AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY AND AMONG
THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK
CARDINAL MERGER CO.
AND
COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 2, 2007
INDEX OF DEFINED TERMS
| Acquisition Proposal |
43 |
| Advisers Act |
21 |
| affiliate |
26 |
| Agreement |
1 |
| Bank Subsidiaries |
9 |
| BHC Act |
8 |
| Business Day |
2 |
| Canadian GAAP |
8 |
| CBIS |
9 |
| Certificate of Merger |
1 |
| Certificates |
6 |
| Change in Company Recommendation |
41 |
| Closing |
2 |
| Closing Date |
2 |
| Code |
4 |
| Commerce Bank |
9 |
| Commerce North |
9 |
| Company |
1 |
| Company Board Approval |
19 |
| Company Common Stock |
2 |
| Company Confidentiality Agreement |
41 |
| Company Contract |
22 |
| Company Disclosure Schedule |
7 |
| Company Eligible Employees |
45 |
| Company Employees |
18 |
| Company Option |
4 |
| Company Preferred Stock |
9 |
| Company Recommendation |
41 |
| Company Regulatory Agreement |
23 |
| Company Reports |
12 |
| Company Shareholders Meeting |
41 |
| Company Stock Incentive Plans |
5 |
| Consent Order |
15 |
| control |
26 |
| Conversion Rate |
3 |
| CRA |
26 |
| Derivative Transaction |
27 |
| DRIP and Purchase Plan |
4 |
| Effective Time |
1 |
| Employment Agreements |
45 |
| End Date |
53 |
| Environmental Laws |
24 |
| Equity Pool Amount |
46 |
| ERISA |
17 |
| ERISA Affiliate |
18 |
| Exchange Act |
13 |
| Exchange Agent |
6 |
| Exchange Ratio |
3 |
| FDIC |
9 |
| FHLB |
9 |
| Form F-4 |
12 |
| Governmental Entity |
12 |
| Hazardous Substances |
24 |
| HSR Act |
12 |
| incentive stock options |
4 |
| Indemnified Parties |
47 |
| Injunction |
51 |
| Insider |
15 |
| Insider-Related Parties |
15 |
| Insurance Amount |
48 |
| IntermediateCo |
3 |
| Investment Company Act |
21 |
| knowledge |
57 |
| Law |
11 |
| Liens |
10 |
| Loans |
25 |
| Material Adverse Effect |
8 |
| Merger |
1 |
| Merger Consideration |
3 |
| Merger Sub |
1 |
| NJBCA |
1 |
| Notice Period |
42 |
| OCC |
15 |
| Parent |
1 |
| Parent Common Shares |
3 |
| Parent Confidentiality Agreement |
41 |
| Parent Disclosure Schedule |
28 |
| Parent Options |
4 |
| Parent Preferred Shares |
28 |
| Parent Process Agent |
58 |
| Parent Regulatory Agreement |
33 |
| Parent Reports |
31 |
| Pennsylvania Commerce |
9 |
| person |
57 |
| Plans |
18 |
| Proprietary Rights |
25 |
| Proxy Statement/Prospectus |
12 |
| Representatives |
42 |
| Required Company Vote |
19 |
| Requisite Regulatory Approvals |
51 |
| SEC |
10 |
| Securities Act |
13 |
| Severance Plan |
45 |
| Significant Subsidiaries |
9 |
| Specified Orders |
22 |
| Specified Regulatory Matters |
15 |
| Stock Option Exchange Ratio |
4 |
| Subsidiary |
9 |
| Superior Proposal |
43 |
| Surviving Company |
1 |
| Tax |
17 |
| Tax Return |
17 |
| Taxes |
17 |
| TD Banknorth Plans |
45 |
| Termination Payment |
54 |
| Topco |
3 |
| Transition Committee |
50 |
| U.S. GAAP |
8 |
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of October 2, 2007 (as amended, supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time, this "Agreement"), is entered into by and
among The Toronto-Dominion Bank, a Canadian chartered bank ("Parent"), Cardinal
Merger Co., a New Jersey corporation and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent ("Merger Sub") and Commerce Bancorp, Inc., a New Jersey corporation (the
"Company").
WHEREAS, the parties intend that Merger Sub be merged with and into the Company,
with the Company surviving the merger on the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in this Agreement (the "Merger"); and
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company has unanimously (i) determined
that this Agreement and the Merger and related transactions contemplated hereby
are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders and declared the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereby to be advisable, (ii) approved this
Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and (iii) agreed
to submit this Agreement for approval by the Companys shareholders at the Company
Shareholders Meeting and to recommend that the shareholders of the Company approve
this Agreement at the Company Shareholders Meeting.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties
and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE MERGER
1.1. The Merger. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in accordance
with the New Jersey Business Corporation Act (the "NJBCA"), at the Effective Time,
Merger Sub shall merge with and into the Company, whereupon the separate corporate
existence of Merger Sub shall cease. The Company shall be the surviving corporation
(hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Surviving Company") in the Merger, and
shall continue its corporate existence under the Laws of the State of New Jersey.
1.2. Effective Time. On the Closing Date, the Company and Merger Sub shall cause
the Merger to be consummated by executing, delivering and filing a certificate of
merger (the "Certificate of Merger") with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury,
Division of Commercial Recording in accordance with the relevant provisions of the
NJBCA and other applicable New Jersey Law and shall make such other filings or recordings
required under the NJBCA in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become
effective at such time as the Certificate of Merger is duly filed with the New Jersey
Department of the Treasury, Division of Commercial Recording, or at such later date
or time as may be agreed by Parent and the Company in writing and specified in the
Certificate of Merger in accordance with the NJBCA (such time as the Merger becomes
effective is referred to herein as the "Effective Time").
1.3. Effects of the Merger. At and after the Effective Time, the Merger shall
have the effects set forth in the NJBCA.
1.4. Closing of the Merger. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
the closing of the Merger (the "Closing") will take place at 10:00 a.m. Eastern
time on (i) the date that is the third Business Day after the satisfaction or waiver
(subject to applicable Law) of the conditions set forth in Article VIII hereof,
other than conditions which by their terms are to be satisfied at Closing, or (ii)
such other date or time as the parties may mutually agree (the date on which the
Closing occurs, the "Closing Date"). The Closing shall be held at the offices of
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017,
unless another place is agreed upon by the parties. For purposes of this Agreement,
a "Business Day" shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day
on which banking organizations in New York, New York, U.S.A. or Toronto, Ontario,
Canada are required or authorized by Law to be closed.
1.5. Certificate of Incorporation. The certificate of incorporation, as amended,
of the Company, as in effect as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall
be amended and restated as of the Effective Time so as to read in its entirety in
the form of the certificate of incorporation of Merger Sub as in effect immediately
prior to the Effective Time, and as so amended and restated shall be the certificate
of incorporation of the Surviving Company following the Merger until thereafter
amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and of applicable Law.
1.6. Bylaws. The bylaws of the Company, as in effect as of immediately prior
to the Effective Time, shall be amended and restated as of the Effective Time so
as to read in their entirety in the form of the bylaws of Merger Sub as in effect
immediately prior to the Effective Time, and as so amended and restated shall be
the bylaws of the Surviving Company until thereafter amended in accordance with
the provisions thereof, the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Company
and of applicable Law.
1.7. Board of Directors. The directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Company as of the Effective
Time, each to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and
bylaws of the Surviving Company as amended as of the Effective Time, until their
respective successors are duly elected or appointed (as the case may be) and qualified,
or their earlier death, resignation or removal.
1.8. Officers. The officers of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Company as of the Effective Time, each
to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of
the Surviving Company as amended as of the Effective Time, until their respective
successors are duly appointed, or their earlier death, resignation or removal.
ARTICLE II
CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES
2.1. Effect on Company Common Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the
Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any shares of common
stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company (the "Company Common Stock"):
(a) All shares of Company Common Stock that are (i) owned directly by the Company
as treasury stock, (ii) owned directly by Parent or (iii) owned directly by Merger
Sub or any entity of which Merger Sub is a direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
(other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), shares in trust accounts, managed
accounts and the like for the benefit of customers or shares held in satisfaction
of a debt previously contracted) shall be cancelled and retired and no common shares,
no par value per share, of Parent ("Parent Common Shares"), cash or other consideration
shall be delivered in exchange therefor. All shares of Company Common Stock that
are owned by any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company or by any wholly owned Subsidiary
of Parent (other than any Subsidiary of Parent described in Section 2.1(a)(iii)
above), other than shares in trust accounts, managed accounts and the like for the
benefit of customers or shares held in satisfaction of a debt previously contracted,
shall remain outstanding, and no Parent Common Shares, cash or other consideration
shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.1(a), and subject to Section 2.2,
each share of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be cancelled and converted into the right to receive (i) 0.4142 Parent
Common Shares (the "Exchange Ratio"), and (ii) an amount in cash equal to $10.50.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the "Merger Consideration" means the right to
receive the consideration described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the preceding sentence
pursuant to the Merger with respect to each share of Company Common Stock (together
with any cash in lieu of fractional shares as specified in Section 2.2 below).
2.2. No Fractional Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
neither certificates nor scrip for fractional Parent Common Shares shall be issued
in the Merger. Each holder of Company Common Stock who otherwise would have been
entitled to a fraction of a Parent Common Share shall receive in lieu thereof cash
(without interest) in an amount determined by multiplying the fractional share interest
to which such holder would otherwise be entitled (after taking into account all
shares of Company Common Stock owned by such holder at the Effective Time to be
converted into Parent Common Shares) by the average of the daily volume weighted
average prices of Parent Common Shares based on information reported by the Toronto
Stock Exchange as reported in The Toronto Stock Exchange Daily Record (with
each such trading days applicable price converted into United States dollars using
the spot exchange rate reported with respect to such day by The Wall Street Journal
(or such other publication as may be mutually agreed to by Parent and the Company)
(such conversion rate, the "Conversion Rate")), for the five trading days immediately
preceding the Closing Date. No such holder shall be entitled to dividends, voting
rights or any other rights in respect of any fractional share.
2.3. Merger Sub Capital Stock; Issuance of Surviving Company Common Stock.
(a) Each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one fully
paid and nonassessable share of redeemable preferred stock of the Surviving Company.
(b) In exchange for, and in consideration of, (i) Parent causing its wholly owned
subsidiary, Cardinal Intermediate Co. ("IntermediateCo"), which as of the date hereof
owns 100% of the outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub and is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Cardinal Top Co. ("TopCo"), to deliver the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section
2.1, and
(ii) the payment of $10.00 by IntermediateCo to the Surviving Company, the Surviving
Company will issue to IntermediateCo at the Effective Time 1,000 (or such other
number as is agreed by the Surviving Company and IntermediateCo) fully paid and
nonassessable shares of common stock of the Surviving Company.
2.4. Treatment of Options and Other Stock Based Awards.
(a) At the Effective Time, each outstanding option to purchase shares of Company
Common Stock (a "Company Option") issued pursuant to any Company Stock Incentive
Plan shall be fully vested and shall be assumed by Parent and shall be honored by
Parent in accordance with its terms (as modified as provided herein) following its
conversion in the Merger into options to purchase Parent Common Shares ("Parent
Options"). From and after the Effective Time, each Company Option shall be deemed
to constitute an option to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable
under such Company Option, a number of Parent Common Shares equal to the product
of (I) the number of shares of Company Common Stock otherwise purchasable pursuant
to such Company Option and (II) 0.5522 (the "Stock Option Exchange Ratio"), rounded
down, if necessary, to the nearest whole share, at a price per share equal to (y)
the exercise price per share of the shares of Company Common Stock otherwise purchasable
pursuant to such Company Option, divided by (z) the Stock Option Exchange Ratio,
rounded up to the nearest cent; provided, however, that in the case of any Company
Option to which Section 421 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code") applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code ("incentive
stock options"), the option price, the number of shares purchasable pursuant to
such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined
in accordance with the method set forth above unless use of such method will not
preserve the status of such options as incentive stock options, in which case the
manner of determination shall be adjusted in a manner that both complies with Section
424(a) of the Code and results in the smallest modification in the economic values
that otherwise would be achieved by the holder pursuant to the method set forth
above. In all events, the foregoing substitution of all Company Options with Parent
Options shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(b) The Company and Parent shall take all corporate action necessary for the
conversion of the Company Options, and Parent shall take all corporate action necessary
to reserve for issuance a sufficient number of Parent Common Shares for delivery
upon exercise of the Parent Options issued in substitution for such Company Options
in accordance with this Section 2.4. As soon as practicable after the Effective
Time (but in no event later than five Business Days after the Effective Time), Parent
shall file a registration statement on Form F-3 or Form F-8, as the case may be
(or any successor or other appropriate forms), with respect to the Parent Common
Shares subject to such Parent Options and shall use its reasonable best efforts
to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement or registration statements
(and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein)
for so long as such Parent Options remain outstanding.
(c) The Company shall take such action as shall be required to (i) terminate
the Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (the "DRIP and Purchase Plan")
as provided in Section 7.15; and (ii) ensure that all Company Common Stock held
in the Company tax-qualified defined contribution plan is treated in the same manner
as all other shares of Company Common Stock under Article II of this Agreement.
(d) Following the Effective Time, Parent shall maintain, solely for purposes
of the Parent Options provided for above, the 1989 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee
Directors, the 1997 Employee Stock Option Plan, the 1998 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee
Directors, and the 2004 Employee Stock Option Plan (collectively, the "Company Stock
Incentive Plans"). Any other plan, program or arrangement providing for the issuance
or grant of any other interest in respect of the capital stock of the Company or
any Subsidiary thereof (including the DRIP and Purchase Plan) shall terminate as
of the Effective Time, and the Company shall ensure that following the Effective
Time no holder of a Company Option or any other equity-based right shall have any
right to acquire equity securities of the Company or the Surviving Company.
(e) As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving
Company to deliver to the holders of Company Options appropriate notices setting
forth such holders rights pursuant to the respective Company Stock Incentive Plans
and stating that such Company Stock Incentive Plans, the Company Options and the
underlying stock option agreements have been assumed by Parent and converted into
stock incentive plans covering, and options to purchase, Parent Common Shares, shall
continue in effect on the same terms and conditions (subject to the adjustments
required by this Section 2.4 after giving effect to the Merger and the terms of
the Company Stock Incentive Plans).
2.5. Reservation of Right to Revise Structure. Parent may at any time change
the method of effecting the business combination contemplated by this Agreement
if and to the extent that it deems such a change to be desirable; provided, however,
that no such change shall (A) alter or change the amount or kind of the consideration
to be issued to holders of Company Common Stock as merger consideration, (B) adversely
affect the anticipated tax consequences of the Merger to the holders of Company
Common Stock as a result of receiving the consideration payable in respect of shares
of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger, or (C) impede or delay consummation
of the Merger other than in an immaterial respect. In the event Parent elects to
make such a change, the parties agree to execute appropriate documents to reflect
the change.
2.6. Withholding. Parent or any of its Subsidiaries shall be entitled to deduct
and withhold from any payment otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement such
amounts as are required to be deducted and withheld with respect to such payment
under all applicable Tax laws. To the extent that amounts are so deducted or withheld,
such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been
paid to the recipient of the payment in respect of which such deduction and withholding
was made.
2.7. Certain Adjustments. The Exchange Ratio and the Stock Option Exchange Ratio
shall be subject to appropriate adjustments from time to time after the date of
this Agreement in the event that, subsequent to the date of this Agreement but prior
to the Effective Time, the outstanding Parent Common Shares shall have been increased,
decreased, changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or
securities through any reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock
dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, or other like changes in Parents capitalization.
ARTICLE III
EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES FOR MERGER CONSIDERATION
3.1. Parent to Make Merger Consideration Available. At or promptly after the
Effective Time, Parent or one of its Subsidiaries shall deposit, or shall cause
to be deposited, with an exchange agent selected by Parent (subject to the consent,
not to be unreasonably withheld, of the Company) (the "Exchange Agent"), for the
benefit of the holders of certificates that immediately prior to the Effective Time
evidenced shares of Company Common Stock (the "Certificates"), for exchange in accordance
with this Article III, (i) evidence of Parent Common Shares in book-entry form issuable
pursuant to Section 2.1(b) (and/or certificates representing such Parent Common
Shares, at Parents election), (ii) cash sufficient to make the cash payments payable
pursuant to Section 2.1(b), and (iii) cash sufficient to pay cash in lieu of fractional
Parent Common Shares pursuant to Section 2.2.
3.2. Exchange of Certificates.
(a) As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time and in any event
not later than the fifth Business Day following the Effective Time, the Exchange
Agent shall mail to each holder of record of a Certificate immediately prior to
the Effective Time whose shares of Company Common Stock were converted into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.1 a form of letter
of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of
loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates
to the Exchange Agent) and instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the
Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration. Upon proper surrender of
a Certificate for exchange and cancellation to the Exchange Agent, together with
a letter of transmittal, duly completed and validly executed in accordance with
the instructions thereto, and such other documents as may be required pursuant to
such instructions, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive in
exchange therefor the Merger Consideration in respect of the shares of Company Common
Stock formerly represented by such Certificate and such Certificate so surrendered
shall forthwith be cancelled. No interest will be paid or accrued for the benefit
of holders of the Certificates on the Merger Consideration payable upon the surrender
of the Certificates.
(b) No dividends or other distributions with respect to Parent Common Shares
with a record date after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered
Certificate with respect to Parent Common Shares that such holder would be entitled
to receive upon surrender of such Certificate and no Merger Consideration shall
be paid to any such holder until such holder shall surrender such Certificate in
accordance with this Article III. After the surrender of a Certificate in accordance
with this Article III, such holder thereof entitled to receive Parent Common Shares
shall be entitled to receive any such dividends or other distributions, without
any interest thereon, with a record date after the Effective Time and which theretofore
had become payable with respect to whole Parent Common Shares issuable to such holder
in respect of such Certificate.
(c) If the payment of the Merger Consideration is to be made to a person other
than the registered holder of the Certificate surrendered in exchange therefor,
it shall be a condition of payment that the Certificate so surrendered shall be
properly endorsed (or accompanied by an appropriate instrument of transfer) and
otherwise in proper form for transfer, and that the person requesting such payment
shall pay to the Exchange Agent in advance any applicable stock transfer or other
Taxes or shall establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that
such Taxes have been paid or are not payable.
(d) At and after the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock
transfer books of the Company of the shares of Company Common Stock that were issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. If, after the Effective
Time, Certificates representing such shares are presented for transfer to the Exchange
Agent, they shall be cancelled and exchanged for the Merger Consideration as provided
in this Article III.
(e) Any portion of the property deposited with the Exchange Agent pursuant to
Section 3.1 that remains unclaimed by the shareholders of the Company for six (6)
months after the Effective Time shall be paid, at the request of Parent, to or as
directed by Parent. Any shareholders of the Company who have not theretofore complied
with this Article III shall thereafter look only to Parent for payment of the Merger
Consideration and unpaid dividends and distributions on the Parent Common Shares
deliverable in respect of each share of Company Common Stock held by such shareholder
at the Effective Time as determined pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, without
any interest thereon. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
none of Parent, the Company, the Exchange Agent or any other person shall be liable
to any former holder of shares of Company Common Stock for any amount properly delivered
to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar
Laws.
(f) 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 such amount as Parent or one of its Subsidiaries may determine
is reasonably necessary as indemnity against any claim that may be made against
it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for
such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration deliverable
in respect thereof pursuant to this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except (i) as disclosed in, and reasonably apparent from, any of the Company
Reports filed with the SEC on or after January 1, 2007 but prior to the date of
this Agreement (excluding any disclosures set forth in any risk factor section and
in any section relating to forward-looking statements to the extent they are cautionary,
predictive or forward-looking in nature); or (ii) as disclosed in the like-numbered
section of the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to Parent contemporaneously
with the execution of this Agreement (the "Company Disclosure Schedule", it being
agreed that, except as otherwise provided in the Company Disclosure Schedule, disclosure
of any item in any section of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall also be deemed
disclosure with respect to any other section of this Agreement to which the relevance
of such item is reasonably apparent), the Company represents and warrants to Parent
and Merger Sub as follows:
4.01. Corporate Organization.
(a) The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the Laws of the State of New Jersey. The Company has all requisite
corporate power and authority to own, lease or operate all of its properties, rights
and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, and is duly
licensed or qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of
the business conducted by it or the character or location of the properties, rights
and assets owned, leased or operated by it makes such licensing or qualification
necessary, except where the failure to have such power or authority or to be so
licensed or qualified would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below) on the Company. As
used in this Agreement, the term "Material Adverse Effect" means, with respect to
the Company, Parent or the Surviving Company, as the case may be, any fact, circumstance,
event, change, effect or occurrence that, individually or in the aggregate with
all other facts, circumstances, events, changes, effects, or occurrences, (x) has
a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations or financial condition
of such party and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (y) that prevents or materially
impairs such partys ability to consummate the Merger on a timely basis; provided,
however, that in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred pursuant
to clause (x) above, there shall be excluded any effect to the extent resulting
from (i) changes after the date of this Agreement in laws, rules or regulations
of general applicability or published interpretations thereof by courts or governmental
authorities or in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") (or
in the case of Parent or any other party to this Agreement (or their respective
assignees) that is a Canadian entity, Canadian generally accepted accounting principles
("Canadian GAAP")) or regulatory accounting requirements, in any such case applicable
to banks or their holding companies generally, (ii) the announcement of this Agreement
or any action of any party to this Agreement or any of its Subsidiaries required
to be taken by it under this Agreement (including any actions taken by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries as required by Section 7.16), (iii) changes or events
after the date of this Agreement in general economic, business or financial conditions
affecting banks or their holding companies generally, including changes in prevailing
interest rates and currency exchange rates, provided, that the effect of such changes
described in this clause (iii) (including changes in interest rates) shall not be
excluded to the extent of the disproportionate impact, if any, they have on such
party and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (relative to other banks or their holding
companies), and provided, further, that a decrease in the trading or market prices
of a partys capital stock shall not be considered, by itself, to constitute a Material
Adverse Effect, and (iv) the engagement by the United States or Canada in hostilities,
whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the
occurrence of any military or terrorist attack upon or within the United States
or Canada. The Company is a bank holding company duly registered under the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended ("BHC Act"). The certificate of incorporation
and bylaws of the Company, copies of which have been made available to Parent, are
true, complete and correct copies of such documents as in full force and effect
as of the date of this Agreement.
(b) Section 4.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth, as of the date
hereof, each Subsidiary of the Company and all other entities in which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries owns, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock
or equity interests. Each Subsidiary of the Company (i) is duly organized and validly
existing as a bank, corporation, partnership or other entity and is in good standing
under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) is duly licensed or qualified
to do business and is in good standing in all jurisdictions (whether federal, state,
local or foreign) where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its
business requires it to be so licensed or qualified and (iii) has all requisite
corporate or other power and authority to own or lease its properties, rights and
assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, except, in the case of clauses
(ii) and (iii), where the failure to be so licensed or qualified or to have such
power or authority would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. "Subsidiary" means, with
respect to any person, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or any other entity (i) of which such person or a subsidiary of such person
is a general partner or (ii) at least a majority of the securities or other interests
of which having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the
board of directors or persons performing similar functions with respect to such
entity is directly or indirectly owned by such person and/or one or more subsidiaries
thereof. "Significant Subsidiaries" means each of the Bank Subsidiaries and Commerce
Banc Insurance Services, Inc. ("CBIS") (and not any of their direct or indirect
Subsidiaries). The certificate of incorporation, bylaws and similar governing documents
of each Significant Subsidiary of the Company, copies of which have been made available
to Parent, are true, complete and correct copies of such documents as in full force
and effect as of the date of this Agreement.
(c) Except for its ownership of Commerce Bank, N.A. ("Commerce Bank"), Commerce
Bank/North ("Commerce North" and together with Commerce Bank, the "Bank Subsidiaries"),
and the indirect interests in Commerce Bank/Harrisburg ("Pennsylvania Commerce")
described in Section 4.1(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company does
not own, beneficially or of record, either directly or indirectly, more than 2%
of the voting securities or equity interests in any depository institution (as defined
in 12 U.S.C. Section 1813(c)(1)) (other than any such shares held in trust accounts,
managed accounts and the like for the benefit of customers or shares held in satisfaction
of a debt previously contracted). The deposits of the Bank Subsidiaries are insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC") to the fullest extent
permitted by Law. Commerce Bank is a member in good standing of the Federal Home
Loan Bank ("FHLB") of Pittsburgh and the FHLB of New York.
4.02. Capitalization.
(a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 500,000,000 shares
of Company Common Stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value per
share (the "Company Preferred Stock"). As of September 28, 2007, there were 193,656,615
shares of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding, no shares of Company Preferred
Stock outstanding and 1,976,923 shares of Company Common Stock held in the Companys
treasury. No other shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock were
issued or outstanding. As of September 28, 2007, no shares of Company Common Stock
or Company Preferred Stock were reserved for issuance, except for an aggregate of
49,376,023 shares of Company Common Stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise
of Company Options pursuant to the Company Stock Incentive Plans. Since September
28, 2007 and through the date of this Agreement, the Company has not (i) issued
or authorized the issuance of any shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred
Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares
of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock, except for any such issuances
of Company Common Stock as a result of exercise of Company Options listed in Section
4.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (ii) reserved for issuance any shares
of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock or (iii) repurchased or redeemed,
or authorized the repurchase or redemption of, any shares of Company Common Stock.
All of the issued and outstanding shares of Company Common Stock have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive
rights, with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof. No Subsidiary
of the Company owns any shares of Company Common Stock (other than shares in trust
accounts, managed accounts and the like for the benefit of customers or shares held
in satisfaction of a debt previously contracted). Except as otherwise specified
in this Section 4.2(a), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has or is
bound by any outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, convertible securities,
preemptive rights, redemption rights, stock appreciation rights, stock-based performance
units or other similar rights, agreements or commitments of any character relating
to the purchase or issuance of any shares of the capital stock of the Company or
of any of its Subsidiaries or other equity securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any securities representing the right to purchase or otherwise receive
any shares of the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including
any rights plan or agreement) or equity-based awards, nor is there any other agreement
to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party obligating the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries to (A) issue, transfer or sell any shares of capital
stock or other equity interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such shares or equity interests,
(B) issue, grant, extend or enter into any such subscription, option, warrant, call,
convertible securities, stock-based performance units or other similar right, agreement,
arrangement or commitment, (C) redeem or otherwise acquire any such shares of capital
stock or other equity interests or (D) provide a material amount of funds to, or
make any material investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise)
in, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company redeemed all of its 5.95%
Convertible Trust Capital Securities as described in the Companys Annual Report
on Form 10-K filed on March 16, 2007 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any other trust
capital securities or other similar securities outstanding.
(b) Section 4.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a list setting
forth, as of the date of this Agreement, all outstanding Company Options and all
other equity or equity-based awards (including restricted stock units, if any) relating
to Company Common Stock, the names of the optionees or grantees thereof, identification
of any such optionees or grantees that are not current or former employees, directors
or officers of the Company, the date each such Company Option or other award was
granted, the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to each such Company
Option or underlying each such other award, the expiration date of each such Company
Option or other award, any vesting schedule with respect to a Company Option which
is not yet fully vested and the date on which each other award is scheduled to be
settled or become free of restrictions, and the price at which each such Company
Option may be exercised (or base price with respect to stock appreciation rights,
if any).
(c) Section 4.2(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists the name, jurisdiction
of incorporation, authorized and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity
interests and record and beneficial owners of such capital stock or other equity
interests for each Significant Subsidiary. The Company owns, directly or indirectly,
all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of or all other equity
interests in each of the Companys Subsidiaries, free and clear of any liens, charges,
encumbrances, adverse rights or claims and security interests whatsoever ("Liens"),
and all of such shares or other equity interests are duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid, nonassessable (except to the extent provided in 12 U.S.C.
55 and similar state laws) and free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability
attaching to the ownership thereof.
(d) Except for the ownership of the Companys Subsidiaries and for investments
held in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of customers or acquired in satisfaction
of debts previously contracted in good faith, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries beneficially owns or controls, directly or indirectly, any shares of
stock or other equity interest in any corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture
or other entity.
(e) The Company does not have outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other
indebtedness having the right to vote on any matters on which shareholders may vote.
4.3. Authority; No Violation.
(a) The Company has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and, subject to the approval of this Agreement by the Required Company
Vote, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery
of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated
hereby have been duly and validly approved by all necessary corporate action of
the Company, and no other corporate and no shareholder proceedings (subject, in
the case of the consummation of the Merger, to the approval of this Agreement by
the Required Company Vote) on the part of the Company are necessary to approve this
Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement
has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and Merger Sub) constitutes a valid
and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance
with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by general principles of equity
whether applied in a court of law or a court of equity and by bankruptcy, insolvency
and similar laws affecting creditors rights and remedies generally.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company nor the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance
by the Company with any of the terms or provisions hereof, will (i) violate any
provision of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any of
the similar governing documents of any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) assuming that
the consents, approvals and waiting periods referred to in Section 4.4 are duly
obtained or satisfied, (x) violate any law, statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, award, writ, decree or injunction issued, promulgated or entered
into by or with any Governmental Entity (each, a "Law") applicable to the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, rights or assets,
or (y) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any provision of or the loss
of any benefit under, or require redemption or repurchase or otherwise require the
purchase or sale of any securities, constitute a default under, result in the termination
of or a right of termination, modification or cancellation under, accelerate the
performance required by, or result in the creation of any Lien (or have any of such
results or effects upon notice or lapse of time, or both) upon any of the respective
properties, rights or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, any
of the terms, conditions or provisions of (1) any material leases or related agreements
related to stores or other facilities operated by either of the Bank Subsidiaries
or any of their affiliates or (2) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust,
license, lease (other than such leases covered by clause (y)(1) above), agreement,
contract, permit, concession, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or by which they or any of their
respective properties, rights, assets or business activities may be bound or affected,
except in the case of clauses (i) (to the extent relating to Subsidiaries) or (ii),
for such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults or other events which would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect on the Company.
(c) In accordance with Section 14A:11-1 of the NJBCA, no appraisal or dissenters
rights shall be available to holders of the Company Common Stock in connection with
the Merger.
4.4. Consents and Approvals. Except for (i) the filing of applications and notices,
as applicable, with the Federal Reserve Board under the BHC Act (including with
respect to the qualification of TopCo and IntermediateCo as bank holding companies
and the indirect acquisition by Parent of the Companys interest in Pennsylvania
Commerce), the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, the Pennsylvania
Department of Banking and the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (Canada)
and the approval of such applications and notices, (ii) approval of the listing
on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange of the Parent Common
Shares to be issued in the Merger and to be reserved for issuance upon exercise
of the Parent Options issued in substitution for Company Options pursuant to Section
2.4, (iii) the filing with the SEC of a proxy statement in definitive form relating
to the meeting of the shareholders of the Company to be held to vote on the approval
of this Agreement (the "Proxy Statement/Prospectus") and the filing and declaration
of effectiveness of the registration statement on Form F-4 (the "Form F-4") in which
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be included as a prospectus and any filings
or approvals under applicable state securities Laws, (iv) the filing of the Certificate
of Merger with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Commercial
Recording pursuant to the NJBCA and such other Governmental Entities as required
by the NJBCA, (v) the approval of this Agreement by the Required Company Vote, (vi)
the consents and approvals set forth in Section 4.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule,
(vii) any notices or filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements
Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act") and the expiration or termination of any
applicable waiting periods thereunder, (viii) the consents, authorizations, approvals,
filings or exemptions in connection with the applicable provisions of federal or
state securities Laws or the rules or regulations of any applicable self-regulatory
organization, in any such case relating to the regulation of broker-dealers, investment
companies and investment advisors, (ix) the consents, authorizations, approvals,
filings or exemptions in connection with the applicable provisions of insurance
Laws and (x) the consents, authorizations, approvals, filings and registrations
of third parties which are not Governmental Entities, the failure of which to obtain
or make would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or Parent, no consents or approvals of,
or filings or registrations with, any court, administrative agency or commission
or other governmental or regulatory authority or instrumentality or self-regulatory
organization (each, a "Governmental Entity") or of or with any other third party
by and on behalf of the Company (or by or on behalf of any acquiror of the Company)
are necessary in connection with (A) the execution and delivery by the Company of
this Agreement and (B) the consummation by the Company of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
4.5. SEC Documents; Other Reports; Internal Controls.
(a) The Company has filed all required reports, forms, schedules, registration
statements and other documents with the SEC since December 31, 2003 (the "Company
Reports") and has paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection therewith.
As of their respective dates of filing with the SEC (or, if amended or superseded
by a subsequent filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such subsequent
filing), the Company Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as the case may be, and the
rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such Company Reports,
and none of the Company Reports when filed with the SEC, and if amended prior to
the date hereof, as of the date of such amendment, contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. There are no outstanding comments from or
unresolved issues raised by the SEC with respect to any of the Company Reports.
None of the Companys Subsidiaries is required to file periodic reports with the
SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(b) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have timely filed all material reports,
forms, schedules, registrations, statements and other documents, together with any
amendments required to be made with respect thereto, that they were required to
file since December 31, 2003 with any Governmental Entity (other than the SEC) and
have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection therewith. Except
as would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company, there is no unresolved violation, criticism
or exception by any Governmental Entity with respect to any report, form, schedule,
registration, statement or other document filed by, or relating to any examinations
by any such Governmental Entity of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, the Company has disclosed,
based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date hereof, to the Companys auditors
and the audit committee of the Companys board of directors and in Section 4.5(c)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule (i) any significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting
which are reasonably likely to adversely affect in any material respect the Companys
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (ii)
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees
who have a significant role in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting.
(d) The records, systems, controls, data and information of the Company and its
Subsidiaries are recorded, stored, maintained and operated under means (including
any electronic, mechanical or photographic process, whether computerized or not)
that are under the exclusive ownership and direct control of the Company or its
Subsidiaries or accountants (including all means of access thereto and therefrom),
except for any non-exclusive ownership and non-direct control that would not reasonably
be expected to have a material adverse effect on the system of internal accounting
controls described in the following sentence. The Company and its Subsidiaries have
devised and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation
of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
(e) The Company has designed and implemented disclosure controls and procedures
(within the meaning of Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure
that material information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries is made known
to the management of the Company by others within those entities as appropriate
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications
required by the Exchange Act with respect to the Company Reports.
4.6. Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) The financial statements of the Company (including any related notes and
schedules thereto) included in the Company Reports complied as to form, as of their
respective dates of filing with the SEC (or, if amended or superseded by a subsequent
filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such subsequent filing), in all
material respects, with all applicable accounting requirements and with the published
rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto (except, in the case of unaudited
statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC), were prepared in accordance with
U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may
be disclosed therein), and fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated
financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the consolidated results
of operations, changes in stockholders equity and cash flows of such companies
as of the dates and for the periods shown (subject, in the case of unaudited statements,
to normal year-end audit adjustments, none of which is expected to be material,
and to any other adjustments described therein, including the notes thereto). The
books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been, and are being,
maintained in all material respects in accordance with U.S. GAAP and any other applicable
legal and accounting requirements and reflect only actual transactions. The information
with respect to the investment securities portfolio of the Company and its Subsidiaries
set forth in Section 4.6(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule is true, correct
and complete in all material respects.
(b) Except for (i) those liabilities that are fully reflected or reserved for
in the consolidated financial statements of the Company included in its Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2007, as filed with the
SEC, (ii) this Agreement or (iii) liabilities incurred since June 30, 2007 in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liability of any nature whatsoever (whether
absolute, accrued or contingent or otherwise and whether due or to become due),
that either alone or when combined with all other liabilities of a type not described
in clause (i), (ii) or (iii), has had, or would be reasonably expected to have,
a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
4.7. Brokers Fees. Except for Goldman, Sachs & Co., neither the Company nor
any Subsidiary thereof nor any of their respective officers or directors has employed
any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any brokers fees, commissions
or finders fees in connection with the Merger or any other transaction contemplated
by this Agreement. True, correct and complete copies of all agreements with Goldman,
Sachs & Co. relating to any such fees or commissions have been furnished to Parent
prior to the date hereof.
4.8. Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since December 31, 2006, (i) no event
has occurred or circumstance has arisen which has had or would reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company
and (ii) prior to the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has (A) effected or authorized any adjustment, split, combination or reclassification
of any of its capital stock, or redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired, any shares
of its capital stock or any securities or obligations convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for any shares of its capital stock or stock appreciation rights
(except pursuant to the exercise of stock options); (B) declared, set aside or paid
any dividend other than regular quarterly cash dividends on the Company Common Stock;
(C) sold, licensed, leased, encumbered, mortgaged, transferred, assigned or otherwise
disposed of any of its material assets, properties or other rights or agreements
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (D)
made any changes in its accounting methods or method of Tax accounting, practices
or policies; (E) settled any claim, action or proceeding involving monetary damages
in excess of $10 million; (F) from and after the date of the Specified Orders, taken
any action that violates, or fails in any material respect to comply with, either
of the Specified Orders; or (G) agreed to, or made any commitment to, take any of
the foregoing actions.
4.9. Legal Proceedings.
(a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of
the Company, any of the current or former directors or executive officers of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries) is a party to any, and there are no pending
or, to the best of the Companys knowledge, threatened legal, administrative, arbitral
or other proceedings, claims, actions or governmental or regulatory investigations
of any nature against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or challenging
the validity or propriety of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Section 4.9(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule sets forth all pending (and, to the best of the Companys knowledge, all
threatened) legal, administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims, actions
or governmental or regulatory investigations of any material nature against the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement.
(b) There is no injunction, order, award, judgment, settlement, decree or regulatory
restriction imposed upon or entered into by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
or the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which would reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company. Section 4.9(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth all material
injunctions, orders, awards, judgments, settlements, decrees or regulatory restrictions
imposed upon or entered into by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or the assets
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement.
(c) As of the date hereof, no claim or submission has been made or, to the knowledge
of the Company, threatened, by any Insider or Insider-Related Party with respect
to rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses or other reimbursement of
or to such person or any of such persons affiliates by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with respect to any of the Specified Regulatory Matters. As used herein,
(i) the terms "Insider" and "Insider-Related Parties" shall have the meanings set
forth in the Consent Order, dated June 28, 2007 between Commerce Bank and the Office
of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "Consent Order") and (ii) the term "Specified
Regulatory Matters" means the Specified Orders, the related investigations by the
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "OCC") or the Federal Reserve Board,
the matter set forth in Section 4.9(c)(A) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and
the matters that are the subject of such Specified Orders, investigations, proceedings
and matter.
(d) Except in connection with the Specified Orders, since January 1, 2004, (i)
there have been no subpoenas, written demands, inquiries or information requests
received by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any affiliate of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries from any Governmental Entity, and (ii) no Governmental
Entity has requested that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries enter into a settlement
negotiation or tolling agreement with respect to any matter related to any such
subpoena, written demand, inquiry or information request.
4.10. Taxes.
(a) (w) no audit of any material Tax Return of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is being conducted by a taxing authority; (x) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
has (i) duly and timely filed (including pursuant to applicable extensions granted
without penalty) all material Tax Returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be
filed by it, and such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material
respects, and (ii) timely paid in full all Taxes due or, where payment is not yet
due, has made adequate provision in the financial statements of the Company (in
accordance with U.S. GAAP) for all such Taxes (as hereinafter defined), whether
or not shown as due on such Tax Returns; (y) no material deficiencies for any Taxes
have been proposed, threatened, asserted or assessed in writing against or with
respect to any Taxes due by or Tax Returns of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
and (z) there are no material Liens for Taxes upon the assets of either the Company
or its Subsidiaries.
(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is or has ever been a
member of an affiliated group (other than a group the common parent of which is
the Company) filing a consolidated tax return or (ii) has any material liability
for Taxes of any person arising from the application of Treasury Regulation Section
1.1502-6 or any analogous provision of state, local or foreign law, or as a transferee
or successor, by contract, or otherwise.
(c) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, is bound by
or has any obligation under any Tax sharing, Tax indemnity or Tax allocation agreement
or similar contract or arrangement.
(d) No closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code (or any similar
provision of state, local or foreign law) has been entered into by or with respect
to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(e) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been either a "distributing
corporation" or a "controlled corporation" in a distribution occurring during the
last five (5) years in which the parties to such distribution treated the distribution
as one to which Section 355 of the Code is applicable.
(f) All Taxes required to be withheld, collected or deposited by or with respect
to the Company and each Subsidiary have been timely withheld, collected or deposited
as the case may be, and to the extent required, have been paid to the relevant taxing
authority.
(g) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has requested or been granted
any waiver of any federal, state, local or foreign statute of limitations with respect
to, or any extension of a period for the assessment or collection of, any Tax.
(h) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any transactions
that are or would be part of any "reportable transaction" or that could give rise
to any list maintenance obligation under Sections 6011, 6111, or 6112 of the Code
(or any similar provision under any state or local law) or the regulations thereunder.
(i) Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries will be required to include any
item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any
taxable period ending after the Effective Time as a result of any (i) change in
method of accounting either imposed by the Internal Revenue Service or voluntarily
made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on or prior to the Closing Date,
(ii) intercompany transaction or excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations
under Section 1502 of the Code (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign
income Tax law), (iii) installment sale or open transaction arising in a taxable
period (or portion thereof) ending on or prior to the Closing Date, (iv) a prepaid
amount received or paid prior to the Closing Date, or (v) deferred gains arising
prior to the Closing Date.
(j) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has been a United States real property
holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code.
(k) For purposes of this Agreement:
(i) "Tax" or "Taxes" shall mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other
taxes, levies, imposts, assessments, duties, customs, fees, impositions or other
similar government charges, including, but not limited to income, estimated income,
business, occupation, franchise, real property, payroll, personal property, sales,
transfer, stamp, use, escheat, employment-related, commercial rent or withholding,
net worth, occupancy, premium, gross receipts, profits, windfall profits, deemed
profits, license, lease, severance, capital, production, corporation, ad valorem,
excise, duty, utility, environmental, value-added, recapture or other taxes, including
any interest, penalties, fines and additions (to the extent applicable) thereto,
whether disputed or not; and
(ii) "Tax Return" shall mean any return, report, declaration, information return
or other document (including any related or supporting information) filed with or
submitted to, or required to be filed with or submitted to any taxing authority
with respect to Taxes, including all information returns relating to Taxes of third
parties, any claims for refunds of Taxes and any amendments, supplements or attached
schedules to any of the foregoing.
4.11. Employees; Employee Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 4.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete
list of each "employee benefit plan" (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), including
multiemployer plans within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(37)), stock purchase,
stock option, severance, employment, loan, change-in-control, fringe benefit, collective
bargaining, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation and all other employee benefit
plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject
to ERISA (including any funding mechanism therefor now in effect or required in
the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise),
under which (i) any current or former employee, officer, director, consultant or
independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries ("Company Employees")
has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored
by or maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) under which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any present or future material liability.
All such plans, agreements, programs, policies and arrangements shall be collectively
referred to as the "Plans".
(b) With respect to each Plan, the Company has delivered to Parent or made available
a current, accurate and complete copy (or, to the extent no such copy exists, an
accurate description) thereof and, to the extent applicable: (i) any related trust
agreement or other funding instrument; (ii) the most recent determination letter,
if applicable; (iii) any summary plan description and other written communications
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to Company Employees concerning the extent
of the benefits provided under a Plan; (iv) a summary of any proposed amendments
or changes anticipated to be made to the Plans (other than amendments or changes
required by applicable Law) at any time within the twelve months immediately following
the date hereof that could reasonably be expected to result in an increase in benefits
provided under the Plan or the expense of maintaining the Plan; and (v) for the
three most recent years (A) the Form 5500 and attached schedules, (B) audited financial
statements and (C) actuarial valuation reports.
(c) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) each Plan has been established
and administered in all respects in accordance with its terms, and in all respects
in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other applicable
Laws; (ii) each Plan which is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified and has received a favorable determination letter
as to its qualification, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure
to act, that could reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification;
(iii) no event has occurred and no condition exists that would subject the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, either directly or by reason of their affiliation with
any "ERISA Affiliate" (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled
group of organizations with the Company within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c),
(m) or (o) of the Code), to any tax, fine, lien, penalty or other liability imposed
by ERISA, the Code or other applicable Laws; (iv) for each Plan with respect to
which a Form 5500 has been filed, no material change has occurred with respect to
the matters covered by the most recent Form since the date thereof, (v) no non-exempt
"prohibited transaction" (as such term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA and Section
4975 of the Code) has occurred with respect to any Plan; (vi) no Plan provides post-employment
welfare (including health, medical or life insurance) benefits and neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries have any obligation to provide any such post-employment
welfare benefits now or in the future, other than as required by Section 4980B of
the Code; (vii) there is no present intention that any Plan be materially amended,
suspended or terminated, or otherwise modified to adversely change or increase benefits
(or the levels thereof) under any Plan at any time within the twelve months immediately
following the date hereof; (viii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has
engaged in, or is a successor or parent corporation to an entity that has engaged
in, a transaction described in Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; and (ix) each
"nonqualified deferred compensation plan" (as defined in Section 409A(d)(1) of the
Code) has been operated in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and
IRS Notice 2005-1. No Plan provides any Company Employees with any amount of compensation,
or if such Company Employees were to be provided compensation that is or would be
subject to the excise taxes applicable under Section 409A or 4999 of the Code.
(d) None of the Plans is a multiemployer plan (within the meaning of Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA) and none of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate
has at any time sponsored or contributed to, or has or had any material liability
with respect to a multiemployer plan within the preceding six (6) years that remains
unsatisfied.
(e) With respect to any Plan, except as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i)
no actions, suits or claims (other than routine claims for benefits in the ordinary
course) are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, (ii) no facts
or circumstances exist that could give rise to any such actions, suits or claims
and (iii) no administrative investigation, audit or other administrative proceeding
by the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental agencies
are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(f) (i) No Plan exists that could result in the payment to any present or former
Company Employee of any money or other property or accelerate or provide any other
rights or benefits to any present or former Company Employee as a result of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether alone or in connection with
any subsequent event(s)). (ii) There is no Plan that, individually or collectively,
could reasonably be expected to give, or which has given, rise to the payment of
any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to the terms of Section 280G of
the Code in connection with the transactions contemplated under this Agreement.
4.12. Board Approval; Shareholder Vote Required.
(a) The board of directors of the Company, by resolutions duly adopted by unanimous
vote of the entire board of directors at a meeting duly called and held (the "Company
Board Approval"), has (i) determined that this Agreement, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby are fair to and in the best interests of the Company
and its shareholders and declared the Merger to be advisable, (ii) approved this
Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, and (iii)
recommended that the shareholders of the Company approve this Agreement and directed
that such matter be submitted for consideration by the shareholders of the Company
at the Company Shareholders Meeting. No "fair price," "moratorium," "control share
acquisition" or other similar anti-takeover statute or regulation enacted under
the Laws of the State of New Jersey, federal Law or, to the knowledge of the Company,
the Laws of any other state in the United States is applicable to this Agreement,
the Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby. The Company Board Approval
is sufficient to exempt fully the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby from the provisions of Article Seventh of the certificate of incorporation
of the Company.
(b) The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast by holders
of Company Common Stock to approve this Agreement (the "Required Company Vote")
is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of the Company capital stock
necessary to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including
the Merger).
4.13. Compliance With Applicable Law.
(a) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries hold, and have at all times held,
all licenses, franchises, permits and authorizations which are necessary for the
lawful conduct of their respective businesses and ownership of their respective
properties and assets under and pursuant to applicable Law, except where the failure
to hold such license, franchise, permit or authorization would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have complied in all material
respects with, and are not in default or violation of, (i) any applicable Law, including
all Laws related to data protection or privacy, the USA Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy
Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act and any other Law relating
to discriminatory banking practices, Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve
Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and all applicable Laws relating to broker-dealers,
investment advisors and insurance brokers, and (ii) any posted or internal privacy
policies relating to data protection or privacy, including with limitation, the
protection of personal information, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
knows of, or has received notice of, any default or violations of any applicable
Law, except where any such default, violation or noncompliance would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company.
(b) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has properly administered all accounts
for which it acts as a fiduciary, including accounts for which it serves as a trustee,
agent, custodian, personal representative, guardian, conservator or investment advisor,
in accordance with the terms of the governing documents and applicable Law, except
where the failure to so administer such accounts would not reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any director, officer or employee
of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries, has committed any breach of trust
or fiduciary duty with respect to any such fiduciary account that would reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company, and, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, the accountings for
each such fiduciary account are true and correct and accurately reflect the assets
of such fiduciary account.
(c) The Company, each of its Subsidiaries and each of their respective officers
and employees who are required to be registered, licensed or qualified as (x) a
broker-dealer or (y) a registered principal, registered representative, investment
adviser representative, futures commission merchant, insurance agent or salesperson
with the SEC (or in equivalent capacities with any other Governmental Entity) are
duly registered as such and such registrations are in full force and effect, or
are in the process of being registered as such within the time periods required
by applicable Law, except for such failures to be so registered as would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries and each of their respective officers
and employees are in compliance with all applicable federal, state and foreign laws
requiring any such registration, licensing or qualification, have filed all periodic
reports required to be filed with respect thereto (and all such reports are accurate
and complete in all material respects), and are not subject to any liability or
disability by reason of the failure to be so registered, licensed or qualified,
except for such failures to be so registered, licensed or qualified, failures with
respect to such reports and such liabilities or disabilities as would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company.
(d) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent a true, correct and
complete copy of the currently effective Forms ADV and BD as filed with the SEC
by each Subsidiary of the Company. The information contained in such forms was complete
and accurate as of the time of filing thereof, except where any failure to be so
complete and accurate would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(e) Except as would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or disclosed on the Forms ADV
or BD of the Company or its applicable Subsidiary as in effect as of the date of
this Agreement: (i) none of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
directors, officers, employees, "associated persons" (as defined in the Exchange
Act) or "affiliated persons" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the "Investment
Company Act")) has been or is the subject of any disciplinary proceedings or orders
of any Governmental Entity arising under applicable Laws which would be required
to be disclosed on Forms ADV or BD, (ii) none of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, associated persons or
affiliated persons, has been permanently enjoined by the order of any Governmental
Entity from engaging or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with any
activity or in connection with the purchase or sale of any security, and (iii) none
of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors, officers,
employees, associated persons or affiliated persons is or has been ineligible to
serve as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the "Advisers Act") (including
pursuant to Section 203(e) or (f) thereof) or as a broker-dealer or an associated
person of a broker-dealer under Section 15(b) of the Exchange Act (including being
subject to any "statutory disqualification" as defined in Section 3(a)(39) of the
Exchange Act), or ineligible to serve in, or subject to any disqualification which
would be the basis for any limitation on serving in, any of the capacities specified
in Section 9(a) or 9(b) of the Investment Company Act or any substantially equivalent
foreign expulsion, suspension or disqualification.
(f) Section 4.13(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth with respect
to the Company and its Subsidiaries a complete list of all (i) broker-dealer licenses
or registrations and (ii) all licenses and registrations as an investment adviser
under the Advisers Act or any similar state laws. Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries is, or is required to be, registered as a futures commission merchant,
commodities trading adviser, commodity pool operator or introducing broker under
the Commodities Futures Trading Act or any similar state laws.
4.14. Certain Contracts.
(a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound
by any contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding (whether written or oral)
(i) which is a material contract (as defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K
of the SEC or required to be disclosed by the Company on a Current Report on Form
8-K) to be performed in whole or in part after the date of this Agreement, (ii)
which limits the freedom of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to compete in
any line of business, in any geographic area or with any person, (iii) which limits
the Companys or any of its Subsidiaries rights in and to the name "Commerce" or
any derivation thereof, (iv) which relates to the incurrence of material indebtedness
for borrowed money (other than deposit liabilities, advances and loans from the
FHLB of Pittsburgh or of New York and sales of securities subject to repurchase,
in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice)
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including any sale and leaseback transactions,
capitalized leases and other similar financing transactions, (v) which grants any
right of first refusal, right of first offer or similar right with respect to any
material assets, rights or properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(vi) which limits the payment of dividends by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(vii) which relates to a joint venture, partnership, limited liability company agreement
or other similar agreement or arrangement, or to the formation, creation or operation,
management or control of any partnership or joint venture with any third parties,
(viii) which relates to an acquisition, divestiture, merger or similar transaction
and which contains representations, covenants, indemnities or other obligations
(including indemnification, "earn-out" or other contingent obligations) that are
still in effect, or (ix) which grants any person the right to use the name "Commerce"
or any derivation thereof. Each contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding
of the type described in this Section 4.14(a), whether or not publicly disclosed
in the Company Reports or set forth in Section 4.14(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, is referred to herein as a "Company Contract". The Company has made available
to Parent true, correct and complete copies of each Company Contract.
(b) (i) Each Company Contract is valid and binding on the Company or its applicable
Subsidiary and in full force and effect, and, to the knowledge of the Company, is
valid and binding on the other parties thereto, (ii) the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, each of the other parties thereto,
has performed all obligations required to be performed by it to date under each
Company Contract, and (iii) no event or condition exists which constitutes or, after
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default on the part
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any
other party thereto, under any such Company Contract, except, in each case, as would
not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company.
(c) The Company has provided to Parent true, correct and complete copies of the
Network Agreement dated January 1, 1997 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto,
dated as of April 2002, and Amendment No. 2 thereto, dated as of September 29, 2004),
by and between the Company and Pennsylvania Commerce, and the Master Services Agreement,
dated as of July 21, 2006, by and among the Company, Pennsylvania Commerce and Commerce
Bank. Other than the agreements specified in the preceding sentence, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any contract, arrangement,
commitment or understanding (whether written or oral) with Pennsylvania Commerce
or any of its affiliates. There are no restrictions of any manner on the sale, other
transfer or encumbrance of the securities of Pennsylvania Commerce or any of its
Subsidiaries owned by the Company.
4.15. Agreements With Regulatory Agencies. Except for the Consent Order and for
the Memorandum of Understanding, dated June 28, 2007 between the Company and the
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (together, the "Specified Orders"), neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any cease-and-desist or other
order issued by, or is a party to any written agreement, consent agreement or memorandum
of understanding with, or is a party to any commitment letter or similar undertaking
to, or is a recipient of any extraordinary supervisory letter from, or is subject
to any order or directive by, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request
of (each, whether or not set forth in Section 4.15 of the Company Disclosure Schedule,
a "Company Regulatory Agreement") any Governmental Entity that restricts, or by
its terms will in the future restrict, the conduct of its business in any material
respect or that in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, its credit or risk
management policies, its dividend policies, its management, its business or its
operations. To the knowledge of the Company, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
has been advised by any Governmental Entity that it is considering issuing or requesting
(or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any Company Regulatory
Agreement.
4.16. Company Information. The information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries
to be provided by the Company for inclusion in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, the
Form F-4, any filing pursuant to Rule 165 or Rule 425 under the Securities Act or
Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act, or in any other document filed with any other
Governmental Entity in connection herewith, will not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not misleading. The
Proxy Statement/Prospectus (except for such portions thereof as relate only to Parent
or any of its Subsidiaries) will comply as to form in all material respects with
the provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
The Form F-4 (except for such portions thereof as relate only to Parent or any of
its Subsidiaries) will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions
of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
4.17. Title to Property.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries have good, valid and marketable title to
all real property owned by them as reflected in the most recent balance sheet included
in the Company Reports, except for properties that have been disposed of in the
ordinary course of business since the date of such balance sheet, free and clear
of all Liens, except (x) Liens for current Taxes not yet due and payable and other
standard exceptions commonly found in title policies in the jurisdiction where such
real property is located, (y) such encumbrances and imperfections of title, if any,
as do not materially detract from the value of the properties and (z) other such
Liens as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. All real property and fixtures used in
or relevant to the business, operations or financial condition of the Company and
its Subsidiaries are in good condition and repair except as would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company.
(b) The Company and its Subsidiaries have good, valid and marketable title to
all tangible personal property owned by them as reflected in the most recent balance
sheet included in the Company Reports, except for assets that have been disposed
of in the ordinary course of business since the date of such balance sheet, free
and clear of all Liens except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(c) All leases of real property and all other leases material to the Company
and its Subsidiaries under which the Company or a Subsidiary, as lessee, leases
personal property are valid and binding in accordance with their respective terms,
and there is not under any such lease any material existing default by the Company
or such Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto,
or any event which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute such a
default, and, in the case of leased premises, the Company or such Subsidiary quietly
enjoys the use of the premises provided for in such lease, except in any such case
as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
4.18. Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries are insured with reputable
insurers against such risks and in such amounts as the management of the Company
reasonably has determined to be prudent and consistent with industry practice. Section
4.18 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true, correct and complete list
and a brief description of all material insurance policies in force on the date
hereof with respect to the business and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(other than insurance policies under which the Company or any Subsidiary thereof
is named as a loss payee, insured or additional insured as a result of its position
as a secured lender on specific loans and mortgage insurance policies on specific
loans or pools of loans). The Company and its Subsidiaries are in material compliance
with their insurance policies and are not in default under any of the material terms
thereof, each such policy is outstanding and in full force and effect, all premiums
and other payments due under any material policy have been paid, and all claims
thereunder have been filed in due and timely fashion, except, in each case, as would
not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company.
4.19. Environmental Liability.
(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: there are no legal, administrative,
arbitral or other proceedings, claims, actions, or to the knowledge of the Company,
private environmental investigations or remediation activities or governmental investigations
seeking to impose, or that reasonably could be expected to result in the imposition,
on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any liability or obligation arising
under common law standards of conduct relating to environmental exposure, human
health or safety as it relates to Hazardous Substance handling or exposure, or under
any local, state or federal Law relating to the protection of the environment or
human health or safety as it relates to Hazardous Substance handling or exposure,
including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
of 1980, as amended (collectively, the "Environmental Laws"), pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
and to the knowledge of the Company, no such proceeding, claim, action or governmental
investigation that would impose any such liability or obligation is anticipated
by the Company. Section 4.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth all
legal, regulatory, administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims, actions,
and, to the knowledge of the Company, private environmental investigations or remediation
activities or governmental investigations seeking to impose, or that reasonably
could be expected to result in the imposition, on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
of any material liability or obligation arising under Environmental Laws pending
or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement. During or, to the knowledge of the
Company prior to, the period of (i) its or any of its Subsidiaries ownership or
operation of any of their respective current properties, (ii) its or any of its
Subsidiaries management of any property, or (iii) its or any of its Subsidiaries
holding of a security interest or other interest in any property, there were no
releases or threatened releases of hazardous, toxic, radioactive or dangerous materials
or other materials regulated under Environmental Laws ("Hazardous Substances") in,
on, under or affecting any such property which would reasonably be expected to result
in any claim against, or liability of, the Company or any Subsidiary that would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect on the Company.
(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any agreement,
order, judgment, decree, letter or memorandum by or with any court, governmental
authority, regulatory agency or third party imposing any liability or obligation
pursuant to or under any Environmental Law that would reasonably be expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
Section 4.19(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth all agreements, orders,
judgments, decrees, legal claims or settlements by or with any court, governmental
authority, regulatory agency or third party imposing on the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries any material liability or obligation pursuant to or under any Environmental
Law as of the date of this Agreement.
4.20. Opinion Of Financial Advisor. The Company has received the opinion of Goldman,
Sachs & Co. to the effect that, as of the date hereof, and based upon and subject
to the factors and assumptions set forth therein, the Merger Consideration to be
received by holders of Company Common Stock, in the aggregate, is fair from a financial
point of view to such holders.
4.21. Intellectual Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i)
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or otherwise has the right to use,
all intellectual property rights, including all trademarks, trade dress, trade names,
service marks, domain names, patents, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, works
of authorship and copyrights therein, that are used in the conduct of their existing
businesses and all rights relating to the plans, design and specifications of its
branch facilities ("Proprietary Rights") free and clear of all Liens and any claims
of ownership by current or former employees, contractors, designers or others and
(ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is materially infringing, diluting,
misappropriating or violating, nor has the Company or any or its Subsidiaries received
any written (or, to the knowledge of the Company, oral) communications alleging
that any of them has materially infringed, diluted, misappropriated or violated,
any of the Proprietary Rights owned by any other person. To the Companys knowledge,
no other person is infringing, diluting, misappropriating or violating, nor has
the Company or any or its Subsidiaries sent any written communications within the
past two years alleging that any person has infringed, diluted, misappropriated
or violated, any of the Proprietary Rights owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
The Company and each of its Subsidiaries take reasonable actions to protect and
maintain: (a) the Proprietary Rights they own and (b) the material software, databases,
networks and systems, they own or control against unauthorized use, modification,
or access thereto.
4.22. Loan Matters.
(a) (i) Section 4.22(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list
of all extensions of credit (including commitments to extend credit) ("Loans") as
of the date hereof by the Company and its Subsidiaries to any directors, executive
officers and principal stockholders (as such terms are defined in Regulation O of
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR Part 215)) of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) except as listed in Section 4.22(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, there are no employee, officer, director or other affiliate
Loans on which the borrower is paying a rate other than that reflected in the note
or the relevant credit agreement or on which the borrower is paying a rate which
was below market at the time the Loan was made and (iii) all such Loans are and
were made in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws.
(b) Each outstanding Loan (including Loans held for resale to investors) was
solicited and originated, and is and has been administered and, where applicable,
serviced, and the relevant Loan files are being maintained, in all material respects
in accordance with the relevant loan documents, the Companys written underwriting
standards (and, in the case of Loans held for resale to investors, the underwriting
standards, if any, of the applicable investors) and with all applicable requirements
of Laws, except for such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(c) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) each outstanding Loan (x)
is evidenced by notes, agreements or other evidences of indebtedness that are true,
genuine and what they purport to be, (y) to the extent secured, has been secured
by valid Liens which have been perfected and (z) to the Companys knowledge, is
a legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable
in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance
and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights
and to general equity principles and (ii) the loan documents with respect to each
such outstanding Loan complied with all applicable Laws at the time of origination
or purchase by the Company or its Subsidiaries and are complete and correct.
4.23. Transactions with Affiliates. There are no agreements, contracts, plans,
arrangements or other transactions between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
on the one hand, and any (i) officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) record or beneficial owner of five percent or more of the voting securities
of the Company, (iii) affiliate or family member of any of the foregoing, (iv) Insider
or Insider-Related Party, (v) Pennsylvania Commerce or any of its Subsidiaries,
officers, directors or other affiliates or (vi) any other affiliate of the Company,
on the other hand, except those of a type available to employees of the Company
generally. As used in this Agreement, "affiliate" means (unless otherwise specified),
with respect to any person, any other person that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control
with, such specified person and "control," with respect to the relationship between
or among two or more persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of a person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract
or any other means.
4.24. Community Reinvestment Act Compliance. Each of the Bank Subsidiaries is
in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Community
Reinvestment Act of 1977 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively,
"CRA") and has received a CRA rating of at least "satisfactory" from the OCC or
the FDIC, as applicable, in its most recently completed exam, and the Company has
no knowledge of the existence of any fact or circumstance or set of facts or circumstances
which could reasonably be expected to result in any of the Bank Subsidiaries failing
to be in compliance in all material respects with such provisions or having its
current rating lowered.
4.25. Labor Matters. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party
to or is bound by or is currently negotiating any collective bargaining agreement,
contract or other agreement or understanding with a labor union or labor organization.
Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is the subject of a proceeding asserting
that it or any such Subsidiary has committed an unfair labor practice (within the
meaning of the National Labor Relations Act) or seeking to compel the Company or
any such Subsidiary to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or conditions
of employment, nor, to the Companys knowledge, is any such proceeding threatened,
and there is no strike or other material labor dispute or disputes involving it
or any of its Subsidiaries pending, or to the Companys knowledge, threatened. To
the knowledge of the Company, there is no activity involving its or any of its Subsidiaries
employees involving an attempt to certify a collective bargaining unit or other
organizational activity. As of the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries have closed any plant or facility or effectuated any layoffs of employees,
nor has any such action or program been announced for the future, that would reasonably
be expected to give rise to any material liability under the Worker Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act of 1988, as amended, or any similar state or local law
or regulation.
4.26. Derivative Instruments and Transactions. Except as would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company:
(a) All Derivative Transactions (as defined below) whether entered into for the
account of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for the account of a customer
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (i) were entered into in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice and in accordance with prudent
banking practice and applicable rules, regulations and policies of all applicable
Governmental Entities and with counterparties believed to be financially responsible
at the time, (ii) are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or one
of its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, each of the counterparties
thereto and (iii) are in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with
their terms. The Company or its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company,
the counterparties to all such Derivative Transactions, have duly performed, in
all material respects, their obligations thereunder to the extent that such obligations
to perform have accrued. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no material
breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party
pursuant to any such Derivative Transactions.
(b) As of August 31, 2007, no Derivative Transaction, were it to be a Loan held
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would be classified as "Special Mention,"
"Substandard," "Doubtful," "Loss," "Classified," "Criticized," "Credit Risk Assets,"
"Concerned Loans," "Watch List," "Impaired" or words of similar import.
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Derivative Transaction" means any
swap transaction, option, warrant, forward purchase or sale transaction, futures
transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction or collar transaction relating to
one or more currencies, commodities, bonds, equity securities, loans, interest rates,
catastrophe events, weather-related events, credit-related events or conditions
or any indexes, or any other similar transaction (including any option with respect
to any of these transactions) or combination of any of these transactions, including
collateralized mortgage obligations or other similar instruments or any debt or
equity instruments evidencing or embedding any such types of transactions, and any
related credit support, collateral or other similar arrangements related to such
transactions.
4.27. Approvals. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company knows of no reason
relating to it or its Subsidiaries why all regulatory approvals from any Governmental
Entity required to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby should not be
obtained on a timely basis without the imposition of a condition or restriction
of the type referred to in Section 8.2(c).
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT
Except (i) as disclosed in, and reasonably apparent from, any of the Parent Reports
filed with the SEC or the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on or after
December 1, 2006 but prior to the date of this Agreement (excluding, in each case,
any disclosures set forth in any risk factor section and in any section relating
to forward-looking statements to the extent they are cautionary, predictive or forward-looking
in nature); or (ii) as disclosed in the like-numbered section of the disclosure
schedule delivered by Parent to the Company contemporaneously with the execution
of this Agreement (the "Parent Disclosure Schedule", it being agreed that, except
as otherwise provided in the Parent Disclosure Schedule, disclosure of any item
in any section of the Parent Disclosure Schedule shall also be deemed disclosure
with respect to any other section of this Agreement to which the relevance of such
item is reasonably apparent), Parent represents and warrants to the Company as follows:
5.01. Corporate Organization.
(a) Parent is duly organized and validly existing as a bank under the laws of
Canada. Parent has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease or
operate all of its properties, rights and assets and to carry on its business as
it is now being conducted, and is duly licensed or qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the character
or location of the properties, rights and assets owned, leased or operated by it
makes such licensing or qualification necessary, except where the failure to have
such power or authority or to be so licensed or qualified would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on
Parent. The charter of Parent is the Bank Act (Canada). The copy of the bylaws of
Parent which has been made available to the Company, is a true, correct and complete
copy of such document as in full force and effect as of the date of this Agreement.
(b) Merger Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of New Jersey. Merger Sub was formed solely
for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby, has not owned
any properties, rights or assets other than in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, and has engaged in no other business other than
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Merger Sub is
an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.
5.2. Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of Parent consists of an unlimited
number of Parent Common Shares and unlimited number of Class A First Preferred Shares
(the "Parent Preferred Shares"). As of September 28, 2007, there were 718,102,289
Parent Common Shares outstanding and 39,000,000 Parent Preferred Shares outstanding.
As of September 28, 2007, no Parent Common Shares or Parent Preferred Shares were
reserved for issuance. Since September 28, 2007 and through the date of this Agreement,
and other than in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
Parent has not (i) issued or authorized the issuance of any Parent Common Shares
or Parent Preferred Shares, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for Parent Common Shares or Parent Preferred Shares, except for any
such issuances of Parent Common Shares as a result of exercise of Parent Options
outstanding as of September 28, 2007, (ii) reserved for issuance any Parent Common
Shares or Parent Preferred Shares or (iii) repurchased or redeemed, or authorized
the repurchase or redemption of, any Parent Common Shares or Parent Preferred Shares.
All of the issued and outstanding Parent Common Shares have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights,
with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof. As of the date of
this Agreement, except as ot |