Exhibit 10.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
By and Between
SAFE & GREEN HOLDINGS CORP.,
and
NEW ASIA HOLDINGS, INC.
Dated as of February 2, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Article I The Merger | | 2 |
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Section 1.01 | | The Merger | | 2 |
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Section 1.02 | | Closing; Effective Time. | | 2 |
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Section 1.03 | | Effects of the Merger | | 3 |
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Section 1.04 | | Certificates of Designation; Certificate of Incorporation; By-Laws | | 3 |
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Section 1.05 | | Directors and Officers | | 4 |
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Article II EFFECT of the Merger on Capital Stock; Exchange of certificates | | 4 |
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Section 2.01 | | Effect of the Merger on Capital Stock | | 4 |
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Section 2.02 | | Options and Other Equity-Based Awards and Warrants | | 6 |
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Section 2.03 | | Exchange Procedures | | 6 |
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Section 2.04 | | Adjustments | | 7 |
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Section 2.05 | | Withholding Rights | | 8 |
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Section 2.06 | | Lost Certificates | | 8 |
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Section 2.07 | | Tax Treatment | | 8 |
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Article III Representations and Warranties of the Company | | 8 |
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Section 3.01 | | Organization; Standing and Power; Charter Documents; Subsidiaries | | 8 |
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Section 3.02 | | Capital Structure | | 9 |
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Section 3.03 | | Authority; Non-Contravention; Governmental Consents; Board Approval; Anti-Takeover Statutes | | 11 |
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Section 3.04 | | SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities; Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements | | 13 |
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Section 3.05 | | Absence of Certain Changes or Events | | 16 |
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Section 3.06 | | Taxes | | 16 |
Table of Contents
(continued)
Section 3.07 | | Intellectual Property | | 18 |
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Section 3.08 | | Compliance; Permits | | 20 |
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Section 3.09 | | Litigation | | 20 |
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Section 3.10 | | Brokers’ and Finders’ Fees | | 20 |
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Section 3.11 | | Related Person Transactions | | 21 |
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Section 3.12 | | Employee Benefit Issues | | 21 |
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Section 3.13 | | Real Property and Personal Property Matters | | 26 |
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Section 3.14 | | Environmental Matters | | 26 |
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Section 3.15 | | Material Contracts | | 27 |
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Section 3.16 | | Insurance | | 30 |
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Section 3.17 | | Information Supplied | | 30 |
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Section 3.18 | | Anti-Corruption Matters | | 31 |
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Article IV Representations and Warranties of Parent and Merger SubS | | 31 |
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Section 4.01 | | Organization; Standing and Power; Charter Documents; Subsidiaries | | 31 |
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Section 4.02 | | Capital Structure | | 32 |
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Section 4.03 | | Authority; Non-Contravention; Governmental Consents; Board Approval | | 34 |
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Section 4.04 | | SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities | | 36 |
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Section 4.05 | | Absence of Certain Changes or Events | | 38 |
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Section 4.06 | | Taxes | | 39 |
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Section 4.07 | | Intellectual Property | | 41 |
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Section 4.08 | | Compliance; Permits | | 43 |
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Section 4.09 | | Employee Benefit Issues | | 43 |
Table of Contents
(continued)
Section 4.10 | | Real Property and Personal Property Matters | | 48 |
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Section 4.11 | | Environmental Matters | | 49 |
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Section 4.12 | | Material Contracts | | 50 |
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Section 4.13 | | Insurance | | 52 |
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Section 4.14 | | Litigation | | 52 |
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Section 4.15 | | Brokers | | 53 |
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Section 4.16 | | Anti-Corruption Matters | | 53 |
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Section 4.17 | | Information Supplied | | 53 |
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Section 4.18 | | Ownership of Company Common Stock | | 54 |
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Section 4.19 | | Intended Tax Treatment | | 54 |
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Section 4.20 | | Merger Subs | | 54 |
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Article V COVENANTS | | 54 |
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Section 5.01 | | Reservation of Parent Common Stock; Issuance of Shares of Parent Common Stock | | 54 |
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Section 5.02 | | Notices of Certain Events | | 54 |
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Section 5.03 | | Employees; Benefit Plans | | 55 |
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Section 5.04 | | Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification and Insurance | | 56 |
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Section 5.05 | | Reasonable Best Efforts | | 58 |
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Section 5.06 | | Public Announcements | | 60 |
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Section 5.07 | | Anti-Takeover Statutes | | 60 |
Table of Contents
(continued)
Section 5.08 | | Section 16 Matters | | 61 |
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Section 5.09 | | Stock Exchange Matters | | 61 |
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Section 5.10 | | Certain Tax Matters | | 61 |
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Section 5.11 | | Stockholder Litigation | | 62 |
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Section 5.12 | | Obligations of Merger Subs | | 62 |
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Section 5.13 | | Resignations | | 62 |
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Section 5.14 | | Further Assurances | | 62 |
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Article VI Conditions | | 63 |
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Section 6.01 | | Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger | | 63 |
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Article VII Miscellaneous | | 64 |
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Section 7.01 | | Definitions | | 64 |
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Section 7.02 | | Interpretation; Construction | | 75 |
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Section 7.03 | | Survival | | 76 |
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Section 7.04 | | Governing Law | | 76 |
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Section 7.05 | | Submission to Jurisdiction | | 76 |
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Section 7.06 | | Waiver of Jury Trial | | 77 |
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Section 7.07 | | Notices | | 77 |
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Section 7.08 | | Entire Agreement | | 78 |
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Section 7.09 | | No Third-Party Beneficiaries | | 78 |
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Section 7.10 | | Severability | | 78 |
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Section 7.11 | | Assignment | | 78 |
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Section 7.12 | | Remedies Cumulative | | 78 |
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Section 7.13 | | Specific Performance | | 78 |
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Section 7.14 | | Counterparts; Effectiveness | | 78 |
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This Agreement and Plan of Merger (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of February 2, 2025, by and between New Asia Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and Safe & Green Holdings Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”) Capitalized terms used herein (including in the immediately preceding sentence) and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Section 7.01 hereof.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Parent and the Company intend to effect a merger of a to-be-formed Delaware corporation, and wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the “First Merger Sub”) with and into the Company (the “First Merger”) in accordance with this Agreement and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and chapters 78 and 92A of the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended (the “Nevada Act”). Upon consummation of the First Merger, First Merger Sub will cease to exist, and the Company will become a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent;
WHEREAS, immediately following the First Merger and as part of the same overall transaction of the First Merger, the Company will merge with and into a to-be-formed Delaware limited liability company, and wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Second Merger Sub”, and together with the First Merger Sub, “Merger Subs”)) (the “Second Merger” and, together with the First Merger, the “Merger”), with Second Merger Sub being the surviving entity of the Second Merger;
WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income Tax purposes, the parties intend that the First Merger and Second Merger, taken together, will constitute an integrated transaction described in Rev. Rul. 2001-46, 2001-2 C.B. 321 that qualifies as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and that this Agreement be, and is hereby, adopted as a plan of reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code;
WHEREAS, the Parent Board has (a) determined that the Merger is fair to, advisable, and in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders, (b) approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the Merger, including the issuance of the Parent Stock Payment Shares to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and (c) determined to recommend, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, that the stockholders of Parent vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting to be convened following the Closing;
WHEREAS, the Company Board has (a) determined that the Merger is fair to, advisable, and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and (b) approved this Agreement and the Merger, and (c) that approval from stockholders of the company is not required at this time (the “Board Approval”);
WHEREAS, immediately following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, but prior to the filing of the First DE Certificate of Merger and the NV Certificate of Merger, Parent will file the Certificate of Amendment to the Series A Certificate of Designation to designate 4,000,000 shares of preferred stock of Parent as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock which shall have no voting powers and which have conversion rights to convert into shares of common stock of the Parent at a ratio of one (1) to fifteen (15) whereby each share of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock converts into fifteen (15) shares of Parent common stock, subject to approval by a majority of common shareholders(the “Certificate of Designation”) with the office of the Secretary of State of Delaware; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and also to prescribe certain terms and conditions to the Merger.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements contained in this Agreement, the parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:
Article I
The Merger
Section 1.01 The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the First Effective Time, First Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company, and the separate existence of First Merger Sub shall cease. As a result of the First Merger, the Company will continue as the surviving corporation in the First Merger (the “First Step Surviving Corporation”). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Second Effective Time, the First Step Surviving Corporation will merge with and into Second Merger Sub, and the separate existence of the First Step Surviving Corporation shall cease. As a result of the Second Merger, Second Merger Sub will continue as the surviving entity in the Second Merger (the “Surviving Entity”).
Section 1.02 Closing; Effective Time. The consummation of the Merger (the “Closing”) is being consummated remotely via the electronic exchange of documents and signatures on the Closing Date, or at such other time, date and place as Parent and the Company may mutually agree in writing. The date on which the Closing actually takes place is referred to as the “Closing Date.” At the Closing, (a) the Parties shall cause the First Merger to be consummated by executing and filing (i) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of merger with respect to the First Merger, satisfying the applicable requirements of the DGCL, as applicable, and in form and substance to be agreed upon by the Parties (the “First DE Certificate of Merger”), and (ii) with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada a certificate of merger with respect to the First Merger, satisfying the applicable requirements of the Nevada Act, as applicable, and in form and substance to be agreed upon by the Parties (the “NV Certificate of Merger”), and (b) the Parties shall cause the Second Merger to be consummated by executing and filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of merger with respect to the Second Merger, satisfying the applicable requirements of the DGCL and the DLLCA and in form and substance to be agreed upon by the Parties (the “Second DE Certificate of Merger” and, together with the First DE Certificate of Merger and the Nevada Certificate of Merger, the “Certificates of Merger”). The First Merger shall become effective at the time of the filing of such First DE Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and the NV Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of Nevada or at such later time as may be specified in such First DE Certificate of Merger or the NV Certificate of Merger with the consent of Parent and the Company (the time as of which the First Merger becomes effective being referred to as the “First Effective Time”). The Second Merger shall become effective at the time of the filing of such Second Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or at such later time as may be specified in such Second Certificate of Merger with the consent of Parent and the Company (the time as of which the Second Merger becomes effective being referred to as the “Second Effective Time”).
Section 1.03 Effects of the Merger. At and after the First Effective Time, the First Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement, the First Certificate of Merger, and in the applicable provisions of the DGCL and the Nevada Act. As a result of the First Merger, the First Step Surviving Corporation will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. At and after the Second Effective Time, the Second Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement, the Second Certificate of Merger and in the applicable provisions of the DGCL and the DLLCA.
Section 1.04 Certificates of Designation; Certificate of Incorporation; By-Laws.
(a) Immediately following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, but prior to the filing of the First Certificate of Merger, Parent will file the Certificate of Designation with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
(b) At the First Effective Time:
(i) The certificate of incorporation of the First Step Surviving Corporation shall be amended and restated as set forth in an exhibit to the First DE Certificate of Merger to be identical to the certificate of incorporation of First Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the First Effective Time, until thereafter amended;
(ii) The bylaws of the First Step Surviving Corporation shall be amended and restated in their entirety to read identically to the bylaws of the Company as in effect immediately prior to the First Effective Time, until thereafter amended; and
(iii) The certificate of incorporation of Parent shall be identical to the certificate of incorporation of Parent immediately prior to the First Effective Time, until thereafter amended.
(c) At the Second Effective Time:
(i) The certificate of formation of the Surviving Entity shall be the certificate of formation of Second Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Second Effective Time, until thereafter amended; provided, however, that following the Second Effective Time (but as soon thereafter as practicable) the certificate of formation of the Surviving Entity shall be amended to (A) change the name of the Surviving Entity to New Asia Holdings, LLC, (B) comply with this Agreement and (C) make such other changes as are mutually agreed to by Parent and the Company;
(ii) the certificate of incorporation of Parent shall be identical to the certificate of incorporation of Parent immediately prior to the Second Effective Time, until thereafter amended as provided by the DGCL and such certificate of incorporation, provided, however, that following the Second Effective Time (but as soon thereafter as practicable), the certificate of incorporation shall be amended to make such changes as are mutually agreed to by Parent and the Company; and
(iii) the limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Entity shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read identically to the limited liability company agreement of Second Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Second Effective Time, until thereafter amended as provided by the DLLCA and such limited liability company agreement; provided, however, that following the Second Effective Time (but as soon thereafter as practicable), the limited liability company agreement shall be amended to (A) comply with this Agreement and (B) change the name of the Surviving Entity to New Asia Holdings, LLC.
Section 1.05 Directors and Officers.
(a) At the First Effective Time:
(i) The directors and officers of Parent, each to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Parent, shall be the same as immediately prior to the Effective Time; and
(ii) The directors and officers of the First Step Surviving Corporation, each to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the First Step Surviving Corporation, shall be such persons as shall be mutually agreed upon by Parent and the Company.
(b) At the Second Effective Time, the managers and officers of the Surviving Entity, each to hold office in accordance with the certificate of formation and limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Entity, shall be such persons as shall be mutually agreed upon by Parent and the Company.
Article II
EFFECT of the Merger on Capital Stock; Exchange of certificates
Section 2.01 Effect of the Merger on Capital Stock.
(a) Conversion of Capital Stock. At the First Effective Time, by virtue of the First Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, the Merger Subs, the Company, or the holders of any shares of capital stock of the Parent, Merger Subs, or the Company:
(i) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each 87.5 share of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time (other than any Excluded Shares shall thereupon be converted into and become exchangeable for one (1) share of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock (the “First Merger Consideration”). As of the First Effective Time, all such shares of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and shall thereafter only represent the right to receive the First Merger Consideration, without interest.
(ii) At the First Effective Time, each share of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall remain outstanding. Immediately following the First Effective Time, shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, owned by the First Step Surviving Company shall be surrendered to Parent without payment therefore.
(iii) Each share of Company Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company or owned, directly or indirectly, by Parent or First Merger Sub immediately prior to the First Effective Time (collectively, “Excluded Shares”) shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(iv) Each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share of First Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be converted into and become one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the First Step Surviving Company.
(v) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (A) no fractional shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock shall be issued in the First Merger, and (B) all fractional shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock that a Person otherwise would be entitled to receive as a result of the First Merger shall be aggregated and, if a fractional share results from such aggregation, such Person shall be entitled to receive, in lieu thereof, an amount in cash, without interest, determined by multiplying the fraction of the applicable share of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock to which such Person otherwise would have been entitled by the Parent Closing Price.
(b) At the Second Effective Time, by virtue of the Second Merger and without any further action on the part of Parent, the First Step Surviving Company, Second Merger Sub or their respective securityholders, each share of common stock of the First Step Surviving Company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Effective Time shall be cancelled and extinguished without any conversion thereof and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect thereto.
(c) At the First Effective Time: (a) all holders of book-entry shares representing shares of Company Capital Stock (“Book-Entry Shares”), in each case, that were outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall cease to have any rights as stockholders of the Company; and (b) the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed with respect to all shares of Company Capital Stock outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time. No further transfer of any such shares of Company Capital Stock shall be made on such stock transfer books after the First Effective Time.
Section 2.02 Options and Other Equity-Based Awards and Warrants. As of the date hereof, the Company has no stock option, retirement, pension, or profit-sharing programs for the benefit of directors, officers or other employees and no warrants outstanding.
Section 2.03 Exchange Procedures.
(a) Exchange Agent. Pacific Stock Transfer Company, transfer agent for the Company’s class of common stock shall act as exchange agent in the Merger (the “Exchange Agent”).
(b) Procedures for Exchange. Promptly after the First Effective Time the Exchange Agent shall effect the transfer Book-Entry Shares in exchange for Parent Stock Payment Shares. Upon transfer of Book-Entry Share to the Exchange Agent for exchange, together with such other documents as may be reasonably required by the Exchange Agent or Parent: (A) the holder of such Book-Entry Share shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor book-entry shares representing the First Merger Consideration (in a number of whole shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock).
(c) Payments to Non-Registered Holders. If any portion of the First Merger Consideration is to be paid to a Person other than the Person in whose name the surrendered Certificate or the transferred Book-Entry Share, as applicable, is registered, it shall be a condition to such payment that: (i) such Certificate shall be properly endorsed or shall otherwise be in proper form for transfer or such Book-Entry Share shall be properly transferred; and (ii) the Person requesting such payment shall pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other Tax required as a result of such payment to a Person other than the registered holder of such Certificate or Book-Entry Share, as applicable, or establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such Tax has been paid or is not payable.
(d) Full Satisfaction. All First Merger Consideration paid upon the surrender of Certificates or transfer of Book-Entry Shares in accordance with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been paid in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock formerly represented by such Certificate or Book-Entry Shares, and from and after the First Effective Time, there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock on the stock transfer books of the First Step Surviving Corporation. If, after the First Effective Time, Certificates or Book-Entry Shares are presented to the First Step Surviving Corporation, they shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this Article II.
(e) Distributions with Respect to Unsurrendered Shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock. All shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to the First Merger shall be deemed issued and outstanding as of the First Effective Time and whenever a dividend or other distribution is declared by Parent in respect of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock, respectively, the record date for which is after the First Effective Time, that declaration shall include dividends or other distributions in respect of all shares issuable pursuant to this Agreement. No dividends or other distributions in respect of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock shall be paid to any holder of any unsurrendered Company Common Share or Company Preferred Stock until the Certificate (or affidavit of loss in lieu of the Certificate as provided in Section 2.06) or Book-Entry Share is surrendered for exchange in accordance with this Section 2.03. Subject to the effect of applicable Laws, following such surrender, there shall be issued or paid to the holder of record of the whole shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock issued in exchange for Company Common Shares or Company Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 2.03 without interest: (i) at the time of such surrender, the dividends or other distributions with a record date after the First Effective Time theretofore payable with respect to such whole shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock and not paid; and (ii) at the appropriate payment date, the dividends or other distributions payable with respect to such whole shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock with a record date after the Effective Time but with a payment date subsequent to surrender.
(f) Resolutions and Other Company Actions. At or prior to the First Effective Time, the Company, the Company Board, and the compensation committee of the Company Board, as applicable, shall adopt any resolutions and take any actions that may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this Section 2.03.
(g) Parent Actions. At or prior to the First Effective Time, Parent shall reserve for future issuance a number of shares of Parent Common Stock at least equal to (i) the number of shares of Parent Common Stock that will be subject to Parent Equity Awards as a result of the actions contemplated by this Section 2.03 and (ii) the number of shares of Parent Common Stock that will be required to be issued upon the conversion of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock. As soon as practicable after the First Effective Time, if and to the extent necessary to cause a sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock to be registered and issuable with respect to the Parent Equity Awards, Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-8 (or any successor or other appropriate form) with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock subject to the Parent Equity Awards.
Section 2.04 Adjustments. Without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, if at any time during the period between the date of this Agreement and the First Effective Time, any change in the outstanding shares of Company Capital Stock or the Parent Common Stock shall occur (other than the issuance of additional shares of Company Capital Stock or Parent Convertible Preferred Stock as permitted by this Agreement), including by reason of any reclassification, recapitalization, stock split (including a reverse stock split), or combination, exchange, readjustment of shares, or similar transaction, or any stock dividend or distribution paid in stock, and any other amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect such change; provided, however, that this sentence shall not be construed to permit Parent or the Company to take any action with respect to its securities that is prohibited by the terms of this Agreement.
Section 2.05 Withholding Rights. Each of the Exchange Agent, Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub, and the Surviving Entity shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this Article II such amounts as may be required to be deducted and withheld with respect to the making of such payment under any Tax Laws. To the extent that amounts are so deducted and withheld by the Exchange Agent, Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub, or the Surviving Entity, as the case may be, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which the Exchange Agent, Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub, or the Surviving Entity, as the case may be, made such deduction and withholding.
Section 2.06 Lost Certificates. If 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 reasonable amount as Parent may direct, 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 to be paid in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock formerly represented by such Certificate as contemplated under this Article II.
Section 2.07 Tax Treatment. For U.S. federal income Tax purposes, it is intended that the First Merger and Second Merger, taken together, will constitute an integrated transaction described in Rev. Rul. 2001-46, 2001-2 C.B. 321 that qualifies as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, that this Agreement will constitute a “plan of reorganization” for purposes of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code.
Article III
Representations and Warranties of the Company
Except (a) as disclosed in the Company SEC documents and that is reasonably apparent on the face of such disclosure to be applicable to the representation and warranty set forth herein (other than any disclosures contained or referenced therein under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Forward Looking Statements,” and any other disclosures contained or referenced therein of information, factors, or risks that are predictive, cautionary, or forward looking in nature) to the extent that it is reasonably apparent on the face of such disclosure that such disclosure is applicable to such Section, the Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Subs as follows:
Section 3.01 Organization; Standing and Power; Charter Documents; Subsidiaries.
(a) Organization; Standing and Power. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is a corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing (to the extent that the concept of “good standing” is applicable in such jurisdiction) under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and has the requisite corporate, limited liability company, or other organizational, as applicable, power and authority to own, lease, and operate its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity and is in good standing (to the extent that the concept of “good standing” is applicable in such jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction where the character of the assets and properties owned, leased, or operated by it or the nature of its business makes such qualification or license necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Charter Documents. The Company has delivered or made available to Parent copies of the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company as most recently filed with the Company SEC Documents, and such copies are true, correct, and complete copies of such documents as in effect as of the date of this Agreement. The Company has delivered or made available to Parent a true and correct copy of the Charter Documents of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any of the provisions of its Charter Documents.
(c) Subsidiaries. As of the date hereof and its place of organization each Subsidiary that is not, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by the Company: (i) the number and type of any capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, such Subsidiary that is outstanding as of the date hereof; and (ii) the number and type of shares of capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, such Subsidiary that, as of the date hereof, are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, each Subsidiary of the Company that is owned directly or indirectly by the Company have been validly issued, were issued free of pre-emptive rights, are fully paid and non-assessable, and are free and clear of all Liens, including any restriction on the right to vote, sell, or otherwise dispose of such capital stock or other equity or voting interests, except for any Liens: (A) imposed by applicable securities Laws; or (B) arising pursuant to the Charter Documents of any non-wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company. Except for the capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, its Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, any Person.
Section 3.02 Capital Structure.
(a) Capital Stock. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of: (i) 4,000,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock; (ii) 100 shares of Series A voting convertible preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company, (iii) 200,000,000 shares of Series B voting convertible preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company, (iv) 5,000,000 shares of Series C non-voting convertible preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company, and (v) 50,000,000 shares of Series D voting convertible preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (items (ii), (iii), (iv),and (v), collectively, the “Company Preferred Stock”). As of the date of this Agreement: (A) 350,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock were issued and outstanding (not including shares held in treasury); (B) zero shares of Company Common Stock were issued and held by the Company in its treasury; (C) 0 shares of Company Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding or held by the Company in its treasury. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and all shares of capital stock of the Company which may be issued as contemplated or permitted by this Agreement will be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable, and not subject to any pre-emptive rights. No Subsidiary of the Company owns any shares of Company Common Stock.
(b) Stock Awards and Warrants.
(i) As of the date of this Agreement, the Company does not have any Company Equity Award or warrants outstanding. are outstanding.
(ii) There are no Contracts to which the Company is a party obligating the Company to accelerate the vesting of any Company Equity Award as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether alone or upon the occurrence of any additional or subsequent events). Other than the Company Equity Awards, as of the date hereof, there are no outstanding: (A) securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for Voting Debt or shares of capital stock of the Company; (B) options, warrants, or other agreements or commitments to acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any Voting Debt or shares of capital stock of (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of) the Company; or (C) restricted shares, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, profit participation rights, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock, or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any shares of capital stock of the Company, in each case that have been issued by the Company or its Subsidiaries (the items in clauses (A), (B), and (C), together with the capital stock of the Company, being referred to collectively as “Company Securities”). All outstanding shares of Company Common Stock, all outstanding Company Equity Awards, and all outstanding shares of capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in any Subsidiary of the Company, have been issued or granted, as applicable, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable securities Laws.
(iii) There are no outstanding Contracts requiring the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any voting agreement with respect to any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities.
(c) Voting Debt. No bonds, debentures, notes, or other indebtedness issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries: (i) having the right to vote on any matters on which stockholders or equityholders of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may vote (or which is convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having such right); or (ii) the value of which is directly based upon or derived from the capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, are issued or outstanding (collectively, “Voting Debt”).
(d) Company Subsidiary Securities. As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding: (i) securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for Voting Debt, capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in any Subsidiary of the Company; (ii) options, warrants, or other agreements or commitments to acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any Voting Debt, capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in) any Subsidiary of the Company; or (iii) restricted shares, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, profit participation rights, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock, or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital stock or voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case that have been issued by a Subsidiary of the Company (the items in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), together with the capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests of such Subsidiaries, being referred to collectively as “Company Subsidiary Securities”).
Section 3.03 Authority; Non-Contravention; Governmental Consents; Board Approval; Anti-Takeover Statutes.
(a) Authority. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to perform its obligations under this Agreement and, subject to, in the case of the consummation of the Merger, adoption of this Agreement by the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock (the “Requisite Company Vote”), to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement or to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, subject only, in the case of consummation of the Merger, to the receipt of the Requisite Company Vote. The Requisite Company Vote is the only vote or consent of the holders of any class or series of the Company’s capital stock necessary to approve and adopt this Agreement, approve the Merger, and consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due execution and delivery by Parent, First Merger Sub, and Second Merger Sub, constitutes the legal, valid, and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, and other similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity.
(b) Non-Contravention. The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Company, and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Merger, do not and will not: (i) subject to obtaining the Requisite Company Vote, contravene or conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of, the Charter Documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) assuming that all Consents contemplated by clauses (i) through (iv) of Section 3.03(c) have been obtained or made and, in the case of the consummation of the Merger, obtaining the Requisite Company Vote, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective properties or assets; (iii) result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ loss of any benefit or the imposition of any additional payment or other liability under, or alter the rights or obligations of any third party under, or give to any third party any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration, or cancellation, or require any Consent under, any Contract to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or otherwise bound as of the date hereof; or (iv) result in the creation of a Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii), (iii), and (iv), for any conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults, loss of benefits, additional payments or other liabilities, alterations, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations, or Liens that, or where the failure to obtain or make any Consents, in each case, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Governmental Consents. No consent, approval, permission, order, or authorization of, or registration, declaration, or filing with, or notice to (any of the foregoing, a “Consent”), any supranational, national, state, municipal, local, or foreign government, any instrumentality, subdivision, court, administrative agency or commission, or other governmental authority, or any quasi-governmental or private body exercising any regulatory or other governmental or quasi-governmental authority (a “Governmental Entity”) is required to be obtained or made by the Company in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company of the Merger and other transactions contemplated hereby, except for: (i) the filing of the Certificates of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada, as applicable; (ii) the filing with the SEC of (A) the Proxy Statement in definitive form in accordance with the Exchange Act, (B) the Form S-4, and the declaration of its effectiveness under the Securities Act, and (C) such reports under the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this Agreement, the Merger, and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) such Consents as may be required under any Antitrust Laws that are applicable to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (iv) such Consents as may be required under applicable state securities or “blue sky” Laws and the securities Laws of any foreign country or the rules and regulations of Nasdaq; (the “Other Governmental Approvals”); and (vi) such other Consents which if not obtained or made would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Board Approval. The Company Board, by resolutions duly adopted by a unanimous vote at a meeting of all directors of the Company duly called and held and, not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has: (i) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, are fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and the Company’s stockholders; (ii) approved and declared advisable this Agreement, including the execution, delivery, and performance thereof, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; (iii) presented written confirmation of Requisite Company Vote (collectively, the “Company Board Recommendation”).
(e) Anti-Takeover Statutes. No “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share acquisition,” “supermajority,” “affiliate transactions,” “business combination,” or other similar anti-takeover statute or regulation enacted under any federal, state, local, or foreign laws applicable to the Company is applicable to this Agreement, the Merger, or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 3.04 SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities; Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements.
(a) SEC Filings. The Company has timely filed with or furnished to, as applicable, the SEC, all registration statements, prospectuses, reports, schedules, forms, statements, and other documents (including exhibits and schedules thereto and all other information incorporated by reference) required to be filed or furnished by it with the SEC since January 1, 2022 (the “Company SEC Documents”). True, correct, and complete copies of all Company SEC Documents are publicly available on EDGAR. To the extent that any Company SEC Document available on EDGAR contains redactions pursuant to a request for confidential treatment or otherwise, the Company has made available to Parent the full text of all such Company SEC Documents that it has so filed or furnished with the SEC. As of their respective filing dates or, if amended or superseded by a subsequent filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of the last such amendment or superseding filing (and, in the case of registration statements and proxy statements, on the dates of effectiveness and the dates of the relevant meetings, respectively), each of the Company SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such Company SEC Documents. None of the Company SEC Documents, including any financial statements, schedules, or exhibits included or incorporated by reference therein at the time they were filed (or, if amended or superseded by a subsequent filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of the last such amendment or superseding filing), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. To the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company SEC Documents is the subject of ongoing SEC review or outstanding SEC investigation and there are no outstanding or unresolved comments received from the SEC with respect to any of the Company SEC Documents. None of the Company’s Subsidiaries is required to file or furnish any forms, reports, or other documents with the SEC and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is required to file or furnish any forms, reports, or other documents with any securities regulation (or similar) regime of a non-United States Governmental Entity.
(b) Financial Statements. Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any notes and schedules thereto) contained in or incorporated by reference into the Company SEC Documents (collectively, the “Financial Statements”): (i) complied as to form in all material respects with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as of their respective dates; (ii) was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto and, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, as may be permitted by the SEC for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other rules and regulations of the SEC); and (iii) fairly presented in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the respective dates of and for the periods referred to in such financial statements, subject, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to normal and year-end audit adjustments as permitted by the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (but only if the effect of such adjustments would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material).
(c) Internal Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has established and maintains a system of “internal controls over financial reporting” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that is sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP including policies and procedures that: (i) require the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and that receipts and expenditures of the Company and its Subsidiaries are being made only in accordance with appropriate authorizations of the Company’s management and the Company Board; and (iii) provide assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm has identified or been made aware of (1) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal control over financial reporting utilized by the Company and its Subsidiaries that has not been subsequently remediated; or (2) any fraud that involves the Company’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal control over financial reporting utilized by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(d) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) are designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such reports.
(e) Undisclosed Liabilities. The audited balance sheet of the Company dated as of December 31, 2023 contained in the Company SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof is hereinafter referred to as the “Company Balance Sheet”. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any Liabilities other than Liabilities that: (i) are reflected or reserved against in the Company Balance Sheet (including in the notes thereto); (ii) were incurred since the date of the Company Balance Sheet in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (iii) are incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or (iv) would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or has any commitment to become a party to: (i) any joint venture, off-balance sheet partnership, or any similar Contract or arrangement (including any Contract or arrangement relating to any transaction or relationship between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any other Person, including any structured finance, special purpose, or limited purpose Person, on the other hand); or (ii) any “off-balance sheet arrangements” (as defined in Item 2.03(d) of the SEC’s Current Report on Form 8-K or as described in Instruction 8 to Item 303(b) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC).
(g) Sarbanes-Oxley and Nasdaq Compliance. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer and each former principal financial officer of the Company, as applicable) has made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14 or 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to the Company SEC Documents, and the statements contained in such certifications are true and accurate in all material respects. For purposes of this Agreement, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company is also in compliance with all of the other applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable listing and corporate governance rules of Nasdaq.
(h) Accounting, Securities, or Other Related Complaints or Reports. Since January 1, 2022: (i) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any written complaint, allegation, assertion, or claim regarding the financial accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing practices, procedures, methodologies, or methods of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any written complaint, allegation, assertion, or claim from employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding questionable financial accounting or auditing matters with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (ii) no attorney representing the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has reported credible evidence of any material violation of securities Laws, breach of fiduciary duty, or similar material violation by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, or agents to the Company Board or any committee thereof, or to the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, or general counsel of the Company.
Section 3.05 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since the date of the Company Balance Sheet, except in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the business of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and there has not been or occurred any Company Material Adverse Effect or any event, condition, change, or effect that could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.06 Taxes.
(a) Tax Returns and Payment of Taxes. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have duly and timely filed or caused to be filed (taking into account any valid extensions) all material Tax Returns required to be filed by them. Such Tax Returns are true, complete, and correct in all material respects. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return other than extensions of time to file Tax Returns obtained in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. All material Taxes due and owing by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been timely paid or, where payment is not yet due, the Company has made an adequate provision for such Taxes in the Company’s Financial Statements (in accordance with GAAP). The Company’s Financial Statements reflect an adequate reserve (in accordance with GAAP) for all material Taxes payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries through the date of such financial statements. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any material Liability for Taxes since the date of the Company’s Financial Statements outside of the ordinary course of business or otherwise inconsistent with past practice.
(b) Availability of Tax Returns. The Company has made available to Parent complete and accurate copies of all federal, state, local, and foreign income, franchise, and other material Tax Returns filed by or on behalf of the Company or its Subsidiaries for any Tax period ending after January 1, 2020.
(c) Withholding. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have withheld and timely paid each material Tax required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any Company Employee, creditor, customer, stockholder, or other party (including, without limitation, withholding of Taxes pursuant to Sections 1441 and 1442 of the Code or similar provisions under any state, local, and foreign Laws), and materially complied with all information reporting and backup withholding provisions of applicable Law.
(d) Liens. There are no Liens for material Taxes upon the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than for current Taxes not yet due and payable or for Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP has been made in the Company’s Financial Statements.
(e) Tax Deficiencies and Audits. No deficiency for any material amount of Taxes which has been proposed, asserted, or assessed in writing by any taxing authority against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries remains unpaid. There are no waivers or extensions of any statute of limitations currently in effect with respect to Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There are no audits, suits, proceedings, investigations, claims, examinations, or other administrative or judicial proceedings ongoing or pending with respect to any material Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(f) Tax Jurisdictions. No claim has ever been made in writing by any taxing authority in a jurisdiction where the Company and its Subsidiaries do not file Tax Returns that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be subject to Tax in that jurisdiction.
(g) Tax Rulings. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has requested or is the subject of or bound by any private letter ruling, technical advice memorandum, or similar ruling or memorandum with any taxing authority with respect to any material Taxes, nor is any such request outstanding.
(h) Consolidated Groups, Transferee Liability, and Tax Agreements. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries: (i) has been a member of a group filing Tax Returns on a consolidated, combined, unitary, or similar basis; (ii) has any material liability for Taxes of any Person (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any comparable provision of local, state, or foreign Law), as a transferee or successor, by Contract, or otherwise; or (iii) is a party to, bound by or has any material Liability under any Tax sharing, allocation, or indemnification agreement or arrangement (other than customary Tax indemnifications contained in credit or other commercial agreements the primary purpose of which agreements does not relate to Taxes).
(i) Change in Accounting Method. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has agreed to make, nor is it required to make, any material adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code or any comparable provision of state, local, or foreign Tax Laws by reason of a change in accounting method or otherwise.
(j) Post-Closing Tax Items. The Company and its Subsidiaries will not be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date; (iv) income under Section 965(a) of the Code, including as a result of any election under Section 965(h) of the Code with respect thereto; or (v) election under Section 108(i) of the Code.
(k) Ownership Changes. Without regard to this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has undergone an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Code.
(l) Section 355. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in connection with a distribution described in Section 355 of the Code.
(m) Reportable Transactions. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a party to, or a material advisor with respect to, a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Section 6707A(c)(1) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4(b).
(n) Intended Tax Treatment. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken or agreed to take any action, and to the Knowledge of the Company there exists no fact or circumstance, that is reasonably likely to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
Section 3.07 Intellectual Property.
(a) Scheduled Company-Owned IP. A true and complete list, specifying as to each as applicable, the name of the current owners, jurisdictions, and application or registration numbers, as of the date hereof, of all: (i) Company-Owned IP that is the subject of any issuance, registration, certificate, application, or other filing by, to or with any Governmental Entity or authorized private registrar, including patents, patent applications, trademark registrations and pending applications for registration, copyright registrations and pending applications for registration, and internet domain name registrations; and (ii) material unregistered Company-Owned IP has been disclosed to the Parent.
(b) Right to Use; Title. The Company or one of its Subsidiaries is the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Company-Owned IP, and has the valid and enforceable right to use all other Intellectual Property used in or necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted (“Company IP”), in each case, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Validity and Enforceability. The Company and its Subsidiaries’ rights in the Company-Owned IP are valid, subsisting, and enforceable, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps to maintain the Company IP and to protect and preserve the confidentiality of all trade secrets included in the Company IP, except where the failure to take such actions would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Non-Infringement. Except as would not be reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) the conduct of the businesses of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries has not infringed, misappropriated, or otherwise violated, and is not infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise violating, any Intellectual Property of any other Person; and (ii) to the Knowledge of the Company, no third party is infringing upon, violating, or misappropriating any Company IP.
(e) IP Legal Actions and Orders. There are no Legal Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened: (i) alleging any infringement, misappropriation, or violation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of the Intellectual Property of any Person; or (ii) challenging the validity, enforceability, or ownership of any Company-Owned IP or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries’ rights with respect to any Company IP, in each case except for such Legal Actions that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are not subject to any outstanding Order that restricts or impairs the use of any Company-Owned IP, except where compliance with such Order would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Company IT Systems. Since January 1, 2022, there has been no malfunction, failure, continued substandard performance, denial-of-service, or other cyber incident, including any cyberattack, or other impairment of the Company IT Systems, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken all reasonable best effort steps to safeguard the confidentiality, availability, security, and integrity of the Company IT Systems, including implementing and maintaining appropriate backup, disaster recovery, and software and hardware support arrangements, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(g) Privacy and Data Security. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have complied with all applicable Laws and all internal or publicly posted policies, notices, and statements concerning the collection, use, processing, storage, transfer, and security of personal information in the conduct of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ businesses, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Since January 1, 2022, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not: (i) experienced any actual, alleged, or suspected data breach or other security incident involving personal information in their possession or control; or (ii) been subject to or received any notice of any audit, investigation, complaint, or other Legal Action by any Governmental Entity or other Person concerning the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ collection, use, processing, storage, transfer, or protection of personal information or actual, alleged, or suspected violation of any applicable Law concerning privacy, data security, or data breach notification, and to the Company’s Knowledge, there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such Legal Action, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.08 Compliance; Permits.
(a) Compliance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are and, since January 1, 2022, have been in material compliance with, all Laws or Orders applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses or properties is bound. Since January 1, 2022, no Governmental Entity has issued any notice or notification stating that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is not in compliance with any Law or Order in any material respect.
(b) Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries hold, to the extent necessary to operate their respective businesses as such businesses are being operated as of the date hereof, all permits, licenses, registrations, variances, clearances, consents, commissions, franchises, exemptions, Orders, authorizations, and approvals from Governmental Entities (collectively, “Permits”), except for any Permits for which the failure to obtain or hold would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. No suspension, cancellation, non-renewal, or adverse modifications of any Permits of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, except for any such suspension or cancellation which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is and, since January 1, 2022, has been in compliance with the terms of all Permits, except where the failure to be in such compliance would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.09 Litigation. There is no Legal Action pending, or to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in their capacities as such other than any such Legal Action that: (a) does not involve an amount in controversy in excess of $50,000; and (b) does not seek material injunctive or other material non-monetary relief. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets is subject to any order, writ, assessment, decision, injunction, decree, ruling, or judgment of a Governmental Entity, arbitrator, or other tribunal, whether temporary, preliminary, or permanent (“Order”), which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no SEC inquiries or investigations, other governmental inquiries or investigations, or internal investigations pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, in each case regarding nay accounting practices of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any malfeasance by any officer or director of the Company.
Section 3.10 Brokers’ and Finders’ Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred, nor will it incur, directly or indirectly, any liability for investment banker, brokerage, or finders’ fees or agents’ commissions, or any similar charges in connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 3.11 Related Person Transactions. There are, and since January 1, 2022, there have been, no Contracts, transactions, or series of related transactions, agreements, arrangements, or understandings in effect, nor are there any currently proposed transactions, or series of related transactions, Contracts, arrangements, or understandings, that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K that have not been otherwise disclosed in the Company SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof.
Section 3.12 Employee Benefit Issues.
(a) Schedule. As of the date hereof, of each plan, program, policy, agreement, collective bargaining agreement, or other arrangement providing for compensation, severance, deferred compensation, performance awards, stock or stock-based awards, retirement, health, major medical, dental, life insurance, death, accidental death & dismemberment, disability, fringe (including under Code Section 132), or wellness benefits, or other employee benefits or remuneration of any kind, including each employment, termination, severance, retention, change in control, or consulting or independent contractor plan, program, arrangement, or agreement, in each case whether written or unwritten or otherwise, funded or unfunded, insured or self-insured, including each “employee benefit plan,” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA, which is or has been sponsored, maintained, contributed to, or required to be contributed to, by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for the benefit of any current or former employee, independent contractor, consultant, or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Company Employee”), or with respect to which the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate has or may have any Liability (collectively, the “Company Employee Plans”).
(b) Documents. The Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies (or, if a plan or arrangement is not written, a written description) of all Company Employee Plans and amendments thereto, and, to the extent applicable: (i) all related trust agreements, funding arrangements, insurance contracts, and service provider agreements now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise; (ii) the most recent determination letter received regarding the tax-qualified status of each Company Employee Plan; (iii) the most recent financial statements for each Company Employee Plan; (iv) the Form 5500 Annual Returns/Reports and Schedules for the most recent plan year for each Company Employee Plan; (v) the current summary plan description and any related summary of material modifications and, if applicable, summary of benefits and coverage, for each Company Employee Plan; and (vi) all actuarial valuation reports related to any Company Employee Plans.
(c) Employee Plan Compliance. (i) Each Company Employee Plan has been established, administered, and maintained in all material respects in accordance with its terms and in material compliance with applicable Laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) all the Company Employee Plans that are intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code are so qualified and have received timely determination letters from the IRS and no such determination letter has been revoked nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, has any such revocation been threatened, or with respect to a pre-approved plan, can rely on an opinion letter from the IRS to the pre-approved plan sponsor, to the effect that such qualified retirement plan and the related trust are exempt from federal income taxes under Sections 401(a) and 501(a), respectively, of the Code, and to the Knowledge of the Company no circumstance exists that is likely to result in the loss of such qualified status under Section 401(a) of the Code; (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries, where applicable, have timely made all contributions, benefits, premiums, and other payments required by and due under the terms of each Company Employee Plan and applicable Law and accounting principles, and all benefits accrued under any unfunded Company Employee Plan have been paid, accrued, or otherwise adequately reserved to the extent required by, and in accordance with GAAP; (iv) except to the extent limited by applicable Law, each Company Employee Plan can be amended, terminated, or otherwise discontinued after the Effective Time in accordance with its terms, without material liability to Parent, the Company, or any of its Subsidiaries (other than ordinary administration expenses and in respect of accrued benefits thereunder); (v) there are no investigations, audits, inquiries, enforcement actions, or Legal Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened by the IRS, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or any similar Governmental Entity or subagency with respect to any Company Employee Plan; (vi) there are no material Legal Actions pending, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any Company Employee Plan (in each case, other than routine claims for benefits); and (vii) to the Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Company ERISA Affiliates has engaged in a transaction that could subject the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate to a tax or penalty imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA.
(d) Plan Liabilities. Neither the Company nor any Company ERISA Affiliate has: (i) incurred or reasonably expects to incur, either directly or indirectly, any liability under Title I or Title IV of ERISA, or related provisions of the Code or foreign Law relating to any Company Employee Plan and nothing has occurred that could constitute grounds under Title IV of ERISA to terminate, or appoint a trustee to administer, any Company Employee Plan; (ii) except for payments of premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) which have been timely paid in full, not incurred any liability to the PBGC in connection with any Company Employee Plan covering any active, retired, or former employees or directors of the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate, including, without limitation, any liability under Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA or any penalty imposed under Section 4071 of ERISA, or ceased operations at any facility, or withdrawn from any such Company Employee Plan in a manner that could subject it to liability under Sections 4062, 4063 or 4064 of ERISA; (iii) failed to satisfy the health plan compliance requirements under the Affordable Care Act, including the employer mandate under Section 4980H of the Code and related information reporting requirements; (iv) failed to comply with Sections 601 through 608 of ERISA and Section 4980B of the Code, regarding the health plan continuation coverage requirements under COBRA; (v) failed to comply with the privacy, security, and breach notification requirements under HIPAA; (vi) failed to comply with the mental health parity requirements under MHPAEA; or (vii) incurred any withdrawal liability (including any contingent or secondary withdrawal liability) within the meaning of Sections 4201 or 4204 of ERISA to any multiemployer plan and nothing has occurred that presents a risk of the occurrence of any withdrawal from or the partition, termination, reorganization, or insolvency of any such multiemployer plan which could result in any liability of the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate to any such multiemployer plan. No complete or partial termination of any Company Employee Plan has occurred or is expected to occur.
(e) Certain Company Employee Plans. With respect to each Company Employee Plan:
(i) no such plan is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA or a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Section 413(c) of the Code and neither the Company nor any of its Company ERISA Affiliates has now or at any time within the previous six years contributed to, sponsored, maintained, or had any liability or obligation in respect of any such multiemployer plan or multiple employer plan;
(ii) no Legal Action has been initiated by the PBGC to terminate any such Company Employee Plan or to appoint a trustee for any such Company Employee Plan;
(iii) no Company Employee Plan is subject to the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of ERISA or Sections 412, 418(b), or 430 of the Code, and none of the assets of the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate is, or may reasonably be expected to become, the subject of any lien arising under Section 303 of ERISA or Sections 430 or 436 of the Code; and
(iv) no “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA, has occurred, or is reasonably expected to occur, with respect to any such Company Employee Plan.
(f) No Post-Employment Obligations. No Company Employee Plan provides post-termination or retiree health benefits to any person for any reason, except as may be required by COBRA or other applicable Law, and neither the Company nor any Company ERISA Affiliate has any Liability to provide post-termination or retiree health benefits to any person or ever represented, promised, or contracted to any Company Employee (either individually or to Company Employees as a group) or any other person that such Company Employee(s) or other person would be provided with post-termination or retiree health benefits, except to the extent required by COBRA or other applicable Law.
(g) Potential Governmental or Lawsuit Liability. Other than routine claims for benefits: (i) there are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened claims by or on behalf of any participant in any Company Employee Plan, or otherwise involving any Company Employee Plan or the assets of any Company Employee Plan; and (ii) no Company Employee Plan is presently or has within the three years prior to the date hereof, been the subject of an examination or audit by a Governmental Entity or is the subject of an application or filing under, or is a participant in, an amnesty, voluntary compliance, self-correction, or similar program sponsored by any Governmental Entity.
(h) Section 409A Compliance. Each Company Employee Plan that is subject to Section 409A of the Code has been operated in compliance with such section and all applicable regulatory guidance (including, without limitation, proposed regulations, notices, rulings, and final regulations).
(i) Health Plan Compliance. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries complies in all material respects with the applicable requirements under ERISA and the Code, including COBRA, HIPAA, MHPAEA, and the Affordable Care Act, and other federal requirements for employer-sponsored health plans, and any corresponding requirements under state statutes, with respect to each Company Employee Plan that is a group health plan within the meaning of Section 733(a) of ERISA, Section 5000(b)(1) of the Code, or such state statute.
(j) Effect of Transaction. Neither the execution or delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the Merger, nor any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (either alone or in combination with any other event): (i) entitle any current or former director, employee, contractor, or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to severance pay or any other payment; (ii) accelerate the timing of payment, funding, or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due to any such individual; (iii) limit or restrict the right of the Company to merge, amend, or terminate any Company Employee Plan; or (iv) increase the amount payable or result in any other material obligation pursuant to any Company Employee Plan. No amount that could be received (whether in cash or property or the vesting of any property) as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by any employee, director, or other service provider of the Company under any Company Employee Plan or otherwise would not be deductible by reason of Section 280G of the Code nor would be subject to an excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code.
(k) Employment Law Matters. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries: (i) is in compliance with all applicable Laws and agreements regarding hiring, employment, termination of employment, plant closing and mass layoff, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and reasonable accommodation, leaves of absence, terms and conditions of employment, wages and hours of work, employee classification, employee health and safety, use of genetic information, leasing and supply of temporary and contingent staff, engagement of independent contractors, including proper classification of same, payroll taxes, and immigration with respect to Company Employees and contingent workers; and (ii) is in compliance with all applicable Laws relating to the relations between it and any labor organization, trade union, work council, or other body representing Company Employees, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) immediately above, where the failure to be in compliance with the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Labor. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is party to, or subject to, any collective bargaining agreement or other agreement with any labor organization, work council, or trade union with respect to any of its or their operations. No material work stoppage, slowdown, or labor strike against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to employees who are employed within the United States is pending, threatened, or has occurred in the last three years, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no material work stoppage, slowdown, or labor strike against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to employees who are employed outside the United States is pending, threatened, or has occurred in the last three years. None of the Company Employees is represented by a labor organization, work council, or trade union and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there is no organizing activity, Legal Action, election petition, union card signing or other union activity, or union corporate campaigns of or by any labor organization, trade union, or work council directed at the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Company Employees. There are no Legal Actions, government investigations, or labor grievances pending, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened relating to any employment related matter involving any Company Employee or applicant, including, but not limited to, charges of unlawful discrimination, retaliation or harassment, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, denial of a leave of absence, failure to provide compensation or benefits, unfair labor practices, or other alleged violations of Law, except for any of the foregoing which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.13 Real Property and Personal Property Matters.
(a) Owned Real Estate. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary own any real estate or is a party to any agreement or option to purchase any real property or interest therein.
(b) Leased Real Estate. The Company Lease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable, and in full force and effect; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party to the Company Lease, is in breach or default under such Company Lease, and no event has occurred or circumstance exists which, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a breach or default under such Company Lease; (iii) the Company’s or its Subsidiary’s possession and quiet enjoyment of the Company Leased Real Estate under such Company Lease has not been disturbed, and to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no disputes with respect to such Company Lease; and (iv) there are no Liens on the estate created by such Company Lease other than Permitted Liens. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has assigned, pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated, or otherwise transferred any Company Lease or any interest therein nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries subleased, licensed, or otherwise granted any Person (other than another wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company) a right to use or occupy such Company Leased Real Estate or any portion thereof.
(c) Personal Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in possession of and have good and marketable title to, or valid leasehold interests in or valid rights under contract to use, the machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures, and other tangible personal property and assets owned, leased, or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens.
Section 3.14 Environmental Matters. Except for such matters as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Compliance with Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries are, and have been, in compliance with all Environmental Laws, which compliance includes the possession, maintenance of, compliance with, or application for, all Permits required under applicable Environmental Laws for the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted.
(b) No Disposal, Release, or Discharge of Hazardous Substances. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has disposed of, released, or discharged any Hazardous Substances on, at, under, in, or from any real property currently or, to the Knowledge of the Company, formerly owned, leased, or operated by it or any of its Subsidiaries or at any other location that is: (i) currently subject to any investigation, remediation, or monitoring; or (ii) reasonably likely to result in Liability to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in either case of (i) or (ii) under any applicable Environmental Laws.
(c) No Production or Exposure of Hazardous Substances. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has: (i) produced, processed, manufactured, generated, transported, treated, handled, used, or stored any Hazardous Substances, except in compliance with Environmental Laws, at any Company Real Estate; or (ii) exposed any employee or any third party to any Hazardous Substances under circumstances reasonably expected to give rise to any material Liability or obligation under any Environmental Law.
(d) No Legal Actions or Orders. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of and there is no Legal Action pending, or to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, alleging any Liability or responsibility under or non-compliance with any Environmental Law or seeking to impose any financial responsibility for any investigation, cleanup, removal, containment, or any other remediation or compliance under any Environmental Law. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any Order, settlement agreement, or other written agreement by or with any Governmental Entity or third party imposing any material Liability or obligation with respect to any of the foregoing.
(e) No Assumption of Environmental Law Liabilities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has expressly assumed or retained any Liabilities under any applicable Environmental Laws of any other Person, including in any acquisition or divestiture of any property or business.
Section 3.15 Material Contracts.
(a) Material Contracts. For purposes of this Agreement, “Company Material Contract” shall mean the following to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or any of the respective assets are bound (excluding any Leases):
(i) any “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), whether or not filed by the Company with the SEC;
(ii) any employment, consulting, or indemnification Contract (in each case with respect to which the Company has continuing obligations as of the date hereof) with any current or former (A) officer of the Company, (B) member of the Company Board, or (C) Company Employee providing for an annual base salary or payment in excess of $50,000;
(iii) any Contract providing for indemnification or any guaranty by the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, in each case that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than (A) any guaranty by the Company or a Subsidiary thereof of any of the obligations of (1) the Company or another wholly owned Subsidiary thereof or (2) any Subsidiary (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary) of the Company that was entered into in the ordinary course of business pursuant to or in connection with a customer Contract, or (B) any Contract providing for indemnification of customers or other Persons pursuant to Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(iv) any Contract that purports to limit in any material respect the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or, at any time after the consummation of the Merger, Parent or any of its Subsidiaries) (A) to engage in any line of business, (B) compete with any Person or solicit any client or customer, or (C) operate in any geographical location;
(v) any Contract relating to the disposition or acquisition, directly or indirectly (by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets, or otherwise), by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement of assets or capital stock or other equity interests of any Person, in each case (A) with a fair market value or aggregate consideration under such Contract in excess of $50,000 or (B) pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has a continuing material earn-out or other contingent payment obligation or any material indemnification obligation;
(vi) any Contract that 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;
(vii) any Contract that contains any provision that requires the purchase of all or a material portion of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ requirements for a given product or service from a given third party, which product or service is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(viii) any Contract that obligates the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to conduct business on an exclusive or preferential basis or that contains a “most favored nation” or similar covenant with any third party or upon consummation of the Merger will obligate Parent, the Surviving Corporation, or any of their respective Subsidiaries to conduct business on an exclusive or preferential basis or that contains a “most favored nation” or similar covenant with any third party;
(ix) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company agreement, or similar Contract relating to the formation, creation, operation, management, or control of any material joint venture, partnership, or limited liability company, other than any such Contract solely between the Company and its wholly owned Subsidiaries or among the Company’s wholly owned Subsidiaries;
(x) any mortgages, indentures, guarantees, loans, or credit agreements, security agreements, or other Contracts, in each case relating to indebtedness for borrowed money, whether as borrower or lender, in each case in excess of $100,000, other than (A) accounts receivables and payables, and (B) loans to direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries of the Company;
(xi) any employee collective bargaining agreement or other Contract with any labor union;
(xii) any Contract that is a settlement or similar Contract involving payments by the Company or its Subsidiaries after the Closing in excess of $50,000 in the aggregate or any injunctive relief or similar equitable obligations that impose material restrictions on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(xiii) any Company IP Agreement, other than licenses for shrinkwrap, clickwrap, or other similar commercially available off-the-shelf software that has not been modified or customized by a third party for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(xiv) any other Contract under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to make payment or incur costs in excess of $100,000 in any year and which is not otherwise described in clauses (i)–(xiii) above; or
(xv) any Contract which is not otherwise described in clauses (i)-(xiv) above that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(b) Schedule of Material Contracts; Documents. The Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies of all Company Material Contracts, including any amendments thereto.
(c) No Breach. (i) All the Company Material Contracts are legal, valid, and binding on the Company or its applicable Subsidiary, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, and is in full force and effect; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any third party has violated any provision of, or failed to perform any obligation required under the provisions of, any Company Material Contract; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any third party is in breach or default, or has received written notice of breach or default, of any Company Material Contract. No event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default pursuant to any Company Material Contract by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto, and, as of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of the foregoing or from the counterparty to any Company Material Contract (or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any of such counterparty’s Affiliates) regarding an intent to terminate, cancel, or modify any Company Material Contract (whether as a result of a change of control or otherwise).
Section 3.16 Insurance. All insurance policies maintained by the Company and its Subsidiaries are in full force and effect and provide insurance in such amounts and against such risks as the Company reasonably has determined to be prudent, taking into account the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, and as is sufficient to comply with applicable Law. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in breach or default, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action or failed to take any action which, with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit termination or modification of, any of such insurance policies. To the Knowledge of the Company: (i) no insurer of any such policy has been declared insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship, or liquidation; and (ii) no notice of cancellation or termination, other than pursuant to the expiration of a term in accordance with the terms thereof, has been received with respect to any such policy.
Section 3.17 Information Supplied. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed with the SEC by Parent in connection with the Parent Stock Issuance (the “Form S-4”) will, at the time the Form S-4 is filed with the SEC, and at any time it is amended or supplemented or at the time it (or any post-effective amendment or supplement) becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the proxy statement to be filed with the SEC and sent to the Parent’s stockholders in connection with the Parent Stock Issuance (including any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Proxy Statement”) will, at the date it is first disseminated to the Parent’s stockholders, or at the time of the Parent Stockholders Meeting or at the time of any amendment or supplement thereof, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no representation or warranty is made by the Company with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information that was not supplied by or on behalf of the Company.
Section 3.18 Anti-Corruption Matters. Since January 1, 2022, none of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any director, officer or, to the Knowledge of the Company, employee or agent of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has: (i) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment, or other unlawful payments relating to an act by any Governmental Entity; (ii) made any unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee or to any foreign or domestic political party or campaign or violated any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iii) made any other unlawful payment under any applicable Law relating to anti-corruption, bribery, or similar matters. Since January 1, 2022, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has disclosed to any Governmental Entity that it violated or may have violated any Law relating to anti-corruption, bribery, or similar matters. To the Knowledge of the Company, no Governmental Entity is investigating, examining, or reviewing the Company’s compliance with any applicable provisions of any Law relating to anti-corruption, bribery, or similar matters.
Article IV
Representations and Warranties of Parent
Except: (a) as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents and that is reasonably apparent on the face of such disclosure to be applicable to the representation and warranty set forth herein (other than any disclosures contained or referenced therein under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements,” “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” and any other disclosures contained or referenced therein of information, factors, or risks that are predictive, cautionary, or forward-looking in nature); Parent hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:
Section 4.01 Organization; Standing and Power; Charter Documents; Subsidiaries.
(a) Organization; Standing and Power. Each of Parent and its Subsidiaries is a corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing (to the extent that the concept of “good standing” is applicable in such jurisdiction) under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and has the requisite corporate, limited liability company, or other organizational, as applicable, power and authority to own, lease, and operate its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted. Each of Parent and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity and is in good standing (to the extent that the concept of “good standing” is applicable in such jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction where the character of the assets and properties owned, leased, or operated by it or the nature of its business makes such qualification or license necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Charter Documents. The copies of the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of Parent as most recently filed with the Parent SEC Documents are true, correct, and complete copies of such documents as in effect as of the date of this Agreement. Neither Parent nor any Subsidiary is in violation of any of the provisions of its Charter Documents.
(c) Subsidiaries. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, each Subsidiary of Parent have been validly issued and are owned by Parent, directly or indirectly, free of pre-emptive rights, are fully paid and non-assessable, and are free and clear of all Liens, including any restriction on the right to vote, sell, or otherwise dispose of such capital stock or other equity or voting interests, except for any Liens: (i) imposed by applicable securities Laws; or (ii) arising pursuant to the Charter Documents of any non-wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent. Except for the capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, its Subsidiaries, Parent does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, any Person.
Section 4.02 Capital Structure.
(a) Capital Stock. Immediately prior to the First Effective Time and immediately following the filing of the Certificate of Designation, the authorized capital stock of Parent consists of: (i) 75,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock; and (ii) 5,405,010 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Parent (the “Parent Preferred Stock”). As of the date of this Agreement: (A) 6,035,011 shares of Parent Common Stock were issued and outstanding (not including shares held in treasury); (B) 3,371 shares of Parent Common Stock were issued and held by Parent in its treasury; and (C) no shares of Parent Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding or held by Parent in its treasury. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Parent are, and all shares of capital stock of Parent which may be issued as contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, including the shares of Parent Common Stock and Parent Convertible Preferred Stock constituting the First Merger Consideration, will be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable, and not subject to any pre-emptive rights. No Subsidiary of Parent owns any shares of Parent Common Stock or Parent Convertible Preferred Stock.
(b) Reserved Shares.
(i) As of the date of this Agreement, an aggregate of zero (0) shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to Parent Equity Awards not yet granted under the Parent Stock Plans. As of the date of this Agreement, 341,220 shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding Parent Stock Options and shares of Parent Restricted Shares were issued and outstanding. All shares of Parent Common Stock subject to issuance under the Parent Stock Plans, upon issuance in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. As of the date of this Agreement, 5,809,799 shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to warrants not yet exercised. As of the date of this Agreement, 4,959,360 shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to contingent convertible debt instruments. As of the date of this Agreement, 2,121,429 shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to other contingent obligations of Parent.
(ii) Other than the Parent Equity Awards, as of the date hereof, there are no outstanding (A) securities of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for Parent Voting Debt or shares of capital stock of Parent, (B) options, warrants, or other agreements or commitments to acquire from Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or obligations of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any Parent Voting Debt or shares of capital stock of (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of) Parent, or (C) restricted shares, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, profit participation rights, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock, or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any shares of capital stock of Parent, in each case that have been issued by Parent or its Subsidiaries (the items in clauses (A), (B), and (C), together with the capital stock of Parent, being referred to collectively as “Parent Securities”). All outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock, all outstanding Parent Equity Awards, and all outstanding shares of capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in any Subsidiary of Parent, have been issued or granted, as applicable, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable securities Laws.
(iii) As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding Contracts requiring Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire any Parent Securities or Parent Subsidiary Securities. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any voting agreement with respect to any Parent Securities or Parent Subsidiary Securities.
(c) Voting Debt. No bonds, debentures, notes, or other indebtedness issued by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries: (i) having the right to vote on any matters on which stockholders or equityholders of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries may vote (or which is convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having such right); or (ii) the value of which is directly based upon or derived from the capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, are issued or outstanding (collectively, “Parent Voting Debt”).
(d) Parent Subsidiary Securities. As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding: (i) securities of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for Parent Voting Debt, capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in any Subsidiary of Parent; (ii) options, warrants, or other agreements or commitments to acquire from Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or obligations of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any Parent Voting Debt, capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests in) any Subsidiary of Parent; or (iii) restricted shares, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, profit participation rights, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock, or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital stock or voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of Parent, in each case that have been issued by a Subsidiary of Parent (the items in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), together with the capital stock, voting securities, or other ownership interests of such Subsidiaries, being referred to collectively as “Parent Subsidiary Securities”).
Section 4.03 Authority; Non-Contravention; Governmental Consents; Board Approval.
(a) Authority. Parent has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to perform its obligations under this Agreement and, subject to, in the case of the consummation of the Merger: (i) the adoption of this Agreement by Parent as the sole stockholder of First Merger Sub; and (ii) the adoption of this Agreement by Parent as the sole member of Second Merger Sub, to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and the consummation by Parent of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent are necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement or to consummate the Merger, the Parent Stock Issuance, and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, subject only, in the case of consummation of the Merger, to: (i) the adoption of this Agreement by Parent as the sole stockholder of First Merger Sub; and (ii) the adoption of this Agreement by Parent as the sole member of Second Merger Sub. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Parent and, assuming due execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes the legal, valid, and binding obligation of Parent, enforceable against Parent in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, and other similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity.
(b) Non-Contravention. The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by Parent and the consummation by Parent of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, do not and will not: (i) contravene or conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of, the Charter Documents of Parent; (ii) assuming that all of the Consents contemplated by clauses (i) through (v) of Section 4.03(c) have been obtained or made, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to Parent or any of their respective properties or assets; (iii) result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in Parent’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ loss of any benefit or the imposition of any additional payment or other liability under, or alter the rights or obligations of any third party under, or give to any third party any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration, or cancellation, or require any Consent under, any Contract to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or otherwise bound as of the date hereof; or (iv) result in the creation of a Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any of the properties or assets of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii), (iii), and (iv), for any conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults, loss of benefits, additional payments or other liabilities, alterations, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations, or Liens that, or where the failure to obtain or make any Consents, in each case, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Governmental Consents. No Consent of any Governmental Entity is required to be obtained or made by Parent or Merger Subs in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance by Parent of this Agreement or the consummation by Parent of the Merger, the Parent Stock Issuance, and the other transactions contemplated hereby, except for: (i) the filing of the Articles of Incorporation for the Merger Subs; (ii) the filing of the Certificates of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada, as applicable; (iii) the filing with the SEC of such reports under the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this Agreement, the Merger, the Parent Stock Issuance, and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (iv) such Consents as may be required under applicable state securities or “blue sky” Laws and the securities Laws of any foreign country or the rules and regulations of Nasdaq; (v) the Other Governmental Approvals; and (vi) such other Consents which if not obtained or made would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Board Approval.
(i) The Parent Board by resolutions duly adopted by a unanimous vote at a meeting of all directors of Parent duly called and held and, not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has (A) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, and the Parent Stock Issuance, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, are fair to, and in the best interests of, Parent and the Parent’s stockholders, (B) approved and declared advisable this Agreement, including the execution, delivery, and performance thereof, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Merger and the Parent Stock Issuance, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.(collectively, the “Parent Board Recommendation”).
(ii) Anti-Takeover Statutes. no “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share acquisition,” “supermajority,” “affiliate transactions,” “business combination,” or other similar anti-takeover statute or regulation enacted under any federal, state, local, or foreign laws applicable to the Parent is applicable to this Agreement, the Merger, or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.04 SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) SEC Filings. Parent has timely filed with or furnished to, as applicable, the SEC all registration statements, prospectuses, reports, schedules, forms, statements, and other documents (including exhibits and all other information incorporated by reference) required to be filed or furnished by it with the SEC since January 1, 2022 (the “Parent SEC Documents”). True, correct, and complete copies of all the Parent SEC Documents are publicly available on EDGAR. As of their respective filing dates or, if amended or superseded by a subsequent filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of the last such amendment or superseding filing (and, in the case of registration statements and proxy statements, on the dates of effectiveness and the dates of the relevant meetings, respectively), each of the Parent SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such Parent SEC Documents. None of the Parent SEC Documents, including any financial statements, schedules, or exhibits included or incorporated by reference therein at the time they were filed (or, if amended or superseded by a subsequent filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of the last such amendment or superseding filing), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. To the Knowledge of Parent, none of the Parent SEC Documents is the subject of ongoing SEC review or outstanding SEC investigation and there are no outstanding or unresolved comments received from the SEC with respect to any of the Parent SEC Documents. None of Parent’s Subsidiaries is required to file or furnish any forms, reports, or other documents with the SEC and neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is required to file or furnish any forms, reports, or other documents with any securities regulation (or similar) regime of a non-United States Governmental Entity.
(b) Financial Statements. Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any notes and schedules thereto) contained in or incorporated by reference into the Parent SEC Documents: (i) complied as to form in all material respects with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as of their respective dates; (ii) was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto and, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, as may be permitted by the SEC for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other rules and regulations of the SEC); and (iii) fairly presented in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of Parent and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the respective dates of and for the periods referred to in such financial statements, subject, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to normal and year-end audit adjustments as permitted by the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (but only if the effect of such adjustments would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material).
(c) Internal Controls. Parent has established and maintains a system of “internal controls over financial reporting” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that is sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP including policies and procedures that: (i) require the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of Parent; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and that receipts and expenditures of Parent are being made only in accordance with appropriate authorizations of Parent’s management; and (iii) provide assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the assets of Parent. Neither Parent nor, to the Knowledge of Parent, Parent’s independent registered public accounting firm has identified or been made aware of (1) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal control over financial reporting utilized by Parent that has not been subsequently remediated; or (2) any fraud that involves the Parent’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal control over financial reporting utilized by Parent.
(d) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Parent’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) are designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by Parent in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to Parent’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of Parent required under the Exchange Act with respect to such reports.
(e) Undisclosed Liabilities. The audited balance sheet of Parent dated as of December 31, 2023, contained in the Parent SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof is hereinafter referred to as the “Parent Balance Sheet.” Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has any Liabilities other than Liabilities that: (i) are reflected or reserved against in the Parent Balance Sheet (including in the notes thereto); (ii) were incurred since the date of the Parent Balance Sheet in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (iii) are incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or (iv) would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Nasdaq Compliance. Other than disclosed to the Company, Parent is in compliance in all material respects with all of the applicable listing and corporate governance rules of Nasdaq.
(g) Investigations. Since January 1, 2022, there have been no formal investigations regarding financial reporting or accounting policies and practices discussed with, reviewed by or initiated at the direction of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, principal accounting officer or general counsel of Parent, the Parent Board, or any committee thereof, other than ordinary course audits or reviews of accounting policies and practices or internal controls required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Section 4.05 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since the date of the Parent Balance Sheet, except in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the business of Parent and each of its Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and there has not been or occurred any Parent Material Adverse Effect or any event, condition, change, or effect that could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.06 Taxes.
(a) Tax Returns and Payment of Taxes. Parent has duly and timely filed or caused to be filed (taking into account any valid extensions) all material Tax Returns required to be filed by them. Such Tax Returns are true, complete, and correct in all material respects. Parent is not currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return other than extensions of time to file Tax Returns obtained in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. All material Taxes due and owing by Parent (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been timely paid or, where payment is not yet due, Parent has made an adequate provision for such Taxes in Parent’s Financial Statements (in accordance with GAAP). Parent’s Financial Statements reflect an adequate reserve (in accordance with GAAP) for all material Taxes payable by Parent through the date of such financial statements. Parent has not incurred any material Liability for Taxes since the date of Parent’s Financial Statements outside of the ordinary course of business or otherwise inconsistent with past practice.
(b) Availability of Tax Returns. Parent has made available to the Company complete and accurate copies of all federal, state, local, and foreign income, franchise, and other material Tax Returns filed by or on behalf of Parent for any Tax period ending after January 1, 2020.
(c) Withholding. Parent has withheld and timely paid each material Tax required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any Parent Employee, creditor, customer, stockholder, or other party (including, without limitation, withholding of Taxes pursuant to Sections 1441 and 1442 of the Code or similar provisions under any state, local, and foreign Laws), and materially complied with all information reporting and backup withholding provisions of applicable Law.
(d) Liens. There are no Liens for material Taxes upon the assets of Parent other than for current Taxes not yet due and payable or for Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP has been made in Parent’s Financial Statements.
(e) Tax Deficiencies and Audits. No deficiency for any material amount of Taxes which has been proposed, asserted, or assessed in writing by any taxing authority against Parent remains unpaid. There are no waivers or extensions of any statute of limitations currently in effect with respect to Taxes of Parent. There are no audits, suits, proceedings, investigations, claims, examinations, or other administrative or judicial proceedings ongoing or pending with respect to any material Taxes of Parent.
(f) Tax Jurisdictions. No claim has ever been made in writing by any taxing authority in a jurisdiction where Parent does not file Tax Returns that Parent is or may be subject to Tax in that jurisdiction.
(g) Tax Rulings. Parent has not requested or is the subject of or bound by any private letter ruling, technical advice memorandum, or similar ruling or memorandum with any taxing authority with respect to any material Taxes, nor is any such request outstanding.
(h) Consolidated Groups, Transferee Liability, and Tax Agreements. Parent: (i) has not been a member of a group filing Tax Returns on a consolidated, combined, unitary, or similar basis; (ii) has no material liability for Taxes of any Person (other than Parent) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any comparable provision of local, state, or foreign Law), as a transferee or successor, by Contract, or otherwise; or (iii) is not a party to, bound by or has any material Liability under any Tax sharing, allocation, or indemnification agreement or arrangement (other than customary Tax indemnifications contained in credit or other commercial agreements the primary purpose of which agreements does not relate to Taxes).
(i) Change in Accounting Method. Parent has not agreed to make, nor is it required to make, any material adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code or any comparable provision of state, local, or foreign Tax Laws by reason of a change in accounting method or otherwise.
(j) Post-Closing Tax Items. Parent will not be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date; (iv) income under Section 965(a) of the Code, including as a result of any election under Section 965(h) of the Code with respect thereto; or (v) election under Section 108(i) of the Code.
(k) Ownership Changes. Without regard to this Agreement, Parent has not undergone an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Code.
(l) Section 355. Parent has not been a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in connection with a distribution described in Section 355 of the Code.
(m) Reportable Transactions. Parent has not been a party to, or a material advisor with respect to, a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Section 6707A(c)(1) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4(b).
(n) Intended Tax Treatment. Parent has not taken or agreed to take any action, and to the Knowledge of the Company there exists no fact or circumstance, that is reasonably likely to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
Section 4.07 Intellectual Property.
(a) Scheduled Parent-Owned IP. A true and complete list, specifying as to each as applicable, the name of the current owners, jurisdictions, and application or registration numbers, as of the date hereof, of all: (i) Parent-Owned IP that is the subject of any issuance, registration, certificate, application, or other filing by, to or with any Governmental Entity or authorized private registrar, including patents, patent applications, trademark registrations and pending applications for registration, copyright registrations and pending applications for registration, and internet domain name registrations; and (ii) material unregistered Parent-Owned IP is disclosed to the Company.
(b) Right to Use; Title. Parent is the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Parent-Owned IP, and has the valid and enforceable right to use all other Intellectual Property used in or necessary for the conduct of the business of Parent and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted (“Parent IP”), in each case, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Validity and Enforceability. Parent’s rights in the Parent-Owned IP are valid, subsisting, and enforceable, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Parent has taken reasonable steps to maintain the Parent IP and to protect and preserve the confidentiality of all trade secrets included in the Parent IP, except where the failure to take such actions would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Non-Infringement. Except as would not be reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect: (i) the conduct of the businesses of Parent has not infringed, misappropriated, or otherwise violated, and is not infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise violating, any Intellectual Property of any other Person; and (ii) to the Knowledge of Parent, no third party is infringing upon, violating, or misappropriating any Parent IP.
(e) IP Legal Actions and Orders. There are no Legal Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened: (i) alleging any infringement, misappropriation, or violation by Parent of the Intellectual Property of any Person; or (ii) challenging the validity, enforceability, or ownership of any Parent-Owned IP or Parent’s rights with respect to any Parent IP, in each case except for such Legal Actions that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Parent is not subject to any outstanding Order that restricts or impairs the use of any Parent-Owned IP, except where compliance with such Order would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Company IT Systems. Since January 1, 2022, there has been no malfunction, failure, continued substandard performance, denial-of-service, or other cyber incident, including any cyberattack, or other impairment of the Parent IT Systems, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Parent has taken all reasonable best effort steps to safeguard the confidentiality, availability, security, and integrity of the Parent IT Systems, including implementing and maintaining appropriate backup, disaster recovery, and software and hardware support arrangements, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(g) Privacy and Data Security. Parent has complied with all applicable Laws and all internal or publicly posted policies, notices, and statements concerning the collection, use, processing, storage, transfer, and security of personal information in the conduct of Parent’s business, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Since January 1, 2022, Parent has not: (i) experienced any actual, alleged, or suspected data breach or other security incident involving personal information in their possession or control; or (ii) been subject to or received any notice of any audit, investigation, complaint, or other Legal Action by any Governmental Entity or other Person concerning Parent’s collection, use, processing, storage, transfer, or protection of personal information or actual, alleged, or suspected violation of any applicable Law concerning privacy, data security, or data breach notification, and to the Parent’s Knowledge, there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such Legal Action, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.08 Compliance; Permits.
(a) Compliance. Parent and each of its Subsidiaries are and, since January 1, 2022, have been in compliance with, all Laws or Orders applicable to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or by which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses or properties is bound, except for such non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Since January 1, 2022, no Governmental Entity has issued any notice or notification stating that Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is not in compliance with any Law or Order, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Permits. Parent and its Subsidiaries hold, to the extent necessary to operate their respective businesses as such businesses are being operated as of the date hereof, all Permits except for any Permits for which the failure to obtain or hold would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. No suspension, cancellation, non-renewal, or adverse modifications of any Permits of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened, except for any such suspension or cancellation which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Parent and each of its Subsidiaries is and, since January 1, 2022, has been in compliance with the terms of all Permits, except where the failure to be in such compliance would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.09 Employee Benefit Issues.
(a) Schedule. As of the date hereof, of each plan, program, policy, agreement, collective bargaining agreement, or other arrangement providing for compensation, severance, deferred compensation, performance awards, stock or stock-based awards, retirement, health, major medical, dental, life insurance, death, accidental death & dismemberment, disability, fringe (including under Code Section 132), or wellness benefits, or other employee benefits or remuneration of any kind, including each employment, termination, severance, retention, change in control, or consulting or independent contractor plan, program, arrangement, or agreement, in each case whether written or unwritten or otherwise, funded or unfunded, insured or self-insured, including each “employee benefit plan,” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA, which is or has been sponsored, maintained, contributed to, or required to be contributed to, by Parent for the benefit of any current or former employee, independent contractor, consultant, or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Parent Employee”), or with respect to which Parent or any Parent ERISA Affiliate has or may have any Liability (collectively, the “Parent Employee Plans”).
(b) Documents. Parent has made available to the Company correct and complete copies (or, if a plan or arrangement is not written, a written description) of all Parent Employee Plans and amendments thereto, and, to the extent applicable: (i) all related trust agreements, funding arrangements, insurance contracts, and service provider agreements now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise; (ii) the most recent determination letter received regarding the tax-qualified status of each Parent Employee Plan; (iii) the most recent financial statements for each Parent Employee Plan; (iv) the Form 5500 Annual Returns/Reports and Schedules for the most recent plan year for each Parent Employee Plan; (v) the current summary plan description and any related summary of material modifications and, if applicable, summary of benefits and coverage, for each Parent Employee Plan; and (vi) all actuarial valuation reports related to any Parent Employee Plans.
(c) Employee Plan Compliance. (i) Each Parent Employee Plan has been established, administered, and maintained in all material respects in accordance with its terms and in material compliance with applicable Laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) all the Parent Employee Plans that are intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code are so qualified and have received timely determination letters from the IRS and no such determination letter has been revoked nor, to the Knowledge of the Parent, has any such revocation been threatened, or with respect to a pre-approved plan, can rely on an opinion letter from the IRS to the pre-approved plan sponsor, to the effect that such qualified retirement plan and the related trust are exempt from federal income taxes under Sections 401(a) and 501(a), respectively, of the Code, and to the Knowledge of the Parent no circumstance exists that is likely to result in the loss of such qualified status under Section 401(a) of the Code; (iii) Parent, where applicable, has timely made all contributions, benefits, premiums, and other payments required by and due under the terms of each Parent Employee Plan and applicable Law and accounting principles, and all benefits accrued under any unfunded Parent Employee Plan have been paid, accrued, or otherwise adequately reserved to the extent required by, and in accordance with GAAP; (iv) except to the extent limited by applicable Law, each Parent Employee Plan can be amended, terminated, or otherwise discontinued after the First Effective Time in accordance with its terms, without material liability to Parent, the Company, or any of its Subsidiaries (other than ordinary administration expenses and in respect of accrued benefits thereunder); (v) there are no investigations, audits, inquiries, enforcement actions, or Legal Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened by the IRS, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or any similar Governmental Entity or subagency with respect to any Parent Employee Plan; (vi) there are no material Legal Actions pending, or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened with respect to any Parent Employee Plan (in each case, other than routine claims for benefits); (vii) to the Knowledge of Parent, neither Parent nor any of its Parent ERISA Affiliates has engaged in a transaction that could subject Parent or any Parent ERISA Affiliate to a tax or penalty imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA.]
(d) Plan Liabilities. Neither Parent nor any Parent ERISA Affiliate has: (i) incurred or reasonably expects to incur, either directly or indirectly, any liability under Title I or Title IV of ERISA, or related provisions of the Code or foreign Law relating to any Parent Employee Plan and nothing has occurred that could constitute grounds under Title IV of ERISA to terminate, or appoint a trustee to administer, any Parent Employee Plan; (ii) except for payments of premiums to PBGC which have been timely paid in full, not incurred any liability to the PBGC in connection with any Parent Employee Plan covering any active, retired, or former employees or directors of Parent or any Parent ERISA Affiliate, including, without limitation, any liability under Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA or any penalty imposed under Section 4071 of ERISA, or ceased operations at any facility, or withdrawn from any such Parent Employee Plan in a manner that could subject it to liability under Sections 4062, 4063 or 4064 of ERISA; (iii) failed to satisfy the health plan compliance requirements under the Affordable Care Act, including the employer mandate under Section 4980H of the Code and related information reporting requirements; (iv) failed to comply with Sections 601 through 608 of ERISA and Section 4980B of the Code, regarding the health plan continuation coverage requirements under COBRA; (v) failed to comply with the privacy, security, and breach notification requirements under HIPAA; (vi) failed to comply with the mental health parity requirements under MHPAEA; or (vii) incurred any withdrawal liability (including any contingent or secondary withdrawal liability) within the meaning of Sections 4201 or 4204 of ERISA to any multiemployer plan and nothing has occurred that presents a risk of the occurrence of any withdrawal from or the partition, termination, reorganization, or insolvency of any such multiemployer plan which could result in any liability of Parent or any Parent ERISA Affiliate to any such multiemployer plan. No complete or partial termination of any Parent Employee Plan has occurred or is expected to occur.
(e) Certain Parent Employee Plans. With respect to each Parent Employee Plan:
(i) no such plan is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA or a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Section 413(c) of the Code and neither Parent nor any of its Parent ERISA Affiliates has now or at any time within the previous six years contributed to, sponsored, maintained, or had any liability or obligation in respect of any such multiemployer plan or multiple employer plan;
(ii) no Legal Action has been initiated by the PBGC to terminate any such Parent Employee Plan or to appoint a trustee for any such Parent Employee Plan;
(iii) no Parent Employee Plan is subject to the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of ERISA or Sections 412, 418(b), or 430 of the Code, and none of the assets of the Parent or any Parent ERISA Affiliate is, or may reasonably be expected to become, the subject of any lien arising under Section 303 of ERISA or Sections 430 or 436 of the Code; and
(iv) no “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA, has occurred, or is reasonably expected to occur, with respect to any such Parent Employee Plan.
(f) No Post-Employment Obligations. No Parent Employee Plan provides post-termination or retiree health benefits to any person for any reason, except as may be required by COBRA or other applicable Law, and neither the Parent nor any Parent ERISA Affiliate has any Liability to provide post-termination or retiree health benefits to any person or ever represented, promised, or contracted to any Parent Employee (either individually or to Parent Employees as a group) or any other person that such Parent Employee(s) or other person would be provided with post-termination or retiree health benefits, except to the extent required by COBRA or other applicable Law.
(g) Potential Governmental or Lawsuit Liability. Other than routine claims for benefits: (i) there are no pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened claims by or on behalf of any participant in any Parent Employee Plan, or otherwise involving any Parent Employee Plan or the assets of any Parent Employee Plan; and (ii) no Parent Employee Plan is presently or has within the three years prior to the date hereof, been the subject of an examination or audit by a Governmental Entity or is the subject of an application or filing under, or is a participant in, an amnesty, voluntary compliance, self-correction, or similar program sponsored by any Governmental Entity.
(h) Section 409A Compliance. Each Parent Employee Plan that is subject to Section 409A of the Code has been operated in compliance with such section and all applicable regulatory guidance (including, without limitation, proposed regulations, notices, rulings, and final regulations).
(i) Health Plan Compliance. Parent complies in all material respects with the applicable requirements under ERISA and the Code, including COBRA, HIPAA, MHPAEA, and the Affordable Care Act, and other federal requirements for employer-sponsored health plans, and any corresponding requirements under state statutes, with respect to each Parent Employee Plan that is a group health plan within the meaning of Section 733(a) of ERISA, Section 5000(b)(1) of the Code, or such state statute.
(j) Effect of Transaction. Neither the execution or delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the Merger, nor any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (either alone or in combination with any other event): (i) entitle any current or former director, employee, contractor, or consultant of Parent to severance pay or any other payment; (ii) accelerate the timing of payment, funding, or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due to any such individual; (iii) limit or restrict the right of the Parent to merge, amend, or terminate any Parent Employee Plan; or (iv) increase the amount payable or result in any other material obligation pursuant to any Parent Employee Plan. No amount that could be received (whether in cash or property or the vesting of any property) as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by any employee, director, or other service provider of Parent under any Parent Employee Plan or otherwise would not be deductible by reason of Section 280G of the Code nor would be subject to an excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code.
(k) Employment Law Matters. Parent: (i) is in compliance with all applicable Laws and agreements regarding hiring, employment, termination of employment, plant closing and mass layoff, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and reasonable accommodation, leaves of absence, terms and conditions of employment, wages and hours of work, employee classification, employee health and safety, use of genetic information, leasing and supply of temporary and contingent staff, engagement of independent contractors, including proper classification of same, payroll taxes, and immigration with respect to Parent Employees and contingent workers; and (ii) is in compliance with all applicable Laws relating to the relations between it and any labor organization, trade union, work council, or other body representing Parent Employees, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) immediately above, where the failure to be in compliance with the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Labor. Parent is not party to, or subject to, any collective bargaining agreement or other agreement with any labor organization, work council, or trade union with respect to any of its or their operations. No material work stoppage, slowdown, or labor strike against Parent with respect to employees who are employed within the United States is pending, threatened, or has occurred in the last three years, and, to the Knowledge of Parent, no material work stoppage, slowdown, or labor strike against Parent with respect to employees who are employed outside the United States is pending, threatened, or has occurred in the last three years. None of the Parent Employees is represented by a labor organization, work council, or trade union and, to the Knowledge of the Parent, there is no organizing activity, Legal Action, election petition, union card signing or other union activity, or union corporate campaigns of or by any labor organization, trade union, or work council directed at Parent, or any Parent Employees. There are no Legal Actions, government investigations, or labor grievances pending, or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened relating to any employment related matter involving any Parent Employee or applicant, including, but not limited to, charges of unlawful discrimination, retaliation or harassment, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, denial of a leave of absence, failure to provide compensation or benefits, unfair labor practices, or other alleged violations of Law, except for any of the foregoing which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.10 Real Property and Personal Property Matters.
(a) Owned Real Estate. Parent has good and marketable fee simple title to the Parent Owned Real Estate free and clear of any Liens other than the Permitted Liens. Parent: (i) does not lease or grant any Person the right to use or occupy all or any part of the Parent Owned Real Estate; (ii) has not granted any Person an option, right of first offer, or right of first refusal to purchase such Parent Owned Real Estate or any portion thereof or interest therein; or (iii) has not received written notice of any pending, and to the Knowledge of the Parent threatened, condemnation proceeding affecting any Parent Owned Real Estate or any portion thereof or interest therein. Parent is not a party to any agreement or option to purchase any real property or interest therein.
(b) Leased Real Estate. Parent has delivered to the Company a true and complete copy of each such Parent Lease. The Parent Lease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable, and in full force and effect; (ii) neither Parent nor, to the Knowledge of Parent, any other party to the Parent Lease, is in breach or default under such Parent Lease, and no event has occurred or circumstance exists which, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a breach or default under such Parent Lease; (iii) Parent’s possession and quiet enjoyment of the Parent Leased Real Estate under such Parent Lease has not been disturbed, and to the Knowledge of Parent, there are no disputes with respect to such Parent Lease; and (iv) there are no Liens on the estate created by such Parent Lease other than Permitted Liens. Parent has not assigned, pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated, or otherwise transferred any Parent Lease or any interest therein nor has the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries subleased, licensed, or otherwise granted any Person (other than another wholly owned Subsidiary of the Parent) a right to use or occupy such Parent Leased Real Estate or any portion thereof.
(c) Real Estate Used in the Business. The Parent Owned Real Estate is used or intended to be used in, or otherwise related to, the business of Parent.
(d) Personal Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, Parent is in possession of and have good and marketable title to, or valid leasehold interests in or valid rights under contract to use, the machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures, and other tangible personal property and assets owned, leased, or used by Parent, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens.
Section 4.11 Environmental Matters. Except for such matters as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Parent is, and has been, in compliance with all Environmental Laws, which compliance includes the possession, maintenance of, compliance with, or application for, all Permits required under applicable Environmental Laws for the operation of the business of Parent as currently conducted.
(b) No Disposal, Release, or Discharge of Hazardous Substances. Parent has not disposed of, released, or discharged any Hazardous Substances on, at, under, in, or from any real property currently or, to the Knowledge of Parent, formerly owned, leased, or operated by it or any of its Subsidiaries or at any other location that is: (i) currently subject to any investigation, remediation, or monitoring; or (ii) reasonably likely to result in Liability to Parent, in either case of (i) or (ii) under any applicable Environmental Laws.
(c) No Production or Exposure of Hazardous Substances. Parent has not: (i) produced, processed, manufactured, generated, transported, treated, handled, used, or stored any Hazardous Substances, except in compliance with Environmental Laws, at any Parent Real Estate; or (ii) exposed any employee or any third party to any Hazardous Substances under circumstances reasonably expected to give rise to any material Liability or obligation under any Environmental Law.
(d) No Legal Actions or Orders. Parent has not received written notice of and there is no Legal Action pending, or to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened Parent, alleging any Liability or responsibility under or non-compliance with any Environmental Law or seeking to impose any financial responsibility for any investigation, cleanup, removal, containment, or any other remediation or compliance under any Environmental Law. Parent is not subject to any Order, settlement agreement, or other written agreement by or with any Governmental Entity or third party imposing any material Liability or obligation with respect to any of the foregoing.
(e) No Assumption of Environmental Law Liabilities. Parent has not expressly assumed or retained any Liabilities under any applicable Environmental Laws of any other Person, including in any acquisition or divestiture of any property or business.
Section 4.12 Material Contracts.
(a) Material Contracts. For purposes of this Agreement, “Parent Material Contract” shall mean the following to which Parent is a party or any of the respective assets are bound (excluding any Leases):
(i) any “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), whether or not filed by Parent with the SEC;
(ii) any employment, consulting, or indemnification Contract (in each case with respect to which Parent has continuing obligations as of the date hereof) with any current or former (A) officer of Parent, (B) member of the Parent Board, or (C) Parent Employee providing for an annual base salary or payment in excess of $50,000;
(iii) any Contract providing for indemnification or any guaranty by Parent, in each case that is material to Parent, taken as a whole, other than (A) any guaranty by Parent of any of the obligations of (1) Parent or (2) any Subsidiary (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary) of Parent that was entered into in the ordinary course of business pursuant to or in connection with a customer Contract, or (B) any Contract providing for indemnification of customers or other Persons pursuant to Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(iv) any Contract that purports to limit in any material respect the right of Parent (or, at any time after the consummation of the Merger, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) (A) to engage in any line of business, (B) compete with any Person or solicit any client or customer, or (C) operate in any geographical location;
(v) any Contract relating to the disposition or acquisition, directly or indirectly (by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets, or otherwise), by Parent after the date of this Agreement of assets or capital stock or other equity interests of any Person, in each case (A) with a fair market value or aggregate consideration under such Contract in excess of $50,000 or (B) pursuant to which Parent has a continuing material earn-out or other contingent payment obligation or any material indemnification obligation;
(vi) any Contract that grants any right of first refusal, right of first offer, or similar right with respect to any material assets, rights, or properties of Parent;
(vii) any Contract that contains any provision that requires the purchase of all or a material portion of Parent’s requirements for a given product or service from a given third party, which product or service is material to Parent, taken as a whole;
(viii) any Contract that obligates Parent to conduct business on an exclusive or preferential basis or that contains a “most favored nation” or similar covenant with any third party or upon consummation of the Merger will obligate Parent, the Surviving Entity, or any of their respective Subsidiaries to conduct business on an exclusive or preferential basis or that contains a “most favored nation” or similar covenant with any third party;
(ix) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company agreement, or similar Contract relating to the formation, creation, operation, management, or control of any material joint venture, partnership, or limited liability company, other than any such Contract solely between Parent and its wholly owned Subsidiaries or among the Parent’s wholly owned Subsidiaries;
(x) any mortgages, indentures, guarantees, loans, or credit agreements, security agreements, or other Contracts, in each case relating to indebtedness for borrowed money, whether as borrower or lender, in each case in excess of $100,000, other than (A) accounts receivables and payables, and (B) loans to direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries of Parent;
(xi) any employee collective bargaining agreement or other Contract with any labor union;
(xii) any Contract that is a settlement or similar Contract involving payments by Parent after the Closing in excess of $50,000 in the aggregate or any injunctive relief or similar equitable obligations that impose material restrictions on Parent;
(xiii) any Parent IP Agreement, other than licenses for shrinkwrap, clickwrap, or other similar commercially available off-the-shelf software that has not been modified or customized by a third party for Parent;
(xiv) any other Contract under which Parent is obligated to make payment or incur costs in excess of $100,000 in any year and which is not otherwise described in clauses (i)–(xiii) above; or
(xv) any Contract which is not otherwise described in clauses (i)-(xiv) above that is material to Parent, taken as a whole.
(b) Schedule of Material Contracts; Documents. All Parent Material Contracts. Parent has made available to the Company correct and complete copies of all Parent Material Contracts, including any amendments thereto.
(c) No Breach. (i) All the Parent Material Contracts are legal, valid, and binding on Parent, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, and is in full force and effect; (ii) neither Parent nor, to the Knowledge of Parent, any third party has violated any provision of, or failed to perform any obligation required under the provisions of, any Parent Material Contract; and (iii) neither Parent nor, to the Knowledge of Parent, any third party is in breach or default, or has received written notice of breach or default, of any Parent Material Contract. No event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default pursuant to any Parent Material Contract by Parent, or, to the Knowledge of Parent, any other party thereto, and, as of the date of this Agreement, Parent has not received written notice of the foregoing or from the counterparty to any Parent Material Contract (or, to the Knowledge of Parent, any of such counterparty’s Affiliates) regarding an intent to terminate, cancel, or modify any Parent Material Contract (whether as a result of a change of control or otherwise).
Section 4.13 Insurance. All insurance policies maintained by Parent are in full force and effect and provide insurance in such amounts and against such risks as Parent reasonably has determined to be prudent, taking into account the industries in which the Parent and its Subsidiaries operate, and as is sufficient to comply with applicable Law. Parent is not in breach or default, and Parent has not taken any action or failed to take any action which, with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit termination or modification of, any of such insurance policies. To the Knowledge of Parent: (i) no insurer of any such policy has been declared insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship, or liquidation; and (ii) no notice of cancellation or termination, other than pursuant to the expiration of a term in accordance with the terms thereof, has been received with respect to any such policy.
Section 4.14 Litigation. There is no Legal Action pending, or to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets or, to the Knowledge of Parent, any officer or director of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in their capacities as such other than any such Legal Action that: (a) does not involve an amount that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect; and (b) does not seek material injunctive or other material non-monetary relief. None of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets is subject to any Order, which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of Parent, there are no SEC inquiries or investigations, other governmental inquiries or investigations, or internal investigations pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened, in each case regarding any accounting practices of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any malfeasance by any officer or director of Parent.
Section 4.15 Brokers. Neither Parent, Merger Subs, nor any of their respective Affiliates has incurred, nor will it incur, directly or indirectly, any liability for investment banker, brokerage, or finders’ fees or agents’ commissions or any similar charges in connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby for which the Company would be liable in connection the Merger.
Section 4.16 Anti-Corruption Matters. Since January 1, 2022, none of Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any director, officer or, to the Knowledge of Parent, employee or agent Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has: (i) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment, or other unlawful payments relating to an act by any Governmental Entity; (ii) made any unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee or to any foreign or domestic political party or campaign or violated any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iii) made any other unlawful payment under any applicable Law relating to anti-corruption, bribery, or similar matters. Since January 1, 2022, Parent has not disclosed to any Governmental Entity that it violated or may have violated any Law relating to anti-corruption, bribery, or similar matters. To the Knowledge of Parent, no Governmental Entity is investigating, examining, or reviewing Parent’s compliance with any applicable provisions of any Law relating to anti-corruption, bribery, or similar matters.
Section 4.17 Information Supplied. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Subs for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Form S-4 will, at the time the Form S-4 is filed with the SEC, and at any time it is amended or supplemented or at the time it (or any post-effective amendment or supplement) becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Subs for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement will, at the date it is first disseminated to the Parent’s stockholders or at the time of the Parent Stockholders Meeting or at the time of any amendment or supplement thereof, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Proxy Statement will comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no representation or warranty is made by Parent or Merger Sub with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information that was not supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Subs.
Section 4.18 Ownership of Company Common Stock. Neither Parent nor any of its Affiliates or Associates “owns” (as defined in Section 203(c)(9) of the DGCL) any shares of Company Common Stock.
Section 4.19 Intended Tax Treatment. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken or agreed to take any action, and to the Knowledge of Parent there exists no fact or circumstance, that is reasonably likely to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
Section 4.20 Merger Subs. Each Merger Sub: (a) has engaged in no business activities other than those related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (b) is a direct, wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent.
Article V
COVENANTS
Section 5.01 Reservation of Parent Common Stock; Issuance of Shares of Parent Common Stock. For as long as any Parent Convertible Preferred Stock Payment Shares remain outstanding, Parent shall at all times reserve and keep available, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued Parent Common Stock or shares of Parent Common Stock held in treasury by Parent, for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock Payment Shares, the full number of shares of Parent Common Stock then issuable upon the conversion of all Parent Convertible Preferred Stock Payment Shares then outstanding. All shares of Parent Common Stock delivered upon conversion of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock Payment Shares shall be newly issued shares or shares held in treasury by Parent, shall have been duly authorized and validly issued and shall be fully paid and nonassessable, and shall be free from preemptive rights and free of any Encumbrance.
Section 5.02 Notices of Certain Events. Subject to applicable Law, the Company shall notify Parent and Merger Subs, and Parent and Merger Subs shall notify the Company, promptly of: (a) any notice or other communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (b) any notice or other communication from any Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (c) any Legal Action commenced, or to such party’s Knowledge, threatened against, relating to, or involving or otherwise affecting such party of any of its Subsidiaries, which relate to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.03 Employees; Benefit Plans.
(a) Comparable Salary and Benefits. During the period commencing at the Second Effective Time and ending on the date which is three months from the Second Effective Time (or if earlier, the date of the employee’s termination of employment with Parent and its Subsidiaries), and to the extent consistent with the terms of the governing plan documents, Parent shall cause the Surviving Entity and each of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, to provide the employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries who remain employed immediately after the Second Effective Time (collectively, the “Company Continuing Employees”) with annual base salary or wage level, annual target bonus opportunities (excluding equity-based compensation), and employee benefits (excluding any retiree health or defined benefit retirement benefits) that are, in the aggregate, substantially comparable to the annual base salary or wage level, annual target bonus opportunities (excluding equity-based compensation), and employee benefits (excluding any retiree health or defined benefit retirement benefits) provided by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement.
(b) Crediting Service. With respect to any “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, excluding any retiree health plans or programs maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, any defined benefit retirement plans or programs maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, and any equity compensation arrangements maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, “Parent Benefit Plans”) in which any Company Continuing Employees will participate effective as of the Second Effective Time, and subject to the terms of the governing plan documents, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Entity to, credit all service of the Company Continuing Employees with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be as if such service were with Parent, for purposes of eligibility to participate (but not for purposes of vesting or benefit accrual, except for vacation, if applicable) for full or partial years of service in any Parent Benefit Plan in which such Company Continuing Employees may be eligible to participate after the Second Effective Time; provided, that such service shall not be credited to the extent that: (i) such crediting would result in a duplication of benefits; or (ii) such service was not credited under the corresponding Company Employee Plan.
(c) Termination of Benefit Plans. Effective no later than the day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Company shall terminate any Company Employee Plans maintained by the Company or its Subsidiaries that Parent has requested to be terminated by providing a written notice to the Company prior to the Closing Date; provided, that such Company Employee Plans can be terminated in accordance with their terms and applicable Law without any adverse consequences with respect to any Company ERISA Affiliate. No later than the day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Company shall provide Parent with evidence that such Company Employee Plans have been terminated.
(d) Employees Not Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Section 5.06 shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each of the parties to this Agreement, and nothing in this Section 5.06, express or implied, shall confer upon any Company Employee, any beneficiary, or any other Person any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section 5.06. Nothing contained herein, express or implied: (i) shall be construed to establish, amend, or modify any benefit plan, program, agreement, or arrangement; (ii) shall alter or limit the ability of the Surviving Entity, Parent, or any of their respective Affiliates to amend, modify, or terminate any benefit plan, program, agreement, or arrangement at any time assumed, established, sponsored, or maintained by any of them; or (iii) shall prevent the Surviving Entity, Parent, or any of their respective Affiliates from terminating the employment of any Company Continuing Employee following the Effective Time. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the terms set forth in this Section 5.06 shall not create any right in any Company Employee or any other Person to any continued employment with the Surviving Entity, Parent, or any of their respective Subsidiaries or compensation or benefits of any nature or kind whatsoever, or otherwise alters any existing at-will employment relationship between any Company Employee and the Surviving Entity.
(e) Prior Written Consent. With respect to matters described in this Section 5.06, the Company will not send any written notices or other written communication materials to Company Employees without the prior written consent of Parent.
Section 5.04 ‘Directors and Officers’ Indemnification and Insurance.
(a) Indemnification. Parent and Merger Subs agree that all rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses, and exculpation by the Company now existing in favor of each Person who is now, or has been at any time prior to the date hereof or who becomes prior to the First Effective Time an officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each an “Indemnified Party”) as provided in the Charter Documents of the Company, in each case as in effect on the date of this Agreement, or pursuant to any other Contracts in effect on the date hereof and disclosed to the Company, shall be assumed by the Surviving Entity in the Merger, without further action, at the First Effective Time and shall survive the Merger and shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their terms. For a period of six years from the First Effective Time, the Surviving Entity shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Entity to, cause the Charter Documents of the Surviving Entity to contain provisions with respect to indemnification, advancement of expenses, and exculpation that are at least as favorable to the Indemnified Parties as the indemnification, advancement of expenses, and exculpation provisions set forth in the Charter Documents of the Company as of the date of this Agreement. During such six-year period, such provisions may not be repealed, amended or otherwise modified in any manner except as required by applicable Law.
(b) Insurance. The Surviving Entity shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Entity to: (i) obtain as of the First Effective Time “tail” insurance policies with a claims period of six years from the First Effective Time with at least the same coverage and amounts and containing terms and conditions that are not less advantageous to the Indemnified Parties, in each case with respect to claims arising out of or relating to events which occurred before or at the First Effective Time (including in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement); provided, however, that in no event will the Surviving Entity be required to expend an annual premium for such coverage in excess of fifteen percent (15%) of the last annual premium paid by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for such insurance prior to the date of this Agreement (the “Maximum Premium”). If such insurance coverage cannot be obtained at an annual premium equal to or less than the Maximum Premium, the Surviving Entity shall obtain, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Entity to obtain, the greatest coverage available for a cost not exceeding an annual premium equal to the Maximum Premium.
(c) Survival. The obligations of Parent, Merger Subs, and the Surviving Entity under this Section 5.07 shall survive the consummation of the Merger and shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect any Indemnified Party to whom this Section 5.07 applies without the consent of such affected Indemnified Party (it being expressly agreed that the Indemnified Parties to whom this Section 5.07 applies shall be third party beneficiaries of this Section 5.07, each of whom may enforce the provisions of this Section 5.07).
(d) Assumptions by Successors and Assigns; No Release or Waiver. In the event Parent, the Surviving Entity, or any of their respective successors or assigns: (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity in such consolidation or merger; or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in either such case, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent or the Surviving Entity, as the case may be, shall assume all of the obligations set forth in this Section 5.07. The agreements and covenants contained herein shall not be deemed to be exclusive of any other rights to which any Indemnified Party is entitled, whether pursuant to Law, Contract, or otherwise. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to, shall be construed to, or shall release, waive, or impair any rights to directors’ and officers’ insurance claims under any policy that is or has been in existence with respect to the Company or its officers, directors, and employees, it being understood and agreed that the indemnification provided for in this Section 5.07 is not prior to, or in substitution for, any such claims under any such policies.
Section 5.05 Reasonable Best Efforts.
(a) Governmental and Other Third-Party Approvals; Cooperation and Notification. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement (including those contained in this Section 5.08), each of the parties hereto shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other parties in doing, all things necessary, proper, or advisable to consummate and make effective, and to satisfy all conditions to, as promptly as reasonably practicable, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including: (i) the obtaining of all necessary Permits, waivers, and actions or nonactions from Governmental Entities and the making of all necessary registrations, filings, and notifications (including filings with Governmental Entities) and the taking of all steps as may be necessary to obtain an approval or waiver from, or to avoid an action or proceeding by, any Governmental Entities; (ii) the obtaining of all necessary consents or waivers from third parties; and (iii) the execution and delivery of any additional instruments necessary to consummate the Merger and to fully carry out the purposes of this Agreement. The Company and Parent shall, subject to applicable Law, promptly: (A) cooperate and coordinate with the other in the taking of the actions contemplated by clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) immediately above; and (B) supply the other with any information that may be reasonably required in order to effectuate the taking of such actions. Each party hereto shall promptly inform the other party or parties hereto, as the case may be, of any communication from any Governmental Entity regarding any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. If the Company, on the one hand, or Parent or Merger Subs, on the other hand, receives a request for additional information or documentary material from any Governmental Entity with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, then it shall use reasonable best efforts to make, or cause to be made, as soon as reasonably practicable and after consultation with the other party, an appropriate response in compliance with such request, and, if permitted by applicable Law and by any applicable Governmental Entity, provide the other party’s counsel with advance notice and the opportunity to attend and participate in any meeting with any Governmental Entity in respect of any filing made thereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in connection with obtaining any approval or consent from any Person with respect to the Merger and the other Transactions, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company shall pay or commit to pay to any Person whose approval or consent is being solicited any cash or other consideration, make any accommodation or commitment or incur any liability or other obligation to such Person without the prior written consent of Parent.
(b) Governmental Antitrust Authorities. Without limiting the generality of the undertakings pursuant to Section 5.08(a) hereof, the parties hereto shall: (i) provide or cause to be provided as promptly as reasonably practicable to Governmental Entities with jurisdiction over the Antitrust Laws (each such Governmental Entity, a “Governmental Antitrust Authority”) information and documents requested by any Governmental Antitrust Authority as necessary, proper, or advisable to permit consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (ii) subject to the terms set forth in Section 5.08(c) hereof, use their reasonable best efforts to take such actions as are necessary or advisable to obtain prompt approval of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by any Governmental Entity or expiration of applicable waiting periods.
(c) Actions or Proceedings. In the event that any administrative or judicial action or proceeding is instituted (or threatened to be instituted) by a Governmental Entity or private party challenging the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement, or any other agreement contemplated hereby, the Company shall cooperate in all respects with Parent and Merger Subs and shall use its reasonable best efforts to contest and resist any such action or proceeding and to have vacated, lifted, reversed, or overturned any Order, whether temporary, preliminary, or permanent, that is in effect and that prohibits, prevents, or restricts consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, none of Parent, Merger Subs, or any of their respective Affiliates shall be required to defend, contest, or resist any action or proceeding, whether judicial or administrative, or to take any action to have vacated, lifted, reversed, or overturned any Order, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) No Divestitures; Other Limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, none of Parent, Merger Subs, or any of their respective Subsidiaries shall be required to, and the Company may not, without the prior written consent of Parent, become subject to, consent to, or offer or agree to, or otherwise take any action with respect to, any requirement, condition, limitation, understanding, agreement, or Order to: (i) sell, license, assign, transfer, divest, hold separate, or otherwise dispose of any assets, business, or portion of business of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Parent, Merger Subs, or any of their respective Subsidiaries; (ii) conduct, restrict, operate, invest, or otherwise change the assets, business, or portion of business of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Parent, Merger Subs, or any of their respective Subsidiaries in any manner; or (iii) impose any restriction, requirement, or limitation on the operation of the business or portion of the business of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Parent, Merger Subs, or any of their respective Subsidiaries; provided, that if requested by Parent, the Company will become subject to, consent to, or offer or agree to, or otherwise take any action with respect to, any such requirement, condition, limitation, understanding, agreement, or Order so long as such requirement, condition, limitation, understanding, agreement, or Order is only binding on the Company in the event the Closing occurs.
Section 5.06 Public Announcements. The initial press release with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be a release mutually agreed to by the Company and Parent. Thereafter, each of the Company and Parent agrees that no public release, statement, announcement, or other disclosure concerning the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall be issued by any party without the prior written consent of the other party, except as may be required by: (a) applicable Law, (b) court process, (c) the rules or regulations of any applicable United States securities exchange, or (d) any Governmental Entity to which the relevant party is subject or submits; provided, in each such case, that the party making the release, statement, announcement, or other disclosure shall use its reasonable best efforts to allow the other party reasonable time to comment on such release, statement, announcement, or other disclosure in advance of such issuance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.09 shall not apply to any release, statement, announcement, or other disclosure made with respect to: (i) in the case of the Company, a Company Adverse Recommendation Change issued or made in compliance with this Agreement, (ii) in the case of the Parent, a Parent Adverse Recommendation Change issued or made in compliance with this Agreement; (iii) any other disclosures issued or made in compliance with this Agreement; or (iv) the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby that is substantially similar (and identical in any material respect) to those in a previous release, statement, announcement, or other disclosure made by the Company or Parent in accordance with this Section 5.09.
Section 5.07 Anti-Takeover Statutes. If any “control share acquisition,” “fair price,” “moratorium,” or other anti-takeover Law becomes or is deemed to be applicable to Parent, the Merger Subs, the Company, the Merger, or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement, then each of the Company and the Company Board on the one hand, and Parent and the Parent Board on the other hand, shall grant such approvals and take such actions as are necessary so that the transactions contemplated hereby may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated hereby and otherwise act to render such anti-takeover Law inapplicable to the foregoing.
Section 5.08 Section 16 Matters. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company, Parent, and Merger Subs shall each take all such steps as may be required to cause to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act:
(a) any dispositions of shares of Company Common Stock (including derivative securities with respect to such shares) that are treated as dispositions under such rule and result from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by each director or officer of the Company who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with respect to the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time; and
(b) any acquisitions of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock (including derivative securities with respect to such shares) that are treated as acquisitions under such rule and result from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by each individual who may become or is reasonably expected to become subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with respect to Parent immediately after the First Effective Time.
Section 5.09 Stock Exchange Matters.
(a) Listing of Parent Common Stock. Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in connection with the Merger (including shares of Parent Common Stock to be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Parent Stock Options and Parent Restricted Shares, or the conversion of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock; in each case, to be issued pursuant to this Agreement) to be listed on Nasdaq (or such other stock exchange as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and Parent), subject to official notice of issuance, prior to the Effective Time.
(b) Delisting; Deregistration of Company Common Stock. To the extent requested by Parent, prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall cooperate with Parent and use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable on its part under applicable Laws to enable the delisting by the First Step Surviving Corporation of the shares of Company Common Stock from any over-the-counter trading markets and the deregistration of the shares of Company Common Stock under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable after the First Effective Time, and in any event no more than ten days after the First Effective Time.
Section 5.10 Certain Tax Matters. Each of the Company and Parent shall (and the Company and Parent shall cause their respective Subsidiaries to) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Merger to qualify, and not take or fail to take any action which action (or failure to act) would reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying, as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
Section 5.11 Stockholder Litigation. The Company shall promptly advise Parent in writing after becoming aware of any Legal Action commenced, or to the Company’s Knowledge threatened, against the Company or any of its directors by any stockholder of the Company (on their own behalf or on behalf of the Company) relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby) and shall keep Parent reasonably informed regarding any such Legal Action. The Company shall: (a) give Parent the opportunity to participate in the defense and settlement of any such stockholder litigation, (b) keep Parent reasonably apprised on a prompt basis of proposed strategy and other significant decisions with respect to any such stockholder litigation, and provide Parent with the opportunity to consult with the Company regarding the defense of any such litigation, which advice the Company shall consider in good faith, and (c) not settle any such stockholder litigation without the prior written consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned).
Section 5.12 Obligations of Merger Subs. Parent will take all action necessary to cause Merger Subs to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Section 5.13 Resignations. At the written request of Parent, the Company shall cause each director of the Company or any director of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries to resign in such capacity, with such resignations to be effective as of the First Effective Time.
Section 5.14 Further Assurances. At and after the Second Effective Time, the officers and managers of the Surviving Entity shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Merger Subs, any deeds, bills of sale, assignments, or assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Merger Subs, any other actions and things to vest, perfect, or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving Entity any and all right, title, and interest in, to and under any of the rights, properties, or assets of the Company acquired or to be acquired by the Surviving Entity as a result of, or in connection with, the Merger.
Article VI
Conditions
Section 6.01 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger. The respective obligations of each party to this Agreement to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible pursuant to applicable Law) on or prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions:
(a) Merger Subs. Parent shall have completed the following actions for the Merger Subs:
(i) Filed the articles of incorporation for the First Merger Sub;
(ii) Filed the articles of organization for the Second Merger Sub;
(iii) Caused the First Merger Sub board by resolutions duly adopted by a unanimous vote at a meeting of all directors of First Merger Sub duly called and held and, not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has (A) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the First Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, are fair to, and in the best interests of, First Merger Sub and Parent, as the sole stockholder of First Merger Sub, (B) approved and declared advisable this Agreement, including the execution, delivery, and performance thereof, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the First Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, and (C) resolved to recommend that Parent, as the sole stockholder of First Merger Sub, approve the adoption of this Agreement in accordance with the DGCL; and
(iv) Caused the Second Merger Sub by resolutions duly adopted by the Sole Member of the Second Merger Sub, and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has (A) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Second Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, are fair to, and in the best interests of, Second Merger Sub and Parent, as the sole member of Second Merger Sub, (B) approved and declared advisable this Agreement, including the execution, delivery, and performance thereof, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Second Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, and (C) resolved to recommend that Parent, as the sole member of Second Merger Sub, approve the adoption of this Agreement in accordance with the DLLCA.
(b) No Injunctions, Restraints, or Illegality. No Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over any party hereto shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced, or entered any Laws or Orders, whether temporary, preliminary, or permanent, that make illegal, enjoin, or otherwise prohibit consummation of the Merger, the Parent Stock Issuance, or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Article VII
Miscellaneous
Section 7.01 Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms will have the following meanings when used herein with initial capital letters:
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by,” and “under common control with”), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by Contract, or otherwise.
“Affordable Care Act” means the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA).
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Antitrust Laws” means the Sherman Act of 1890, as amended; the Clayton Act of 1914, as amended; the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914, as amended; the HSR Act, and all other federal, state, foreign or supranational Laws or Orders in effect from time to time that are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger or acquisition.
“Associate” has the meaning set forth in Section 203(c)(2) of the DGCL.
“Assumed Common Options” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(a).
“Assumed Common Warrants” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(b).
“Assumed Preferred Warrants” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(b).
“Board Approvals” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Book-Entry Share” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(c).
“Business Day” means any day, other than Saturday, Sunday, or any day on which SEC or banking institutions located in Miami, Florida are authorized or required by Law or other governmental action to close.
“Certificate” means any certificate formerly representing shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock.
“Certificate of Designation” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Certificates of Merger” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“Charter Amendment Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(a).
“Charter Documents” means: (a) with respect to a corporation, the charter, articles or certificate of incorporation, as applicable, and bylaws thereof; (b) with respect to a limited liability company, the certificate of formation or organization, as applicable, and the operating or limited liability company agreement, as applicable, thereof; (c) with respect to a partnership, the certificate of formation and the partnership agreement; and (d) with respect to any other Person the organizational, constituent and/or governing documents and/or instruments of such Person.
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“COBRA” means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, and as codified in Section 4980B of the Code and Section 601 et. seq. of ERISA.
“Code” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Company Adverse Recommendation Change” means the Company Board: (a) failing to make, withholding, withdrawing, amending, modifying, or materially qualifying, in a manner adverse to Parent, the Company Board Recommendation; (b) failing to include the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement that is disseminated to the Company’s stockholders; (c) approving or recommending a Takeover Proposal; (d) failing to recommend against acceptance of any tender offer or exchange offer for the shares of Company Common Stock within ten Business Days after the commencement of such offer; (e) failing to reaffirm (publicly, if so requested by Parent) the Company Board Recommendation within ten Business Days after the date any Takeover Proposal (or material modification thereto) is first publicly disclosed by the Company or the Person making such Takeover Proposal; (f) making any public statement inconsistent with the Company Board Recommendation; or (g) resolving or agreeing to take any of the foregoing actions.
“Company Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(e).
“Company Board” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Company Board Recommendation” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(d).
“Company Capital Stock” means, collectively, the Company Common Stock and the Company Preferred Stock.
“Company Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Company Continuing Employees” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.09(a).
“Company Employee” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.12(a).
“Company Employee Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.12(a).
“Company Equity Award” means a Company Stock Option or a Company Restricted Share granted under one of the Company Stock Plans, as the case may be.
“Company ERISA Affiliate” means all employers, trades, or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that would be treated together with the Company or any of its Affiliates as a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code.
“Company Financial Advisor” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.10.
“Company IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.07(b).
“Company IP Agreements” means all licenses, sublicenses, consent to use agreements, settlements, coexistence agreements, covenants not to sue, waivers, releases, permissions, and other Contracts, whether written or oral, relating to Intellectual Property and to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, beneficiary, or otherwise bound.
“Company IT Systems” means all software, computer hardware, servers, networks, platforms, peripherals, and similar or related items of automated, computerized, or other information technology networks and systems (including telecommunications networks and systems for voice, data, and video) owned, leased, licensed, or used (including through cloud-based or other third-party service providers) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Company Lease” means all leases, subleases, licenses, concessions, and other agreements (written or oral) under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds any Leased Real Estate, including the right to all security deposits and other amounts and instruments deposited by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries thereunder.
“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance, development, occurrence, fact, condition, effect, or change (each, an “Effect”) that is, or would reasonably be expected to become, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to: (a) the business, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (b) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely basis; provided, however, that, a Company Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include any Effect (alone or in combination) arising out of, relating to, or resulting from: (i) changes generally affecting the economy, financial or securities markets, or political conditions; (ii) the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (it being understood and agreed that this clause shall not apply with respect to any representation or warranty that is intended to address the consequences of the announcement or the pendency of this Agreement); (iii) any changes in applicable Law or GAAP or other applicable accounting standards, (iv) acts of war, sabotage, or terrorism, or the escalation thereof; (v) natural disasters, epidemics, or pandemics, (vi) general conditions in the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate; (vii) any failure, in and of itself, by the Company to meet any internal or published projections, forecasts, estimates, or predictions in respect of revenues, earnings, or other financial or operating metrics for any period (it being understood that any Effect underlying such failure may be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been or would reasonably be expected to become, a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the extent permitted by this definition and not otherwise excepted by another clause of this proviso); (viii) any change, in and of itself, in the market price or trading volume of the Company’s securities (it being understood that any Effect underlying such change may be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been or would reasonably be expected to become, a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the extent permitted by this definition and not otherwise excepted by another clause of this proviso); or (ix) actions taken as required or specifically permitted by the Agreement or actions or omissions taken with Parent’s consent; provided further, however, that any Effect referred to in clauses (i), (iii), (iv), (v), or (vi) immediately above shall be taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur if it has a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, compared to other participants in the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct their businesses.
“Company Material Contract” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.15(a).
“Company Outstanding Shares” means the total number of shares of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time expressed on a fully diluted and as-converted-to-Company Common Stock basis, assuming, without limitation or duplication, the exercise of all Company Options, Company Warrants and other derivative securities of the Company outstanding as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time.
“Company-Owned IP” means all Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Company Owned Real Estate” means all land, together with all buildings, structures, fixtures, and improvements located thereon and all easements, rights of way, and appurtenances relating thereto, owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Company Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(a).
“Company Restricted Share” means each share of Company Common Stock subject to vesting, repurchase, or other lapse of restrictions.
“Company SEC Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(a).
“Company Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(b)(ii).
“Company Stock Option” means each option to acquire shares of Company Common Stock.
“Company Stock Plans” means the following plans, in each case as amended: [None].
“Company Subsidiary Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(d).
“Consent” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(c).
“Contracts” means any contracts, agreements, licenses, notes, bonds, mortgages, indentures, leases, or other binding instruments or binding commitments, whether written or oral.
“DGCL” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Dissenting Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08.
“DLLCA” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, as amended.
“EDGAR” means the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval database of the SEC.
“Effect” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Company Material Adverse Effect.”
“Environmental Laws” means any applicable Law, and any Order or binding agreement with any Governmental Entity: (a) relating to pollution (or the cleanup thereof) or the protection of natural resources, endangered or threatened species, human health or safety, or the environment (including ambient air, soil, surface water or groundwater, or subsurface strata); or (b) concerning the presence of, exposure to, or the management, manufacture, use, containment, storage, recycling, reclamation, reuse, treatment, generation, discharge, transportation, processing, production, disposal or remediation of any Hazardous Materials. The term “Environmental Law” includes, without limitation, the following (including their implementing regulations and any state analogs): the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.; the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11001 et seq.; the Clean Air Act of 1966, as amended by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq.; and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §§ 651 et seq.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“Exchange Act” means Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(a).
“Excluded Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a)(iii).
“Expenses” means, with respect to any Person, all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including all fees and expenses of counsel, accountants, financial advisors, and investment bankers of such Person and its Affiliates), incurred by such Person or on its behalf in connection with or related to the authorization, preparation, negotiation, execution, and performance of this Agreement and any transactions related thereto, any litigation with respect thereto, the preparation, printing, filing, and mailing of the Proxy Statement and Form S-4, the filing of any required notices under any Antitrust Laws, or in connection with other regulatory approvals, and all other matters related to the Merger, the Parent Stock Issuance, and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
“First DE Certificate of Merger” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“First Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“First Merger” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“First Merger Consideration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a)(i).
“First Merger Sub” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“First Merger Sub Board” means the board of directors of First Merger Sub.
“First Step Surviving Corporation” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.01.
“Form S-4” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.17.
“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles.
“Governmental Antitrust Authority” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.11(b).
“Governmental Entity” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(c).
“Hazardous Substance” means: (a) any material, substance, chemical, waste, product, derivative, compound, mixture, solid, liquid, mineral, or gas, in each case, whether naturally occurring or man-made, that is hazardous, acutely hazardous, toxic, or words of similar import or regulatory effect under Environmental Laws; and (b) any petroleum or petroleum-derived products, radon, mold, radioactive materials or wastes, asbestos in any form, lead or lead-containing materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
“HIPAA” means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended.
“HSR Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(c).
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a).
“Intellectual Property” means any and all of the following arising pursuant to the Laws of any jurisdiction throughout the world: (a) trademarks, service marks, trade names, and similar indicia of source or origin, all registrations and applications for registration thereof, and the goodwill connected with the use of and symbolized by the foregoing; (b) copyrights and all registrations and applications for registration thereof; (c) trade secrets and know-how; (d) patents and patent applications; (e) internet domain name registrations; and (f) other intellectual property and related proprietary rights.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Knowledge” means: (a) with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, the actual knowledge of the management of the Company after reasonable inquiry.
“Laws” means any federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, multi-national or other laws, common law, statutes, constitutions, ordinances, rules, regulations, codes, Orders, or legally enforceable requirements enacted, issued, adopted, promulgated, enforced, ordered, or applied by any Governmental Entity.
“Legal Action” means any legal, administrative, arbitral, or other proceedings, suits, actions, investigations, examinations, claims, audits, hearings, charges, complaints, indictments, litigations, or similar legal proceedings conducted or heard by or before any Governmental Entity, arbitrator, mediator, or other tribunal.
“Liability” means any liability, indebtedness, or obligation of any kind (whether accrued, absolute, contingent, matured, unmatured, determined, determinable, or otherwise, and whether or not required to be recorded or reflected on a balance sheet under GAAP).
“Liens” means, with respect to any property or asset, all pledges, liens, mortgages, charges, encumbrances, hypothecations, options, rights of first refusal, rights of first offer, and security interests of any kind or nature whatsoever.
“Maximum Premium” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.07(b).
“Merger” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Merger Subs” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“MHPAEA” means the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, as amended.
“Nasdaq” means the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC.
“Nevada Act” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“NV Certificate of Merger” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“Order” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.09.
“Other Governmental Approvals” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(c).
“Parent” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Parent Adverse Recommendation Change” means the Parent Board: (a) failing to make, withholding, withdrawing, amending, modifying, or materially qualifying, in a manner adverse to the Company, the Parent Board Recommendation; (b) failing to include the Parent Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement that is disseminated to the Parent’s stockholders; (c) failing to recommend against acceptance of any tender offer or exchange offer for the shares of Parent Common Stock within ten Business Days after the commencement of such offer; (d) making any public statement inconsistent with the Parent Board Recommendation; or (e) resolving or agreeing to take any of the foregoing actions.
“Parent Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(e).
“Parent Benefit Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.06(b).
“Parent Board” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Parent Board Recommendation” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.03(d)(i).
“Parent Common Stock” has means the common stock of Parent.
“Parent Convertible Preferred Stock” means the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, which are non-voting and are eligible to convert, upon approval of a majority of the holders of Parent Common Stock, into common shares at a 1:15 ratio.
“Parent Employee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.09(a).
“Parent Employee Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.09(a).
“Parent ERISA Affiliate” means all employers, trades, or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that would be treated together with Parent or any of its Affiliates as a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code.
“Parent Equity Award” means a Parent Stock Option or a Parent Restricted Share, as the case may be.
“Parent IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.07(b).
“Parent IP Agreements” means all licenses, sublicenses, consent to use agreements, settlements, coexistence agreements, covenants not to sue, waivers, releases, permissions, and other Contracts, whether written or oral, relating to Intellectual Property and to which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, beneficiary, or otherwise bound.
“Parent IT Systems” means all software, computer hardware, servers, networks, platforms, peripherals, and similar or related items of automated, computerized, or other information technology networks and systems (including telecommunications networks and systems for voice, data, and video) owned, leased, licensed, or used (including through cloud-based or other third-party service providers) by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Parent Leases” means all leases, subleases, licenses, concessions, and other agreements (written or oral) under which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries holds any Leased Real Estate, including the right to all security deposits and other amounts and instruments deposited by or on behalf of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries thereunder.
“Parent Leased Real Estate” means all leasehold or subleasehold estates and other rights to use or occupy any land, buildings, structures, improvements, fixtures, or other interest in real property held by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Parent Material Adverse Effect” means any Effect that is, or would reasonably be expected to become, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to: (a) the business, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or assets of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (b) the ability of Parent to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely basis; provided, however, that, a Parent Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include any Effect (alone or in combination) arising out of, relating to, or resulting from: (i) changes generally affecting the economy, financial or securities markets, or political conditions; (ii) the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (it being understood and agreed that this clause shall not apply with respect to any representation or warranty that is intended to address the consequences of the announcement or the pendency of this Agreement); (iii) any changes in applicable Law or GAAP or other applicable accounting standards, (iv) any outbreak or escalation of war or any act of terrorism, (v) natural disasters, epidemics, or pandemics; (vi) general conditions in the industry in which Parent and its Subsidiaries operate; (vii) any failure, in and of itself, by Parent to meet any internal or published projections, forecasts, estimates, or predictions in respect of revenues, earnings, or other financial or operating metrics for any period (it being understood that any Effect underlying such failure may be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been or would reasonably be expected to become, a Parent Material Adverse Effect, to the extent permitted by this definition and not otherwise excepted by another clause of this proviso); (viii) any change, in and of itself, in the market price or trading volume of Parent’s securities (it being understood that any Effect underlying such change may be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been or would reasonably be expected to become, a Parent Material Adverse Effect, to the extent permitted by this definition and not otherwise excepted by another clause of this proviso); or (ix) actions taken as required or specifically permitted by the Agreement or actions or omissions taken with the Company’s consent; provided further, however, that any Effect referred to in clauses (i), (iii), (iv), (v), or (vi) immediately above shall be taken into account in determining whether a Parent Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur if it has a disproportionate effect on Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, compared to other participants in the industries in which Parent and its Subsidiaries conduct their businesses.
“Parent Outstanding Shares” means the total number of shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time expressed on a fully-diluted and as-converted-to-Parent Common Stock basis, and assuming the exercise (using the treasury stock method determined by excluding out-of-the-money options, warrants and other derivative securities) of all options, warrants and other derivative securities of Parent outstanding as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time.
“Parent Owned IP” means all Intellectual Property owned by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Parent Owned Real Estate” means all land, together with all buildings, structures, fixtures, and improvements located thereon and all easements, rights of way, and appurtenances relating thereto, owned by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Parent Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(a).
“Parent Restricted Share” means any Parent Common Stock subject to vesting, repurchase, or other lapse of restrictions granted under any Parent Stock Plan.
“Parent SEC Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a).
“Parent Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(b)(ii).
“Parent Stock Issuance” means the issuance of shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock in connection with the First Merger on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
“Parent Stock Option” means any option to purchase Parent Common Stock granted under any Parent Stock Plan.
“Parent Stock Payment Shares” means the Parent Common Stock and the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock issued as consideration in the First Merger.
“Parent Stock Plans” means the following plans, in each case as amended: Stock Incentive Plan of Safe & Green Holdings Corp..
“Parent Subsidiary Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(d).
“Parent Voting Debt” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(c).
“PBGC” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.12(d).
“Permits” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.08(b).
“Permitted Liens” means: (a) statutory Liens for current Taxes or other governmental charges not yet due and payable or the amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith (provided appropriate reserves required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof); (b) mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’, and similar statutory Liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business for amounts which are not delinquent or which are being contested by appropriate proceedings (provided appropriate reserves required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof); (c) zoning, entitlement, building, and other land use regulations imposed by Governmental Entities having jurisdiction over such Person’s owned or leased real property, which are not violated by the current use and operation of such real property; (d) covenants, conditions, restrictions, easements, and other similar non-monetary matters of record affecting title to such Person’s owned or leased real property, which do not materially impair the occupancy or use of such real property for the purposes for which it is currently used in connection with such Person’s businesses; (e) any right of way or easement related to public roads and highways, which do not materially impair the occupancy or use of such real property for the purposes for which it is currently used in connection with such Person’s businesses; (f) any non-exclusive license to any Intellectual Property entered into in the ordinary course; and (g) Liens arising under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, social security, retirement, and similar legislation.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, limited or general partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, trust, association, joint venture, Governmental Entity, or other entity or group (which term will include a “group” as such term is defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act).
“Proxy Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.17.
“Real Estate” means the Owned Real Estate and the Leased Real Estate.
“Representatives” means collectively, with respect to any Person, such Person’s and such Person’s Subsidiaries’ directors, officers, Affiliates, employees, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, consultants, brokers, or other agents, advisors, or authorized representative of such Person.
“Requisite Company Vote” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(a).
“Sarbanes-Oxley Act” means Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder).
“SEC” means the Securities Exchange Commission.
“Second DE Certificate of Merger” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.
“Second Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.012
“Second Merger” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Second Merger Sub” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Second Merger Sub Sole Member” means Parent, as the sole member of Second Merger Sub.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means any other Person of which at least a majority of the securities or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person and/or by one or more of its Subsidiaries.
“Surviving Entity” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.01.
“Taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other income, gross receipts, sales, use, production, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, registration, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, unemployment, estimated, excise, severance, environmental, stamp, occupation, premium, property (real or personal), real property gains, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest, additions or penalties with respect thereto and any interest in respect of such additions or penalties.
“Tax Returns” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return or statement, or other document relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.
“Treasury Regulations” means the Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.
Section 7.02 Interpretation; Construction.
(a) The table of contents and headings herein are for convenience of reference only, do not constitute part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any of the provisions hereof. Where a reference in this Agreement is made to a Section, Exhibit, Article, or Schedule, such reference shall be to a Section of, Exhibit to, Article of, or Schedule of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein: (i) to an agreement, instrument, or other document means such agreement, instrument, or other document as amended, supplemented, and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof; and (ii) to a statute means such statute as amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated thereunder. Whenever the words “include,” “includes,” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation,” and the word “or” is not exclusive. The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” means the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and does not simply mean “if.” A reference in this Agreement to $ or dollars is to U.S. dollars. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereto,” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. References to “made available” or “provided to” (or words of similar import) when referring to any document or information being made available by the Company to Parent or Merger Sub shall mean posted to the electronic data room established in respect to the Merger at least two business days prior to the date of this Agreement.
(b) The parties have participated jointly in negotiating and drafting this Agreement. In the event that an ambiguity or a question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.
Section 7.03 Survival. None of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in any instrument delivered under this Agreement will survive the Second Effective Time. This Section 8.03 does not limit any covenant or agreement of the parties contained in this Agreement which, by its terms, contemplates performance after the Second Effective Time.
Section 7.04 Governing Law. This Agreement and all Legal Actions (whether based on contract, tort, or statute) arising out of, relating to, or in connection with this Agreement or the actions of any of the parties hereto in the negotiation, administration, performance, or enforcement hereof, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of Laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the State of Delaware.
Section 7.05 Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that any Legal Action with respect to this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder brought by any other party hereto or its successors or assigns shall be brought and determined exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or in the event (but only in the event) that such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over such Legal Action, in any state or federal court within the State of Delaware. Each of the parties hereto agrees that mailing of process or other papers in connection with any such Legal Action in the manner provided in Section 8.07 or in such other manner as may be permitted by applicable Laws, will be valid and sufficient service thereof. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such Legal Action for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not bring any Legal Action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any court or tribunal other than the aforesaid courts. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim, or otherwise, in any Legal Action with respect to this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder: (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above named courts for any reason other than the failure to serve process in accordance with this Section 7.05; (b) any claim that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise); and (c) to the fullest extent permitted by the applicable Law, any claim that (i) the suit, action, or proceeding in such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action, or proceeding is improper, or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.
Section 7.06 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LEGAL ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT: (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER IN THE EVENT OF A LEGAL ACTION; (B) SUCH PARTY HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER; (C) SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY; AND (D) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS Section 7.06.
Section 7.07 Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given upon the earlier of actual receipt or (a) when delivered by hand providing proof of delivery; (b) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested); or (c) on the date sent by email if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the following addresses (or to such other Persons or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 7.07):
If to Parent or Merger Sub, to: | | Safe & Green Holdings Corp. |
| | 990 Biscayne Blvd. |
| | Miami, Florida 33132 |
| | Attention: [NAME] |
| | Email: [EMAIL ADDRESS] |
| | |
with a copy (which will not constitute notice to | | Attention: |
Parent or Merger Sub) to: | | Email: |
| | |
If to the Company, to: | | New Asia Holdings, Inc. |
| | 205S Bailey Street, Electra, TX 76360 |
| | Attention: Doug Nester |
| | Email: [EMAIL ADDRESS] |
Section 7.08 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including all exhibits, annexes, and schedules referred to herein), constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. In the event of any inconsistency between the statements in the body of this Agreement, , the statements in the body of this Agreement will control.
Section 7.09 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their permitted assigns and respective successors and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or equitable right, benefit, or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, except if the Effective Time occurs: (a) the rights of holders of Company Common Stock to receive the Merger Consideration, (b) the rights of holders of Company Equity Awards to receive the consideration set forth in Section 2.03, and (c) the rights of the Indemnified Parties as set forth in Section 5.07.
Section 7.10 Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement, or the application thereof, becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, void or unenforceable, or incapable of being enforced under any applicable Law, the remainder of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall be interpreted so as reasonably to effect the intent of the Parties. The Parties further agree to negotiate in good faith to replace such void or unenforceable provision of this Agreement with a valid and enforceable provision that shall achieve, to the extent possible, the economic, business and other purposes of such void or unenforceable provision.
Section 7.11 Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Neither Parent or Merger Sub, on the one hand, nor the Company on the other hand, may assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party (Parent in the case of Parent and Merger Sub), which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. No assignment shall relieve the assigning party of any of its obligations hereunder.
Section 7.12 Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any and all remedies expressly conferred upon a party to this Agreement will be cumulative with, and not exclusive of, any other remedy contained in this Agreement, at Law, or in equity. The exercise by a party to this Agreement of any one remedy will not preclude the exercise by it of any other remedy.
Section 7.13 Specific Performance.
(a) The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches or threatened breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at Law or in equity.
(b) Each party further agrees that: (i) no such party will oppose the granting of an injunction or specific performance as provided herein on the basis that the other party has an adequate remedy at law or that an award of specific performance is not an appropriate remedy for any reason at law or equity; (ii) no such party will oppose the specific performance of the terms and provisions of this Agreement; and (iii) no other party or any other Person shall be required to obtain, furnish, or post any bond or similar instrument in connection with or as a condition to obtaining any remedy referred to in this Section 8.13, and each party irrevocably waives any right it may have to require the obtaining, furnishing, or posting of any such bond or similar instrument.
Section 7.14 Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which will be one and the same agreement. This Agreement will become effective when each party to this Agreement will have received counterparts signed by all of the other parties.
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
| NEW ASIA HOLDINGS, INC. |
| |
| By | /s/ Doug Nester |
| Name: | Doug Nester |
| Title: | President |
| |
| SAFE & GREEN HOLDINGS CORP. |
| |
| By | /s/ Thomas Meharey |
| Name: | Thomas Meharey |
| Title: | Board Member |
[Signature Page to Merger Agreement]