Exhibit (a)(1)(B)
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To Tender Ordinary Shares
of
EURAND N.V.
a public limited liability company organized under the laws of The Netherlands
at
$12.00 NET PER SHARE
Pursuant to the Offer to Purchase dated December 21, 2010
by
AXCAN PHARMA HOLDING B.V.
a private limited liability company organized under the laws of The Netherlands
which is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of
AXCAN HOLDINGS INC.
THE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 12:01 A.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON JANUARY 20, 2011, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED OR EARLIER TERMINATED.
The Depositary for the Offer is:
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| If delivering by mail: | | If delivering by hand or courier: (by 5:00 p.m. ET) |
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American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center Attn: Reorganization Department P.O. Box 2042 New York, New York 10272-2042 | | American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center Attn: Reorganization Department 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11219 |
DELIVERY OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A VALID DELIVERY TO THE DEPOSITARY. YOU MUST SIGN THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL IN THE APPROPRIATE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW, WITH SIGNATURE GUARANTEE, IF REQUIRED, AND COMPLETE THE FORM W-9 INCLUDED BELOW, IF REQUIRED. THE INSTRUCTIONS SET FORTH IN THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL IS COMPLETED.
THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE TO (NOR WILL TENDER OF SHARES BE ACCEPTED FROM OR ON BEHALF OF) STOCKHOLDERS IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO DO SO.
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| DESCRIPTION OF SHARES TENDERED |
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Name(s) and Address(es) of Registered Holder(s) (Please fill in, if blank, exactly as name(s) appear(s) on certificate(s)) (Attach additional signed list if necessary) | | Shares Tendered |
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| | | Certificate
Number(s)(1) | | Total Number of
Shares Represented
by Certificate(s)(1) | | Total Number
of Shares
Tendered(2) |
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| | Total Shares | | | | |
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(1) Need not be completed by stockholders tendering by book-entry transfer. (2) Unless a lower number of Shares to be tendered is otherwise indicated, it will be assumed that all Shares described above are being tendered. See Instruction 4. |
This Letter of Transmittal is to be used by stockholders of Eurand N.V. (“Eurand”), if certificates for Shares (aandeelbewijzen) (the “Share Certificates”) are to be forwarded herewith or, unless an Agent’s Message (as defined in Section 2 of the Offer to Purchase) is utilized, if delivery of Shares is to be made by book-entry transfer to an account maintained by the Depositary at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 3 thereof).
Stockholders whose Share Certificates are not immediately available, or who cannot complete the procedure for book-entry transfer on a timely basis, or who cannot deliver all other required documents to the Depositary prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Introduction of the Offer to Purchase), must tender their Shares according to the guaranteed delivery procedure set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase in order to participate in the Offer. See Instruction 2.Delivery of documents to DTCdoes not constitute delivery to the Depositary.
Additional Information if Shares Have Been Lost
If Share Certificates you are tendering with this Letter of Transmittal have been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated, you should contact American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”), toll-free at (877) 248-6417 regarding the requirements for replacement. You may be required to post a bond to secure against the risk that the Share Certificates may be subsequently recirculated.You are urged to contact the Transfer Agent immediately in order to receive further instructions, for a determination of whether you will need to post a bond and to permit timely processing of this documentation. See Instruction 11.
| ¨ | CHECK HERE IF TENDERED SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER MADE TO AN ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE DEPOSITARY WITH DTC AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING (NOTE THAT ONLY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE PARTICIPATNTS IN THE SYSTEM OF DTC MAY DELIVER SHARES BY BOOK ENTRY TRANSFER): |
Name of Tendering Institution:
DTC Account Number:
Transaction Code Number:
| ¨ | CHECK HERE IF TENDERED SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED PURSUANT TO A NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY PREVIOUSLY SENT TO THE DEPOSITARY AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING: |
Name(s) of Tendering Stockholder(s):
Window Ticket Number (if any):
Date of Execution of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery:
Name of Eligible Institution that Guaranteed Delivery:
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NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW. PLEASE READ
ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby tenders to Axcan Pharma Holding, B.V., a private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) organized under the laws of The Netherlands (“Purchaser”), the above described ordinary shares, par value €0.01 per share (the “Shares”), of Eurand N.V., a public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) (“Eurand”), pursuant to Purchaser’s offer to purchase all of the outstanding Shares, at a purchase price of $12.00 per Share (the “Offer Price”), net to the seller in cash, without interest thereon and less any applicable withholding taxes, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated December 21, 2010 (the “Offer to Purchase”), and in this Letter of Transmittal the “Letter of Transmittal” which, together with the Offer to Purchase and other related materials, as each may be amended and supplemented from time to time, constitutes the “Offer”), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged.
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer (and if the Offer is extended or amended, the terms of any such extension or amendment), and effective upon acceptance for payment of the Shares validly tendered herewith and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Introduction of the Offer to Purchase) in accordance with the terms of the Offer, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers to or upon the order of Purchaser all right, title and interest in and to all of the Shares that are being tendered hereby (and any and all dividends, distributions, rights, other Shares or other securities issued or issuable in respect thereof on or after the date hereof (collectively, “Distributions”)) and irrevocably constitutes and appoints American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (the “Depositary”) the true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact of the undersigned with respect to such Shares (and any and all Distributions), with full power of substitution (such power of attorney being deemed to be an irrevocable power coupled with an interest in the Shares tendered by this Letter of Transmittal), to (i) deliver Share Certificates for such Shares (and any and all Distributions) or transfer ownership of such Shares (and any and all Distributions) on the account books maintained by DTC, together, in any such case, with all accompanying evidences of transfer and authenticity, to or upon the order of Purchaser, (ii) present such Shares (and any and all Distributions) for transfer on the books of Eurand in accordance with Eurand’s articles of association and (iii) receive all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership of such Shares (and any and all Distributions), all in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.
By executing this Letter of Transmittal, the undersigned hereby irrevocably appoints each of the designees of Purchaser the attorneys-in-fact and proxies of the undersigned, each with full power of substitution, (i) to vote at any annual or special meeting of Eurand’s stockholders or any adjournment or postponement thereof or otherwise in such manner as each such attorney-in-fact and proxy or its, his or her substitute shall in its, his or her sole discretion deem proper, (ii) to execute any written consent concerning any matter as each such attorney-in-fact and proxy or its, his or her substitute shall in its, his or her sole discretion deem proper and (iii) to otherwise act as each such attorney-in-fact and proxy or its, his or her substitute shall in its, his or her sole discretion deem proper, in each case, with respect to all of the Shares (and any and all Distributions) tendered hereby and accepted for payment by Purchaser. This appointment will be effective if and when, and only to the extent that, Purchaser accepts such Shares for payment pursuant to the Offer. This power of attorney and proxy are irrevocable and are granted in consideration of the acceptance for payment of such Shares in accordance with the terms of the Offer. Such acceptance for payment shall, without further action, revoke any prior powers of attorney and proxies granted by the undersigned at any time with respect to such Shares (and any and all Distributions), and no subsequent powers of attorney, proxies, consents or revocations may be given by the undersigned with respect thereto (and, if given, will not be deemed effective). Purchaser reserves the right to require that, in order for the Shares to be deemed validly tendered, immediately upon Purchaser’s acceptance for payment of such Shares, Purchaser or its designees must be able to exercise full voting, consent and other rights with respect to such Shares (and any and all Distributions), including voting at any meeting of Eurand’s stockholders.
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The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to tender, sell, assign and transfer any and all of the Shares tendered hereby (and any and all Distributions) and that, when the same are accepted for payment by Purchaser, Purchaser will acquire good, marketable and unencumbered title to such Shares (and such Distributions), free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances and the same will not be subject to any adverse claims. The undersigned will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the Depositary or Purchaser to be necessary or desirable to complete the sale, assignment and transfer of the Shares tendered hereby (and any and all Distributions). In addition, the undersigned shall remit and transfer promptly to the Depositary for the account of Purchaser all Distributions in respect of any and all of the Shares tendered hereby, accompanied by appropriate documentation of transfer, and, pending such remittance and transfer or appropriate assurance thereof, Purchaser shall be entitled to all rights and privileges as owner of each such Distribution and may withhold the entire purchase price of the Shares tendered hereby or deduct from such purchase price the amount or value of such Distribution as determined by Purchaser in its sole discretion.
All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred shall not be affected by, and shall survive the death or incapacity of the undersigned, and any obligation of the undersigned hereunder shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, trustees in bankruptcy, successors and assigns of the undersigned. Except as stated in the Offer to Purchase, this tender is irrevocable.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that delivery of any Share Certificate shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to such Share Certificate shall pass, only upon the proper delivery of such Share Certificate to the Depositary.
Unless otherwise indicated under “Special Payment Instructions,” please issue the check for the purchase price of all of the Shares purchased and, if appropriate, return any Share Certificates evidencing Shares not tendered or not accepted for payment in the name(s) of the registered holder(s) appearing above under “Description of Shares Tendered.” Similarly, unless otherwise indicated under “Special Delivery Instructions,” please mail the check for the purchase price of all of the Shares purchased and, if appropriate, return any Share Certificates evidencing Shares not tendered or not accepted for payment (and any accompanying documents, as appropriate) to the address(es) of the registered holder(s) appearing above under “Description of Shares Tendered.” In the event that the boxes entitled “Special Payment Instructions” and “Special Delivery Instructions” are both completed, please issue the check for the purchase price of all Shares purchased and, if appropriate, return any Share Certificates evidencing Shares not tendered or not accepted for payment (and any accompanying documents, as appropriate) in the name(s) of, and deliver such check and, if appropriate, return any such certificates (and any accompanying documents, as appropriate) to, the person(s) so indicated. Unless otherwise indicated herein in the box entitled “Special Payment Instructions,” please credit any Shares tendered herewith by book-entry transfer that are not accepted for payment by crediting the account at DTC designated above. The undersigned recognizes that Purchaser has no obligation, pursuant to the “Special Payment Instructions,” to transfer any Shares from the name of the registered holder thereof if Purchaser does not accept for payment any of the Shares so tendered.
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SPECIAL PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS | | |
(See Instructions 1, 5, 6 and 7) | | |
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To be completed ONLY if the check for the purchase price of Shares accepted for payment and/or certificates for Shares not tendered or not accepted are to be issued in the name of someone other than the undersigned. | | |
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Issue check and/or certificates to: | | |
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Name: | | |
(Please Print) | | |
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Address: | | |
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(Include Zip Code) | | |
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(Taxpayer Identification or Social Security No.) | | |
(Also Complete, as appropriate, Form W-9 Included Below)
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SPECIAL PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS (See Instructions 1, 5, 6 and 7) | | |
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To be completed ONLY if the check for the purchase price of Shares accepted for payment and/or Share Certificates evidencing Shares not tendered or not accepted are to be mailed to someone other than the undersigned or to the undersigned at an address other than that shown above. | | |
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Mail check and/or Share Certificates to: | | |
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Name: | | |
(Please Print) | | |
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Address: | | |
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(Include Zip Code) | | |
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IMPORTANT
STOCKHOLDER: SIGN HERE
(U.S. Holders: Please complete and return the Form W-9 included below)
(Non-U.S. Holders: Please obtain, complete and return appropriate IRS Form W-8)
(Signature(s) of Holder(s) of Shares)
Dated:
Name(s):
(Please Print)
Capacity (full title) (See Instruction 5):
Address:
(Include Zip Code)
Area Code and Telephone No.:
Tax Identification or Social Security No. (See Form W-9 included below):
(Must be signed by registered holder(s) exactly as name(s) appear(s) on stock certificate(s) or on a security position listing or by person(s) authorized to become registered holder(s) by certificates and documents transmitted herewith. If signature is by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, agent, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, please set forth full title and see Instruction 5.)
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INSTRUCTIONS
FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER
1. Guarantee of Signatures. No signature guarantee is required on this Letter of Transmittal (a) if this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) (which term, for purposes of this Instruction, includes any participant in DTC’s systems whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the Shares) of Shares tendered herewith, unless such registered holder has completed either the box entitled “Special Payment Instructions” or the box entitled “Special Delivery Instructions” on this Letter of Transmittal or (b) if such Shares are tendered for the account of a financial institution (including most commercial banks, savings and loan associations and brokerage houses) that is a member in good standing of the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or any other “eligible guarantor institution,” as such term is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (each, an “Eligible Institution”). In all other cases, all signatures on this Letter of Transmittal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution. See Instruction 5.
2. Requirements of Tender. In order for a stockholder to validly tender Shares pursuant to the Offer, (a) the share certificates or confirmation of receipt of such Shares under the procedure for book-entry transfer, together with this Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, together with any required signature guarantees (or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an Agent’s Message in lieu of this Letter of Transmittal) and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal must be received by the Depositary at one of the addresses above prior to the Expiration Date or (b) the tendering stockholder must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures, all in accordance with the Offer to Purchaser and this Letter of Transmittal. Stockholders whose Share Certificates are not immediately available, or who cannot complete the procedure for delivery by book-entry transfer on a timely basis or who cannot deliver all other required documents to the Depositary prior to the Expiration Date, may tender their Shares by properly completing and duly executing a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedure set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. Pursuant to such procedure (i) such tender must be made by or through an Eligible Institution; (ii) a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, substantially in the form made available by Purchaser, must be received by the Depositary prior to the Expiration Date; and (iii) Share Certificates (or a Book-Entry Confirmation) evidencing all tendered Shares, in proper form for transfer, in each case together with this Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile hereof), properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees (or, in the case of a book-entry delivery, an Agent’s Message) and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Depositary within two (2) NASDAQ Global Market trading days after the date of execution of such Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. If Share Certificates are forwarded separately to the Depositary, a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal must accompany each such delivery.
The method of delivery of Shares, the Letter of Transmittal and all other required documents, including delivery through DTC, is at the option and risk of the tendering stockholder, and the delivery of all such documents will be deemed made (and the risk of loss and the title to Share Certificates will pass) only when actually received by the Depositary (including, in the case of a book-entry transfer, receipt of a Book-Entry Confirmation). If delivery is by mail, registered mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, is recommended. In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to ensure timely delivery prior to the Expiration Date.
Purchaser will not accept any alternative, conditional or contingent tenders, and no fractional Shares will be purchased. By executing this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile thereof), the tendering stockholder waives any right to receive any notice of the acceptance for payment of the Shares.
3. Inadequate Space. If the space provided herein is inadequate, the Share Certificate numbers and/or the number of Shares tendered should be listed on a separate signed schedule attached hereto.
4. Partial Tenders (Not Applicable to Stockholders who Tender by Book-Entry Transfer). If fewer than all the Shares represented by any Share Certificate delivered to the Depositary are to be tendered, fill in the number
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of Shares which are to be tendered in the box entitled “Total Number of Shares Tendered”. In such case, a new certificate for the remainder of the Shares represented by the old certificate will be sent to the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal, unless otherwise provided in the appropriate box on this Letter of Transmittal, as promptly as practicable following the expiration or termination of the Offer. All Shares represented by Share Certificates delivered to the Depositary will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated.
5. Signatures on Letter of Transmittal; Stock Powers and Endorsements.
(a) Exact Signatures. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) of the Shares tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond with the name(s) as written on the face of the Share Certificates without alteration, enlargement or any change whatsoever.
(b) Joint Holders. If any of the Shares tendered hereby are held of record by two or more persons, all such persons must sign this Letter of Transmittal.
(c) Different Names on Certificates. If any of the Shares tendered hereby are registered in different names on different Share Certificates, it will be necessary to complete, sign and submit as many separate Letters of Transmittal as there are different registrations of Share Certificates.
(d) Endorsements. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) of the Shares tendered hereby, no endorsements of Share Certificates or separate stock powers are required unless payment of the purchase price is to be made, or Shares not tendered or not purchased are to be returned, in the name of any person other than the registered holder(s). Signatures on any such Share Certificates or stock powers must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.
(e) Stock Powers. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered holder(s) of the Shares tendered hereby, Share Certificates must be endorsed or accompanied by appropriate stock powers, in either case, signed exactly as the name(s) of the registered holder(s) appear(s) on the Share Certificates for such Shares. Signature(s) on any such Share Certificates or stock powers must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution. See Instruction 1.
(f) Evidence of Fiduciary or Representative Capacity. If this Letter of Transmittal or any Share Certificates or stock power is signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other legal entity or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, such person should so indicate when signing, and proper evidence satisfactory to the Depositary of the authority of such person so to act must be submitted.
6. Stock Transfer Taxes. Except as otherwise provided in this Instruction 6, Purchaser or any successor entity thereto will pay all stock transfer taxes with respect to the transfer and sale of any Shares to it or its order pursuant to the Offer (for the avoidance of doubt, transfer taxes do not include United States federal income taxes or backup withholding taxes). If, however, payment of the purchase price is to be made to, or if Share Certificate(s) for Shares not tendered or not accepted for payment are to be registered in the name of, any person(s) other than the registered holder(s), or if tendered Share Certificate(s) are registered in the name of any person(s) other than the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal, the amount of any stock transfer taxes or other taxes required by reason of the payment to a person other than the registered holder of such Shares (whether imposed on the registered holder(s) or such other person(s)) payable on account of the transfer to such other person(s) will be deducted from the purchase price of such Shares purchased unless evidence satisfactory to Purchaser of the payment of such taxes, or exemption therefrom, is submitted.
Except as provided in this Instruction 6, it will not be necessary for transfer tax stamps to be affixed to the Share Certificate(s) evidencing the Shares tendered hereby.
7. Special Payment and Delivery Instructions. If a check is to be issued for the purchase price of any Shares tendered by this Letter of Transmittal in the name of, and, if appropriate, Share Certificates for Shares not tendered or not accepted for payment are to be issued or returned to, any person(s) other than the signer of this
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Letter of Transmittal or if a check and, if appropriate, such Share Certificates are to be returned to any person(s) other than the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal or to an address other than that shown in this Letter of Transmittal, the appropriate boxes on this Letter of Transmittal must be completed.
8. Form W-9, Forms W-8. To avoid backup withholding, a tendering stockholder that is a U.S. person (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is required by the Offer to provide the Depositary with a correct Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) on Form W-9 (properly completed), which is provided under “Important Tax Information” below, and to certify, under penalties of perjury, that such number is correct and that such stockholder is not subject to backup withholding of federal income tax, and that such stockholder is a U.S. person. Failure to provide the information on the Form W-9 may subject such tendering stockholder to backup withholding (currently 28%) on the payment at the then applicable rate of the purchase price of all Shares purchased from such stockholder. If the tendering stockholder has not been issued a TIN, such stockholder should follow the instructions on the Form W-9.
Foreign stockholders should submit an appropriate and properly completed IRS Form W-8, a copy of which may be obtained from the Depositary, in order to avoid backup withholding. Such stockholders should consult a tax advisor to determine which Form W-8 is appropriate.
See the enclosed Form W-9 for more instructions.
9. Irregularities. All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance for payment of any tender of Shares will be determined by Purchaser, in its sole discretion, which determination shall be final and binding on all parties. Purchaser reserves the absolute right to reject any and all tenders determined by us not to be in proper form or the acceptance for payment of which may, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. Purchaser also reserves the absolute right to waive any defect or irregularity in the tender of any Shares of any particular stockholder, whether or not similar defects or irregularities are waived in the case of other stockholders. No tender of Shares will be deemed to have been validly made until all defects and irregularities have been waived or cured within such time as Purchaser’s shall determine. None of Purchaser, the Depositary, the Information Agent or any other person will be under any duty to give notice of any defects or irregularities in tenders or incur any liability for failure to give any such notice. Purchaser’s interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Offer (including the Letter of Transmittal and the instructions thereto) will be final and binding.
10. Requests for Additional Copies. Questions and requests for assistance or additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, this Letter of Transmittal and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery should be directed to the Information Agent at its telephone numbers and address set forth below, and will be furnished at Purchaser’s expense.
11. Lost, Stolen Destroyed or Mutilated Certificates. If any Share Certificate has been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated, the stockholder should promptly notify the Transfer Agent toll-free at (877) 248-6417. The stockholder will then be instructed as to the steps that must be taken in order to replace such Share Certificate(s). This Letter of Transmittal and related documents cannot be processed until the procedures for replacing lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Share Certificates have been followed.
This Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, together with Share certificates representing Shares being tendered (or Book-Entry Confirmation) and all other required documents, must be received before the Expiration Date, or the tendering stockholder must comply with the procedures for guaranteed delivery.
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IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION
Pursuant to the Offer requirements, a stockholder who is a U.S. person (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) surrendering Shares must provide the Depositary (as payer) with the stockholder’s correct TIN on the IRS Form W-9 included in this Letter of Transmittal. If the stockholder is an individual, the stockholder’s TIN is such stockholder’s Social Security number. If the correct TIN is not provided, the stockholder may be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the IRS and payments of cash to the stockholder (or other payee) pursuant to the Offer may be subject to backup withholding of a portion of all payments of the purchase price.
Certain stockholders (including, among others, corporations and certain foreign persons) may not be subject to backup withholding and reporting requirements. Exempt stockholders, other than foreign stockholders, should furnish their TIN, check the appropriate box on the Form W-9 and sign, date and return the Form W-9 to the Depositary in order to avoid erroneous backup withholding. See the enclosed Form W-9 for additional instructions. In order for a foreign stockholder to avoid backup withholding, such person should complete, sign and submit an appropriate Form W-8 signed under penalties of perjury, attesting to his or her exempt status. A Form W-8 can be obtained from the Depositary. Such stockholders should consult a tax advisor to determine which Form W-8 is appropriate.
If backup withholding applies, the Depositary is required to withhold 28% of any payment made to the stockholder and pay such withheld amount over to the IRS. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained from the IRS if eligibility is established and appropriate procedure is followed.
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FormW-9 (Rev. October 2007 ) Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service | | Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification | | Give form to the requester. Do not
send to the IRS. |
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Print or type See Specific Instructions on page 2. | | Name (as shown on your income tax return) | | | |
| | Business name, if different from above | | | |
| | Check appropriate box: | | ¨ Individual/Sole proprietor | | ¨ | Corporation | | | ¨ | Partnership | | | ¨ Exempt payee |
| | ¨ Limited liability company. Enter the tax classification (D=disregarded entity, C=corporation, P=partnership) u | | |
| | ¨ Other (see instructions) u | | | |
| | Address (number, street, and apt. or suite no.) | | | | Requester’s name and address (optional) |
| | City, state, and ZIP code | | |
| | List account number(s) here (optional) | | | | | | | |
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| Part I | | Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) |
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Enter your TIN in the appropriate box. The TIN provided must match the name given on Line 1 to avoid backup withholding. For individuals, this is your social security number (SSN). However, for a resident alien, sole proprietor, or disregarded entity, see the Part I instructions on page 3. For other entities, it is your employer identification number (EIN). If you do not have a number, seeHow to get a TINon page 3. Note. If the account is in more than one name, see the chart on page 4 for guidelines on whose number to enter. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Social security number |
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| | or |
| | Employer identification number |
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Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:
| 1. | | The number shown on this form is my correct taxpayer identification number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me), and |
| 2. | | I am not subject to backup withholding because: (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding, and |
| 3. | | I am a U.S. citizen or other U.S. person (defined below). |
Certification instructions.You must cross out item 2 above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return. For real estate transactions, item 2 does not apply. For mortgage interest paid, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, contributions to an individual retirement arrangement (IRA), and generally, payments other than interest and dividends, you are not required to sign the Certification, but you must provide your correct TIN. See the instructions on page 4.
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Sign
Here | | Signature of
U.S. person u | | Date u |
General Instructions
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise noted.
Purpose of Form
A person who is required to file an information return with the IRS must obtain your correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) to report, for example, income paid to you, real estate transactions, mortgage interest you paid, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, or contributions you made to an IRA.
Use Form W-9 only if you are a U.S. person (including a resident alien), to provide your correct TIN to the person requesting it (the requester) and, when applicable, to:
1. Certify that the TIN you are giving is correct (or you are waiting for a number to be issued),
2. Certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, or
3. Claim exemption from backup withholding if you are a U.S. exempt payee. If applicable, you are also certifying that as a U.S. person, your allocable share of any partnership income from a U.S. trade or business is not subject to the withholding tax on foreign partners’ share of effectively connected income.
Note.If a requester gives you a form other than Form W-9 to request your TIN, you must use the requester’s form if it is substantially similar to this Form W-9.
Definition of a U.S. person.For federal tax purposes, you are considered a U.S. person if you are:
— An individual who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien,
— A partnership, corporation, company, or association created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States,
— An estate (other than a foreign estate), or
— A domestic trust (as defined in Regulations section 301.7701-7).
Special rules for partnerships.Partnerships that conduct a trade or business in the United States are generally required to pay a withholding tax on any foreign partners’ share of income from such business. Further, in certain cases where a Form W-9 has not been received, a partnership is required to presume that a partner is a foreign person, and pay the withholding tax. Therefore, if you are a U.S. person that is a partner in a partnership conducting a trade or business in the United States, provide Form W-9 to the partnership to establish your U.S. status and avoid withholding on your share of partnership income.
The person who gives Form W-9 to the partnership for purposes of establishing its U.S. status and avoiding withholding on its allocable share of net income from the partnership conducting a trade or business in the United States is in the following cases:
— The U.S. owner of a disregarded entity and not the entity,
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— The U.S. grantor or other owner of a grantor trust and not the trust, and
— The U.S. trust (other than a grantor trust) and not the beneficiaries of the trust.
Foreign person.If you are a foreign person, do not use Form W-9. Instead, use the appropriate Form W-8 (see Publication 515, Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities).
Nonresident alien who becomes a resident alien.Generally, only a nonresident alien individual may use the terms of a tax treaty to reduce or eliminate U.S. tax on certain types of income. However, most tax treaties contain a provision known as a “saving clause.” Exceptions specified in the saving clause may permit an exemption from tax to continue for certain types of income even after the payee has otherwise become a U.S. resident alien for tax purposes.
If you are a U.S. resident alien who is relying on an exception contained in the saving clause of a tax treaty to claim an exemption from U.S. tax on certain types of income, you must attach a statement to Form W-9 that specifies the following five items:
1. The treaty country. Generally, this must be the same treaty under which you claimed exemption from tax as a nonresident alien.
2. The treaty article addressing the income.
3. The article number (or location) in the tax treaty that contains the saving clause and its exceptions.
4. The type and amount of income that qualifies for the exemption from tax.
5. Sufficient facts to justify the exemption from tax under the terms of the treaty article.
Example.Article 20 of the U.S.-China income tax treaty allows an exemption from tax for scholarship income received by a Chinese student temporarily present in the United States. Under U.S. law, this student will become a resident alien for tax purposes if his or her stay in the United States exceeds 5 calendar years. However, paragraph 2 of the first Protocol to the U.S.-China treaty (dated April 30, 1984) allows the provisions of Article 20 to continue to apply even after the Chinese student becomes a resident alien of the United States. A Chinese student who qualifies for this exception (under paragraph 2 of the first protocol) and is relying on this exception to claim an exemption from tax on his or her scholarship or fellowship income would attach to Form W-9 a statement that includes the information described above to support that exemption.
If you are a nonresident alien or a foreign entity not subject to backup withholding, give the requester the appropriate completed Form W-8.
What is backup withholding?Persons making certain payments to you must under certain conditions withhold and pay to the IRS 28% of such payments. This is called “backup withholding.” Payments that may be subject to backup withholding include interest, tax-exempt interest, dividends, broker and barter exchange transactions, rents, royalties, nonemployee pay, and certain payments from fishing boat operators. Real estate transactions are not subject to backup withholding.
You will not be subject to backup withholding on payments you receive if you give the requester your correct TIN, make
the proper certifications, and report all your taxable interest and dividends on your tax return.
Payments you receive will be subject to backup withholding if:
1. You do not furnish your TIN to the requester,
2. You do not certify your TIN when required (see the Part II instructions on page 3 for details),
3. The IRS tells the requester that you furnished an incorrect TIN,
4. The IRS tells you that you are subject to backup withholding because you did not report all your interest and dividends on your tax return (for reportable interest and dividends only), or
5. You do not certify to the requester that you are not subject to backup withholding under 4 above (for reportable interest and dividend accounts opened after 1983 only).
Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding. See the instructions below and the separate Instructions for the Requester of Form W-9.
Also seeSpecial rules for partnershipson page 1.
Penalties
Failure to furnish TIN.If you fail to furnish your correct TIN to a requester, you are subject to a penalty of $50 for each such failure unless your failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.
Civil penalty for false information with respect to withholding.If you make a false statement with no reasonable basis that results in no backup withholding, you are subject to a $500 penalty.
Criminal penalty for falsifying information.Willfully falsifying certifications or affirmations may subject you to criminal penalties including fines and/or imprisonment.
Misuse of TINs.If the requester discloses or uses TINs in violation of federal law, the requester may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
Specific Instructions
Name
If you are an individual, you must generally enter the name shown on your income tax return. However, if you have changed your last name, for instance, due to marriage without informing the Social Security Administration of the name change, enter your first name, the last name shown on your social security card, and your new last name.
If the account is in joint names, list first, and then circle, the name of the person or entity whose number you entered in Part I of the form.
Sole proprietor.Enter your individual name as shown on your income tax return on the “Name” line. You may enter your business, trade, or “doing business as (DBA)” name on the “Business name” line.
Limited liability company (LLC).Check the “Limited liability company” box only and enter the appropriate code for the tax classification (“D” for disregarded entity, “C” for corporation, “P” for partnership) in the space provided.
For a single-member LLC (including a foreign LLC with a domestic owner) that is disregarded as an entity separate from
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its owner under Regulations section 301.7701-3, enter the owner’s name on the “Name” line. Enter the LLC’s name on the “Business name” line.
For an LLC classified as a partnership or a corporation, enter the LLC’s name on the “Name” line and any business, trade, or DBA name on the “Business name” line.
Other entities.Enter your business name as shown on required federal tax documents on the “Name” line. This name should match the name shown on the charter or other legal document creating the entity. You may enter any business, trade, or DBA name on the “Business name” line.
Note.You are requested to check the appropriate box for your status (individual/sole proprietor, corporation, etc.).
Exempt Payee
If you are exempt from backup withholding, enter your name as described above and check the appropriate box for your status, then check the “Exempt payee” box in the line following the business name, sign and date the form.
Generally, individuals (including sole proprietors) are not exempt from backup withholding. Corporations are exempt from backup withholding for certain payments, such as interest and dividends.
Note.If you are exempt from backup withholding, you should still complete this form to avoid possible erroneous backup withholding.
The following payees are exempt from backup withholding:
1. An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a), any IRA, or a custodial account under section 403(b)(7) if the account satisfies the requirements of section 401(f)(2),
2. The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities,
3. A state, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United States, or any of their political subdivisions or instrumentalities,
4. A foreign government or any of its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, or
5. An international organization or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
Other payees that may be exempt from backup withholding include:
6. A corporation,
7. A foreign central bank of issue,
8. A dealer in securities or commodities required to register in the United States, the District of Columbia, or a possession of the United States,
9. A futures commission merchant registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission,
10. A real estate investment trust,
11. An entity registered at all times during the tax year under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
12. A common trust fund operated by a bank under section 584(a),
13. A financial institution,
14. A middleman known in the investment community as a nominee or custodian, or
15. A trust exempt from tax under section 664 or described in section 4947.
The chart below shows types of payments that may be exempt from backup withholding. The chart applies to the exempt payees listed above, 1 through 15.
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| IF the payment is for . . . | | THEN the payment is exempt for . . . |
| Interest and dividend payments | | All exempt payees except for 9 |
| Broker transactions | | Exempt payees 1 through 13. Also, a person registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 who regularly acts as a broker |
| Barter exchange transactions and patronage dividends | | Exempt payees 1 through 5 |
| Payments over $600 required to be reported and direct sales over $5,0001 | | Generally, exempt payees 1 through 72 |
| 1 | See Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, and its instructions. |
| 2 | However, the following payments made to a corporation (including gross proceeds paid to an attorney under section 6045(f), even if the attorney is a corporation) and reportable on Form 1099-MISC are not exempt from backup withholding: medical and health care payments, attorneys’ fees, and payments for services paid by a federal executive agency. |
Part I. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
Enter your TIN in the appropriate box.If you are a resident alien and you do not have and are not eligible to get an SSN, your TIN is your IRS individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Enter it in the social security number box. If you do not have an ITIN, seeHow to get a TINbelow.
If you are a sole proprietor and you have an EIN, you may enter either your SSN or EIN. However, the IRS prefers that you use your SSN.
If you are a single-member LLC that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner (seeLimited liability company (LLC)on page 2), enter the owner’s SSN (or EIN, if the owner has one). Do not enter the disregarded entity’s EIN. If the LLC is classified as a corporation or partnership, enter the entity’s EIN.
Note.See the chart on page 4 for further clarification of name and TIN combinations.
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How to get a TIN.If you do not have a TIN, apply for one immediately. To apply for an SSN, get Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, from your local Social Security
Administration office or get this form online atwww.ssa.gov. You may also get this form by calling 1-800-772-1213. Use Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, to apply for an ITIN, or Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, to apply for an EIN. You can apply for an EIN online by accessing the IRS website atwww.irs.gov/businessesand clicking on Employer Identification Number (EIN) under Starting a Business. You can get Forms W-7 and SS-4 from the IRS by visitingwww.irs.govor by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).
If you are asked to complete Form W-9 but do not have a TIN, write “Applied For” in the space for the TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester. For interest and dividend payments, and certain payments made with respect to readily tradable instruments, generally you will have 60 days to get a TIN and give it to the requester before you are subject to backup withholding on payments. The 60-day rule does not apply to other types of payments. You will be subject to backup withholding on all such payments until you provide your TIN to the requester.
Note.Entering “Applied For” means that you have already applied for a TIN or that you intend to apply for one soon.
Caution:A disregarded domestic entity that has a foreign owner must use the appropriate Form W-8.
Part II. Certification
To establish to the withholding agent that you are a U.S. person, or resident alien, sign Form W-9. You may be requested to sign by the withholding agent even if items 1, 4, and 5 below indicate otherwise.
For a joint account, only the person whose TIN is shown in Part I should sign (when required). Exempt payees, seeExempt Payeeon page 2.
Signature requirements.Complete the certification as indicated in 1 through 5 below.
1. Interest, dividend, and barter exchange accounts opened before 1984 and broker accounts considered active during 1983.You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification.
2. Interest, dividend, broker, and barter exchange accounts opened after 1983 and broker accounts considered inactive during 1983.You must sign the certification or backup withholding will apply. If you are subject to backup withholding and you are merely providing your correct TIN to the requester, you must cross out item 2 in the certification before signing the form.
3. Real estate transactions.You must sign the certification. You may cross out item 2 of the certification.
4. Other payments.You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification unless you have been notified that you have previously given an incorrect TIN. “Other payments” include payments made in the course of the requester’s trade or business for rents, royalties, goods (other than bills for merchandise), medical and health care services (including payments to corporations), payments to a nonemployee for services, payments to certain fishing boat crew members and fishermen, and gross proceeds paid to attorneys (including payments to corporations).
5. Mortgage interest paid by you, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, qualified tuition program payments (under section 529), IRA, Coverdell ESA, Archer MSA or HSA contributions or distributions, and pension distributions.You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification.
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| What Name and Number To Give the Requester |
| For this type of account: | | Give name and SSN of: |
1. Individual | | The individual |
2. Two or more individuals (joint account) | | The actual owner of the account or, if combined funds, the first individual on the account1 |
3. Custodian account of a minor (Uniform Gift to Minors Act) | | The minor2 |
4. a. The usual revocable savings trust (grantor is also trustee) b. So-called trust account that is not a legal or valid trust under state law | | The grantor-trustee 1 |
| | The actual owner 1 |
5. Sole proprietorship or disregarded entity owned by an individual | | The owner 3 |
| For this type of account: | | Give name and EIN of: |
6. Disregarded entity not owned by an individual | | The owner |
7. A valid trust, estate, or pension trust | | Legal entity 4 |
8. Corporate or LLC electing corporate status on Form 8832 | | The corporation |
9. Association, club, religious, charitable, educational, or other tax-exempt organization | | The organization |
10.Partnership or multi-member LLC | | The partnership |
11.A broker or registered nominee | | The broker or nominee |
12.Account with the Department of Agriculture in the name of a public entity (such as a state or local government, school district, or prison) that receives agricultural program payments | | The public entity |
| 1 | List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish. If only one person on a joint account has an SSN, that person’s number must be furnished. |
| 2 | Circle the minor’s name and furnish the minor’s SSN. |
| 3 | You must show your individual name and you may also enter your business or “DBA” name on the second name line. You may use either your SSN or EIN (if you have one), but the IRS encourages you to use your SSN. |
| 4 | List first and circle the name of the trust, estate, or pension trust. (Do not furnish the TIN of the personal representative or trustee unless the legal entity itself is not designated in the account title.) Also seeSpecial rules for partnershipson page 1. |
Note.If no name is circled when more than one name is listed, the number will be considered to be that of the first name listed.
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Secure Your Tax Records from Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, social security number (SSN), or other identifying information, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. An identity thief may use your SSN to get a job or may file a tax return using your SSN to receive a refund.
To reduce your risk:
— Protect your SSN,
— Ensure your employer is protecting your SSN, and
— Be careful when choosing a tax preparer.
Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 if you think your identity has been used inappropriately for tax purposes.
Victims of identity theft who are experiencing economic harm or a system problem, or are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, may be eligible for Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) assistance. You can reach TAS by calling the TAS toll-free case intake line at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059.
Protect yourself from suspicious emails or phishing schemes.Phishing is the creation and use of email and websites designed to mimic legitimate business emails and websites. The most common act is sending an email to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft.
The IRS does not initiate contacts with taxpayers via emails. Also, the IRS does not request personal detailed information through email or ask taxpayers for the PIN numbers, passwords, or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank, or other financial accounts.
If you receive an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, forward this message tophishing@irs.gov.You may also report misuse of the IRS name, logo, or other IRS personal property to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484. You can forward suspicious emails to the Federal Trade Commission at:spam@uce.govor contact them atwww.consumer.gov/idtheftor 1-877-IDTHEFT(438-4338).
Visit the IRS website atwww.irs.govto learn more about identity theft and how to reduce your risk.
Privacy Act Notice
Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires you to provide your correct TIN to persons who must file information returns with the IRS to report interest, dividends, and certain other income paid to you, mortgage interest you paid, the acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, or contributions you made to an IRA, or Archer MSA or HSA. The IRS uses the numbers for identification purposes and to help verify the accuracy of your tax return. The IRS may also provide this information to the Department of Justice for civil and criminal litigation, and to cities, states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions to carry out their tax laws. We may also disclose this information to other countries under a tax treaty, to federal and state agencies to enforce federal nontax criminal laws, or to federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat terrorism.
You must provide your TIN whether or not you are required to file a tax return. Payers must generally withhold 28% of taxable interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who does not give a TIN to a payer. Certain penalties may also apply.
The Depositary for the Offer is:
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| If delivering by mail: | | If delivering by hand or courier: (by 5:00 p.m. ET) |
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American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center Attn: Reorganization Department P.O. Box 2042 New York, New York 10272-2042 | | American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center Attn: Reorganization Department 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11219 |
Questions or requests for assistance or additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, this Letter of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery and other related materials may be directed to the Information Agent at the address and telephone numbers set forth below. Stockholders may also contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank or trust company for assistance concerning the Offer.
The Information Agent for the Offer is:
437 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Banks and Brokerage Firms, Please Call: (212) 297 0720
Stockholders and All Others, Call Toll-Free: (855) 208 8901
Email: info@okapipartners.com
