prohibit or otherwise prevent the consummation of the Merger or that would impose a Burdensome Condition; (v) the absence of any pending legal proceeding under any antitrust law brought by any governmental authority of competent and applicable jurisdiction that challenges or seeks to make illegal, prohibit or otherwise prevent the consummation of the Merger or that would impose a Burdensome Condition; (vi) the adoption of the Merger Agreement by holders of Company Shares representing at least a majority of the outstanding Company Shares; and (vii) other customary conditions. Consummation of the Merger is not subject to a financing condition.
The parties expect the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement to close by mid-year 2024. The Merger Agreement provides that as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date of the Merger Agreement (and in any event within 10 Business Days), the Company will prepare and file a preliminary proxy statement relating to the Company’s meeting of its stockholders for the purpose of voting upon the adoption of the Merger Agreement.
The Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants, including covenants obligating the Company to use commercially reasonable efforts to continue to conduct its business in all material respects in the ordinary course, to cooperate in seeking regulatory approvals and not to engage in certain specified transactions or activities without Parent’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). In addition, subject to certain exceptions, the Company has agreed not to solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage, or knowingly facilitate or assist, any inquiry, proposal or offer, or the making, submission or announcement of any inquiry, proposal or offer, that constitutes or would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal or take certain other restricted actions in connection therewith. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company receives a written, bona fide Acquisition Proposal that did not result from a material breach of the non-solicitation provisions of the Merger Agreement, and that the Company’s board of directors (the “Company Board”) determines in good faith, after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel, constitutes or is reasonably likely to lead to a Superior Proposal and that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law, the Company may take certain actions to participate in discussions and negotiations and furnish information with respect to such Acquisition Proposal, after providing written notice to Parent of such determination.
The Company Board has resolved to recommend that Company stockholders adopt the Merger Agreement (the “Company Board Recommendation”) and, subject to certain exceptions, will not withdraw, amend, modify or qualify such Company Board Recommendation in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub. However, subject to the satisfaction of certain terms and conditions, the Company and the Company Board, as applicable, are permitted to take certain actions, as more fully described in the Merger Agreement, including changing the Company Board Recommendation and entering into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal if, among other things, the Company Board has concluded in good faith after consultation with its outside legal counsel that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable law (subject to certain customary match rights in favor of Parent).
The Merger Agreement also contains certain customary termination rights in favor of each of the Company and Parent, including the Company’s right, subject to certain limitations, to terminate the Merger Agreement in certain circumstances to accept a Superior Proposal and Parent’s right to terminate the Merger Agreement if the Company Board changes the Company Board Recommendation. In addition, either Parent or the Company may terminate the Merger Agreement if the Merger has not been completed by January 4, 2025, which date will be automatically extended to July 7, 2025 if certain regulatory closing conditions remain the only conditions to not have been satisfied or waived as of January 4, 2025. In connection with a termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, including due to a change in the Company Board Recommendation, the entry by the Company into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal, or certain other triggering events, the Company may be required to pay Parent a termination fee of $448.0 million.
The Company Board has (i) determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and declared it advisable, for the Company to enter into the Merger Agreement and consummate the transactions contemplated thereby, (ii) approved the execution and delivery by the Company of the Merger Agreement, the performance by the Company of its covenants and agreements contained in the Merger Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Merger Agreement and (iii) resolved, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, to recommend that the Company Stockholders adopt the Merger Agreement.