transaction
more favorable to the Companys shareholders from a financial point of view (after
taking into account any revisions to the terms of the transaction contemplated by
Section 6.2(c) of this Agreement).
(c) No Change in Recommendation or Alternative Acquisition Agreement. The board
of directors of the Company and each committee thereof shall not:
(i) withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify (or publicly propose or resolve to
withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify), in a manner adverse to Parent, the Company
Recommendation with respect to the Merger (it being understood that publicly taking
a neutral position or no position with respect to an Acquisition Proposal at any
time beyond 10 business days after the first public announcement of such Acquisition
Proposal shall not be considered an adverse modification); or
(ii) except as expressly permitted by, and after compliance with, Section 8.3(a)
hereof, cause or permit the Company to enter into any letter of intent, memorandum
of understanding, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement, merger agreement
or other agreement (other than a confidentiality agreement referred to in Section
6.2(a) entered into in compliance with Section 6.2(a)) (an "Alternative Acquisition
Agreement") relating to any Acquisition Proposal.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, prior to
the time, but not after, the Company Requisite Vote is obtained, the board of directors
of the Company may withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify the Company Recommendation
or approve, recommend or otherwise declare advisable any Superior Proposal made
after the date hereof that was not solicited, initiated, encouraged or knowingly
facilitated in breach of Section 6.2(a), if the board of directors of the Company
determines in good faith, after consultation with outside counsel, that failure
to take such action would be inconsistent with the directors fiduciary duties under
applicable Law (a "Change of Recommendation"); provided, however, that no Change
of Recommendation may be made until after at least 48 hours following Parents receipt
of written notice from the Company advising that management of the Company currently
intends to recommend to its board of directors that it take such action and the
basis therefor, including all necessary information under Section 6.2(f). In determining
whether to make a Change of Recommendation in response to a Superior Proposal or
otherwise, the Company board of directors shall take into account any changes to
the terms of this Agreement proposed by Parent and any other information provided
by Parent in response to such notice. Any material amendment to any Acquisition
Proposal will be deemed to be a new Acquisition Proposal for purposes of this Section
6.2, including with respect to the notice period referred to in this Section 6.2.
(d) Certain Permitted Disclosure. Nothing contained in this Section 6.2 shall
be deemed to prohibit the Company from complying with its disclosure obligations
under U.S. federal or state Law with regard to an Acquisition Proposal; provided,
however, that if such disclosure has the substantive effect of withdrawing or adversely
modifying the Company Recommendation, Parent, shall have the right to terminate
this Agreement as set forth in Section 8.4(a).
(e) Existing Discussions. The Company agrees that it will immediately cease and
cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with
any parties conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Proposal. The Company
agrees that it will take the necessary steps to promptly inform the individuals
or entities referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.2 (a) of the obligations
undertaken in this Section 6.2 and in the Confidentiality Agreement. The Company
also agrees that it will promptly request each Person that has heretofore executed
a confidentiality agreement in connection with its consideration of acquiring it
or any of its Subsidiaries to return or destroy all confidential information heretofore
furnished to such Person by or on behalf of it or any of its Subsidiaries.
(f) Notice. The Company agrees that it will promptly (and, in any event, within
48 hours) notify Parentif any inquiries, proposals or offers with respect to an
Acquisition Proposal are received by, any such information is requested from, or
any such discussions or negotiation are sought to be initiated or continued with,
it or any of its Representatives indicating, in connection with such notice, the
name of such Person and the material terms and conditions of any proposals or offers
(including, if applicable, copies of any written requests, proposals or offers,
including proposed agreements) and thereafter shall keep Parent informed, on a current
basis, of the status and terms of any such proposals or offers (including any amendments
thereto) and the status of any such discussions or negotiations, including any change
in the Companys intentions as previously notified.
6.3. Information Supplied. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC, as
promptly as practicable after the date of this Agreement, and in any event within
14 days after the date hereof, a proxy statement in preliminary form relating to
the Shareholders Meeting (as defined in Section 6.4) (such proxy statement, including
any amendment or supplement thereto, the "Proxy Statement"). The Company agrees,
as to its and Subsidiaries, that (i) the Proxy Statement will comply in all material
respects with the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder and (ii) none of the information supplied by it or any of its Subsidiaries
for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement will, at the
date of mailing to shareholders of the Company or at the time of the Shareholders
Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
Parent shall cooperate in the preparation of the Proxy Statement and shall promptly
provide to the Company any information regarding Parent that is necessary or reasonably
appropriate to include in the Proxy Statement. Parent agrees that none of the information
supplied by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries for inclusion or incorporation by
reference in the Proxy Statement will, at the date of mailing to shareholders of
the Company or at the time of the Shareholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
6.4. Shareholders Meeting. The Company will take, in accordance with applicable
Law and its Charter and Bylaws and subject to the fiduciary duties of its directors,
all action necessary to convene a meeting of holders of Shares (the "Shareholders
Meeting") as promptly as practicable after the Proxy Statement is cleared by the
SEC for mailing to the Companys shareholders to consider and vote upon approval
of this Agreement and the Merger. Subject to Section 6.2(c) hereof, the board of
directors of the Company shall recommend such approval and shall use its reasonable
best efforts to solicit such approval of this Agreement.
6.5. Filings; Other Actions; Notification.
(a) Proxy Statement. The Company shall promptly notify Parent of the receipt
of all comments of the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement and of any request
by the SEC for any amendment or supplement thereto or for additional information
and shall promptly provide to Parent copies of all correspondence between the Company
and/or any of its Representatives and the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement.
The Company and Parent shall each use its reasonable best efforts to promptly provide
responses to the SEC with respect to all comments received on the Proxy Statement
by the SEC and the Company shall cause the definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed
as promptly as possible after the date the SEC staff advises that it has no further
comments thereon or that the Company may commence mailing the Proxy Statement.
(b) Cooperation.
(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
the Company and Parent shall cooperate with each other and use (and shall cause
their respective Subsidiaries to use) their respective reasonable best efforts to
take or cause to be taken all actions, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably
necessary, proper or advisable on its part under this Agreement and applicable Laws
to consummate and make effective the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable, including preparing and filing
as promptly as practicable all documentation to effect all necessary notices, reports
and other filings and to obtain as promptly as practicable all consents, registrations,
approvals, permits and authorizations necessary or advisable to be obtained from
any third party and/or any Governmental Entity in order to consummate the Merger
or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however,
that nothing in this Agreement, including this Section 6.5 or the "reasonable best
efforts" or other similar standard generally, shall require, or be construed to
require, Parent to proffer to, or agree to, or to permit the Company to proffer
to or agree to, with respect to assets or businesses of Parent, the Company or their
respective Subsidiaries, sell, divest, lease, license, transfer, dispose of or otherwise
encumber or hold separate or agree to sell, divest, lease, license, transfer, dispose
of or otherwise encumber before or after the Effective Time, any assets, licenses,
operations, rights, product lines, businesses or interest therein of Parent, the
Company or any of their respective Affiliates (or to consent to any sale, divestiture,
lease, license, transfer, disposition or other encumberment by the Company of any
of its assets, licenses, operations, rights, product lines, businesses or interest
therein or to any agreement by the Company to take any of the foregoing actions)
or to agree to any material changes (including through a licensing arrangement)
or restriction on, or other impairment of Parents ability to own or operate, of
any such assets, licenses, product lines, businesses or interests therein or Parents
ability to vote, transfer, receive dividends or otherwise exercise full ownership
rights with respect to the stock of the Surviving Company. The Company and Parent
shall each request early termination of the waiting period with respect to the Merger
under the HSR Act. Subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of information,
Parent shall have the right to direct all matters with any Governmental Entity consistent
with its obligations hereunder, provided, that Parent and the Company shall have
the right to review in advance and, to the extent practicable, each will consult
with the other on and consider in good faith the views of the other in connection
with, all of the information relating to Parent or the Company, as the case may
be, and any of their respective Subsidiaries, that appears in any filing made with,
or written materials submitted to, any third party and/or any Governmental Entity
in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(including the Proxy Statement). In exercising the foregoing rights, each of the
Company and Parent shall act reasonably and as promptly as practicable.
(ii) In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each of the Company
and Parent shall (A) make an appropriate filing of a Notification and Report Form
pursuant to the HSR Act and appropriate filings under all other applicable Antitrust
Laws with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby as promptly as practicable
after the date of this Agreement, and bear the costs and expenses of its own filings,
(B) use reasonable best efforts to negotiate the scope of and respond as promptly
as reasonably practicable to any requests for additional information pursuant to
any Antitrust Law made by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (the
"DOJ"), the Federal Trade Commission (the "FTC") or any other Governmental Entity,
and (C) resist in good faith, at its own cost and expense, any assertion that the
transactions contemplated hereby constitute a violation of any Antitrust Law.
(iii) In exercising the foregoing rights, each of the Company and Parent shall
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