The board of directors of Marathon has unanimously (1) determined that the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, are fair to, and in the best interests of, Marathon and the holders of Marathon’s common stock, (2) approved and declared advisable the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, and (3) resolved to recommend that the Marathon stockholders approve and adopt the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger.
The completion of the Merger is subject to satisfaction or waiver of certain customary mutual closing conditions, including (1) the receipt of the required approvals from Marathon stockholders, (2) the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), (3) certain other specified regulatory approvals having been obtained, (4) the absence of any governmental order or law that makes consummation of the Merger illegal or otherwise prohibited, (5) the effectiveness of the registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed by ConocoPhillips pursuant to which the shares of ConocoPhillips common stock to be issued in connection with the Merger are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and (6) the authorization for listing of ConocoPhillips common stock to be issued in connection with the Merger on the NYSE. The obligation of each party to consummate the Merger is also conditioned upon (1) the other party’s representations and warranties being true and correct (subject to certain materiality exceptions), (2) the other party having performed in all material respects its obligations under the Merger Agreement, (3) the absence of a material adverse effect on the other party and (4) the receipt of an officer’s certificate from the other party to such effect.
The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties of Marathon and ConocoPhillips relating to their respective businesses, financial statements and public filings, in each case generally subject to customary materiality qualifiers. Additionally, the Merger Agreement provides for customary pre-closing covenants of Marathon and ConocoPhillips, including, subject to certain exceptions, covenants relating to conducting their respective businesses in the ordinary course consistent with past practice, and to refrain from taking certain actions without the other party’s consent. Marathon and ConocoPhillips also agreed to use their respective reasonable best efforts to cause the Merger to be consummated and to obtain expiration or termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act and to obtain other specified regulatory approvals, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Merger Agreement.
The Merger Agreement provides that, during the period from the date of the Merger Agreement until the Effective Time, Marathon will be subject to certain restrictions on its ability to solicit alternative competing proposals from third parties, to provide non-public information to third parties and to engage in discussions with third parties regarding alternative competing proposals, subject to customary exceptions. Marathon is required to call a meeting of its stockholders to approve the Merger Agreement and, subject to certain exceptions, to recommend that its stockholders approve the Merger Agreement.
The Merger Agreement contains customary termination rights for each of Marathon and ConocoPhillips, including, among others, if the consummation of the Merger does not occur on or before May 28, 2025 (subject to two potential extensions to November 28, 2025 and May 28, 2026 if the required regulatory approvals have not been received but all other conditions to closing have been satisfied or waived (except for those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at closing)) (such date, the “end date”). Additionally, the Merger Agreement permits Marathon, subject to compliance with certain requirements and payment of a termination fee (described below), to terminate the Merger Agreement to enter into a definitive agreement for a superior alternative competing proposal than the Merger.
Upon termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, including the (1) termination by Marathon to enter into a definitive agreement for a superior alternative competing proposal than the Merger, (2) termination by ConocoPhillips in the event of a change of recommendation by the Marathon board of directors or (3) termination by ConocoPhillips because Marathon, its subsidiaries or any of its directors or executive officers materially breached its non-solicitation obligations, Marathon would be required to pay ConocoPhillips a termination fee of $557,000,000. In addition, (i) upon termination of the Merger Agreement (a) by either ConocoPhillips or Marathon in connection with a failure of Marathon’s stockholders to approve the Merger and if a Company Competing Proposal (as defined in the Merger Agreement) was publicly announced and not publicly