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| a. | declare or issue any dividends or distribution in respect of any of its capital stock or other equity or voting interests (except for ordinary course cash dividends in respect of Company Shares and notably, except for the payment of the dividend submitted to the Company’s general shareholders’ meeting of May 19, 2010 or distribution of dividends by wholly-owned Subsidiaries in ordinary course), (B) split, combine or reclassify any of its capital stock or other equity or voting interests, or issue or authorize the issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of its capital stock or other equity or voting interests, (C) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock or any other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any options, warrants, calls or rights to acquire any such shares or other securities (except pursuant to the forfeiture of Equity Awards in accordance with their terms as in effect on the date of this Agreement) or (D) take any action that would result in any amendment, modification or change of any term of any indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; |
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| b. | issue, grant, deliver, sell, pledge or otherwise encumber any shares of its capital stock, any other equity or voting interests or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, or any options, warrants, calls or rights to acquire, any such stock, interests or securities or any stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, stock-based performance units, “phantom” stock awards or other rights that are linked to the value of Company Shares or the value of the Company or any part thereof; provided, however, that the Company may issue Company Shares pursuant to the exercise of Company Stock Options outstanding on the date of this Agreement and only in accordance with their terms as in effect on the date of this Agreement; |
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| c. | amend the Company By-laws or other comparable charter organizational documents of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries; |
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| d. | acquire or agree to acquire (i) by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing all or a substantial portion of the assets of, or by purchasing all or a substantial equity or voting interest in, or by any other manner, any person or business or division thereof or (ii) any other assets other than raw materials or supplies and other assets that are not material and are acquired in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; |
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| e. | sell, lease, license, lease back or otherwise subject to any lien or otherwise dispose of or abandon any of its business lines, divisions, activities, Subsidiaries provided that the foregoing provisions shall not prevent the sale of assets or activities of the Company or its Subsidiaries which have generated an aggregate turn-over of less than €15,000,000 during the financial year closed on 31 December 2009; |
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| f. | adopt or amend any benefit plan or enter into, adopt, extend, renew or amend any collective bargaining agreement or other contract with any labor organization, works council, union or association, except as required by applicable law; |
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| g. | grant any director, officer or employee any increase in compensation or benefits, except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice or as may be required under existing agreements; |
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| h. | adopt any measure with unconditional effect that modifies the Company’s substance (modifiant sa consistance) and that may allow Purchaser to withdraw the Offer under Article 232-11 of the AMF General Regulation ; |
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| i. | incur fees and expenses in connection with this Agreement, the Offer and any discussion with third parties, including Cinven, regarding proposals to acquire Company Shares or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries (including break-up fees to Cinven and break-up costs in connection with |