PROPOSAL NO. 1
ADOPTION OF THE MERGER AGREEMENT
THE MERGER
We are asking our stockholders to consider and vote upon a proposal to adopt the merger agreement, pursuant to which Reckitt Benckiser will
indirectly acquire the Company by means of a merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity following the merger as a wholly owned indirect
subsidiary of Reckitt Benckiser. Our Board is providing this proxy statement and the accompanying form of proxy to holders of our common stock in connection with the solicitation of proxies for use at
the special meeting.
The
full text of the merger agreement is attached as
Annex A
to this proxy statement.
We urge you to read
the merger agreement carefully and in its entirety
. If our stockholders adopt the merger agreement and the merger is completed as contemplated by the merger agreement, you will
be entitled to receive $90.00 in cash, without interest and less any required tax withholding, for each share of our common stock you own (excluding common stock subject to forfeiture restrictions),
unless you have properly exercised your appraisal rights with respect to such shares, and:
-
-
you will no longer have any interest in our future earnings or growth;
-
-
we will no longer be a public company;
-
-
our common stock will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange; and
-
-
we may no longer be required to file periodic and other reports with the SEC.
At the effective time of the merger, each outstanding (i) share of our common stock (other than (x) shares held by the Company as
treasury stock (other than shares held for the account of clients, customers or other persons), (y) held by Reckitt Benckiser or by any subsidiary of either the Company or Reckitt Benckiser and
(z) held by a stockholder who perfects appraisal rights in accordance with Delaware law) will automatically be converted into the right to receive $90.00 in cash, without interest and less any
required tax withholding, and (ii) vested and unvested stock option and unvested RSU and PSU granted prior to execution of the merger agreement will vest (to the extent unvested) and be
cancelled and the holders will be entitled to receive the merger consideration of $90.00 per share in cash, less the applicable exercise price in the case of stock options, and less any required tax
withholding. Each outstanding unvested RSU and PSU granted after execution of the merger agreement will be converted (with such conversion determined based on achievement of target performance for the
PSUs) into a Converted Reckitt Benckiser RSU, which is a phantom restricted stock unit based on Reckitt Benckiser common stock, subject to the same terms and conditions (exclusive of any
performance-based vesting conditions) and settled in cash. No shares of our common stock outstanding prior to the effective time of the merger will remain outstanding after the effective time of the
merger and all such shares will automatically be cancelled and will cease to exist at the effective time of the merger. The price of $90.00 per share in cash was determined through arm's-length
negotiations between us and Reckitt Benckiser. See "
The Merger AgreementMerger Consideration
" beginning on page 79 for more detailed
information.
Stock Options
. At the effective time of the merger, each stock option that is outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of
the merger,
whether vested or unvested, will be cancelled in exchange for a lump-sum cash payment equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of common stock for which such stock option has not been
exercised and (ii) the excess, if any, of the merger
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consideration
of $90.00 per share over the exercise price per share of such stock option. Each stock option with an exercise price equal to or greater than the merger consideration will be cancelled
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger without payment of any consideration.
Restricted Stock Units
. At the effective time of the merger, each RSU that was outstanding as of the date of the merger agreement (see
"
2017 Equity Awards
" below for treatment of RSUs granted after the date of the merger agreement) and remains outstanding immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger will vest and be cancelled in exchange for a lump-sum cash payment equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of common stock subject to such RSU immediately
prior to the effective time of the merger and (ii) the merger consideration of $90.00 per share.
Performance Stock Units
. At the effective time of the merger, each PSU that remains outstanding immediately prior to the effective time
of the merger
will vest and be cancelled in exchange for a lump-sum cash payment equal to the product of (i) the PSU Amount and (ii) the merger consideration of $90.00 per share. The PSU Amount equals
the sum of (x) the number of shares of common stock underlying such award based on actual performance for any completed one-year performance period ending prior to the effective time of the
merger, and (y) the number of shares of common stock underlying such award based on target performance for any one-year performance period that has not been completed as of immediately prior to
the effective time of the merger.
2017 Equity Awards
. The Company may grant equity awards after the date of the merger agreement, but prior to the effective time of the
merger, in
connection with its annual practice of granting equity awards and as otherwise permitted by the merger agreement, and such awards shall consist solely of RSUs. Each RSU that is granted after the date
of the merger agreement and that remains outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger will, as of the effective time of the merger, convert into a Converted Reckitt Benckiser RSU,
which is a phantom RSU based on Reckitt Benckiser common stock and settled in cash (with the cash value of each RSU for conversion purposes equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of
common stock subject to such award and (ii) the merger consideration of $90.00 per share). Each Converted Reckitt Benckiser RSU will remain subject to the same terms and conditions as the PSU
or RSU to which it relates (including vesting).
Our Board, together with our management, periodically reviews and assesses the Company's business plan and potential strategic opportunities
available to the Company with the goal of maximizing stockholder value. As part of this ongoing process, our Board and management have periodically evaluated whether the continued execution of the
Company's strategy as a standalone company or the sale of the Company to, or a combination of the Company with, a third party offers the best avenue to maximize stockholder value.
Beginning
in December 2015 and continuing through fall 2016, we engaged in discussions with a company which we refer to as Company A regarding various potential transactions, including
potential joint ventures between the two companies or a potential merger with Company A. These discussions included multiple meetings between the management teams of each party. At none of these
meetings was a specific proposal or offer made for the acquisition of the Company. Although the parties explored various potential transactions, they were unable to agree upon any transaction
structure or terms that were both feasible and sufficiently attractive to each party and, by the fall of 2016, although the parties remained intermittently in contact, no further meetings or other
substantive discussions took place.
On
June 9 and 10, 2016, our Board conducted its annual review of the Company's strategic plan, during which our Board considered three potential strategic paths for the Company:
(1) continuing as a stand-alone business, (2) acquiring or partnering with another business or (3) undertaking a change of control transaction. At the meeting, our Board and
management noted that the Company's growth was
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being
negatively impacted by a lack of distribution and marketing scale relative to its competitors, and discussed the potential merits of finding a partner with greater scale or pursuing increased
scale through a change of control transaction. Our Board also reviewed and approved financial projections covering the period from 2017-2021 (the "June 2016 Projections"). Goldman Sachs was present at
the meeting to assist our Board in its consideration of strategic alternatives.
Throughout
2016 Goldman Sachs continued to provide financial advisory services to us in connection with various potential strategic alternatives. The Company selected Goldman Sachs, and
later engaged it specifically in respect of a potential transaction with Reckitt Benckiser, because of its qualifications,
expertise, reputation and knowledge of our business and affairs, and because Goldman Sachs was experienced and knowledgeable about our industry, strategic positioning, future prospects, and potential
strategic partners.
Consistent
with the June 2016 Board discussion, later in June 2016, Mr. Kasper Jakobsen, our Chief Executive Officer, requested and subsequently held a meeting with the Chief
Executive Officer of a company which we refer to as Company B regarding a potential transaction between the parties that would involve a change of control of the Company. The discussion was general in
nature and no specific proposals or offers were made. During that meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of Company B informed Mr. Jakobsen that for various reasons Company B was not interested
in pursuing a potential transaction at such time.
On
September 30, 2016, we entered into an engagement letter with Morgan Stanley to serve as a co-advisor to us in connection with its evaluation of potential strategic
alternatives. The Company selected Morgan Stanley because of its qualifications, expertise, reputation and knowledge of our business and affairs, and because Morgan Stanley was experienced and
knowledgeable about our industry, strategic positioning, future prospects, and potential strategic partners.
On
December 2, 2016, Mr. James M. Cornelius, the Chairman of our Board and Mr. Robert S. Singer, a member of our Board, had a meeting with Mr. Rakesh Kapoor,
the Chief Executive Officer of Reckitt Benckiser, and Mr. Peter Harf, senior partner of JAB Holdings B.V. ("JAB"), Reckitt Benckiser's largest stockholder. Mr. Singer and
Mr. Harf knew each other as Mr. Singer serves on the boards of certain entities controlled by JAB and Mr. Harf was familiar with Reckitt Benckiser having served as a member of its
board of directors from 1999 until 2015, and Mr. Singer and Mr. Harf helped facilitate the introductory meeting. At such meeting, the parties discussed the Company's business generally,
and Mr. Kapoor mentioned that Reckitt Benckiser had previously analyzed the Company and the Company's business sector and could be interested in exploring a potential transaction with the
Company, noting that it fit with Reckitt Benckiser's strategic interest in expanding in the area of consumer health. Mr. Kapoor noted that, while Reckitt Benckiser could be interested in
pursuing a private discussion with the Company regarding a potential transaction, it was Reckitt Benckiser's view that if the Company was to run an auction process it would significantly increase the
risk that there would be a leak potentially leading to public speculation relating to Reckitt Benckiser's involvement in such a process and that, as a U.K. listed company, Reckitt Benckiser would be
required to confirm or deny its involvement in the process in response to such a leak. Mr. Kapoor further conveyed that, given the fact that any acquisition of the Company would constitute the
entry into a new business line for Reckitt Benckiser and that Reckitt Benckiser might still be in the process of evaluating such an initiative, depending on when in the process the leak occurred,
Reckitt Benckiser would be likely to cease discussions with the Company regarding a potential deal in the event of a leak. Mr. Kapoor stated that, as a result of the foregoing, Reckitt
Benckiser believed that if the Company were to run an auction process it would make it less likely that a deal would be ultimately consummated even if otherwise desired by the parties.
On
December 13, 2016, at an executive session of our Board, Mr. Cornelius and Mr. Singer reported to the other Board members on the meeting that had taken place on
December 2 with Reckitt
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Benckiser,
and our Board indicated its support for a follow-up meeting with Reckitt Benckiser that was subsequently scheduled for December 20.
On
December 15, 2016, our Board held a telephonic meeting, during which the upcoming meeting with Reckitt Benckiser and related matters were discussed. As part of this meeting,
representatives from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, our outside counsel ("Kirkland"), led a discussion related to a potential transaction with Reckitt Benckiser or another party, including timing
and process considerations and a review of our Board's fiduciary duties under Delaware law in connection with its consideration of a potential transaction with Reckitt Benckiser or another party. At
the meeting, Mr. Cornelius observed that, consistent with the directors' discussion at the June 9 and 10 Board meetings, Reckitt Benckiser had the distribution and marketing scale that
would benefit the Company's business, and as such may be willing to offer compelling value to Company stockholders for the enhanced growth prospects of the Company's business on Reckitt Benckiser's
platform. As part of the discussion, our Board authorized management to enter into a confidentiality agreement with Reckitt Benckiser in advance of the upcoming meeting. Our Board also discussed
timing and process for formally engaging an investment banking firm.
On
December 19, 2016, Reckitt Benckiser and the Company signed a customary confidentiality agreement, which included a standstill prohibiting Reckitt Benckiser from purchasing
shares of, or taking certain other actions with respect to, the Company for eighteen months following the date of the agreement without the prior consent of the Company.
On
December 20, 2016, Mr. Cornelius, Mr. Jakobsen and Mr. Michel Cup, our Chief Financial Officer, met with Mr. Kapoor, Mr. Adrian Hennah,
Reckitt Benckiser's Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Brian Robertson, Reckitt Benckiser's SVP of Corporate Development and Mr. Laurent Faracci, Reckitt Benckiser's SVP of Global Marketing.
At this meeting, Mr. Jakobsen and Mr. Cup made a presentation to Reckitt Benckiser regarding the Company's overall business, strategy and organization. The Company also conveyed to
Reckitt Benckiser that the Company would not be willing to provide detailed information regarding the Company's outlook or long-range plan or other detailed diligence access absent a written
indication of interest from Reckitt Benckiser at a price that our Board determined was sufficiently attractive to merit further discussions and diligence. Reckitt Benckiser indicated that it would
evaluate the information the Company had provided and revert with its feedback.
At
Reckitt Benckiser's request, and as part of Reckitt Benckiser's evaluation of the information it had received at the December 20 meeting, on December 30, 2016, a
follow-up meeting was held between Mr. Cup, Mr. Hennah and Mr. James Tilley, a member of Reckitt Benckiser's finance team, in Amsterdam to discuss the Company's 2016 and other
historical financial results. This was followed by a meeting via video conference, also at Reckitt Benckiser's request, between senior members of the companies' management teams, including
Mr. Jakobsen and Mr. Kapoor, that took place on January 9, 2017 to address questions from Reckitt Benckiser regarding the operation and management of the
Company's business. Consistent with what the Company had previously conveyed to Reckitt Benckiser, our executive officers did not provide detailed information regarding the Company's outlook,
long-range plan or other detailed diligence information at these meetings.
At
the request of Mr. Kapoor, Mr. Cornelius and Mr. Kapoor had a breakfast meeting on January 13, 2017 in New York, during which Mr. Kapoor presented
Mr. Cornelius with a letter outlining a non-binding proposal from Reckitt Benckiser pursuant to which Reckitt Benckiser would acquire the Company for $90.00 per share in cash. The letter noted
that Reckitt Benckiser was unwilling to engage in a traditional back and forth negotiation with respect to value and that the proposal fully reflected Reckitt Benckiser's view of the potential
synergies and long-term value of a Company combination with Reckitt Benckiser. Mr. Kapoor emphasized that, for the reasons he had communicated to Mr. Cornelius in their meeting on
December 2, 2016, Reckitt Benckiser was not willing to participate in a broad sales process. Mr. Kapoor also emphasized that the proposal was
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subject
to further due diligence, including a review of the Company's long-range plan. Mr. Cornelius informed Mr. Kapoor that he and the rest of our Board would consider Reckitt
Benckiser's proposal and revert in due course. On January 13, 2017, the Company's share price closed at $70.39 per share.
Also
on January 13, 2017, we contacted Goldman Sachs to request that Goldman Sachs provide advice to us in connection with Reckitt Benckiser's proposal.
On
January 18, 2017, our Board held a telephonic meeting to discuss Reckitt Benckiser's non-binding proposal as well as various other matters related to a potential transaction
with Reckitt Benckiser or another party. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, also attended the meeting. At the meeting,
Mr. Cornelius and Mr. Jakobsen provided a summary of recent events, including the meeting that Mr. Cornelius, Mr. Jakobsen and Mr. Cup had with members of Reckitt
Benckiser's management team in London, as well as the subsequent meetings in Amsterdam and via videoconference. Representatives from Goldman Sachs then reviewed certain financial aspects of Reckitt
Benckiser's proposal based on a preliminary update to the June 2016 Projections that our management was still in the process of updating. Our Board noted that the analysis provided by Goldman Sachs
was based on a preliminary update to the June 2016 Projections and discussed process and timing for the finalization of the updated projections. Representatives from Kirkland then provided our Board
with an overview of certain legal considerations regarding the Company's evaluation of a potential transaction with Reckitt Benckiser or another party. As part of this meeting, our Board discussed
potential next steps in response to Reckitt Benckiser's proposal. After discussion, which was informed by the review of Reckitt Benckiser's proposal by Goldman Sachs, our Board determined the offer
from Reckitt Benckiser was sufficiently attractive to warrant continuing to engage in preliminary discussions with Reckitt Benckiser, and directed management to invite representatives of Reckitt
Benckiser to Chicago the following week once the Company's long-range plan had been finalized and approved so that our management team could educate Reckitt Benckiser
on the Company's business plan and growth initiatives in an effort to seek to persuade Reckitt Benckiser to increase its offer price. At the meeting, our Board also authorized the creation of an ad
hoc committee of our Board (the "Ad Hoc Committee") solely for the purposes of efficiency to assist the full Board in its consideration of any potential transaction. Our Board appointed
Mr. Peter Ratcliffe, Mr. Steven Altschuler, Mr. Elliott Sigal, Mr. Cornelius and Mr. Michael Grobstein, such directors constituting the chairmen of each committee of
our Board, as well as Mr. Jakobsen to the Ad Hoc Committee. The members of our Board agreed that the Ad Hoc Committee would regularly report back to our Board, and that our Board would retain
all decision making power related to a potential transaction with Reckitt Benckiser or another party.
Also
on January 18, 2017, a press article was published electronically containing unsubstantiated reports that a third party had expressed an interest in acquiring the Company,
which reports were subsequently carried by other publications including
The Chicago Tribune
and Bloomberg. Consistent with its long-standing policy, the
Company declined to comment on such rumors and speculation.
On
January 20, 2017, management sent our Board a proposed final update to the June 2016 Projections (the "Long-Range Plan") and a proposed final 2017 budget.
On
January 21, 2017, we entered into an engagement letter with Goldman Sachs in connection with a potential transaction involving Reckitt Benckiser or another party as part of an
existing framework advisory agreement.
On
January 22, 2017, our Board held a telephonic meeting to review the Long-Range Plan, which our Board understood that its financial advisors would use as the basis for their
financial analysis of any potential transaction, as well as to discuss developments with respect to the Company's evaluation of a potential transaction with Reckitt Benckiser. Members of our senior
management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, attended the meeting, other than for the portion of the meeting in which the Long-Range Plan was discussed, for which the
representatives of Goldman
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Sachs
and Kirkland were not present, and with respect to an executive session at the end of the meeting, for which neither Goldman Sachs, Kirkland nor members of the management team were present.
Mr. Jakobsen and Mr. Cup presented the proposed Long-Range Plan to our Board, outlining key assumptions set forth in the plan and comparing the current plan's projected growth rates and
trends with those set forth in the June 2016 Projections. Mr. Jakobsen and Mr. Cup also discussed how the projections included in the Long-Range Plan varied from the preliminary update
to the June 2016 Projections that had been provided to Goldman Sachs for purposes of its financial analysis presented to our Board on January 18. Specifically, Mr. Jakobsen discussed
that the final Long-Range Plan included projections for 2021 (which the preliminary version had not), a $0.15 per share positive impact in 2017
due to a potential one time tax benefit and an earnings per share figure in 2020 that was slightly lower as a result of higher other operating expenses. In addition, our Board approved the proposed
final 2017 budget. Following discussion and approval of the Long-Range Plan, our Board, together with representatives from Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, engaged in a discussion regarding how to approach
the upcoming meeting with Reckitt Benckiser, including how to present the cost and revenue synergies available to Reckitt Benckiser as well as the Company's financial performance and outlook,
particularly in light of the Company's recent challenges and the fact that headwinds including the impact on net sales of a strengthening U.S. dollar, slowing growth in certain markets and increased
costs with respect to advertising and promotion spend remained in the business especially in 2017. As part of such discussion, our Board communicated to management that the primary objective of the
upcoming meeting was to seek to educate Reckitt Benckiser on the Company's business plan and growth initiatives in an attempt to persuade Reckitt Benckiser to increase its offer price. Our Board also
asked Kirkland about our Board's fiduciary duties under Delaware law in connection with a potential transaction, and received an overview of such obligations and considerations from Kirkland.
Mr. Jakobsen also informed our Board of a phone call he had received from the Chief Executive Officer of Company A prompted by unsubstantiated press reports that the Company was in discussions
regarding a potential sale of the Company. Mr. Jakobsen explained that, consistent with the Company's policy on such matters, he had declined to comment on the rumor on the call.
Mr. Jakobsen noted that the Chief Executive Officer of Company A indicated that they were considering whether to make an offer to acquire the Company, but did not request any further
information from the Company during the call or request to engage in discussions regarding a potential transaction with the Company.
On
January 24 and January 25, 2017, a two-day management presentation and due diligence session was conducted between the Reckitt Benckiser and Company executive teams in
Chicago, with Mr. Cornelius also attending the meetings. The meetings covered a broad range of topics relating to the Company's business, including the Long-Range Plan, other financial and
strategic matters and an overview of the Company's operations and key commercial markets.
On
January 26, 2017, we announced our financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2016, during which net sales were 7% below the comparable quarter in the
prior year on a reported basis, and announced that it expected 2017 GAAP EPS to be in the range of $3.05 to $3.20 per share, below the consensus of Wall Street research analysts' estimates. On
January 26, 2017, our share price closed at $73.04 per share.
On
January 27, 2017, Mr. Cornelius called Mr. Kapoor in an attempt to persuade him to raise Reckitt Benckiser's offer on the basis of the further information
received and diligence conducted by Reckitt Benckiser in Chicago. Mr. Kapoor informed Mr. Cornelius that he would reply later that day or the following day. Later that same day,
Mr. Kapoor informed Mr. Cornelius that, while Reckitt Benckiser remained interested in pursuing a transaction at $90.00 per share, nothing Reckitt Benckiser had learned through the two
day management presentation and diligence session in Chicago had changed its position on the transaction price and therefore Reckitt Benckiser was unwilling to raise its initial offer. However,
Mr. Kapoor explained that, in light of the fact that the Company's financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2016 were lower than both Reckitt Benckiser's initial
expectations and the consensus of Wall Street research analysts' estimates, and that the
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near-term
outlook for the Company was more challenging than Reckitt Benckiser had assumed in its original proposal, although Reckitt Benckiser was unwilling to raise its offer of $90.00 in cash per
share, given these developments, the Company should view Reckitt Benckiser's continued interest in proceeding at its original offer price as a
de facto
increase in the relative value of Reckitt Benckiser's offer.
On
January 29, 2017, our Board held a telephonic meeting at which Mr. Cornelius provided an update on the meetings in Chicago and the conversation between
Mr. Cornelius and Mr. Kapoor two days before, in which Mr. Kapoor had been unwilling to increase Reckitt Benckiser's initial offer of $90.00 in cash per share. Members of our
senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, also attended the meeting. Mr. Jakobsen also informed our Board that, after Mr. Kapoor had declined to
increase Reckitt Benckiser's initial offer, after consulting with Mr. Cornelius, Mr. Jakobsen had called the Chief Executive Officer of Company A as a follow-up to the inquiry
Mr. Jakobsen had received from Company A's Chief Executive Officer the prior week and that Mr. Jakobsen inquired whether Company A had progressed its assessment of whether to make an
offer for the Company. Mr. Jakobsen relayed to our Board that the Chief Executive Officer of Company A had stated that Company A had been doing preliminary work to evaluate whether it would
have an interest in exploring a potential transaction and might be in a position to share the results of that work in about two weeks. Mr. Jakobsen explained that he had indicated to the Chief
Executive Officer of Company A that, if Company A wished to ensure that any such proposal was given appropriate consideration, it should be submitted as soon as possible. Mr. Jakobsen and a
representative of Goldman Sachs also discussed with our Board certain characteristics of Company A that they thought could complicate an effort by Company A to put forth, and ultimately consummate, a
competing proposal, including potential timing, regulatory and financing issues. Our Board then engaged in an extensive and detailed discussion regarding appropriate next steps, including whether to
continue discussions with, and provide further diligence to, Reckitt Benckiser on the basis of its current offer. Our Board noted that Reckitt Benckiser had been very firm in its refusal to increase
its offer price above $90.00 per share and that it was the sense of our Board and its advisors based on discussions with Reckitt Benckiser to date, in particular the issues that Mr. Kapoor had
conveyed in his discussions with Mr. Cornelius on January 13 and January 27, that further attempts to seek to convince Reckitt Benckiser to increase its offer price would not be
successful and risked causing Reckitt Benckiser to withdraw its current offer and walk away from its consideration of a potential transaction. As part of this discussion, our Board discussed, with
input from representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, various alternatives that were available to the Company, including proceeding with transaction discussions with Reckitt Benckiser on the basis
of its current offer, conducting a broader sales process or continuing on a standalone basis. Our Board discussed both the benefits and risks associated with each option, including the attractiveness
of the current offer from Reckitt Benckiser, the challenges facing the Company and the risks inherent in the Long-Range Plan. Our Board also discussed considerations associated with conducting a
broader sales process, including the timing implications and the fact that Mr. Kapoor had made it clear previously that Reckitt Benckiser would likely withdraw its current offer and refuse to
participate in any broader process. As part of this, our Board and its advisors also discussed the universe of parties that they believed could potentially be interested in a transaction with the
Company, as well as potential regulatory and other considerations associated with such parties. During the discussion, representatives of Kirkland discussed with our Board legal considerations
associated with our Board's consideration of Reckitt Benckiser's proposal and of other alternatives potentially available to the Company. Our Board also considered advice from its advisors that a
termination fee within a customary range for transactions of this type would be unlikely to be a
meaningful deterrent to alternative acquisition proposals. Following this discussion and after considering all relevant factors, our Board determined to proceed with discussions with Reckitt Benckiser
on the basis of its offer of $90.00 in cash per share.
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From
the time of Mr. Jakobsen's call to the Chief Executive Officer of Company A referred to in the prior paragraph to the signing of the merger agreement, Company A did not
submit any proposals related to a potential transaction or otherwise communicate an intention to do so.
On
January 30, 2017, Reckitt Benckiser received access to a virtual data room containing due diligence information on the Company. Beginning on that date and continuing for the
remainder of the process, we and our advisors responded to requests for additional diligence materials by having diligence calls and meetings with Reckitt Benckiser and its advisors and by providing
additional documents in the data room. Later in the day on January 30, 2017, Reckitt Benckiser provided a draft merger agreement to the Company.
Also
on January 30, 2017, we asked Morgan Stanley to also assist in providing advice to the Company and our Board in connection with a potential transaction involving Reckitt
Benckiser or another party.
On
January 31, 2017, the Ad Hoc Committee held a telephonic meeting. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Kirkland, also attended the meeting. At
the meeting, management and representatives from Kirkland provided an update to the Ad Hoc Committee on the status of discussions with Reckitt Benckiser regarding a potential transaction, including
the key terms contained in the draft merger agreement provided by Reckitt Benckiser's outside legal counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, or Davis Polk, as well as potential responses, and
the members of the Ad Hoc Committee provided feedback to Kirkland regarding such terms.
On
February 1, 2017,
The Wall Street Journal
published a story online after market close, which was published by the newspaper the
next day in print and subsequently carried by other print and electronic publications globally, reporting that the Company and Reckitt Benckiser were in discussions for the acquisition of the Company
by Reckitt Benckiser. Following such publication, Reckitt Benckiser informed us that it was required by the U.K. rules governing listed companies to confirm that it was in discussions with us
regarding a potential transaction, and that given the results of Reckitt Benckiser's due diligence to date, Reckitt Benckiser remained interested in continuing to pursue a possible acquisition at a
price of $90.00 per share and therefore intended to publicly confirm that. Later that same night, both the Company and Reckitt Benckiser issued press releases confirming the parties were in
discussions with respect to Reckitt Benckiser's proposal to acquire the outstanding shares of our
common stock for $90.00 per share in cash. On February 2, 2017, following the leak of the potential transaction, the Company's share price closed up 21.4% at $84.38 per share.
From
February 1, 2017 through February 3, 2017, a series of due diligence calls and meetings were held both in person in London and telephonically between members of our
management and Reckitt Benckiser management, as well as both companies' advisors. The meetings covered topics including external affairs, information technology, human resources, quality and research
and development and regulatory matters, commercial matters, financial and accounting matters, legal matters and supply chain matters.
On
February 3, 2017, the Ad Hoc Committee held a telephonic meeting. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, attended the
meeting. Mr. Jakobsen provided an update on the status of negotiations with Reckitt Benckiser and discussed the various workstreams that would need to be completed for the parties to be able to
sign a definitive agreement, and a representative of Kirkland discussed plans for upcoming negotiations on the merger agreement.
Later
in the day on February 3, 2017, Kirkland sent a revised draft of the merger agreement to Davis Polk, which agreement, among other terms, contained a "go-shop" provision and
contemplated an irrevocable undertaking from JAB committing to vote its shares of Reckitt Benckiser in favor of the transaction at Reckitt Benckiser's stockholder meeting.
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On
February 4, 2017, Davis Polk, Linklaters LLP, U.K. counsel to Reckitt Benckiser ("Linklaters") and Kirkland held a telephonic meeting to discuss certain open points in
the merger agreement, and later that day, Davis Polk sent a revised draft of the merger agreement to Kirkland. Also on February 4, 2017, we provided a series of proposals relating to the
treatment of equity awards and other employee compensation and retention matters (collectively, the "Compensation and Retention Issues") (see for example the sections entitled
"
Interests of Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger
" beginning on page 64 and "
Employee
Matters
" on page 94). The Compensation and Retention Issues were subject to separate discussion by specialists from the Company and Reckitt Benckiser teams throughout
the negotiation. During the course of these negotiations, we focused on the Compensation and Retention Issues in order to ensure the smooth continuity of operations from the Company's perspective to
ensure closing of the transaction would occur, whereas Reckitt Benckiser focused on retention as it was entering a new business and felt it was important to retain our employees and in order to
preserve the value of the Company it was acquiring.
On
February 5, 2017, Davis Polk and Kirkland held a telephonic meeting to further discuss the terms of the draft merger agreement.
Later
in the day on February 5, 2017, the Ad Hoc Committee held a telephonic meeting. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and
Kirkland, also attended the meeting. A representative of Kirkland provided the Ad Hoc Committee with an overview of certain open points in the merger agreement, including Reckitt Benckiser's refusal
to accept a "go-shop" provision, the size of the termination fee and/or expense reimbursement payable by the Company if the transaction were terminated under certain circumstances and the universe of
such circumstances and certain open points in the merger agreement related to the Compensation and Retention Issues in connection with the potential transaction. In addition, the Ad Hoc Committee
considered issues relating to deal certainty for our stockholders in light of the requirement for Reckitt Benckiser's stockholders to approve the transaction, including the amount of the Reckitt
Benckiser termination fee if Reckitt Benckiser's stockholders failed to approve the transaction and whether JAB, as a Reckitt Benckiser's stockholder, would agree to sign an irrevocable undertaking
committing to support the transaction. The members of the Ad Hoc Committee asked questions of Kirkland and Goldman Sachs, which were answered, and provided input to Kirkland and Goldman Sachs on such
points.
Still
later in the day on February 5, 2017, Davis Polk provided Kirkland with a draft of the facilities agreement Reckitt Benckiser anticipated entering into at signing in order
to fund a portion of the purchase price. On February 6, 2017, Kirkland provided comments on the facilities agreement via email and subsequent teleconferences.
On
February 6, 2017, our Board held a telephonic meeting. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, also attended the
meeting. At the meeting, Mr. Jakobsen relayed to our Board that, as a result of the leak on February 1, Reckitt Benckiser had indicated a strong desire, subject to satisfactory
conclusion of due diligence, reaching agreement on transaction terms and to approval by both companies' Boards of Directors, to accelerate the timetable of the potential transaction with a goal of
signing and announcing the transaction as early as February 8. Representatives from Kirkland also provided an update to our Board on the open points in the transaction documents, which included
Reckitt Benckiser's refusal to accept a "go-shop" provision, whether JAB would sign an irrevocable undertaking committing to support the transaction, the size of the termination fee and/or expense
reimbursement payable by either party in the event the merger agreement was terminated under certain circumstances and the Compensation and Retention Issues in connection with the potential
transaction. The members of our Board discussed these and other open issues, asked questions of Kirkland and Goldman Sachs, which were answered, and provided direction to Kirkland and Goldman Sachs on
the open issues in the transaction documents, including to agree to forego the "go-shop" provision subject to Reckitt Benckiser agreeing to a lower
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Company
termination fee in the event the merger agreement was terminated in connection with a superior proposal for the Company.
On
February 7, 2017, Kirkland sent a revised draft of the merger agreement to Davis Polk. Later that same day, the Ad Hoc Committee held a meeting in Chicago, which was attended
telephonically by Mr. Cornelius and Mr. Altschuler. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs and Kirkland, also attended the meeting. At the
meeting, representatives of Kirkland and Goldman Sachs provided an update regarding the Company's latest proposal on the remaining open points, which had been delivered to Reckitt Benckiser the day
before based on input provided by the Ad Hoc Committee on February 5 and our Board on February 6. As part of that update, a representative from Goldman Sachs provided a summary of a call
he had with a representative of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a financial advisor to Reckitt Benckiser, the day before to reiterate the Company's positions on certain open items. The Ad Hoc Committee
then engaged in a discussion, which included questions of and responses from Kirkland and Goldman Sachs regarding the open points in the transaction documents. Later in the meeting, representatives of
Morgan Stanley joined to preview the financial analysis that Morgan Stanley intended to present to the full Board the following day.
From
February 7, 2017 to February 10, 2017, Davis Polk and Kirkland continued to exchange drafts of, and hold telephonic meetings, which included representatives of Goldman
Sachs on behalf of the Company, as well as representatives from Linklaters, Robey Warshaw LLP, a financial advisor to Reckitt Benckiser, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch to discuss the terms
of, the merger agreement, including the Compensation and Retention Issues.
On
February 8, 2017, our Board held a meeting in Chicago, which was attended telephonically by Mr. Altschuler, Ms. Kimberly A. Casiano,
Ms. Anna C. Catalano, Mr. Stephen W. Golsby and Mr. Singer. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and
Kirkland, also attended the meeting, other than an executive session at the end of the meeting, for which neither Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley nor members of the management team were present. At the
meeting, the Company's advisors updated our Board on the status of the negotiation of the transaction with Reckitt Benckiser, and reported that among the open issues was whether JAB would provide an
irrevocable undertaking to support the transaction, the size of the termination fee and/or expense reimbursement payable by either party in the event the merger agreement was terminated under certain
circumstances and the Compensation and Retention Issues in connection with the potential transaction. Our Board provided guidance to management and the Company's advisors on the remaining open points,
including by directing Kirkland and Goldman Sachs to continue requesting that JAB enter into an undertaking, but also to hold firm in requiring Reckitt Benckiser to agree to a termination fee payable
in the event the Reckitt Benckiser stockholders did not approve that would be sufficiently high to increase deal certainty for our stockholders. Our Board also discussed other relationships of the
financial advisors and members of our Board and whether any of them posed a potential conflict. For more information on Goldman Sachs' and Morgan Stanley's relationships see the sections entitled
"
Opinion of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
" beginning on page 48 and "
Opinion of Morgan
Stanley & Co. LLC
" beginning on page 56. After
discussion, our Board determined that none of the matters disclosed to our Board by Morgan Stanley or Goldman Sachs would be material to such advisors' ability to serve as financial advisors to our
Board. In addition, Mr. Singer reminded the other members of our Board that he served on the board of directors of three companies controlled by JAB, in respect of which he received directors'
fees, and received consulting fees from an entity owned by JAB. After discussion, our Board determined Mr. Singer's relationship with JAB would not impair his ability to exercise his duties as
a director of the Company in the context of a potential transaction and therefore should not preclude Mr. Singer from participating in our Board's determination of whether to proceed with the
potential transaction or otherwise. Next Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley each reviewed the separate financial analyses they had prepared related to the potential transaction, highlighting key
valuation methods and financial metrics that had
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been
prepared and analyzed as part of each of Goldman Sachs' and Morgan Stanley's independent evaluation of the transaction.
On
February 9, 2017, our Board held a telephonic meeting. Members of our senior management team, as well as representatives of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Kirkland, attended
the meeting. Representatives of Kirkland led a discussion regarding the proposed resolution of various open points that had been discussed with the Board the prior day. Representatives of Goldman
Sachs then delivered Goldman Sachs' oral opinion to our Board (which opinion was subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written opinion dated February 10, 2017), to the effect that, as of
February 10, 2017, and based upon and subject to the factors and assumptions set forth in its written opinion, the $90.00 in cash per share to be paid to holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser
and its affiliates) of outstanding shares of our common stock pursuant to the merger agreement was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. Representatives of Morgan Stanley then
delivered Morgan Stanley's oral opinion to our Board (which opinion was subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written opinion, dated February 9, 2017), to the effect that, as of the date of
the Board meeting and based upon and subject to the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and qualifications and limitations on the scope of review undertaken by Morgan Stanley as
set forth in its written opinion, the $90.00 in cash per share to be received by the holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser and its affiliates) of outstanding shares of our common stock pursuant to the
merger agreement was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. Our Board then unanimously determined, for the reasons detailed in the section entitled
"
Reasons for the Merger
" below, that the merger was fair to and in the best interests of our stockholders, approved, adopted and declared
advisable the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, and recommended the adoption of the merger agreement by our stockholders.
On
February 10, 2017, the parties executed the merger agreement and Reckitt Benckiser simultaneously entered into the facilities agreement. For more information, see the section
entitled "
Interests of Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger
" beginning on page 64.
In
the morning London time on February 10, 2017, Reckitt Benckiser and the Company each released separate press releases to announce the signing of the merger agreement.
Our Board considered a number of factors in making its determination that the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement are advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders, including the following (not necessarily in the order of relative importance):
Merger consideration
. Our Board considered the $90.00 per share in cash to be paid as merger consideration in relation to our Board's
estimate of the
current and future value of the Company as an independent entity, including that the total enterprise value of the transaction is approximately $17.9 billion, representing a multiple of 17.4x
2016 non-GAAP EBITDA.
Premium
. Our Board considered that the $90.00 per share in cash to be paid as merger consideration represents a premium of
approximately 29% to the
closing price of our common stock on February 1, 2017, the last trading day before the Company and Reckitt Benckiser publicly confirmed they were in discussions for the acquisition of the
Company by Reckitt Benckiser at a price of $90.00 per share.
Cash consideration
. Our Board considered the fact that the merger consideration would be paid solely in cash, which provides certainty
and immediate
liquidity and value to our stockholders, enabling our stockholders to realize value that has been created at the Company while eliminating long-term business and execution risk.
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Strategic alternatives
. Our Board considered the potential values, benefits, risks and uncertainties facing our stockholders associated
with possible
strategic alternatives to the merger (including scenarios involving the possibility of remaining independent), and the timing and likelihood of accomplishing certain alternatives, taking into account
potential regulatory challenges with respect to an acquisition of the Company by certain competitors of the Company in the infant nutrition industry. Based on the foregoing, our Board considered that
none of these options, on a risk-adjusted basis, was reasonably likely to create value for our stockholders greater than the merger consideration. Our Board also considered the Company's ability,
subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement, to respond to, engage in discussions or negotiations regarding, and ultimately accept a superior proposal from a person other than Reckitt
Benckiser under certain circumstances and, in the case of accepting such a superior proposal, after paying a termination fee, as more fully described in the section entitled
"
The Merger AgreementNo Solicitation of an Acquisition Proposal; Company Adverse Recommendation Change
" beginning on page 85.
Fairness Opinion
. Our Board considered the financial analyses presented by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, as well
as:
-
-
Goldman Sachs' oral opinion to our Board (which opinion was subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written opinion), to the effect that, as of
February 10, 2017, and based upon and subject to the factors and assumptions set forth therein, the $90.00 in cash per share to be paid to holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser and its
affiliates) of the outstanding shares of our common stock pursuant to the merger agreement was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. The opinion of Goldman Sachs is more fully
described in the section entitled "
Opinion of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
" beginning on page 48 and the full text of such opinion is
attached to this proxy statement as
Annex B
; and
-
-
Morgan Stanley's oral opinion to our Board (which opinion was subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written opinion), to the effect that, as
of February 9, 2017 and based upon and subject to the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and qualifications and limitations on the scope of review undertaken by Morgan
Stanley as set forth therein, the $90.00 in cash per share to be received by the holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser and its affiliates) of the outstanding shares of our common stock pursuant to the
merger agreement was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. The opinion of Morgan Stanley is more fully described in the section entitled "
Opinion
of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
" beginning on page 56, and the full text of such opinion is attached to this proxy statement as
Annex C
.
Negotiations with Reckitt Benckiser
. Our Board considered the beneficial terms that we and our advisors were able to obtain during
extensive
negotiations with Reckitt Benckiser and that the merger agreement was the product of arm's-length negotiations and contained terms and conditions that were, in our Board's view, advisable and
favorable to the Company and our stockholders.
Timing of Reckitt Benckiser's Offer
. The timing and the risk that if we did not accept Reckitt Benckiser's offer, which Reckitt
Benckiser had
consistently indicated was the highest offer it would make, our Board may not have another opportunity to do so.
Our Current Condition
. Our Board considered information with respect to our financial condition, results of operation, competitive
position and
business strategy, on both historical and prospective bases, as well as current industry, regulatory, economic and market conditions, trends and cycles.
Our Future Prospects
. Our Board considered our future prospects if we were to remain independent, including the competitive landscape
and the
business, financial and execution risks, our relationship with clients, physicians, providers and suppliers, and the risk associated with continued independence discussed below.
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Risks Associated with Continued Independence
. While our Board remained supportive of our strategic plan and optimistic about our
prospects on a
standalone basis, it also considered the risks associated with operating as a standalone company, including the potential execution risks associated with the strategic plan, the achievability of
financial projections and the potential risk the market may not reflect such execution in our stock price. Our Board also considered continuing headwinds facing the business, including the impact on
net sales of a stronger U.S. dollar and slowing economic growth in certain markets. Our Board concluded that the merger consideration enabled our stockholders to realize the Company's potential future
value without the market or execution risks associated with continued independence.
Merger Agreement
. Our Board considered, in consultation with counsel, the terms of the merger agreement,
including:
-
-
the right of the Company and our Board to respond to a competing superior proposal from any bidder prior to obtaining the our stockholder
approval if our Board determines in good faith, after considering advice from its financial advisor and outside legal counsel, that such acquisition proposal either constitutes a superior proposal or
could reasonably be expected to result in a superior proposal, and that failure to take such action could reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the directors' fiduciary duties under Delaware
law, as well as our ability to terminate the merger agreement to accept a superior proposal, subject to certain notice requirements and "matching rights" in favor of Reckitt Benckiser and provided
that we pay Reckitt Benckiser the applicable termination fee;
-
-
our Board's belief that termination fee provisions are customary for transactions of this type, and its belief that the $480 million
termination fee with respect to terminations made for superior proposals was reasonable in the context of comparable transactions and the likelihood that a fee of such sizes would not be a meaningful
deterrent to alternative acquisition proposals;
-
-
our Board's right to change its recommendation whether in connection with a superior proposal, or otherwise, prior to obtaining our stockholder
approval if our Board has determined in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and, in the case of a superior proposal, its financial advisor, that the failure to make such
change in recommendation would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under Delaware law, subject to certain notice requirements and "matching rights";
-
-
the representations, warranties and covenants of the parties, the limited conditions to the parties' obligations to complete the merger and
their ability to terminate the merger agreement;
-
-
the fact that the consummation of the merger is not conditioned on Reckitt Benckiser's ability to obtain financing;
-
-
the fact that the Company has sufficient operating flexibility to conduct its business in the ordinary course between the execution of the
merger agreement and consummation of the merger;
-
-
the obligation of Reckitt Benckiser under certain circumstances to pay the Company a reverse termination fee of $480 million in the
event that Reckitt Benckiser stockholders do not approve the merger or the Reckitt Benckiser Board of Directors changes its recommendation;
-
-
the fact that the definition of "Company Material Adverse Effect" has a number of customary exceptions, as described in detail in the section
entitled "
The Merger AgreementConditions to the Merger
" beginning on page 92, and is generally a very high standard as applied by the
courts; and
-
-
the Company's right to specifically enforce Reckitt Benckiser's obligations under the merger agreement.
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Financing
. Our Board considered the fact that Reckitt Benckiser has obtained committed debt financing for the transaction from reputable
financial
institutions, and that Reckitt Benckiser had $[
·
] amount of cash on its balance
sheet as of [
·
] and an investment grade credit rating.
Likelihood of Consummation
. Our Board considered the level of commitment by Reckitt Benckiser to obtain the applicable consents imposed
by regulators
in connection with securing such approvals, as well as the likelihood that the merger would be completed, in light of, among other things, the conditions to the merger and the absence of a financing
condition, the relative likelihood of obtaining required regulatory approvals, and the remedies available to us under the merger agreement.
Reckitt Benckiser's reputation
. Our Board considered the business reputation and capabilities of Reckitt Benckiser and its management,
and Reckitt
Benckiser's general ability to complete an acquisition transaction of this size.
Appraisal Rights
. Our Board considered the fact that stockholders who do not vote to adopt the merger agreement and who comply with the
requirements
of Delaware law will have the right to dissent from the merger and to demand appraisal of the fair value of their shares under Delaware law.
Stockholders' Ability to Reject the Merger
. Our Board considered the fact that the merger is subject to the adoption of the merger
agreement by the
affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote thereon.
In
the course of reaching its decision, our Board also considered a number of potentially negative factors with respect to the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the
merger agreement including, among others, the following (not necessarily in the order of relative importance):
Reckitt Benckiser Stockholders' Ability to Reject the Merger.
Our Board considered the fact that the merger is subject to the approval
of the merger
by a majority of the Reckitt Benckiser stockholders. Our Board also considered that the Reckitt Benckiser's board of directors may change its recommendation under certain circumstances.
Participation in Future Gains.
Our Board considered the fact that, if the merger is completed, we will no longer exist as an independent
public
company and our stockholders will forgo any future increase in the Company's value that might result from our earnings or possible growth as an independent company. Our Board recognized the growth and
profitability prospects for the Company on a standalone basis, but concluded that the premium reflected in the merger consideration constituted fair compensation for the loss of the potential
stockholder benefits that could be realized by our strategic plan, particularly on a risk-adjusted basis.
Regulatory Risk.
Our Board considered the risk that the necessary regulatory approvals, the receipt of which is beyond the Company's
control, may be
delayed, conditioned or denied.
Risks Associated with a Failure to Consummate the Merger.
Our Board considered the fact that there can be no assurance that all
conditions to the
parties' obligations to consummate the merger will be satisfied and as a result the possibility that the merger might not be completed, and the fact that any reverse termination fee may not fully
compensate the Company for the costs of non-consummation in the circumstances in which it is payable. Our Board noted the fact that, if the merger is not completed, (i) we will have incurred
significant risk, transaction expenses and opportunity costs, including the possibility of disruption to our operations, diversion of management and employee attention, employee attrition and a
potentially negative effect on our business and client relationships, (ii) depending on the circumstances that caused the merger not to be completed, it is likely that the price of our common
stock will decline, potentially significantly and (iii) the market's perception of our prospects could be adversely affected.
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Restrictions on the Operation of Our Business.
Our Board considered the restrictions on the conduct of our business prior to the
completion of the
merger, including restrictions on realizing certain business opportunities or taking certain actions with respect to our operations we may otherwise take absent the pending merger.
Non-Solicitation Provision.
Our Board considered the fact that the merger agreement precludes us from actively soliciting alternative
proposals.
Termination Fee.
Our Board considered the possibility that the $480 million termination fee payable to Reckitt Benckiser with
respect to
termination for a superior proposal might have the effect of discouraging alternative acquisition proposals or reducing the price of such proposals.
Reckitt Benckiser Termination Fee.
Our Board considered the fact that, except in the case of fraud, the Company's sole monetary remedy
in
circumstances in which the termination fee is payable and paid in connection with a breach of the merger agreement by Reckitt Benckiser or Merger Sub is the amount of the $480 million
termination fee plus any costs, fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with enforcing the payment of such termination fee (plus interest at the prime rate if any such amounts are not
paid when due), and may not be sufficient to compensate the Company for losses suffered as a result of a breach of the merger agreement by Reckitt Benckiser or Merger Sub.
Tax Treatment.
Our Board considered the fact that any gains arising from the receipt of the merger consideration would generally be
taxable to our
stockholders that are U.S. holders for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Stockholder Litigation.
Our Board considered the likelihood of distracting litigation from stockholder suits in connection with the
merger.
After
considering potentially positive and potentially negative factors, our Board concluded that, overall, the potentially positive factors outweighed the potentially negative factors.
Accordingly, our Board unanimously determined that the merger, merger agreement and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement are advisable, fair to and in the best interests of the
Company and our stockholders.
The
foregoing discussion is not intended to be an exhaustive list of the information and factors considered by our Board in its consideration of the merger, but includes the material
positive factors and material negative factors considered by our Board in that regard. In view of the number and variety of factors and the amount of information considered, our Board did not find it
practicable to, nor did it attempt to, make specific assessments of, quantify, or otherwise assign relative weights to, the specific factors considered in reaching its determination. In addition,
individual members of our Board may have given different weights to different factors. Based on the totality of the information presented, our Board reached the unanimous decision to approve, adopt
and declare advisable and fair to and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders, the merger, the merger agreement and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement in
light of the factors described above and other factors that the members of our Board deemed were appropriate.
Portions
of this explanation of our reasons for the merger and other information presented in this section are forward-looking in nature and, therefore, should be read in light of the
section entitled "
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
" beginning on page 20.
After due consideration and discussion of the factors that our Board deemed relevant to enable it to reach an informed decision as to the
fairness and advisability of the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the factors discussed in the above subsection "
Reasons for
the Merger
", our Board unanimously (i) determined that the merger agreement and the transactions
42
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contemplated
by the merger agreement are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders, (ii) approved, adopted and declared advisable the merger agreement and the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and (iii) recommended adoption of the merger agreement by our stockholders.
Our Board unanimously recommends that you vote (1) "FOR" the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, (2) "FOR" the Adjournment Proposal and
(3) "FOR" the non-binding, advisory Merger-Related Compensation Proposal.
OTHER MATTERS
Our Board is not aware of any matter to be presented for action at the special meeting other than the matters set forth in this proxy statement.
Should any other matter requiring a vote of the stockholders properly come before the meeting, the persons named as proxy holders on the enclosed proxy card will vote the shares represented thereby in
accordance with their best judgment on such matters. Discretionary authority with respect to such other matters is granted by the execution of the enclose proxy card.
|
|
|
|
|
By order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter Kasper Jakobsen
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
Dated:
[ ], 2017
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Table of Contents
Annex AMerger Agreement
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
dated as of
February 10, 2017
among
RECKITT BENCKISER GROUP PLC
MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY
and
MARIGOLD MERGER SUB, INC.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A-i
Table of Contents
A-ii
Table of Contents
A-iii
Table of Contents
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms, this
"
Agreement
") dated as of February 10, 2017, among Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, a Delaware corporation (the
"
Company
"), Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales ("
Parent
"),
and Marigold Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Parent ("
Merger Sub
").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, the Company and Merger Sub have approved and deemed it advisable that the shareholders of
Parent approve the Merger and the respective stockholders of the Company and Merger Sub adopt this Agreement pursuant to which, among other things, Parent would indirectly acquire the Company by means
of a merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent and Reckitt Benckiser Treasury Services plc
("
RBTS
") have entered into a facilities agreement with Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited, Deutsche Bank AG, London branch, HSBC
Bank plc and The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (and/or their respective Affiliates) (the "
Debt Commitment Parties
") pursuant
to which the Debt Commitment Parties have agreed to arrange and committed to provide debt financing to Parent and RBTS in an aggregate amount of $20,000,000,000 and £1,000,000,000, the
proceeds of which are expected to be sufficient, together with cash on hand, to pay the aggregate Merger Consideration and all other amounts, costs and expenses payable by Parent and/or its
Subsidiaries under or in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
ACCORDINGLY,
in consideration of the foregoing and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein (the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby
acknowledged), the parties hereto agree as follows:
Article 1
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01.
Definitions
.
(a) As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:
"
1933 Act
" means the Securities Act of 1933.
"
1934 Act
" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
"
Acquisition Proposal
" means, other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any offer or proposal by a Third Party relating
to (i) any direct or indirect acquisition or purchase of 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or 20% or more of any class of equity or voting securities of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) any tender
offer (including a self-tender offer) or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in such Third Party beneficially owning 20% or more of any class of equity or voting securities of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (iii) a merger,
consolidation, share exchange, business combination, sale of all or substantially all of the assets, reorganization, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar transaction involving
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
A-1
Table of Contents
"
Affiliate
" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control
with such Person. For purposes of this definition, "
control
" when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies
of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms "
controlling
" and
"
controlled
" have correlative meanings.
"
Anti-Bribery Laws
" means the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act of 2010 and any similar Applicable Law of any
other jurisdiction where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries does business.
"
Applicable Law
" means, with respect to any Person, any transnational, domestic or foreign federal, state or local law (statutory, common
or otherwise), constitution, treaty, convention, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling, directive, instruction, guideline, bulletin, manual, policy, standard,
interpretation or other similar requirement enacted, adopted, promulgated or applied by a Governmental Authority that is binding upon or applicable to such Person.
"
Business Day
" means any day, other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York, or London,
United Kingdom are authorized or required by Applicable Law to close.
"
COBRA
" means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985.
"
Code
" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
"
Collective Bargaining Agreement
" means any written agreement, memorandum of understanding or other contractual obligation between the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any labor organization or other authorized employee representative representing current or former employees of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with
their employment with the Company or any Subsidiary.
"
Company 10-Q
" means the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2016.
"
Company Balance Sheet
" means the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of September 30, 2016 and the
footnotes thereto set forth in the Company 10-Q.
"
Company Balance Sheet Date
" means September 30, 2016.
"
Company Common Stock
" means the common stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company.
"
Company Disclosure Schedule
" means the disclosure schedule dated the date hereof regarding this Agreement that has been provided by the
Company to Parent and Merger Sub.
"
Company Material Adverse Effect
" means a material adverse effect on (i) the financial condition, business, assets or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, excluding any effect to the extent arising or resulting from (A) changes in the financial or securities markets or general
economic or political conditions globally or in any of the markets in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries operate;
provided
that such changes
may be considered for purposes of determining whether there has been, or would reasonably expected to be, a Company Material Adverse Effect to the extent such changes have a disproportionate adverse
effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other companies engaged in the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, (B) changes (including
changes in Applicable Law, GAAP or the interpretation or enforcement thereof) or conditions generally affecting the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate;
provided
that such changes
or conditions may be considered for purposes of determining whether there has been, or would reasonably expected to be, a
Company Material Adverse Effect to the extent such changes or conditions have a disproportionate adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other companies
engaged in the
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industry
in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, (C) acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or natural disasters globally or in any of the markets in which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries operate;
provided
that such conditions or occurrences may be considered for purposes of determining whether there has been, or would
reasonably expected to be, a Company Material Adverse Effect to the extent such conditions or occurrences have a disproportionate adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
relative to other companies engaged in the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, (D) any failure, in and of itself, 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 and agreed that the foregoing shall not preclude any
other party to this Agreement from asserting that any facts or occurrences giving rise or contributing to such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of Company Material Adverse
Effect should be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or would reasonably be expected to be, a Company Material Adverse Effect), (E) the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the public announcement or consummation of this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby (it being understood and agreed that
the foregoing shall not apply to any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of the Company herein that is intended to address the consequences of the execution, delivery or performance of
this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby), or (F) any action taken at the written request of Parent or Merger Sub, or (ii) the Company's ability to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
"
Company Preferred Stock
" means the preferred stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company.
"
Company Revolver
" means the Company's five-year revolving credit facility, as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents as of the date
hereof (or as amended after the date hereof in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement).
"
Company SEC Documents
" means, collectively, (i) the Company's annual reports on Form 10-K, (ii) the Company's
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, (iii) each of the Company's current reports on Form 8-K, and (iv) the Company's proxy statements relating to its annual meeting of
stockholders, in each case filed or furnished by the Company with the SEC since January 1, 2014.
"
Company Stock Plans
" means the Company Long-Term Incentive Plan, Company 2009 Amended and Restated Stock Award and Incentive Plan and the
Company 2009 Stock Award and Incentive Plan and any other equity compensation plan or arrangement of the Company.
"
Company Transaction Representative
" means (i) directors, officers and employees of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries and
Affiliates and (ii) investment bankers, attorneys, accountants or other advisors, agents, intermediaries or representatives retained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates in
connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
"
Competition Laws
" means the HSR Act and any other Applicable Law that is 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.
"
Confidentiality Agreement
" means the Confidentiality Agreement, dated December 19, 2016, between Parent and the Company.
"
Contract
" or "
contract
" means any legally binding contract, agreement, obligation,
commitment, arrangement, understanding, instrument, permit, lease (other than, for purposes of the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.20, any lease that is not a Material
Lease) or license, in each case whether written or oral.
"
Delaware Law
" means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
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"
Employee Plan
" means any (i) "employee benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, (ii) Company Stock Plan,
compensation, employment, consulting, severance, termination protection, change in control, transaction bonus, retention or similar plan, agreement, arrangement, program or policy or
(iii) other plan, agreement, arrangement, program or policy providing for compensation (other than base salary or base wage rates), bonuses, profit-sharing, equity or equity-based compensation
or other forms of incentive or deferred compensation, vacation benefits, insurance (including any self-insured arrangement), medical, dental, vision, prescription or fringe benefits, life insurance,
relocation or expatriate benefits, perquisites, disability or sick leave benefits, employee assistance program, workers' compensation, supplemental unemployment benefits or post-employment or
retirement benefits (including compensation, pension, health, medical or insurance benefits), in each case whether or not written (x) that is sponsored, maintained, administered, contributed to
or entered into by the Company or any of its Affiliates for the current or future benefit of any current or former Service Provider or (y) for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
any direct or indirect liability; but excluding any statutory employee benefit plan that is (A) required pursuant to Applicable Law outside of the United States and (B) maintained either
solely by a Governmental Authority or on behalf of a Governmental Authority by a third-party entity other than the Company or one of its Affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, a Collective Bargaining
Agreement shall not constitute an agreement for purposes of clauses (ii) and (iii).
"
Environmental Law
" means any Applicable Law relating to the protection of human health and safety (with respect to Hazardous Substances),
protection of the indoor or outdoor environment, or the generation, use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, release or discharge of pollutants, contaminants, chemicals or any
other toxic or otherwise Hazardous Substances.
"
Environmental Permits
" means all permits, licenses, authorizations, franchises, consents, approvals, variances and exemptions, in each
case, required by Environmental Laws and relating to the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as currently conducted.
"
ERISA
" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
"
Financing Related Party
" means all Financing Sources, together with their Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees,
stockholders, agents, and other Representatives.
"
GAAP
" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
"
Governmental Authority
" means any transnational, domestic or foreign federal, state or local governmental, regulatory or administrative
authority, department, court, agency, inter-agency committee, commission or official, including any political subdivision thereof.
"
Hazardous Substance
" means any pollutant or contaminant or any toxic, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous
substance, waste or material, or any substance, waste or material having any constituent elements displaying any of the foregoing characteristics, or any other substance, waste or material regulated,
or for which liability may be imposed, under any Applicable Law relating to the environment due to actually or potentially dangerous or deleterious properties or characteristics.
"
HSR Act
" means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.
"
Intellectual Property Rights
" means any and all intellectual property rights or similar proprietary rights throughout the world,
including all (i) national and multinational statutory invention registrations, patents and patent applications of any type issued or applied for in any jurisdiction, including all
provisionals, nonprovisionals, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues, extensions, supplementary protection certificates, reexaminations and the equivalents of any of the foregoing
in any jurisdiction, and all inventions disclosed in each such registration, patent or patent application, (ii) trademarks, service marks, trade dress, logos, brand names, certification marks,
domain
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names,
trade names, corporate names and other indications of origin, whether or not registered, in any jurisdiction, and all registrations and applications for registration of the foregoing in any
jurisdiction, and all goodwill associated with the foregoing, (iii) copyrights (whether or not registered) and registrations and applications for registration thereof in any jurisdiction,
including all derivative works, moral rights, renewals, extensions, reversions or restorations associated with such copyrights, regardless of the medium of fixation or means of expression,
(iv) rights in confidential information (including trade secrets, data, specifications, processes, methods, knowledge, experience, formulae, skills, techniques, schematics, drawings, blue
prints, utility models, designs, technology, software, inventions, discoveries, ideas and improvements, including manufacturing information and processes, assays, engineering and other manuals and
drawings, standard operating procedures, flow diagrams, regulatory, chemical, pharmacological, toxicological, pharmaceutical, physical and analytical, safety, quality assurance, quality control and
clinical data, technical information, research records and similar data and information) that (A) derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to or
readily ascertainable through appropriate means by other Persons who might obtain economic value from its disclosure or use and (B) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the
circumstances to maintain its secrecy, (v) database rights, industrial designs, industrial property rights, publicity rights and privacy rights, and (vi) the right to assert, claim or
sue and collect damages from the past, present or future infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any of the foregoing.
"
International Plan
" means any Employee Plan that is not a US Plan.
"
IRS
" means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
"
IT Assets
" means computers, computer software, firmware, middleware, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications
lines and all other information technology equipment, in each case owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or licensed or leased to, and possessed and controlled by, the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries pursuant to written agreement (excluding any public networks).
"
Key Employee
" means an employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose annual base salary is $350,000 or more.
"
knowledge
" of any Person that is not an individual means the actual knowledge of (i) in the case of the Company, the Persons set
forth in Section 1.01(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and (ii) in the case of Parent, the Persons set forth in Section 1.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
"
Licensed Intellectual Property Rights
" means all Intellectual Property Rights owned by a Third Party and licensed or sublicensed to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has obtained a covenant not to be sued.
"
Lien
" means, with respect to any property or asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, encumbrance or other adverse
claim of any kind in respect of such property or asset (but, for the avoidance of doubt, excluding (i) licenses granted pursuant to Material Contracts and (ii) non-exclusive licenses
with respect to Intellectual Property Rights that are (A) granted in the ordinary course of business, or (B) not material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, as currently conducted). For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any property or asset that it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a
vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such property or asset.
"
Listing Rules
" means the Listing Rules of the UKLA made pursuant to Part VI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
"
Multiemployer Plan
" means a "multiemployer plan" as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
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"
NYSE
" means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
"
Other Company Representatives
" means any investment bankers, attorneys, accountants or other advisors, agents, intermediaries or
representatives retained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates other than in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
"
Owned Intellectual Property Rights
" means all Intellectual Property Rights owned (or, solely with respect to Section 4.15(b),
expressly purported in writing to be owned) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
"
Parent Material Adverse Effect
" means a material adverse effect on Parent or Merger Sub's ability to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
"
Parent Sponsor
" means the sponsor(s) appointed by Parent in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby
pursuant to Chapter 8 of the Listing Rules.
"
Permitted Liens
" means any (i) statutory Liens for Taxes, business improvement district charges, water and sewer charges,
assessments and other lienable services and other governmental charges and impositions not yet due or payable or that are being contested in good faith through appropriate proceedings and for which
adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP, (ii) statutory Liens arising out of operation of Applicable Law, including carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's,
repairmen's or other similar Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of amounts not more than 30 days overdue or that are being contested in good faith through appropriate
proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP, (iii) pledges or deposits in connection with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other
social security legislation, (iv) with respect to the Company Real Property in the case of clauses (1) through (4) below, and Leased Real Property in case of clause (5)
below, (1) all matters, whether or not of record, that arise out of the actions of Parent or its Representatives, (2) all easements, covenants, rights-of-way, restrictions and other
encumbrances affecting any Company Real Property, (3) all Liens and other matters disclosed, or in any title commitment, report, listing or policy, or in any survey or survey update relating to
the Company Real Property, in each case to the extent made available by the Company to Parent prior to the date hereof, (4) any and all Applicable Law affecting the Company Real Property
(including any Applicable Laws relating to zoning, building and the use, occupancy, subdivision or improvement of the Company Real Property), and (5) statutory landlords' Liens and Liens
granted to landlords under any lease or sublease;
provided
that such matters described in clauses (1) through (5) do not prohibit or
materially impair the current use and operation of the Leased Real Property subject thereto in the business of the Company, (v) any Liens created pursuant to or in connection with this
Agreement or disclosed in the Company Disclosure Schedule, (vi) Liens approved in writing by Parent, and (vii) Liens securing indebtedness as reflected or disclosed in the Company
Disclosure Schedule.
"
Person
" means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, trust or other entity or organization,
including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.
"
PSU
" means a performance stock unit representing the right to receive a payment in cash or shares of Company Common Stock outstanding
under the Company Stock Plans.
"
Representative
" means, with respect to any Person, such Person's officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys,
accountants, consultants and other agents, advisers, intermediaries and representatives.
"
RSU
" means a restricted stock unit representing the right to receive a payment in cash or shares of Company Common Stock outstanding
under the Company Stock Plans.
"
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
" means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
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"
SEC
" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"
Service Provider
" means any director, officer, employee or individual independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
"
Stock Option
" means each option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock outstanding under the Company Stock Plans.
"
Subsidiary
" means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power
to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are directly or indirectly owned by such Person.
"
Tax
" means any tax, duty, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, including all net income, gross
receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem, value added, transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock, license, withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment, excise,
severance, stamp, occupation, property and estimated taxes, customs duties, fees and assessments together with any interest, penalty, addition to tax or additional amount imposed with respect thereto
by any Taxing Authority.
"
Tax Return
" means any report, return, document, declaration or other information or filing supplied or required to be supplied to any
Taxing Authority with respect to Taxes, including information returns, any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.
"
Taxing Authority
" means any Governmental Authority (domestic or foreign) responsible for the imposition or collection of any Tax.
"
Third Party
" means any Person, including any "person" as defined in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act, other than Parent or any of its
Affiliates, and the directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person, in each case, acting in such capacity.
"
Title IV Plan
" means any Employee Plan (other than any Multiemployer Plan) that is subject to Title IV of ERISA.
"
UKLA
" means the United Kingdom Listing Authority.
"
US Plan
" means any Employee Plan that covers Service Providers located primarily within the United States.
"
VAT
" means (i) any Tax levied in accordance with (but subject to derogations from) the Council Directive of 28 November
2006 on the common system of value added tax (EC Directive 2006/112) and (ii) any other Tax of a similar nature, whether imposed in a member state of the European Union in substitution for, or
levied in addition to, such tax referred to in clause (i) above, or imposed elsewhere.
"
WARN
" means the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and any comparable foreign, state or local law.
|
|
|
Term
|
|
Section
|
2017 PSUs
|
|
2.05(a)(iii)
|
2017 RSUs
|
|
2.05(a)(ii)
|
Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement
|
|
6.03(b)(i)
|
Adverse Recommendation Change
|
|
6.03(a)
|
Agreement
|
|
Preamble
|
Alternative Financing
|
|
7.06(a)
|
Anti-Kickback Statute
|
|
4.19(e)(iii)
|
Bond Refinancing
|
|
6.05
|
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|
|
|
Term
|
|
Section
|
Capitalization Date
|
|
4.05(a)
|
Certificates
|
|
2.03(a)
|
Closing
|
|
2.01(b)
|
Closing Date
|
|
2.01(b)
|
Company
|
|
Preamble
|
Company Board Recommendation
|
|
4.02(b)
|
Company Filings
|
|
4.07(a)
|
Company Permits
|
|
4.12(b)
|
Company Proxy Statement
|
|
4.09(a)
|
Company Real Property
|
|
4.14(c)
|
Company Related Persons
|
|
4.25
|
Company Securities
|
|
4.05(b)
|
Company Severance Practice
|
|
7.05(b)
|
Company Stockholder Approval
|
|
4.02(a)
|
Company Stockholder Meeting
|
|
6.02(a)
|
Company Subsidiary Securities
|
|
4.06(b)
|
Continuation Period
|
|
7.05(a)
|
Covered Employees
|
|
7.05(a)
|
D&O Insurance
|
|
7.04(c)
|
Debt Commitment Parties
|
|
Recitals
|
Debt Financing
|
|
5.07(a)
|
Debt Financing Agreements
|
|
5.07(a)
|
Dissenting Shares
|
|
2.05
|
Effective Time
|
|
2.01(c)
|
e-mail
|
|
11.01
|
End Date
|
|
10.01(b)(i)
|
Exchange Agent
|
|
2.03(a)
|
FDA
|
|
4.19(a)
|
Financing Sources
|
|
5.07(a)
|
Food Authorities
|
|
4.19(a)
|
FTC
|
|
4.19(a)
|
Indemnified Person
|
|
7.04(a)
|
Leased Real Property
|
|
4.14(c)
|
Material Contract
|
|
4.20(b)
|
Material Lease
|
|
4.14(c)
|
Merger
|
|
2.01(a)
|
Merger Announcement
|
|
4.09(b)
|
Merger Consideration
|
|
2.02(a)
|
Merger Sub
|
|
Preamble
|
Merger-Related Litigation
|
|
6.06
|
Owned Real Property
|
|
4.14(b)
|
Parent
|
|
Preamble
|
Parent Adverse Recommendation Change
|
|
7.03
|
Parent Board Recommendation
|
|
5.02(b)
|
Parent Cost Reimbursement
|
|
10.03(a)(ii)
|
Parent Employee Benefit Plan
|
|
7.05(c)
|
Parent Fee Designee
|
|
10.03(a)(i)
|
Parent Related Persons
|
|
5.12
|
Parent Shareholder Approval
|
|
5.02(a)
|
Parent Shareholder Circular
|
|
4.09(b)
|
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|
|
|
Term
|
|
Section
|
Parent Shareholder Meeting
|
|
7.02
|
Products
|
|
4.19(a)
|
PSU Amount
|
|
2.05(a)(iii)
|
RBTS
|
|
Recitals
|
Registered IP
|
|
4.15(a)
|
Replacement Debt Financing
|
|
7.06(b)
|
Replacement Debt Financing Agreement
|
|
7.06(b)
|
Required Governmental Approval
|
|
4.03
|
Restraint
|
|
9.01(d)
|
Reverse Termination Fee
|
|
10.03(b)(i)
|
Sanctions
|
|
4.12(d)
|
Superior Proposal
|
|
6.03(e)
|
Surviving Corporation
|
|
2.01(a)
|
Termination Fee
|
|
10.03(a)(i)
|
Uncertificated Shares
|
|
2.03(a)
|
USDA
|
|
4.19(a)
|
Section 1.02.
Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions
.
The words "hereof", "herein" and "hereunder" and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this
Agreement. The table of contents and captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof. References to Articles, Sections,
Annexes and Schedules are to Articles, Sections, Annexes and Schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise specified. All Annexes and Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein, including the
Company Disclosure Schedule, are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein. Any capitalized terms used in any Annexes or Schedule but not otherwise
defined therein, shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular. Whenever the words
"include", "includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words ", but not limited to,", whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or
words of like import. The word "extent" and the phrase "to the extent" shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends and not simply "if." "Writing", "written" and comparable terms
refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form. References to any statute shall be deemed to refer to such statute as amended from time
to time and to any rules, regulations or interpretations promulgated thereunder. References to any Contract are to such Contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance
with the terms hereof and thereof;
provided
that with respect to any Contract listed on any Schedules hereto, all such amendments, modifications or
supplements must also be listed in the appropriate schedule. References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person. References from or through any date mean, unless
otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively. References to "law", "laws" or to a particular statute or law shall be deemed also to include any Applicable Law.
Article 2
THE MERGER
Section 2.01.
The Merger
.
(a) At the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged (the "
Merger
") with and into the Company in accordance with Delaware Law,
whereupon the separate existence of Merger Sub shall cease, and the Company shall be the surviving corporation (the "
Surviving Corporation
").
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(b) Subject
to the provisions of Article 9, the closing of the Merger (the "
Closing
") shall take place (i) in
New York City at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York, 10017 as soon as possible, but in any event no later than three Business Days after
the date the conditions set forth in Article 9 (other than conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by
Applicable Law, waiver of such conditions by the party or parties entitled to the benefit thereof at the Closing) have been satisfied or, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, waived by the party
or parties entitled to the benefit of such conditions, or (ii) at such other place, at such other time or on such other date as Parent and the Company may mutually agree (the date on which the
Closing occurs, the "
Closing Date
").
(c) At
the Closing, the Company and Merger Sub shall file a certificate of merger with the Delaware Secretary of State and make all other filings or recordings
required by Delaware Law in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become effective at such time (the "
Effective Time
") as the certificate of
merger is duly filed with the Delaware Secretary of State (or at such later time as may be agreed by Parent and the Company and specified in the certificate of merger).
(d) From
and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall possess all the rights, powers, privileges and franchises and be subject to all of the obligations,
liabilities, restrictions and disabilities of the Company and Merger Sub, all as provided under Delaware Law.
Section 2.02.
Conversion of Shares
.
At the Effective Time:
(a) Except
as otherwise provided in Section 2.02(b), Section 2.02(c), Section 2.04 or Section 2.05, each share of Company Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into the right to receive $90.00 in cash, without interest (the "
Merger
Consideration
"). As of the Effective Time, all such shares of Company Common Stock shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall
cease to exist, and shall thereafter represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration to be paid in accordance with Section 2.03, without interest. For the sake of clarity, any
dividends that are declared by the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with the terms hereof having a record date prior to the Effective Time which remain unpaid as of the Effective Time
shall be satisfied by the Company on the payment date prescribed by the Board of Directors of the Company for such dividend even if such date occurs after the Effective Time.
(b) Each
share of Company Common Stock held by the Company as treasury stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than shares held for the account of clients,
customers or other Persons) shall be canceled, and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.
(c) Each
share of Company Common Stock held by Parent or by any Subsidiary of either the Company or Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into
such number of shares of stock of the Surviving Corporation such that Parent or each such Subsidiary, as applicable, owns the same percentage of Surviving Corporation immediately following the
Effective Time as Parent or such Subsidiary owned in the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(d) Each
share of common stock of Merger Sub outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one share of common stock of the
Surviving Corporation with the same rights, powers and privileges as the shares so converted and, except as provided in Section 2.02(c), shall constitute the only outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Surviving Corporation.
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Table of Contents
Section 2.03.
Surrender and Payment
.
(a) Prior to the Effective Time, Parent or a Subsidiary of Parent shall appoint an agent (the "
Exchange Agent
") for the purpose of
exchanging for the Merger Consideration (i) certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock (the "
Certificates
") or (ii) subject
to Section 2.05, uncertificated shares of Company Common Stock (the "
Uncertificated Shares
"). Parent shall make available, or shall cause to be
made available, to the Exchange Agent, as needed, the Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of the Certificates and the Uncertificated Shares. Promptly after the Effective Time, Parent shall
send, or shall cause the Exchange Agent to send, to each holder of shares of Company Common Stock at the Effective Time a letter of transmittal and instructions (which shall specify that the delivery
shall be effected, and risk of loss and title shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates or transfer of the Uncertificated Shares to the Exchange Agent) for use in such exchange.
(b) Each
holder of shares of Company Common Stock that have been converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration shall be entitled to receive, upon
(i) surrender to the Exchange Agent of a Certificate, together with a properly completed letter of transmittal, or (ii) receipt of an "agent's message" by the Exchange Agent (or such
other evidence, if any, of transfer as the Exchange Agent may reasonably request) in the case of a book-entry transfer of Uncertificated Shares, the Merger Consideration in respect of the Company
Common Stock represented by a Certificate or Uncertificated
Share. Until so surrendered or transferred, as the case may be, each such Certificate or Uncertificated Share shall represent for all purposes after the Effective Time only the right to receive such
Merger Consideration as contemplated by this Article 2.
(c) If
any portion of the Merger Consideration is to be paid to a Person other than the Person in whose name the surrendered Certificate or the transferred Uncertificated
Share is registered, it shall be a condition to such payment that (i) either such Certificate shall be properly endorsed or shall otherwise be in proper form for transfer or such Uncertificated
Share shall be properly transferred and (ii) the Person requesting such payment shall pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other Taxes required as a result of such payment to a Person
other than the registered holder of such Certificate or Uncertificated Share or establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such Tax has been paid or is not payable.
(d) After
the Effective Time, there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Common Stock. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates or
Uncertificated Shares are presented to the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent, they shall be canceled and exchanged for the Merger Consideration payable in respect thereof provided for, and
in accordance with the procedures set forth, in this Article 2.
(e) Any
portion of the Merger Consideration made available to the Exchange Agent pursuant to Section 2.03(a) that remains unclaimed by the holders of shares of
Company Common Stock one year after the Effective Time shall be returned to, or as directed by, Parent (or a Subsidiary of Parent that appointed the Exchange Agent, if any), upon demand, and any such
holder who has not exchanged shares of Company Common Stock for the Merger Consideration in accordance with this Section 2.03 prior to that time shall thereafter look only to Parent or such
Subsidiary, as applicable, for payment of the Merger Consideration in respect of such shares without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither Parent nor such Subsidiary, if any,
shall be liable to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock for any amounts paid to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws. Any amounts remaining
unclaimed by holders of shares of Company Common Stock immediately prior to such time when the amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any Governmental Authority shall become, to the
extent permitted by Applicable Law, the property of Parent or such Subsidiary, as applicable, free and clear of any claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto.
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(f) Subject
to Section 2.04, any portion of the Merger Consideration made available to the Exchange Agent pursuant to Section 2.03(a) to pay for shares of
Company Common Stock for which appraisal rights have been perfected shall be returned to, or as directed by, Parent (or a Subsidiary of Parent that appointed the Exchange Agent, if any), upon demand.
(g) Subject
to Section 2.03(c)(ii), the payment of any transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, value added and other Taxes and fees (including any
penalties and interest) incurred in connection with the Merger, and the filing of any related Tax returns and other documentation with respect to such Taxes and fees, shall be borne by the Surviving
Corporation.
Section 2.04.
Dissenting Shares
.
Notwithstanding Section 2.02, shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who has not voted in favor of the Merger or
consented thereto in writing and who has demanded appraisal for such shares in accordance with Delaware Law ("
Dissenting Shares
") shall not be converted
into the right to receive the Merger Consideration payable in respect of such shares, unless such holder fails to perfect, withdraws or otherwise loses the right to appraisal. If, after the Effective
Time, such holder fails to perfect, withdraws or otherwise loses the right to appraisal, such shares shall be treated as if they had been converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive
the Merger Consideration payable in respect of such shares. The Company shall give Parent prompt notice of any written demands received by the Company for appraisal of shares and Parent shall have the
right to direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to all such demands. Except with the prior written consent of Parent, the Company shall not make any payment with respect to, or offer to
settle or settle, any such demands.
Section 2.05.
Employee Equity
.
(a) As soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company (or, if appropriate, any committee thereof administering the Company Stock
Plans) shall adopt resolutions to effect the following:
(i) adjust
the terms of all outstanding Stock Options, whether vested or unvested, as necessary to provide that, at the Effective Time, each Stock Option outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled and the holder thereof shall then become entitled to receive solely, in full satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto,
a lump-sum cash payment equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of Company Common Stock for which such Stock Option has not been exercised and (B) the excess, if any, of the
Merger Consideration over the exercise price per share of such Stock Option;
provided
that, for the avoidance of doubt, each Stock Option with an
exercise price equal to or greater than the Merger Consideration shall be cancelled immediately prior to the Effective Time for no consideration;
(ii) adjust
the terms of all outstanding RSUs, other than RSUs granted after the date of this Agreement (the "
2017 RSUs
"), as
necessary to provide that, at the Effective Time, each such RSU outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled and the holder thereof shall then become entitled to receive
solely, in full satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto, a lump-sum cash payment equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such
RSU immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the Merger Consideration;
(iii) adjust
the terms of all outstanding PSUs, other than PSUs granted after the date of this Agreement (the "
2017 PSUs
"),
as necessary to provide that, at the Effective Time, each such PSU outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled and the holder thereof shall then become entitled to receive
solely, in full satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto, a lump-sum cash payment equal to the product of (A) the PSU Amount and (B) the Merger Consideration. For
purposes of this Agreement, "
PSU Amount
" means, with respect to any PSU outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, a number of shares of
Company Common Stock equal to the sum of (1) the total
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number
of shares of Company Common Stock that would be delivered to the holder of such award based on the actual achievement of the performance goals applicable to such award for any completed
one-year performance period ending prior to the Effective Time, as reasonably determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (or a committee thereof) prior to the Effective Time, and assuming the
satisfaction of all other conditions to such delivery, and (2) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such award that would be delivered to the holder of such award based on
target achievement of the performance goals applicable to such award for any one-year performance period that has not been completed as of immediately prior to the Effective Time and assuming the
satisfaction of all other conditions to such delivery; and
(iv) provide
terms for all of the 2017 RSUs and 2017 PSUs that are consistent with the provisions set forth in Section 6.01(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
(b) The
Surviving Corporation shall pay all amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.05 as soon as reasonably practicable (but in any event no later than five days)
after the Effective Time.
Section 2.06.
Adjustments
.
Without limiting or affecting any of the provisions of Section 6.01, if, during the period between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, any change in the outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company shall occur by reason of any reclassification, recapitalization, stock split or combination, exchange or readjustment of shares, subdivision or other similar
transaction, or any stock dividend thereon with a record date during such period, the Merger Consideration and any other amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted to
eliminate the effect of such event on the Merger Consideration or any such other amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 2.07.
Withholding Rights
.
Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, each of the Exchange Agent, the Company, the Surviving Corporation and Parent, and any of their respective Affiliates,
shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration or any payment otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with
respect to the making of such payment under any provision of Applicable Law, including federal, state, local or foreign Tax law. If the Exchange Agent, the Company, the Surviving Corporation or
Parent, or any such Affiliate, as the case may be, so withholds amounts, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of whom the
Exchange Agent, the Company, the Surviving Corporation or Parent, or such Affiliate, as the case may be, made such deduction and withholding.
Section 2.08.
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 the Surviving Corporation, the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation 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 represented by such Certificate, as contemplated by this Article 2.
Article 3
THE SURVIVING CORPORATION
Section 3.01.
Certificate of Incorporation
.
The certificate of incorporation of the Company in effect at the Effective Time shall be amended and restated in its entirety at the Effective Time to be identical to the certificate of
incorporation of Merger Sub in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that all references therein to Merger Sub shall be amended pursuant to the certificate of merger and shall become
references to the Surviving Corporation and the provisions of the certificate
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of
incorporation of Merger Sub relating to the incorporator of Merger Sub shall be omitted, until thereafter amended in accordance with Applicable Law.
Section 3.02.
Bylaws
.
The bylaws of Merger Sub in effect at the Effective Time shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until amended in accordance with Applicable Law.
Section 3.03.
Directors and Officers
.
From and after the Effective Time, until successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified in accordance with Applicable Law, (i) the directors of Merger Sub at the Effective
Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation and (ii) the officers of the Company at the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation.
Article 4
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Subject
to Section 11.05, except (x) other than with respect to the representations and warranties in Sections 4.01, 4.02, 4.05 and 4.23, as disclosed in any of the
Company SEC Documents or (y) as set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company represents and warrants to Parent as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date that:
Section 4.01.
Corporate Existence and Power
.
The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all corporate powers and all governmental licenses,
authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals the absence of which has
not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so qualified or in good standing has not had and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of the
certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
Section 4.02.
Corporate Authorization
.
(a) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby are within the Company's
corporate powers and, except for the required approval of the Company's stockholders in connection with the consummation of the Merger, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
the part of the Company. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock is the only vote of the holders of any of the Company's capital stock
necessary in connection with the consummation of the Merger (the "
Company Stockholder Approval
"). This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by
the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforceability, to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity).
(b) At
a meeting duly called and held, the Company's Board of Directors has unanimously (i) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
are fair to and in the best interests of the Company's stockholders, (ii) approved, adopted and declared advisable this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) directed
that the adoption of this Agreement be submitted to a vote at a meeting of the Company's stockholders and (iv) resolved, subject to Section 6.03, to recommend adoption of this Agreement
by the stockholders of the Company (such recommendation, the "
Company Board Recommendation
"). As of the date of this Agreement, the Company's Board of
Directors has not subsequently rescinded, modified or withdrawn any of the foregoing resolutions.
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Section 4.03.
Governmental Authorization
.
The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby require no action by or in respect
of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority, other than (a) the filing of a certificate of merger with respect to the Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State and appropriate documents
with the relevant authorities of other states in which the Company is qualified to do business, (b) compliance with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act and the expiration or termination
of any applicable waiting period thereunder, (c) the filings, consents, approvals, authorizations, clearances or other actions under the Competition Laws applicable to the Merger and the
expiration or termination of any applicable waiting periods thereunder (the "
Required Governmental Approvals
"), (d) approval of the Parent
Shareholder Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto by, and the filing of the Parent Shareholder Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto with, the UKLA, (e) the filing
with the SEC of the Company Proxy Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto, and other filings required under, and compliance with any applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and any other
applicable U.S. state or federal securities laws, (f) compliance with any applicable requirements of the NYSE, and (g) any other actions or filings the absence of which has not had and
would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.04.
Non-Contravention
.
The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (a) contravene, conflict
with, or result in any violation or breach of any provision of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company, (b) assuming that the consents, approvals and filings referred to in
Section 4.03 are made and obtained and receipt of the Company Stockholder Approval, contravene, conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Applicable Law,
(c) assuming that the consents, approvals and filings referred to in Section 4.03 are made and obtained and receipt of the Company Stockholder Approval, require any consent or other
action by any Person under, constitute a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default, under, or cause or permit the termination,
cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled under any provision of any Contract binding
upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Company Permit or (d) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any asset of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, with only such exceptions, in the case of each of clauses (b) through(d), as have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.05.
Capitalization
.
(a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (x) 3,000,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock and (y) 300,000,000 shares of Company Preferred Stock.
As of the close of business on February 6, 2017 (the "
Capitalization Date
"), (i) 183,384,495 shares of Company Common Stock were issued
and outstanding, (ii) no shares of Company Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, (iii) 2,510,144 shares of Company Common Stock were subject to outstanding Stock Options at a
weighted-average exercise price of $74.73 per share, (iv) 700,142 shares of Company Common Stock were subject to outstanding RSUs, (v) 60,671 shares of Company Common Stock were subject
to outstanding PSUs for which the applicable one-year performance period has been completed and performance has been determined and (vi) 324,808 shares of Company Common Stock were subject to
outstanding PSUs for which (A) the applicable one-year performance period has been completed and performance has not been determined and (B) the applicable one-year performance period
has not been completed (in either case, assuming the target level of attainment of the applicable performance conditions). All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been, and all
shares that may be issued pursuant to any equity compensation plan or arrangement will be, when issued in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. Section 4.05 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list of all outstanding Stock Options, RSUs and PSUs, including
with
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respect
to each such award, as applicable, the holder, date of grant, exercise price, expiration date and number of shares of Company Common Stock subject thereto (assuming the target level of
attainment of the applicable performance conditions).
(b) There
are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities
having the right to vote) on any matters on which stockholders of the Company may vote. Except as set forth in Section 4.05(a) and for changes since the Capitalization Date resulting from
(x) the exercise of Stock Options outstanding on such date or issued after such date, (y) the vesting and settlement of RSUs and PSUs outstanding on such date or issued after such date
and (z) the issuance of Stock Options, RSUs and PSUs after such date, in each case, to the extent permitted by Section 6.01, there are no issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding
(i) shares of capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, the Company, (ii) securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for shares of
capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, the Company, (iii) warrants, calls, options or other rights to acquire from the Company, or other obligations of
the Company to issue, any shares of capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or other
voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, the Company or (iv) restricted shares stock appreciation rights, performance shares or units, 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 or voting securities of, or other
ownership interests in, the Company (the items in clauses (i) through (iv) being referred to collectively as the "
Company Securities
").
There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Company
Securities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement with respect to the voting of any Company Securities.
(c) No
Subsidiary or controlled Affiliate of the Company owns any Company Securities.
Section 4.06.
Subsidiaries
.
(a) Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized, is validly existing and (where applicable) in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, has all
organizational powers and all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those licenses, authorizations,
permits, consents and approvals the absence of which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary
is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so qualified
has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this Agreement, all Subsidiaries of the Company and
their respective jurisdictions of organization are identified in the Company Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.
(b) All
of the outstanding capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, each Subsidiary of the Company, is owned by the Company, directly or
indirectly, free and clear of any Lien (other than any restrictions imposed by Applicable Law) and free of any other limitation or restriction (including any restriction on the right to vote, sell or
otherwise dispose of such capital stock or other voting securities or other ownership interests). There are no issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding (i) securities of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) warrants,
calls, options or other rights to acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or other obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any shares of capital stock or other
voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, any shares of capital
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stock
or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company or (iii) restricted shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, 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 or
other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company (the items in clauses (i) through (iii) being
referred to collectively as the "
Company Subsidiary Securities
"). There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Company Subsidiary Securities. As of the date of this Agreement, except for the capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests
in, its Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock or other voting securities of, or other ownership interests in, any Person.
Section 4.07.
SEC Filings and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed with or furnished to the SEC all reports, schedules, forms, statements, prospectuses, registration statements and other documents
required to be filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company since January 1, 2014 (collectively, together with any exhibits and schedules thereto and other information incorporated by
reference therein, as such statements and reports may have been amended since the date of their filing and prior to the date hereof, the "
Company
Filings
"). No Subsidiary of the Company is required to file any report, schedule, form, statement, prospectus, registration statement or other document with the SEC.
(b) As
of its filing date (and as of the date of any amendment), each Company Filing complied, and each Company Filing filed subsequent to the date hereof will comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the NYSE, the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as the case may be.
(c) As
of its filing date (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, on the date of such filing), each Company Filing filed pursuant to the 1934 Act
did not, and each Company Filing filed pursuant to the 1934 Act subsequent to the date hereof will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Each
Company Filing that is a registration statement, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, as of the date such registration
statement or amendment or supplement became effective, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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.
(e) Each
of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, each of its executive officers and directors is and since January 1, 2014, subject to any applicable
grace periods, has been in compliance in all material respects with (i) the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and (ii) the applicable listing and corporate governance rules
and regulations of the NYSE.
(f) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act). Such disclosure
controls and procedures are designed to ensure that all material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries,
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act, is made known to the Company's principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by
others within those entities. Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to timely alert the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer to material information
required to be included in the Company's periodic and current reports required under the 1934 Act. 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.
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(g) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have established and maintain a system of internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the 1934
Act) designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Company's financial reporting and the preparation of Company financial statements for external purposes in accordance
with GAAP. The Company has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of internal controls prior to the date hereof, to the Company's auditors and audit committee, (i) any significant
deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company's ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial information, or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in internal controls.
(h) Each
of the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the
Company, as applicable) has made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14 or 15d-14 under the 1934 Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, in each case, with respect to
the Company SEC Documents, and the statements contained in any such certifications were true and complete on the date such certifications were made.
(i) Except
as permitted by the 1934 Act, including Sections 13(k)(2) and (3) thereof, from January 1, 2014 to the date of this Agreement, neither the
Company nor any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the 1933 Act) has, directly or indirectly, extended, maintained, made, arranged, renewed or modified (in
any material way) any extensions of credit in the form of a personal loan to or for any executive officer (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the 1934 Act) or director of the Company.
Section 4.07(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of all loans and other extensions of credit to or for any executive officer or director of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, including the date of the loan, the amount of the loan and the date of any amendment to the terms of the loan.
(j) The
Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any securitization transactions that exist, existed or were effected by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from
January 1, 2014 to the date of this Agreement.
(k) Since
January 1, 2014, there has been no transaction, or series of similar transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings, nor is there any proposed
transaction as of the date of this Agreement, or series of similar transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries was or is to be a party,
that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the 1933 Act.
Section 4.08.
Financial Statements
.
(a) The audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidated interim financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Company
Filings fairly present in all material respects, in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), the consolidated financial position of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject to normal and recurring year-end audit adjustments
in the case of any unaudited interim financial statements).
(b) From
January 1, 2014 to the date of this Agreement, the Company has not received written notice from the SEC or any other Governmental Authority indicating that
any of its accounting policies or practices are the subject of any review, inquiry, investigation or challenge by the SEC or any other Governmental Authority.
Section 4.09.
Disclosure Documents
.
(a) The proxy statement of the Company to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Merger (the "
Company Proxy Statement
") and
any amendment or
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supplement
thereto will, when filed, comply as to form in all material respects, with the applicable requirements of the 1934 Act. At the time the Company Proxy Statement and any amendments or
supplements thereto are first mailed to the stockholders of the Company, at the time such stockholders vote on approval and adoption of this Agreement and at the Effective Time, the Company Proxy
Statement, as supplemented or amended, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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. The representations and warranties contained in this Section 4.09(a) will not apply to
statements or omissions included or incorporated by reference in the Company Proxy Statement based upon information supplied by Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Representatives expressly
for inclusion therein.
(b) All
of the information supplied in writing by the Company to Parent expressly for inclusion, or to support statements made, in the announcement of the Merger to be
released immediately following execution of this Agreement in compliance with the Listing Rules (the "
Merger Announcement
"), the circular to be prepared
and published by Parent in accordance with its obligations under the Listing Rules (the "
Parent Shareholder Circular
"), or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any announcement to any regulatory information service approved by the UKLA in connection with the Parent Shareholder Circular, and any other related documents required to be filed or
published in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will not, in the case of the Parent Shareholder Circular, at the time the Parent Shareholder Circular and any amendments
or supplements thereto are first published in accordance with the Listing Rules and at the time of the Parent Shareholder Meeting, and in the case of any other such document, at the time it is first
published, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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.
Section 4.10.
Absence of Certain Changes
.
(a) From the Company Balance Sheet Date until the date hereof, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course consistent with past
practice in all material respects and there has not been any event, occurrence, development, change or state of circumstances or facts that has had or would reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) From
the Company Balance Sheet Date until the date hereof, there has not been any action taken by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, if taken during the period
from the date of this Agreement through the Effective Time without Parent's consent, would constitute a breach of Section 6.01(e), (f), (k), (l), (n) or, with respect to the foregoing
clauses,Section 6.01(p).
Section 4.11.
No Undisclosed Material Liabilities
.
There are no liabilities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind whatsoever, whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise
other than the liabilities or obligations (i) disclosed and provided for in the Company Balance Sheet or in the notes thereto; (ii) incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practices since the Company Balance Sheet Date; (iii) incurred pursuant to this Agreement or arising out of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or (iv) that have
not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.12.
Compliance with Applicable Law
.
(a) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is and since January 1, 2014 has been in compliance with, and to the knowledge of the Company is not under investigation with
respect to and has not been threatened to be charged with or given notice of any violation of, any Applicable Law, except for failures to comply or violations that have not had and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material
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Adverse
Effect. There is no judgment, decree, injunction, rule or order of any arbitrator or Governmental Authority outstanding against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that has had or would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries
hold all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents, approvals, variances, exemptions and orders necessary for the operation of the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries (the
"
Company Permits
"). Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of the Company Permits, and since January 1, 2014, there has occurred no violation of, default (with or without notice
or lapse of time or both) under, or event giving to others any right of termination or cancellation of, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, any Company Permit. Since January 1,
2014, no event has occurred that (i) gives to any Person any right of revocation, cancellation, non-renewal or adverse modification (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) of any
Company Permit or (ii) as of the date of this Agreement, to the knowledge of the Company, would otherwise reasonably be expected to result in the termination, cancellation, revocation, adverse
modification or non-renewal of any Company Permit, which in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Since
January 1, 2014, none of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or any of their respective directors or officers, or, to the Company's
knowledge, any of their respective employees or other Representatives has, in the course of his, her or its actions for, or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, violated any
Anti-Bribery Laws, other than as has not had or would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. From January 1, 2014 to the date
of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written communication that alleges that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective
Representatives, is, or may be, in material violation of, or has, or may have, any liability under, any Anti-Bribery Laws that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with Anti-Bribery Laws, other than as has not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and
achieve compliance with such Anti-Bribery Laws.
(d) None
of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, or employees, or, to the Company's knowledge, any of their
respective other Representatives, is, or is owned 50% or more or controlled by one or more Persons that are: (i) the subject of any sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury's
Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any other relevant sanctions authority (collectively,
"
Sanctions
"), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions as of the date of this Agreement.
Since January 1, 2014, (A) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates has engaged in, or is now engaged in, directly or indirectly, any dealings or transactions with
any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of the dealing or transaction, was the subject of Sanctions (in violation of Sanctions) and (B) the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries and Affiliates is and has since January 1, 2014 been in compliance with, and has not been penalized for or, to the Company's knowledge as of the date of this Agreement, under
investigation by a Governmental Authority with respect to, and has not as of the date of this
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Agreement
been threatened to be charged with or given written notice of any violation of, any applicable Sanctions or export controls laws, other than as has not had or would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.13.
Litigation
.
There is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending against, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any
present or former officer, director or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Person for whom the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be liable or any of their respective
properties before (or, in the case of threatened actions, suits, investigations or proceedings, would be before) or by any Governmental Authority or arbitrator, that has had or would reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.14.
Properties
.
(a) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries
have good and marketable title to, or in the case of leased property and assets have valid leasehold interests in, all property and assets (whether real, personal, tangible or intangible) reflected on
the Company Balance Sheet or acquired after the Company Balance Sheet Date, in each case free and clear of Liens, other than Permitted Liens, and except as have been disposed of since the Company
Balance Sheet Date in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.
(b) Section 4.14(b)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list, as of the date hereof, of all real property owned by the Company and its
Subsidiaries (the "
Owned Real Property
"), other than owned property not necessary or material to the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(c) Section 4.14(c)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list, as of the date hereof, of certain real properties leased by the Company or
its Subsidiaries, including but not limited to, each lease, sublease or license either (i) constituting a ground lease, (ii) relating to a manufacturing facility, or
(iii) requiring rental and other payments in excess of $2,000,000 annually as averaged over the term thereof (each, a "
Material Lease
") under
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries leases, subleases or licenses any real property (the "
Leased Real Property
"; together with the Owned Real
Property, the "
Company Real Property
"). Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect, (A) each Material Lease is valid and in full force and effect and (B) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Company's knowledge any other
party to a Material Lease, has violated any provision of, or taken or failed to take any act which, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default under the provisions of
such Material Lease, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice that it has breached, violated or defaulted under any Material Lease.
(d) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company Real Property and
any plants, buildings, structures and equipment thereon owned or leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries are in good
operating condition and repair and have been maintained consistent with standards generally followed in the industry (given due account to the age and length of use of same, ordinary wear and tear
excepted) and are adequate and suitable for their present and intended uses.
Section 4.15.
Intellectual Property
.
(a) Section 4.15(a)Section 4.15(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list of each registration and pending application for registration
included in the Owned Intellectual Property Rights as of the date of this Agreement and material to
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the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as currently conducted (such registrations and applications, the "
Registered IP
").
(b) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company or one of
its Subsidiaries (A) except as set forth on Section 4.15(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, is the sole and exclusive owner of the Owned Intellectual Property Rights and
(B) holds (1) all of its right, title and interest in and to all Owned Intellectual Property Rights and (2) the Company's or its applicable Subsidiary's rights under all material
Licensed Intellectual Property Rights (but, for the avoidance of doubt, excluding the Licensed Intellectual Property Rights themselves), in each case of (A) and (B), free and clear of any Lien
(other than Permitted Liens), (ii) the Company or one of its Subsidiaries owns, or the Company and its Subsidiaries have a valid and enforceable license to use, all Intellectual Property Rights
necessary to, or used or held for use in, the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted, (iii) there exist no restrictions on the Company's or any of
its Subsidiaries' disclosure, use, license or transfer of the Owned Intellectual Property Rights and (iv) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not alter,
encumber, impair or extinguish any Owned Intellectual Property Rights or the Company's or its applicable Subsidiary's rights under any material Licensed Intellectual Property Rights.
(c) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has since January 1, 2014 infringed, induced or contributed to the infringement of, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property Right of any
Person and (ii) as of the date of this Agreement, there is no action, suit, or proceeding pending against, or, to the knowledge of the Company, claimed or threatened, in writing since
January 1, 2014 against, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective present or former officers, directors or employees
(A) challenging or seeking to deny or restrict, the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in any of the Owned Intellectual Property Rights or Licensed Intellectual Property Rights,
(B) alleging that any Owned Intellectual Property Right or Licensed Intellectual Property Right is invalid or unenforceable, (C) alleging that the use of any of the Owned Intellectual
Property Rights
or Licensed Intellectual Property Rights or any services provided, processes used or products manufactured, used, imported or sold by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries do or may conflict with,
misappropriate, infringe or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property Right of any Person or (D) otherwise alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has infringed, misappropriated
or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property Right of any Person.
(d) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its
Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable actions to maintain and protect the Owned Intellectual Property Rights and to the knowledge of the Company, the Company's or its applicable Subsidiary's
interest in any Licensed Intellectual Property Rights licensed exclusively to the Company or such applicable Subsidiary, (ii) none of the Owned Intellectual Property Rights have been adjudged
invalid or unenforceable in whole or part, or, in the case of pending patent applications included in the Owned Intellectual Property Rights, have been the subject of a final and nonappealable finding
of unpatentability, and (iii) all Registered IP is, to the knowledge of the Company, valid, enforceable, in full force and effect and subsisting in all material respects.
(e) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) to the knowledge of
the Company, no Person has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Owned Intellectual Property Right or the Company's or its applicable Subsidiary's interest in any Licensed Intellectual
Property Right
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licensed
exclusively to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the Company has taken reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all
Intellectual Property Rights of the Company the value of which to the Company is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof and no such Intellectual Property Rights have been disclosed
other than to Persons bound by written confidentiality agreements, and (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have appropriate procedures in place designed to provide that all Intellectual
Property Rights conceived or developed by employees performing their duties for the Company and its Subsidiaries, and by third parties performing research and development for the Company or its
Subsidiaries, have been assigned to the Company or its Subsidiary, as applicable.
(f) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the IT Assets operate and
perform in a manner that permits the Company and its Subsidiaries to conduct their business as currently conducted.
(g) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its
Subsidiaries have at all times since January 1, 2014 complied with all Applicable Law relating to privacy, data protection and the collection and use of personal information and user
information gathered or accessed in the course of its operations and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, from January 1, 2014 to the date of this Agreement, no claims have been
asserted or threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (and to the knowledge of the Company, no such claims are likely to be asserted or threatened) by any Person in writing alleging a
violation of such Person's privacy, personal or confidentiality rights under any such Applicable Law.
Section 4.16.
Taxes
.
(a) All material Tax Returns required by Applicable Law to be filed with any Taxing Authority by, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been filed when due
in accordance with all Applicable Law, and all such Tax Returns are true and complete in all material respects.
(b) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has paid (or has had paid on its behalf) all material Taxes due and payable, whether or not shown as due on any Tax Return, or,
where payment is not yet due, has established in accordance with GAAP an adequate accrual for all material Taxes through the end of the last period for which the Company and its Subsidiaries
ordinarily record items on their respective books.
(c) There
is no claim, audit, action, suit, proceeding or investigation now pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened against or with respect to the Company or its
Subsidiaries in respect of any material Tax or Tax asset.
(d) During
the two-year period ending on the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries was a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation in a
transaction intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code.
(e) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has properly withheld, and paid over to the appropriate Taxing Authority, all material Taxes that it was required to withhold
from any payment (including any dividend or interest payment) to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, vendor or other Person.
(f) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a party to any "listed transaction" within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).
(g) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any material Tax sharing, allocation or indemnification agreement or arrangement (other than
such an agreement or arrangement (i) between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) not primarily related to Taxes, and in either case entered into in the ordinary
course of business).
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(h) As
of the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has executed (or had executed on its behalf) any outstanding waivers or comparable consents
regarding the application of the statute of limitations with respect to any material Taxes or material Tax Returns.
(i) There
are no material liens for Taxes upon any assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than statutory liens for Taxes not yet due or payable.
(j) No
jurisdiction where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries does not file a Tax Return has made a claim in writing that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
required to file a Tax Return for such jurisdiction.
(k) Since
the beginning of the taxable year ending on December 31, 2010, neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has executed or entered into a closing agreement
pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code or any predecessor provision thereof or any similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. law with respect to a material amount of Taxes that is currently
in effect and that will affect the Company or its Subsidiaries after the Closing Date.
(l) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is or has since December 23, 2009 been a member of a combined, consolidated or affiliated group (other
than a group that consists solely of the Company and its Subsidiaries) or (ii) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than the Company or its Subsidiaries) under Treasury
Regulations Section 1.1502-6 or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Law, or as transferee or successor, which liability relates to or arises as a result of an event or transaction
that occurred after December 23, 2009.
(m) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries have conducted all aspects of their business in material compliance with the terms and conditions of all tax rulings and tax
concessions that were provided by any relevant Taxing Authority.
Section 4.17.
Employees and Employee Benefit Plans
.
(a) Section 4.17(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a correct and complete list identifying each material Employee Plan and specifies whether such plan is
a US Plan or an International Plan;
provided
that Section 4.17(a)Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall not be required
to list standard offer letters or employment letters (and such offer letters or employment letters shall not be considered "material Employee Plans" for the document production requirement set forth
in this Section 4.17(a)) for any individual who is not a Key Employee;
provided, however
, that the Company has provided to Parent, as of the date
hereof, a form of standard offer letter or employment letter for employees who are located in a jurisdiction where offer letters or employment agreements are customary or required under Applicable
Law. For each material Employee Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan), to the extent not available in any Company SEC Documents, the Company has made available to Parent a copy of such plan (or a
description, if such plan is not written) and all amendments thereto and, as applicable (i) all trust agreements, insurance contracts or other funding arrangements and amendments thereto,
(ii) the current prospectus or most recent summary plan description, (iii) the most recent favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS, (iv) the most recently filed
annual return/report (Form 5500) and accompanying schedules and attachments thereto, (v) the most recently prepared actuarial report and financial statements and (vi) if such plan
is an International Plan, documents that are substantially comparable (taking into account differences in Applicable Law and practices) to the documents required to be provided in clauses (i)
through (v) ;
provided
that for each material Employee Plan, the Company has provided only the materials set forth in the Data Room and the SEC
Documents;
provided further
,
however
, that materials not provided do not include terms that create any
separate or additional liability, material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, with respect to such Employee Plan over and above the liability reflected by the documents provided.
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(b) The
Company has provided to Parent a schedule that sets forth, for each Key Employee, his or her name, title, annual base salary, most recent annual bonus received and
current annual bonus opportunity. The Company will use best efforts to provide Parent with a schedule that sets forth, for each employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the information
specified in the immediately preceding sentence and each such employee's employer, hire date, location, whether full- or part-time, and whether active or on leave (and, if on leave, the nature of the
leave and the expected return date) within ten (10) business days following the date of this Agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, or the senior human relations officers of the Company,
no Key Employee has indicated that he or she intends to resign or retire as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise within one year after the Closing Date.
(c) Except
as set forth on Schedule 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no Employee Plan is or has been and the neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate
has any liability (either direct or indirect) with respect to (i) a Title IV Plan, (ii) a Multiemployer Plan (including any liability on account of a "complete withdrawal" or a "partial
withdrawal" (within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA, respectively)), or (iii) an Employee Plan that provides or promises, any post-employment or post-retirement medical,
dental, disability, hospitalization, life or similar benefits (whether insured or self-insured) to any current or former Service Provider (other than coverage mandated by Applicable
Law, including COBRA), other than such benefits as may be required under the terms of any applicable employment agreement.
(d) Except
as has not had and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, each US Plan, and any award
thereunder, that is or forms part of a "nonqualified deferred compensation plan" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code has been timely amended (if applicable) to comply and has been
operated in compliance with, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in practice and operation with, all applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has any obligation to gross-up, indemnify or otherwise reimburse any current or former Service Provider for any Tax incurred by such Service Provider, including under
Section 409A of the Code.
(e) Except
where any failure to comply could not individually or in the aggregate be reasonably expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) each US
Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter, or has pending or has time remaining in which to file, an application for
such determination from the IRS, and no circumstances exist that would reasonably be expected to result in any such determination letter being revoked or not being reissued or a penalty under the IRS
Closing Agreement Program if discovered during an IRS audit or investigation, (ii) each trust created under any such US Plan is exempt from Tax under Section 501(a) of the Code and has
been so exempt since its creation, (iii) each US Plan has been maintained and funded in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of Applicable Law, including ERISA and the Code and
(iv) no events have occurred with respect to any US Plan that could result in payment or assessment by or against the Company of any excise taxes, fine, lien, penalty or liability under ERISA
or the Code (including any non-exempt prohibited transaction with respect to any US Plan covered by Subtitle B, Part 4 of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code).
(f) All
material contributions, premiums and payments that are due (including any minimum required contribution under sections 412 and 430 of the Code with respect to
any Title IV Plans) have been made for each Employee Plan within the time periods prescribed by the terms of such plan and Applicable Law, and all material contributions, premiums and payments for any
period ending on or before the Closing Date that are not due are properly accrued to the extent required to be accrued under GAAP.
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(g) Neither
the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (either alone or together with any other event) will
(i) entitle any current or former Service Provider to any compensation or benefits, including any bonus, retention, severance, retirement or job security payment, (ii) increase the costs
to the Company associated with any benefits or accelerate the time of payment or vesting or trigger any payment of funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) of compensation or benefits under, or
increase the amount payable or trigger any other obligation under, any Employee Plan or otherwise, or (iii) limit or restrict the right of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or, after Closing, Parent, to merge, amend or terminate any Employee Plan. There is no contract, plan or arrangement (written or otherwise) covering any current or former Service Provider
that, individually or collectively, would entitle such Service Provider to any tax gross up or similar payment from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or that could give rise to the payment of any
amount that would not be deductible due to the application of Section 280G of the Code.
(h) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there is no action, suit, investigation, audit,
proceeding or claim (or any basis therefore) (other than routine claims for benefits) pending against or involving, or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened against or involving any Employee Plan
before any arbitrator or any Governmental Authority, including the IRS or the Department of Labor. The Company and its Subsidiaries are, and have been since January 1, 2014, in compliance with
all Applicable Law with respect to labor relations, employment and employment practices, including those relating to labor management relations, wages, hours, overtime, employee classification,
discrimination, sexual harassment, civil rights, affirmative action, work authorization, immigration, safety and health, information privacy and security, workers compensation, continuation coverage
under group health plans, wage payment and the payment and withholding of Taxes, except for failures to comply or violations that have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(i) Each
International Plan, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) has been
maintained in compliance with its terms and Applicable Law, (ii) if intended to qualify for special tax treatment, meets all the requirements for such treatment, and (iii) if required,
to any extent, to be funded, book-reserved or secured by an insurance policy, is fully funded, book-reserved or secured by an insurance policy, as applicable, based on reasonable actuarial assumptions
in accordance with applicable accounting principles.
(j) Except
as set forth on Section 4.17(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is or since January 1, 2014 has
been party to or subject to, or is currently negotiating in connection with entering into, any Collective Bargaining Agreement. To the Company's knowledge, from January 1, 2014 to the date of
this Agreement, there has not been any organizational campaign, petition or other unionization activity seeking recognition of a collective bargaining unit relating to any employee of the Company or
its Subsidiaries. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, there is no unfair labor practice charge,
slowdown, stoppage, picketing, or organized interruption of work pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There is no labor strike or lockout
pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The consent or consultation of, or the rendering of formal advice by, any labor or trade union, works
council or other employee representative body is not required for the Company to enter into this Agreement or to consummate any of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(k) Except
as has not had and 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,
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and
has been since January 1, 2014, in compliance with WARN and has no liabilities or other obligations thereunder. As of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has taken any action that would reasonably be expected to cause Parent or any of its Affiliates to have any material liability or other material obligation following the Closing Date
under WARN.
Section 4.18.
Environmental Matters
.
(a) Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) no notice, notification,
demand, request for information, citation, summons or order has been received, no complaint has been filed, no penalty has been assessed, and no investigation, action, claim, suit, proceeding or
review is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by any Person relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and relating to or arising out of any Environmental Law;
(ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been in compliance with all Environmental Laws and all Environmental Permits; (iii) there has been no release, transportation or
disposal, or arrangement for the transportation or disposal, of any Hazardous Substance at, on, in, to, from or under any property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries (or any of their respective predecessors) that would reasonably be expected to result in a claim against, or liability of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any
Environmental Law; and (iv) there are no noncontingent liabilities or investigative, corrective or remedial obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any Environmental
Law or any Hazardous Substance and, to the knowledge of the Company, there is no environmental condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such liability or obligation.
(b) Except
as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, as of the date of this Agreement, there is no
environmental investigation, study, audit, test, review or other analysis in the Company's possession or reasonable control relating to the current or prior business of the Company, its Subsidiaries
or any of their respective predecessors or any property or facility now or previously owned or leased by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective predecessors that has not been
delivered to Parent prior to the date hereof.
Section 4.19.
Regulatory Compliance
.
(a) Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, since January 1, 2014, the
Company and its Subsidiaries and all products manufactured or marketed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (the "
Products
") have complied and are
in compliance with (i) the applicable provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the applicable regulations, standards, guidances and requirements adopted by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (the "
FDA
") thereunder, the applicable statutes, regulations and requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (the
"
USDA
"), all applicable statutes enforced by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ("
FTC
") and the
applicable FTC regulations and requirements and any applicable requirements established by any state, local or foreign Governmental Authority responsible for regulating the Products (together with the
FDA and the USDA, collectively, the "
Food Authorities
"), and (ii) all terms and conditions imposed in any Company Permits granted by any Food
Authority.
(b) (i)
Since January 1, 2014, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, since January 1, 2014, with
respect to the Products, the Persons that manufacture, process, package, or supply ingredients and packaging materials for or distribute the Products, has received or has been subject to,
(A) any warning letter, untitled letter, notice of inspectional observation (FDA Form 483) or other adverse correspondence or notice in writing from the FDA alleging or asserting
material noncompliance with any legal requirement, Notice of Suspension or Notice of Intended Enforcement or other adverse correspondence or notice from the USDA or any other Food Authority or
(B) any import detention, investigation, suspension or withdrawal of inspection or registration, penalty assessment or other compliance or enforcement
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action
by any Food Authority, in each of clauses (b) and (b), except for those to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries responded or those that have not had and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, none of (i) since
January 1, 2014, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, since January 1, 2014, to the date of this Agreement, with respect to the
Products, the Persons that manufacture, process, package, supply ingredients for or distribute the Products, has voluntarily or involuntarily initiated, conducted or issued, or caused to be initiated,
conducted or issued, any recall, field alert, field correction, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, or other notice or action relating to an alleged lack of safety or regulatory compliance
of any Product. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, from January 1, 2014, no Products have been subject to any recalls, withdrawals, product corrections, product removals,
detentions or seizures or similar action and the processes used to manufacture, label, distribute and market the Products are designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the safety of such
Products for their intended use and regulatory compliance of such Products.
(d) Except
as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect:
(i) The
Company has not committed any act, made any statement or failed to make any statement that would reasonably be expected to provide a basis for the FDA to invoke its
policy with respect to "Fraud, Untrue Statements of Material Facts, Bribery, and Illegal Gratuities" or any such similar policies set forth by other Governmental Authority.
(ii) Neither
the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any officer, employee or agent of the Company has been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct for which
debarment is authorized by 21 U.S.C. § 335a(b) or any similar laws.
(iii) Neither
the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any officer, employee or agent of the Company has been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct for which
such Person could be excluded from participating in the federal health care programs under Section 1128 of the Social Security Act of 1935 or any similar laws.
(iv) The
Company is not a party to any corporate integrity agreement, monitoring agreement, consent decree, settlement order, or similar agreement with or imposed by any
Governmental Authority.
(e) Except
as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect:
(i) Neither
the Company nor its Subsidiaries has received, since January 1, 2014, written notice of any pending or threatened claim, suit, proceeding, hearing,
enforcement, audit, investigation, arbitration or other action from the Food Authorities or any other Governmental Authority alleging that any operation or activity of the Company is in material
violation of the FDCA, any other applicable federal law or the respective counterparts thereof promulgated by applicable state Governmental Authorities or Governmental Authorities outside the United
States.
(ii) To
the knowledge of the Company, there has not been any violation of any laws by the Company or its Subsidiaries in its product development efforts, submissions or
reports to
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any
Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected to require investigation, corrective action or enforcement action.
(iii) The
Company is not subject to any investigation that is pending and of which the Company has been notified in writing or, to the Company's knowledge, which has been
threatened, in each case by (A) the FDA or (B) the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General or Department of Justice pursuant to the Federal Healthcare Program
Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. §1320a-7b(b)) (known as the "
Anti-Kickback Statute
") or the Federal False Claims Act (31 U.S.C.
§3729), or (C) by any state enforcement or regulatory authority pursuant to Applicable Law.
Section 4.20.
Material Contracts
.
(a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any of the following Contracts as of the date hereof:
(i) any
partnership, joint venture, strategic alliance, collaboration, co-promotion or other similar Contract;
(ii) any
Contract that limits the freedom of the Company or any of its Affiliates to compete in any line of business or geographic region, or with any Person, or otherwise
restricts the research, development, manufacture, marketing, distribution or sale of any Product by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case, in a manner that is material to the business
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as currently conducted, including any material Contract that requires the Company and its Affiliates to work exclusively with any Person in any
geographic region, or which could so limit the freedom or restrict the activities of Parent and its Affiliates after the Effective Time;
(iii) any
Contract that contains exclusivity or "most favored nation" provisions, or grants any right of first refusal, right of first offer, exclusive development rights or
exclusive marketing or distribution rights to any Person relating to any Product or potential Product in each case, that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, as currently conducted;
(iv) any
Contract that requires the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to (A) purchase or sell a minimum quantity of goods relating to any Product or potential
Product, or (B) purchase or sell goods relating to any Product or potential Product exclusively, in each case from or to any Person and which involved payments to or by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016;
(v) any
material Contracts with the Company's top ten customers and top ten suppliers, measured by revenue and expense, respectively, for the 12-month period ended
December 31, 2016;
(vi) any
material Contract between the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any state within the United States that is one of the Company and its
Subsidiaries' top 10 customers from a volume perspective under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, in each case relating to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries' participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children or the sale or supply of Products in connection therewith;
(vii) any
employment Contract (including agreements that contain non-competition, non-solicitation or confidentiality covenants) applicable to any Key Employee;
(viii) any
Contract relating to indebtedness for borrowed money or any financial guarantee (whether incurred, assumed, guaranteed or secured by any asset), in each case,
involving
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borrowings
or guarantees in excess of $5,000,000 and other than Contracts solely among the Company and its wholly owned Subsidiaries;
(ix) any
Contract relating to any loan or other extension of credit made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than (A) Contracts solely among the Company
and its wholly owned Subsidiaries and (B) accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Subsidiaries consistent with past practice;
(x) any
Contract relating to any swap, forward, futures, warrant, option or other derivative transaction;
(xi) any
Contract pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has continuing obligations or interests involving (A) "milestone" or other contingent
payments, or (B) payment of royalties or other amounts calculated based upon any revenues or income of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case that cannot be terminated by the
Company or its Subsidiaries without penalty without more than 60 days' notice without material payment or penalty and which involved payments by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess
of $5,000,000 under such Contract during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 or which is reasonably anticipated to involve payments by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of
$5,000,000 under any such Contract in the 12 months following the date of this Agreement;
(xii) any
Contract relating to the acquisition or disposition of any business (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise) pursuant to which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries has material continuing obligations following the date of this Agreement, including "earn-outs" and indemnities;
(xiii) any
Contract pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (A) obtains any right to use, or covenant not to be sued under, any material Intellectual
Property Right (other than any license for commercial off-the-shelf computer software that is generally available), or (B) grants any right to use, or covenant not to be sued under, any
material Intellectual Property Right, in each case of (xiii) and (xiii) where such Contract is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as
currently conducted;
(xiv) any
Contract between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any officer, director or Affiliate (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary) of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective "associates" or "immediate family" members (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 and Rule 16a-1 of the Exchange Act), on
the other hand, including any Contract pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has an obligation to indemnify such officer, director, Affiliate, associate or immediate family member;
or
(xv) any
stockholders, investors rights, registration rights or similar agreement or arrangement.
(b) The
Company has made available to Parent (or otherwise filed with the Company SEC Documents) a true and complete copy of (i) each Material Lease (it being
acknowledged that each Material Lease for Leased Real Property located outside of the United States shall be made available at the local office where the documentation relating to such Material Lease
is maintained) and (ii) each agreement, contract, plan, lease, arrangement or commitment required to be disclosed pursuant to Section 4.20 (each of (i), (ii) and any other
"material contract" (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC), a "
Material Contract
"). Except for
breaches, violations or defaults which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect, (A) each of the Material Contracts is in full force and effect, and is a valid and binding Contract of the
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Company
or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, and, to the Company's knowledge, of each other party thereto, enforceable against the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, and, to the Company's
knowledge, each other party thereto, in accordance with its terms (except for any Material Contracts that expired in accordance with their respective terms or were otherwise amended, modified or
terminated after the date of this Agreement in accordance with Section 6.01) and (B) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Company's knowledge, as of the date of
this Agreement, any other party to a Material Contract, has violated any provision of, or taken or failed to take any act which, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a
default under the provisions of, such Material Contract, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice that it has breached, violated or defaulted under any Material
Contract.
Section 4.21.
Insurance
.
The Company has delivered or otherwise made available to Parent a copy of all material insurance policies and all material self-insurance programs and arrangements relating to the
business, assets and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries in effect as of the date hereof. Except as had not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect: (a) as of the date of this Agreement, all such insurance policies are in full force and effect and all premiums thereon have been timely paid or,
if not yet due, accrued, (b) as of the date of this Agreement, there is no claim pending under the Company's or any of its Subsidiaries' insurance policies or fidelity bonds as to which
coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such policies or bonds, (c) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and bonds
and (d) the Company has no knowledge as of the date of this Agreement of any threatened termination of, or material premium increase with respect to, any of such policies or bonds.
Section 4.22.
Finders' Fees
.
Except for Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, there is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been
retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who might be entitled to any fee or commission from the Company or any of its Affiliates in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Section 4.22 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and accurate description of all fees and other economic, payment or expense
reimbursement provisions and any other provisions relevant or related to the calculation or determination thereof (in each case, other than customary indemnification provisions) in any engagement
letter between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and each of Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC related to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section 4.23.
Opinion of Financial Advisor
.
The Company has received the opinions of Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, financial advisors to the Company, to the effect that, as
of such dates and based upon and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations set forth therein, the Merger Consideration to be received by holders (other than any shares held by the
Company as treasury stock, shares held by Parent or by any Subsidiary of either the Company or Parent and any Dissenting Shares) of Company Common Stock under this Agreement is fair from a financial
point of view to such holders. A written copy of such opinion will be delivered promptly after the date hereof to Parent for informational purposes only.
Section 4.24.
Antitakeover Statutes
.
The Company has no "rights plan," "rights agreement," or "poison pill" in effect. The Company has taken all action necessary to exempt the Merger, this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby from Section 203 of the Delaware Law, and, accordingly, neither such Section 203 nor any other antitakeover or similar statute or regulation applies or purports to
apply to any such transactions. No other "control share acquisition," "fair price," "moratorium," "business combination" or other antitakeover laws enacted under U.S. state or federal laws apply to
this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby.
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Section 4.25.
No Other Representations; No Reliance; Waiver
.
The Company represents, warrants, acknowledges and agrees that other than as expressly set forth in Article 5 of this Agreement, none of Parent, any of its Affiliates or
stockholders or any of their respective Representatives makes or has made any representation or warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of any information provided or
made available to the Company or any of its Affiliates or stockholders or any of their respective Representatives (collectively, the "
Company Related
Persons
") in connection with this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and no Company Related Person has relied on any
information or statements made or provided (or not made or provided) to any Company Related Person other than the representations and warranties of Parent expressly set forth in Article 5 of
this Agreement.
Article 5
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT
Parent represents and warrants to the Company as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date that:
Section 5.01.
Corporate Existence and Power.
Each of Parent and Merger Sub is a corporation duly
incorporated, validly existing and (where applicable) in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation and has all corporate powers and all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those licenses,
authorizations, permits, consents and approvals the absence of which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.02.
Corporate Authorization.
(a) The execution, delivery and performance by
Parent and Merger Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions
contemplated hereby are within Parent's and Merger Sub's corporate powers and, except for the required approval of the Merger by Parent's shareholders and the adoption of this Agreement by the sole
stockholder of Merger Sub, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and Merger Sub. The affirmative vote of a simple majority of Parent's shareholders at the
Parent Shareholder Meeting (the "
Parent Shareholder Approval
") is the only vote of the holders of any of Parent's capital stock necessary in connection
with the consummation of the Merger. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Parent and Merger Sub and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each of Parent and Merger Sub
enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable, as to enforceability, bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity).
(b) At
a meeting duly called and held, Parent's Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof has unanimously (i) approved this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with Applicable Law, (ii) directed that the Parent Shareholder Circular be prepared and, subject to the approval of the UKLA, published as soon as
practicable, (iii) subject to the publication of the Parent Shareholder Circular, resolved that the Parent Shareholder Meeting be convened for the purpose of approving the Merger and
(iv) resolved, subject to Section 7.03, to recommend approval of the Merger to Parent's shareholders in the Parent Shareholder Circular (such recommendation, the
"
Parent Board Recommendation
"). As of the date of this Agreement, the Parent's Board of Directors has not subsequently rescinded, modified or withdrawn
any of the foregoing resolutions.
Section 5.03.
Governmental Authorization.
The execution, delivery and performance by Parent and
Merger Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated
hereby require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority, other than (a) the filing of a certificate of merger with respect to the Merger
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with
the Delaware Secretary of State, (b) compliance with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act and the expiration or termination of any applicable waiting period thereunder,
(c) the Required Governmental Approvals, (d) approval of the Parent Shareholder Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto by, and the filing of the Parent Shareholder Circular
with, the UKLA, (e) the filing with the SEC of the Company Proxy Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto any amendments or supplements thereto, and other filings required under, and
compliance with any applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and any other applicable U.S. state or federal securities laws, (f) compliance with any applicable requirements of the NYSE, and
(g) any other actions or filings the absence of which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.04.
Non-Contravention.
The execution, delivery and performance by Parent and Merger
Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated
hereby do not and will not (a) contravene, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of any provision of the certificate of incorporation, bylaws, articles of association or other
applicable constitutional documents of Parent or Merger Sub, (b) assuming that the consents, approvals and filings referred to in Section 5.03 are made and obtained and receipt of the
Parent Shareholder Approval, contravene, conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Applicable Law, (c) assuming that the consents, approvals and filings referred
to in Section 5.03 are made and obtained and receipt of the Parent Shareholder Approval, require any consent or other action by any Person under, constitute a default under, or cause or permit
the termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled under any provision of any
Contract binding upon Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or (d) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, with only such exceptions, in
the case of each of clauses Section 5.04 through Section 5.04, as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.05.
Merger Sub Activities.
Since the date of its incorporation, Merger Sub has not
engaged in any activities other than in connection with or as contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.06.
Disclosure Documents.
All of the information supplied in writing by Parent to the
Company expressly for inclusion in, or incorporated by reference into, the Company Proxy Statement, or
any amendment or supplement thereto, will not, at the time the Company Proxy Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto are first mailed to the stockholders of the Company and at the time of
the Company Stockholder Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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. The Merger Announcement, the Parent Shareholder Circular, and any amendment or supplement
thereto, any announcement to any regulatory information service approved by the UKLA in connection with the Parent Shareholder Circular, and any other related documents required to be filed or
published in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will not, in the case of the Parent Shareholder Circular, at the time the Parent Shareholder Circular and any amendments
or supplements thereto are first published in accordance with the Listing Rules and at the time such shareholders vote on the resolutions set forth in the Parent Shareholder Circular, and in the case
of any other such document, at the time it is first published, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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. The representations and warranties contained in this Section 5.06 will not apply to
statements or omissions included or incorporated by reference in the aforementioned documents based upon information supplied by the Company or its Representatives expressly for inclusion therein.
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Section 5.07.
Financing; Sufficiency of Funds.
(a) Parent has delivered to the Company a
true and complete copy of a fully executed, definitive credit facilities agreement entered into with the
financial institution(s) named therein, pursuant to which such financial institution(s) (together with the financial institution(s) providing any Alternative Financing or Replacement Debt Financing,
the "
Financing Sources
") have committed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, to provide the debt financing described therein
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Such credit facilities agreement, together with any similar financing agreement executed in accordance with Section 7.06
(including any replacement thereof in connection with any Alternative Financing or Replacement Debt Financing), as replaced, amended, supplemented, modified or waived in accordance with
Section 7.06, and including all exhibits, schedules, and annexes to such agreements, are hereinafter referred to together as the "
Debt Financing
Agreements.
" The financing contemplated pursuant to the Debt Financing Agreements is hereinafter referred to as the "
Debt
Financing
".
(b) As
of the date of this Agreement, the Debt Financing Agreements are in full force and effect and are legal, valid and binding obligations of Parent, and to the knowledge
of Parent, the other parties thereto, and are enforceable in accordance with their respective terms against Parent, and to the knowledge of Parent, each of the other parties thereto (subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity). None of the Debt Financing Agreements will be amended or
modified except in accordance with Section 7.06. As of the date of this Agreement, no event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to
(i) constitute a material breach or default by Parent under any Debt Financing Agreement, (ii) to the knowledge of Parent, result in the failure of any condition contained in any Debt
Financing Agreement to be satisfied or (iii) to the knowledge of Parent, result in the commitments provided in any Debt Financing Agreement being unavailable on the Closing Date. The
consummation of the Debt Financing is subject to no conditions precedent other than those expressly set forth in the Debt Financing Agreements, and to the knowledge of the Parent there are no
contingencies that would permit the Financing Sources to reduce the total amount of the Debt Financing, other than in each case those conditions or contingencies expressly set forth in the Debt
Financing Agreements. Except for fee letters relating to fees with respect to the Debt Financing (redacted copies of which, removing fee amounts, market "flex" provisions and certain other terms (none
of which would adversely affect the amounts or availability of the Debt Financing), have been provided to the Company) and a mandate letter setting out the mandates and roles awarded to the financing
banks and certain syndication related provisions, there are no side letters or other Contracts to which Parent or Merger Sub is a party directly related to the quantum or conditionality of the Debt
Financing, other than the Debt Financing Agreements. As of the date of this Agreement, assuming no breach by the Company of its representations or warranties hereunder, and the Company's compliance
with its covenants and agreements hereunder (including Section 6.05), Parent has no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the Debt Financing will not be satisfied or that the Debt
Financing will not be available to Parent or Merger Sub on or prior to the Closing Date. Parent has, or at the Closing will have, whether through proceeds from the Debt Financing, cash or cash
equivalents held by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub, or otherwise, sufficient cash to enable Merger Sub and the Surviving Corporation to pay or cause to be paid all amounts required to be paid by
them or required to be caused by them to be paid in cash in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the aggregate Merger Consideration and all payments, fees and
expenses payable by them arising out of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Without
limiting Section 11.13, in no event shall the receipt or availability of any financing to Parent or any of its Affiliates or any other financing
transaction be a condition to Closing or to any of the other obligations of Parent or Merger Sub hereunder.
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Section 5.08.
Finders' Fees.
Except for HSBC Bank plc, Merrill Lynch International, Robey
Warshaw LLP and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, whose fees will be paid by Parent,
there is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of Parent who might be entitled to any fee or commission from the
Company or any of its Affiliates in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.09.
Interested Stockholder.
Neither Parent nor Merger Sub, nor any of their
"affiliates" or "associates" has been an "interested stockholder" of the Company at any time within three years of
the date of this Agreement, as those terms are used in Section 203 of Delaware Law.
Section 5.10.
Litigation.
There is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending against,
or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened against or affecting, Parent, any of its
Subsidiaries, any present or former officer, director or employee of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any Person for whom Parent or any of its Subsidiaries may be liable or any of their
respective properties before (or, in the case of threatened actions, suits, investigations or proceedings, would be before) or by any Governmental Authority or arbitrator, that has had or would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.11.
Agreements and Understandings.
Parent has disclosed to the Company all written
contracts or arrangements as of the date of this Agreement, (and Parent has furnished to the Company correct and
complete copies thereof) between or among Parent, Merger Sub or any other Subsidiary of Parent, on the one hand, and (a) any member of the Board of Directors of the Company or management of the
Company or (b) any Person that owns 5% or more of the shares of the outstanding capital stock of the Company (based on information filed with the SEC), on the other hand, in each case that
relate in any way to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.12.
No Other Representations; No Reliance; Waiver.
Parent and Merger Sub have
conducted their own independent review and analysis of the Company and, based thereon, have formed an independent judgment concerning
the business, assets, condition, operations and prospects of the Company. Each of Parent and Merger Sub represents, warrants, acknowledges and agrees that other than as expressly set forth in
Article 4 of this Agreement, none of the Company, any of its Affiliates or stockholders or any of their respective Representatives makes or has made any representation or warranty, either
express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of any information provided or made available to Parent, Merger Sub, any of their Affiliates or stockholders or any of their respective
Representatives (collectively, the "
Parent Related Persons
") in connection with this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or with respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates, plans or budgets of future revenues, expenses or expenditures, future results of operations, future cash flows or future
financial condition, or any component of the foregoing, or any other forward looking information, of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and no Parent Related Person has relied on any information or
statements made or provided (or not made or provided) to any Parent Related Person other than the representations and warranties of the Company expressly set forth in Article 4 of this
Agreement.
Article 6
COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
The
Company agrees that:
Section 6.01.
Conduct of the Company
.
From the date hereof until the Effective Time, except as expressly contemplated or expressly required by this Agreement, as required by Applicable Law or with the prior written consent
of Parent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent
with past practice and in compliance in all material respects and, to the extent consistent with the foregoing, use its reasonable best efforts to (i) preserve intact its present
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business
organization, (ii) keep available the services of its directors, officers and Key Employees and (iii) maintain existing relationships with its customers, suppliers, distributors
and others having material business relationships with it. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except (x) as expressly contemplated or expressly required by this Agreement,
(y) as set forth in Section 6.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or (z) with the prior written consent of Parent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed), the Company shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to:
(a) amend
its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise);
(b) (i)
split, combine or reclassify any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities, (ii) amend any term or alter any rights of any Company Securities or
Company Subsidiary Securities (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise), (iii) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property or any
combination thereof) in respect of any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities, except for (A) the Company's regular quarterly dividend of up to $0.4125 per share of Company Common
Stock per quarter with record and payment dates consistent with the quarterly record and payment dates in 2016, and (B) dividends by any wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company to the Company or another wholly owned Subsidiary thereof or (iv) redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire or offer to redeem, repurchase, or otherwise acquire any Company
Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities, other than (x) in connection with shares of Company Common Stock withheld to cover Taxes on Stock Options, RSUs and PSUs and (y) the
acquisition by the Company of shares of Company Securities in connection with the surrender of shares by holders of Stock Options in order to pay the exercise price of the Stock Options;
(c) issue,
deliver or sell, or authorize the issuance, delivery or sale of, any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities, other than the issuance of
(i) any shares of Company Common Stock upon the exercise of Stock Options that are outstanding on the date of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of the award agreements for such Stock
Options on the date of this Agreement or in settlement of RSUs and PSUs outstanding on the date of this agreement, which are subject to settlement in accordance with their terms without regard to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) any Company Subsidiary Securities to the Company or any other wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
(d) make
or incur any capital expenditures, except for (i) those contemplated by the capital expenditure budget set forth on
Section 6.01(d)Section 6.01(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (ii) reasonable capital expenditures in response to emergency events
(
provided
that the Company shall notify Parent of any such capital expenditures promptly after incurring the same), and (iii) to the extent not
covered by clauses (i) or (ii) other unbudgeted capital expenditures not to exceed $2,000,000 individually or $10,000,000 in the aggregate;
(e) buy,
purchase or otherwise acquire (by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise), directly or indirectly, any assets, securities, properties,
interests or businesses, other than (i) supplies in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or (ii) other assets in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000 individually
or $10,000,000 in the aggregate;
(f) sell,
lease, license or otherwise transfer or dispose of (by merger, consolidation, disposition of stock or assets or otherwise), abandon or permit to lapse, or create
or incur any material Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on, any of the Company's or its Subsidiaries' assets, securities, properties, interests or businesses, other than (i) sales of inventory,
supplies, products or obsolete equipment in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) sales of assets, securities and properties with a sale price that does not exceed
$2,500,000 individually or
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$10,000,000
in the aggregate, (iii) expirations of Intellectual Property Rights in accordance with their respective statutory terms, (iv) with respect to Intellectual Property Rights
that are not material, and (v) non-exclusive licenses of Intellectual Property Rights that are (1) granted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or
(2) not material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as currently conducted;
(g) make
any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person (other than the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company), in each
case, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(h) create,
incur, assume or otherwise become liable with respect to any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee thereof (whether evidenced by a note or other
instrument, pursuant to an issuance of debt securities, financing lease, sale-leaseback transaction or otherwise), other than (i) indebtedness solely between the Company and a wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company or between wholly owned Subsidiaries of the Company in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) borrowings by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice under the Company Revolver and guarantees of such borrowings issued by the Company's Subsidiaries to the extent required
under the terms of the Company Revolver and (iii) in connection with letters of credit issued in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in an amount not to exceed
$1,000,000 individually or $5,000,000 in the aggregate;
(i) other
than in the ordinary course of business (i) amend or modify in a manner adverse to the Company in any material respect, or terminate, cancel, renew or
extend, any Material Contract, (ii) enter into any Contract that would have constituted a Material Contract pursuant to subsections (ii), (iv) or (xiv) of
Section 4.20 or a Material Lease had it been in effect as of the date hereof (including by amendment of any contract of the nature described in this clause (i) that is not a Material
Contract so that such Contract becomes a Contract that would have been a Material Contract had it been in effect as of the date hereof), or (iii) waive, release, assign or fail to exercise or
pursue any material right, claim or benefit of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any such Contract;
(j) except
as required by Applicable Law or the terms of an Employee Plan, as in effect on the date hereof, (i) grant or increase any severance, retention or
termination pay to, or enter into or amend any retention, termination, employment, consulting, bonus, change in control or severance agreement with, any current or former Service Provider,
(ii) increase the compensation or benefits provided to any current or former Service Provider, other than (A) any general merit based increases in compensation in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice to such Service Providers who are not Key Employees and (B) in connection with new hires or promotions for Service Providers who are not Key
Employees, (iii) grant any equity or equity-based awards to, or discretionarily accelerate the vesting or payment of any such awards held by, any current or former Service Provider,
(iv) establish, adopt, enter into or amend any Employee Plan or Collective Bargaining Agreement or (v) (A) hire any employees, other than employees who are not Key Employees and who are
hired in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, or (B) terminate the employment of any (1) Key Employees other than for cause or (2) employees who are not
Key Employees other than for cause or in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices;
(k) change
any material accounting method, principle or practice, except as required by concurrent changes in GAAP or in Regulation S-X of the 1934 Act, as agreed to
by its independent public accountants;
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(l) make
or change any material Tax election, change any annual Tax accounting period, adopt or change any method of Tax accounting, file any material amended Tax Returns or
claims for material Tax refunds, file for, enter into or amend any material Tax ruling or material Tax grant, concession, closing agreement or similar agreement or arrangement, surrender or settle any
material Tax claim, audit or assessment, surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund, offset or other reduction in Tax liability or consent to any extension or waiver of the limitations period
applicable to any material Tax claim or assessment;
(m) without
limiting Section 6.06, settle, or offer or propose to settle any litigation, investigation, arbitration, proceeding or other claim or dispute involving or
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than (i) ordinary course disputes with vendors, customers or employees in which no litigation or arbitration commences and
(ii) settlements or compromises of any litigation, investigation, arbitration, proceeding or other claim or dispute where the amount paid in an individual settlement or compromise by the
Company (and not including any amount paid by the Company's insurance carriers or third parties) does not exceed the amount set forth in Section 6.01(m) of the Company Disclosure Schedule;
(n) fail
to maintain existing insurance policies or comparable replacement policies consistent with levels maintained by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date of this
Agreement;
(o) adopt
a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization; or
(p) agree,
authorize, resolve or commit to do any of the foregoing.
Section 6.02.
Company Stockholder Meeting; Proxy Statement
.
(a) The Company shall cause a meeting of its stockholders (the "
Company Stockholder Meeting
") to be duly called and held as soon as
reasonably practicable (and, subject to the Company's right to adjourn or postpone the Company Stockholder Meeting as contemplated by Section 6.02(b), in any event within 40 days) after
clearance of the Company Proxy Statement by the SEC for the purpose of obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval, and shall comply in all material respects with all legal requirements applicable to
such meeting. In connection with the Company Stockholder Meeting, the Company shall (i) prepare and file with the SEC the Company Proxy Statement as soon as reasonably practicable (and in any
event within 20 Business Days after the date hereof), (ii) cause the Company Proxy Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto, when filed, to comply as to form, with all material legal
requirements applicable thereto, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to have the Company Proxy Statement and all other proxy materials for the Company Stockholder Meeting cleared by the SEC
as promptly as practicable and (iv) mail the Company Proxy Statement and all other proxy materials for the Company Stockholder Meeting to its stockholders as promptly as practicable after
clearance by the SEC.
(b) Subject
to Section 6.03, the Board of Directors of the Company shall (i) recommend adoption of this Agreement by the Company's stockholders and include the
Company Board Recommendation in the Company Proxy Statement and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Company Stockholder Approval. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, unless and until this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, this Agreement and the Merger shall be submitted to the Company's stockholders at the Company Stockholder
Meeting, notwithstanding (A) any Adverse Recommendation Change or (B) the making of any Acquisition Proposal (whether or not publicly made). Subject to Section 8.02, the Company
shall not, without the prior written consent of Parent, adjourn, postpone or otherwise delay the Company Stockholder Meeting;
provided
that the Company
may, without the prior written consent of Parent, adjourn or postpone the Company Stockholder Meeting, after consultation with Parent, if the Company believes in good faith that such adjournment or
postponement is reasonably necessary to allow reasonable additional time to (1) if there are not sufficient affirmative votes in person or by proxy at such meeting to constitute a quorum or to
obtain the Company Stockholder Approval,
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solicit
additional proxies necessary to obtain a quorum or the Company Stockholder Approval at the Company Stockholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof),
(2) distribute any supplement or amendment to the Company Proxy Statement that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined in good faith after consultation with outside legal counsel
is necessary under Applicable Law and for such supplement or amendment to be reviewed by the Company's stockholders prior to the Company Stockholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement
thereof) or (3) ensure that the Company Stockholder Meeting and the Parent Shareholder Meeting are held on the same date and at the same time. After the Company has established a record date
for the Company Stockholder Meeting, the Company shall not change such record date or establish a different record date for the Company Stockholder Meeting without the prior written consent of Parent
(not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), unless (x) required to do so by Applicable Law or the Company's organizational documents or (y) as required in connection with
any adjournment or postponement of the Company Stockholder Meeting permitted by the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood that in the case of this clause (y), the Company shall
consult with and consider in good faith the views of Parent in connection with setting such new record date). Without the prior written consent of Parent, the adoption of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) shall be the only matter (other than (I) matters of procedure, (II) matters required by Applicable Law to be voted on by the
Company's stockholders in connection with the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and (III) matters reasonably related to the adoption of this Agreement, such as
the approval of any payments to executives under Section 280G of the Code) that the Company shall propose to be acted on by the stockholders of the Company at the Company Stockholder Meeting
(including any adjournment or postponement thereof).
Section 6.03.
No Solicitation
.
(a)
General Prohibitions
. Except as permitted by this Section 6.03, the Company shall not, shall cause its Subsidiaries not
to, shall cause each Company Transaction Representative not to, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause each Other Company Representative not to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit,
initiate or knowingly facilitate or encourage the submission of any Acquisition Proposal, (ii) enter into or participate in any discussions or negotiations relating to an Acquisition Proposal
with, furnish any non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or afford access to the business, properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to, or knowingly assist, participate in, facilitate or encourage any effort by, any Third Party that is seeking to make, or has made, an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) amend or grant
any waiver or release under or fail to enforce any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, unless the Board of
Directors of the Company determines after considering advice from outside legal counsel to the Company that the failure to waive or release such provision could reasonably be expected to be
inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under Delaware Law, (iv) (A) fail to make, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent, or publicly propose to fail to make, withdraw or
modify in a manner adverse to Parent, the Company Board Recommendation, (B) fail to include the Company Board Recommendation in the Company Proxy Statement or (C) recommend, adopt or
approve or publicly propose to recommend, adopt or approve an Acquisition Proposal (any of the foregoing in this clause (iv), an "
Adverse Recommendation
Change
"), (v) approve any Person becoming an "interested stockholder" under Section 203 of Delaware Law or (vi) enter into any agreement in principle,
letter of intent, term sheet, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement or other agreement relating to an Acquisition Proposal (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement). It
is understood that any violation of the restrictions on the Company set forth in this Section 6.03 by any Subsidiary of the Company or any Company Transaction Representative shall be deemed a
breach of this Section 6.03 by the Company.
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(b)
Exceptions.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of Section 6.03, but subject (as applicable) to
compliance with the following provisions of this Section 6.03(b), Section 6.03(c) and Section 6.03(d), at any time prior to the adoption of this Agreement by the Company's
stockholders (but in no event after the adoption of this Agreement by the Company's stockholders):
(i) if
the Company or any of its Representatives receive a written Acquisition Proposal from any Third Party, which Acquisition Proposal did not result from a breach of
this Section 6.03, (A) the Company, directly or indirectly through its Representatives, may contact such Third Party for the sole purpose of clarifying the terms and conditions thereof
and (B) if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after considering advice from a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation and outside legal counsel to the
Company, that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes or could reasonably be expected to result in a Superior Proposal, then the Company, directly or indirectly through its Representatives, may
(x) furnish information (including non-public information) relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the Third Party that has made such Acquisition Proposal pursuant to a
confidentiality agreement with such Third Party with terms no less favorable in the
aggregate to the Company than those provided in the Confidentiality Agreement, except that such confidentiality agreement with such Third Party (1) need not include a standstill provision or
prohibit the submission of Acquisition Proposals or amendments thereto to the Company or the Board of Directors of the Company, and (2) shall not in any event include provisions requiring
exclusive negotiations (an "
Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement
"), a copy of which confidentiality agreement with such Third Party shall be provided to
Parent promptly after the execution thereof;
provided
that, to the extent that any such information furnished to such Third Party or its Representatives
has not been previously provided or made available to Parent or its Representatives, all such information shall be promptly (and in any event within twenty-four hours) provided or made available to
Parent and (y) enter into, engage in or otherwise participate in discussions or negotiations with the Third Party making such Acquisition Proposal;
(ii) following
receipt of a Superior Proposal after the date of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company may (A) make an Adverse Recommendation Change or
(B) terminate this Agreement pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.01(d)(i) and Section 10.03 in order to enter into a definitive, written agreement concerning a Superior
Proposal; and
(iii) other
than in connection with a Superior Proposal, the Board of Directors of the Company may make an Adverse Recommendation Change,
in
each case referred to in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), only if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after considering advice from a financial
advisor of nationally recognized reputation and outside legal counsel to the Company, that the failure to take such action would (or, in the case of clause (i), could) reasonably be expected to
be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under Delaware Law. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the Board of Directors of the Company from (A) complying with Rule 14e-2(a) under the
1934 Act with regard to an Acquisition Proposal so long as any action taken or statement made to so comply is consistent with this Section 6.03;
provided
that unless the Board of Directors of the
Company reaffirms the Company Board Recommendation in such statement or in connection with such
action by the close of business on the 10th Business Day after the commencement of such Acquisition Proposal under Rule 14e-2(a), such action shall be deemed to be an Adverse
Recommendation Change or (B) issuing "stop, look and listen" disclosure or similar communication of the type contemplated by Rule 14d-9(f) under the 1934 Act.
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(c)
Required Notices.
The Company shall notify Parent in writing promptly (but in no event later than
24 hours) after receipt by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives of any Acquisition Proposal, any
bona fide
written indication that a Third Party intends to make an Acquisition Proposal or any written request for information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for access to the business,
properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries by any Third Party that intends to make an Acquisition Proposal in connection therewith. The Company shall identify the Third Party making, and the material terms and conditions of,
any such Acquisition Proposal, indication or request (including any material changes thereto). The Company shall keep Parent reasonably informed on a current basis of any material developments,
discussions or negotiations regarding any such Acquisition Proposal, indication or request (including any changes thereto), and shall promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours after
receipt) provide to Parent copies of all correspondence and written materials sent or provided to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that describes any terms or conditions of any Acquisition
Proposal (as well as written summaries of any material oral communications addressing such matters).
(d)
"Last Look
". In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 6.03(a), Section 6.03(b) and
Section 6.03(c), the Board of Directors of the Company shall not (x) make an Adverse Recommendation Change pursuant to Section 6.03(b)(ii) or terminate (or seek to terminate) this
Agreement pursuant to Section 10.01(d)(i) in order to enter into a definitive, written agreement concerning a Superior Proposal or (y) make an Adverse Recommendation Change pursuant to
Section 6.03(b)(iii), unless (i) the Company promptly notifies Parent in writing at least four Business Days before taking such action, of its intention to do so, attaching the most
current version of the proposed agreement under which such Superior Proposal is proposed to be consummated and the identity of the Third Party making the Acquisition Proposal, or, in the case of an
Adverse Recommendation Change pursuant to Section 6.03(b)(iii), a reasonably detailed description of the facts relating to such Adverse Recommendation Change
(
provided
, for the avoidance of doubt, that the delivery of such notice shall not itself constitute an Adverse Recommendation Change),
(ii) during such four Business Day period, if requested by Parent, the Company and its Representatives shall have discussed and negotiated in good faith (in each case to the extent Parent
desires to negotiate) with Parent and its Representatives regarding any proposal by Parent to amend the terms of this Agreement in response to such Superior Proposal or potential Adverse
Recommendation Change, as applicable and (iii) after such four Business Day period, the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined in good faith, after considering advice from a
financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation (in the case of a Superior Proposal) and outside legal counsel to the Company, and taking into account any proposal by Parent to amend the terms
of this Agreement made during such period, that (A) in the case of clause (x) above, such Acquisition Proposal continues to be a Superior Proposal and (B) in the case of
clause (x) or (y), the failure to take such action would continue to reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under Delaware Law (it being understood and agreed that
any amendment to the financial or other material terms of any such Superior Proposal shall require a new written notification from the Company and a new notice period under clause (i) of this
Section 6.03(d) (except that such negotiation period shall be for three Business Days), during which period the Company shall be required to comply with the other requirements of this
Section 6.03(d) anew).
(e)
Definition of Superior Proposal.
For purposes of this Agreement, "
Superior
Proposal
" means any
bona fide
, unsolicited written Acquisition Proposal that did not result from a breach of this
Section 6.03 for at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or more than 50% of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on terms that the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after considering the advice of a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation and outside legal counsel, and taking into
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account
all circumstances reasonably deemed relevant by the Board of Directors of the Company (including the expected timing and likelihood of consummation, any governmental or other approval
requirements, any break-up fees, expense reimbursement provisions, conditions to consummation, availability of necessary financing and other financial, regulatory, legal and other aspects of such
Acquisition Proposal), would result in a transaction that if consummated, is more favorable to the Company's stockholders from a financial point of view than as provided hereunder (taking into account
any proposal by Parent to amend the terms of this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.03(d)).
(f)
Obligation to Terminate Existing Discussions.
The Company shall, shall cause each Company Transaction
Representative to, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause each Other Company Representative to, immediately cease and cause to be terminated any and all existing discussions or
negotiations, if any, with any Third Party conducted prior to the date of this Agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal, and shall request that any such Third Party and its Representatives
in possession of confidential information about the Company or its Subsidiaries that was furnished by or on behalf of the Company to such Persons return or destroy all such information and deliver a
certification as to such return or destruction, which certifications the Company shall seek to obtain as promptly as practicable after the date hereof.
Section 6.04.
Access to Information
.
From the date hereof until the Effective Time and subject to Applicable Law and the Confidentiality Agreement, the Company shall (a) give to Parent, its counsel, financial
advisors, auditors and other authorized Representatives reasonable access to the offices, properties, books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries and (b) furnish to Parent, its
counsel, financial advisors, auditors and other authorized Representatives such financial and operating data and other information as such Persons may reasonably request (including such information as
(i) Parent and Parent Sponsor may reasonably require in connection with the preparation of the Parent Shareholder Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto and any other related
documents required to be filed or published in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) the UKLA may request in connection with its review and approval of the
Parent Shareholder Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto) and (iii) instruct its employees, counsel, financial advisors, auditors and other authorized Representatives to comply
with the Company's obligations set forth in this Section 6.04. The Company shall instruct its external auditors to co-operate with Parent's external auditors as soon as practicable to agree on
the necessary processes and procedures that are required to be undertaken by each of them in relation to the preparation of the information required for the Parent Shareholder Circular and any
information and comfort letters required in relation to the preparation of the Parent Shareholder Circular. Any investigation pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in such manner as not to
interfere unreasonably with the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries. All information furnished pursuant to this Section shall be subject to the Confidentiality Agreement;
provided
that in no event shall the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement be deemed to prevent the disclosure of any information by Parent
(A) to Parent Sponsor or the UKLA, or (B) in the Parent Shareholder Circular to the extent required in order for Parent to comply with the Listing Rules or any other requirements of the
UKLA. No information or knowledge obtained in any investigation pursuant to this Section 6.04 shall affect or be deemed to modify any representation or warranty made by the Company hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, nothing in this Section 6.04 shall require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to (i) provide access to or furnish any
(A) documentation or information relating to the potential sale of the Company or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (B) trade secrets or (C) items subject to any
attorney-client, work product, or other similar privilege or (ii) violate the terms of any confidentiality agreement or other Contract with a third party;
provided
that the Company agrees to use
reasonable efforts to disclose such information in a manner that would not violate the terms of such
confidentiality agreement or other Contract.
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Section 6.05.
Financing Cooperation
.
Prior to the Closing, the Company shall and shall cause its Subsidiaries and Representatives to, use its and their respective reasonable best efforts to provide such information and
cooperation as may be reasonably requested by Parent in connection with the arrangement and syndication of any financing to be consummated in connection with the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including the Debt Financing and any bond or similar debt offering or issuance by Parent, its Subsidiaries or Merger Sub for the purpose of refinancing or replacing any
part of the Debt Financing or otherwise in order to raise funds to be used by Parent in discharging its obligations under this Agreement (a "
Bond
Refinancing
") (it being understood that the receipt of any such financing is not a condition to the Merger), including providing reasonable access to and procuring the
reasonable co-operation of auditors (including without limitation with respect to the provision of comfort letters) and upon reasonable notice, attending a reasonable number of meetings with third
parties where reasonably required at reasonable times and locations mutually agreed (including without limitation for the purposes of due diligence). Parent shall, (a) promptly upon request by
the Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
connection with the cooperation of the Company and its Subsidiaries contemplated by this Section 6.05, and (b) indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its Subsidiaries and its and
their respective directors, officers, employees and advisors from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, claims, costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees), interest,
awards, judgments and penalties suffered or incurred in connection with the Debt Financing or any assistance or activities in connection therewith (other than arising from fraud or intentional
misrepresentations, misstatements or omissions on the part of the Company or any of its Affiliates).
Section 6.06.
Stockholder Litigation
.
The Company shall notify Parent in writing as promptly as practicable after it has received written notice of any stockholder litigation (including derivative claims) against the
Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or executive officers relating to this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement
("
Merger-Related Litigation
") before any Governmental Authority. Parent shall have the right to participate in (but not control) the defense of any
Merger-Related Litigation and the Company shall consult with Parent regarding the defense of any Merger-Related Litigation. In no event shall the Company enter into any settlement with respect to such
Merger-Related Litigation without Parent's written consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, except to the extent such settlement is covered by the Company's
insurance policies (other than any applicable deductible), but only if such settlement would not result in the imposition of any restriction on the business or operations of the Company or its
Subsidiaries following the Closing.
Section 6.07.
Section 16 Matters
.
Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all such steps as may be required (to the extent permitted under Applicable Law) to cause any dispositions of Company Common Stock
(including derivative securities with respect to Company Common Stock) resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by each individual who is subject to the reporting requirements of
Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act with respect to the Company to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the 1934 Act.
Section 6.08.
Company Notes
.
The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cooperate and provide reasonable assistance and information to Parent in connection with any presentations to or discussions that
Parent wishes to have with any ratings agencies or applicable trustee in connection with any and all series of notes that have been issued by the Company from time to time and any matters in
connection therewith as may be necessary in connection with the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and shall allow Parent to lead any such
discussions or presentations made to such ratings agencies or applicable trustee to the extent such discussions or presentations relate to the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
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Article 7
COVENANTS OF PARENT
Parent
agrees that:
Section 7.01.
Obligations of Merger Sub.
Parent shall take all action necessary to cause Merger
Sub to perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger on the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Section 7.02.
Parent Shareholder Meeting; Shareholder Circular.
(a) Subject to
Section 8.02, Parent shall cause a general meeting of the shareholders of Parent (the "
Parent Shareholder
Meeting
") to be convened as soon as reasonably practicable (and, subject to Parent's right to adjourn or postpone the Parent Shareholder Meeting as contemplated by
Section 7.02(b), in any event within 28 days) after the approval of the Parent Shareholder Circular by the UKLA for the purpose of obtaining the Parent Shareholder Approval at the
Company Stockholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), and shall comply in all material respects with all legal requirements applicable to such meeting. In connection with
the Parent Shareholder Meeting, Parent shall (i) prepare and file with the UKLA a first draft of the Parent Shareholder Circular as soon as reasonably practicable (and in any event within 30
Business Days after the date hereof);
provided
that Parent shall cooperate with the Company to prepare any disclosure that is required to be contained
in both the Parent Shareholder Circular and the Company Proxy Statement in sufficient time to allow the Company to comply with its obligations in Section 6.02, (ii) cause the Parent
Shareholder Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto, when published in accordance with the Listing Rules, to comply with all material legal requirements applicable thereto and
(iii) use its reasonable best efforts to have the Parent Shareholder Circular approved by the UKLA as promptly as practicable.
(b) Subject
to Section 7.03, the Board of Directors of Parent shall (i) recommend approval of the Merger by Parent's shareholders and include the Parent Board
Recommendation in the Parent Shareholder Circular and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Parent Shareholder Approval. Subject to Section 8.02(a), Parent shall not,
without the prior written consent of the Company, adjourn, postpone or otherwise delay the Parent Shareholder Meeting;
provided
that Parent may, without
the prior written consent of the Company, adjourn or postpone the Parent Shareholder Meeting, after consultation with the Company, if Parent believes in good faith that such adjournment or
postponement is reasonably necessary to allow reasonable additional time to (A) if there are not sufficient affirmative votes in person or by proxy at such meeting to constitute a quorum or to
obtain the Parent Shareholder Approval, solicit additional proxies necessary to obtain a quorum or the Parent Shareholder Approval at the Parent Shareholder Meeting (including any adjournment or
postponement thereof), (B) distribute any supplement or amendment to the Parent Shareholder Circular that the Board of Directors of Parent has determined in good faith after consultation with
outside legal counsel is necessary under Applicable Law and for such supplement or amendment to be reviewed by Parent's shareholders prior to the Parent Shareholder Meeting (including any adjournment
or postponement thereof) or (C) ensure that the Parent Shareholder Meeting and the Company Stockholder Meeting are held on the same date and at the same time. After Parent has established a
record date for the Parent Shareholder Meeting, Parent shall not change such record date or establish a different record date for the Parent Shareholder Meeting without the prior written consent of
the Company (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), unless (x) required to do so by Applicable Law or Parent's organizational documents or (y) as required in
connection with any adjournment or postponement of the Parent Shareholder Meeting permitted by the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood that in the case of this clause (y),
Parent shall consult with and consider in good faith the view of the Company in connection with setting such new record date). Without the prior written consent of the Company, the adoption of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) shall be the only matter (other than
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matters
of procedure and matters required by Applicable Law to be voted on by Parent's shareholders in connection with the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby) that
Parent shall propose to be acted on by the stockholders of Parent at the Parent Shareholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof).
Section 7.03.
Parent Board Recommendation.
Except as permitted by the following sentence, Parent
and its Subsidiaries shall not, and shall not authorize or permit their respective Representatives to,
directly or indirectly, fail to make, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to the Company, or publicly propose to fail to make, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to the Company, the Parent
Board Recommendation (any of the foregoing in this sentence, a "
Parent Adverse Recommendation Change
"). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, at any
time prior to obtaining the Parent Shareholder Approval, the Board of Directors of Parent may effect a Parent Adverse Recommendation Change, if the Board of Directors of Parent determines in good
faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that the failure to take such action would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with Parent's directors' fiduciary duties under Applicable
Law;
provided, however
, that, unless and until this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, this Agreement and the Merger shall be
submitted to Parent's shareholders at the Parent Shareholder Meeting notwithstanding any Parent Adverse Recommendation Change.
Section 7.04.
Director and Officer Liability.
Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation, and
the Surviving Corporation hereby agrees, to do the following:
(a) For
not less than six years from and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, indemnify and hold
harmless the present and former officers, employees and directors of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries and each individual who is serving or has served at the request or for the benefit of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a director, officer, employee of another Person (each such director, officer, employee, an "
Indemnified Person
")
who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any actual or threatened claim, audit, action, suit, proceeding or investigation in respect of acts or omissions occurring at or prior to
the Effective Time (other than an action by or in the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company,
or is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or employee with respect to, another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, against any resulting claims, losses, liabilities, damages, fines, judgments, settlements and reasonable fees and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees and
expenses, and other costs, arising therefrom. The Surviving Corporation shall promptly advance any reasonable expenses as
incurred by any such Indemnified Person in connection with any such claim, audit, action, suit, proceeding or investigation;
provided
, that any Person
to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that such Person is
not entitled to indemnification. The Surviving Corporation shall cooperate with each Indemnified Person in the defense of any action.
(b) For
not less than six years from and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, maintain in effect
provisions in its certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or in such documents of any successor to the business of the Surviving Corporation) which provide for exculpation, indemnification and
advancement of expenses for each Indemnified Person with respect to any matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time and that are no less advantageous to the intended beneficiaries
than the corresponding provisions in existence on the date of this Agreement.
(c) At
or prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall be permitted to, and if the Company is unable to, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to,
purchase a
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prepaid
directors' and officers' liability "tail" insurance policy or other comparable directors' and officers' liability and fiduciary liability policies, in each case providing coverage for claims
asserted prior to and for six years after the Effective Time with respect to any matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (and, with respect to claims made prior to or during
such period, until final resolution thereof), with levels of coverage, terms, conditions, retentions and limits of liability that are at least as favorable as those contained in the Company's
directors' and officers' insurance policies and fiduciary liability insurance policies in effect as of the date hereof (the "
D&O Insurance
");
provided
that if the aggregate annual cost for such insurance coverage exceeds 300% of the current annual premium paid by the Company (which amount is
set forth in Section 7.04(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule), the Surviving Corporation shall instead be obligated to obtain D&O Insurance with the best available coverage with respect to
matters occurring at or prior to the Effective Time for an aggregate annual cost of 300% of the current annual premium.
(d) If
Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or
surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger, or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case,
to the extent necessary, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, shall assume the obligations set forth in this
Section 7.04.
(e) The
rights of each Indemnified Person under this Section 7.04 shall be in addition to any rights such Person may have under the certificate of incorporation or
bylaws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or under Delaware Law or any other Applicable Law or under any agreement of any Indemnified Person with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. These
rights shall survive consummation of the Merger and are intended to benefit, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Person.
Section 7.05.
Employee Matters.
(a) During the period beginning at the Effective Time and
ending on December 31, 2018 (or such shorter period of employment, as the case may be)
(the "
Continuation Period
"), Parent shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, provide to each employee who is actively employed by the Company or its
Subsidiaries at the Effective Time, including any employee who is out on leave or disability (to the extent that such items are applicable to such inactive employees) (each, a
"
Covered Employee
"), (i) base salary, base wage rate and annual cash incentive opportunities that are no less favorable, in each case, than the
base salary, base wage rate and annual cash incentive opportunities that were provided to such Covered Employee immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) other benefits in the aggregate
that are no less favorable in the aggregate than the compensation and benefits (other than equity compensation and other long-term incentives, change in control, retention, transition, stay or similar
arrangements to the extent such benefits are paid to a Covered Employee) that were provided to such Covered Employee under the Employee Plans immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(b) During
the Continuation Period, in the event that a Covered Employee's employment with the Surviving Corporation, Parent or its Affiliates or Subsidiaries is terminated
or such Person takes any other action that would have entitled such Covered Employee to receive severance payments and benefits under the Company's severance plans or practices as in effect as of the
date of this Agreement and as set forth on Section 7.05 of the Company Disclosure Schedule (the "
Company Severance Practice
"), the Surviving
Corporation, Parent or their Affiliates or Subsidiaries shall provide such Covered Employee with severance payments and benefits no less favorable than the severance payments and benefits determined
pursuant to the Company Severance Practice determined using such Covered Employee's then current compensation and years of service (determined in accordance with this Agreement).
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(c) In
the event any Covered Employee becomes eligible to participate under any employee benefit plan, program, policy or arrangement of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries
(each, a "
Parent Employee Benefit Plan
") following the Effective Time, Parent shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use commercially reasonable
efforts to: (i) waive any preexisting condition exclusions and waiting periods with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to such Covered Employee under any Parent
Employee Benefit Plan providing medical, dental, vision or other health benefits to the
same extent such limitation would have been waived or satisfied under the corresponding employee benefit plan such Covered Employee participated in immediately prior to coverage under such Parent
Employee Benefit Plan and (ii) provide such Covered Employee with credit for any copayments and deductibles paid prior to such Covered Employee's coverage under any Parent Employee Benefit Plan
during the calendar year in which such amount was paid, to the same extent such credit was given under the employee benefit plan such Covered Employee participated in immediately prior to coverage
under such Parent Employee Benefit Plan in satisfying any applicable deductible or out-of-pocket requirements under such Parent Employee Benefit Plan.
(d) As
of the Effective Time, Parent shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, recognize all service of each Covered Employee prior to the Effective Time, with the Company
and its Subsidiaries for vesting and eligibility purposes (but not for benefit accrual purposes, except for purposes of vacation, severance and matching contributions to defined contribution
retirement plans (other than as set forth herein), as applicable) to the same extent recognized under the corresponding Employee Plans;
provided,
however
, that for the avoidance of doubt, service of each Covered Employee prior to the Effective Time shall not be recognized for the purpose of any entitlement to participate
in, or receive benefits with respect to, any: (i) defined benefit pension plan maintained by Parent or (ii) Parent retiree medical program or other retiree welfare benefit program in
which any Covered Employee participates after the Effective Time. In no event shall anything contained in this Section 7.04 result in any duplication of benefits for the same period of service.
(e) Parent
hereby acknowledges that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement constitute a "change in control" or "change of control" of the
Company for purposes of any Employee Plan that contains a definition of "change in control" or "change of control", as applicable.
(f) Without
limiting the generality of Section 11.06, nothing in this Section 7.04, express or implied, (i) is intended to or shall confer upon any
Person other than the parties hereto, including any Covered Employee, any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, (ii) shall establish, or
constitute an amendment, termination or modification of, or an undertaking to amend, establish, terminate or modify, any benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement, (iii) shall alter or
limit the ability of Parent or any of its Affiliates (or, following the Effective Time, the Company or any of its 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 (iv) shall create any obligation on the part of Parent or its Affiliates (or, following the Effective
Time, the Company or any of its Affiliates) to employ any Covered Employee for any period following the Closing Date.
Section 7.06.
Financing.
(a) Each of Parent and Merger Sub shall use its reasonable best
efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all
things necessary to obtain the Debt Financing on the terms and conditions contained in the Debt Financing Agreements, including using its reasonable best efforts to satisfy (or if determined advisable
by Parent, obtain the waiver of) on a timely basis all conditions to obtaining the Debt Financing contained in the Debt Financing Agreements to the extent such conditions are within Parent's and
Merger Sub's control. Parent shall give the Company prompt notice of (x) any material breach by any party to the Debt
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Financing
Agreements of which Parent or Merger Sub becomes aware which would cause the Debt Financing to become unavailable, (y) any termination of any of the Debt Financing Agreements or
(z) the receipt of any notice from any Financing Source with respect to such Financing Source's failure or anticipated failure to fund its commitments under any Debt Financing Agreements. If
any portion of the Debt Financing becomes unavailable (it being understood that Parent and/or Merger Sub shall have the right to substitute the proceeds of consummated equity offerings or debt
offerings or incurrences of debt for all or any portion of the Debt Financing contemplated by the Debt Financing Agreements by reducing commitments under the Debt Financing Agreements), each of Parent
and Merger Sub shall (i) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain, as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such unavailability, alternative debt financing for such portion thereof
(to the extent such portion will not instead be funded by Parent and/or Merger Sub (at their sole discretion) from cash or cash equivalents) from alternative debt financing sources
("
Alternative Financing
") in an amount sufficient to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) promptly notify the
Company of such unavailability and, if known and not subject to any obligation of confidentiality, the reason therefor. If obtained, Parent shall deliver to the Company true and complete copies of all
agreements (other than any fee letters, mandate letters and engagement letters) pursuant to which any such alternative financing source shall have committed to provide Parent or Merger Sub with
Alternative Financing. Parent and Merger Sub shall not, without the Company's prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), agree to any amendment or modification
to, or any waiver of any provision or remedy under, any Debt Financing Agreement unless the terms and conditions of such Debt Financing Agreement (taken as a whole), as so amended, modified or waived,
are no more onerous on Parent (in the reasonable judgment of Parent) as those contained in such Debt Financing Agreement prior to giving effect to such amendment, modification or waiver;
provided
that
in the case of amendments or modifications of any Debt Financing Agreement, the foregoing shall only apply if such amendment or
modification (A) would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to timely consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
(B) adversely affects the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to enforce its rights against the other parties to such Debt Financing Agreement. Parent shall keep the Company reasonably informed on
a reasonably current basis of the status of its efforts to consummate the Debt Financing.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Parent, in its sole discretion and at any time, may replace any Debt Financing Agreement with another
commitment letter, definitive credit facility or other financing agreement (a "
Replacement Debt Financing Agreement
") pursuant to which
any financial institution(s) selected by Parent in its sole discretion commit to provide debt financing to finance the transactions contemplated by this Agreement ("
Replacement
Debt Financing
") and at any time after the effectiveness thereof Parent may, in its sole discretion, terminate the applicable Debt Financing Agreement and the commitments
thereunder;
provided
that, without the Company's prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), the terms and
conditions of any Replacement Debt Financing (taken as a whole) shall be no more onerous on Parent (in the reasonable judgment of Parent) as those contained in the Debt Financing Agreement(s) being
replaced. Promptly after the termination of any Debt Financing Agreement and the execution of any Replacement Debt Financing Agreement by Parent in accordance with this Section 7.05(b), Parent
shall notify the Company of such events and provide fully executed copies of such Replacement Debt Financing Agreement and any agreements relating thereto (other than any fee letters or engagement
letters).
(c) For
the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall the receipt or availability of any financing to Parent or any of its Affiliates or any other financing transaction be a
condition to Closing or to any of the other obligations of Parent or Merger Sub hereunder.
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Section 7.07.
Parent Litigation.
Parent shall notify the Company in writing as
promptly as practicable after it has received written notice of any litigation against Parent, Merger Sub, any of
its Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or executive officers relating to this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement before any
Governmental Authority, and shall thereafter keep the Company reasonably informed with respect to the status of any such litigation.
Article 8
COVENANTS OF PARENT AND THE COMPANY
The
parties hereto agree that:
Section 8.01.
Reasonable Best Efforts.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, the Company and Parent shall use their respective reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to
be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under Applicable Law to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement as promptly as practicable, including using reasonable best efforts to (i) take such actions as are necessary to cause the conditions set forth in Article 9 to be satisfied
(
provided
that nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to obligate any party to waive any such conditions), (ii) prepare, make and file all
notices, statements, filings, submissions of information, applications and other documents with any Governmental Authorities as are necessary, proper or advisable to consummate the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) obtain and maintain all consents, approvals, authorizations, clearances, actions, non-actions, waivers, licenses, registrations,
permits, variances, exemptions, orders and other confirmations from any Governmental Authorities as are necessary, proper or advisable to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by this Agreement and (iv) cooperate to the extent reasonable with the other parties hereto in their respective efforts to comply with their respective obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Both
Parent and the Company shall share the right to control and direct the defense of the transactions contemplated hereby before any Governmental Authority, including
by, in cooperation with the other party, scheduling, and directing strategy for, any meetings and negotiations with, Governmental Authorities regarding the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each of Parent and the Company shall make an appropriate filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to the
HSR Act as promptly as practicable and in any event within 10 Business Days after the date hereof, and such other initial filings (including any pre-notification draft) as may be required in
connection with the Required Governmental Approvals, as promptly as practicable and in any event within 20 Business Days after the date hereof, and supply as promptly as practicable any additional
information and documentary material that may be requested by any Governmental Authority pursuant to the HSR Act or such other Competition Laws, and shall use their reasonable best efforts to take all
other actions necessary to cause the condition set forth in Section 9.01(c) to be satisfied as soon as practicable and in any event prior to the End Date. Other than as set forth in the
immediately following sentence, neither Parent nor Company shall consent to any voluntary extension of any statutory deadline or waiting period or to any voluntary delay of the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement at the behest of any Governmental Authority without the consent of the other party (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).
Notwithstanding the prior sentence or anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Parent may consent to one or more voluntary extensions of applicable statutory deadlines or waiting periods or to one
or more voluntary delays of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement at the behest of any Governmental Authority for no more than 30 days in the aggregate;
provided
,
however
, prior to agreeing to any such extension, Parent shall consult with and consider in
good faith the views of the Company with respect thereto.
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(d) Prior
to the Closing, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, each party hereto shall (i) consult with the other parties hereto with respect to, and shall
provide any necessary or appropriate information with respect to (and, in the case of correspondence, provide the other parties (or their counsel) copies of), all filings made by such party with any
Governmental Authority or any other information supplied by such party to, or meetings, conferences or correspondence with, any Governmental Authority in connection with this Agreement, the Merger or
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) permit the other parties or their counsel to review in advance any information, correspondence or filing (and the documents submitted
therewith) intended to be given by it to any Governmental Authority;
provided
that such materials may be redacted prior to sharing with the other party
(A) to remove references to commercially or competitively sensitive information, (B) to remove references or documentation relating to the potential sale of the Company or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (C) as necessary to comply with contractual arrangements and (D) as necessary to address reasonable attorney-client privilege or
confidentiality concerns; (iii) to the extent permitted by the applicable Governmental Authority, give the other parties or their counsel the opportunity to attend and participate in any
meetings or conferences with such Governmental Authority and (iv) if such party receives a request for additional information or documentary material from any Governmental Authority with
respect to the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, use reasonable best efforts to provide, or cause to be provided, after consultation with the other parties
hereto, such additional information or material.
(e) Parent
shall not, nor shall it permit its Subsidiaries to acquire or agree to acquire any business, Person or division thereof, or otherwise acquire or agree to acquire
any assets, if such actions, individually or in the aggregate, (i) would reasonably be expected to materially delay or to materially increase the likelihood of not obtaining the applicable
action, nonaction, waiver, clearance, consent or approval pursuant to the HSR Act or in connection with any Required Governmental Approval prior to the End Date or (ii) would reasonably be
expected to require any action, nonaction, waiver, clearance, consent or approval of any other Governmental Authority with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, which would reasonably be
expected to materially delay or to materially impair Parent's ability to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement prior to the End Date (or, in the case of any
required action, nonaction, waiver, clearance, consent or approval, would reasonably be expected to materially delay or materially increase the likelihood of not obtaining such action, nonaction,
waiver, clearance, consent or approval).
Section 8.02.
Certain Filings.
(a) The Company and Parent shall cooperate with one another
(i) in connection with the preparation of the Company Proxy Statement, the Parent
Shareholder Circular and any other document referred to in Section 4.09, (ii) in determining whether any action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is
required, or any actions, consents, approvals or waivers are required to be obtained from parties to any Material Contracts or any Material Lease, in connection with the consummation of the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (iii) in taking any such actions or making any such filings, furnishing information required in connection therewith or with the
Company Proxy Statement, the Parent Shareholder Circular and any other document referred to in Section 4.09 and seeking timely to obtain any such actions, consents, approvals or waivers. The
Company and Parent shall cooperate with one another in setting a mutually acceptable date, which shall be as soon as reasonably practicable, for the Company Stockholder Meeting and the Parent
Shareholder Meeting so as to enable them to occur, to the extent practicable, on the same date and at the same time, including by adjourning or postponing such meetings.
(b) The
Company shall give Parent and its counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the Company Proxy Statement before any filing thereof (or of any
amendment
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thereto)
with the SEC, and the Company shall give reasonable and good faith consideration to any comments made thereon by Parent or its counsel. The Company shall provide Parent and its counsel with
(i) any material comments or other communications, whether written or oral, that the Company or its counsel may receive from time to time from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Company
Proxy Statement promptly after receipt of those comments or other communications and (ii) a reasonable opportunity to participate in the Company's response to any such comments and to provide
comments on any such response (to which reasonable and good faith consideration shall be given), including by participating with the Company or its counsel in any discussions or meetings with the SEC.
(c) Parent
shall give the Company and its counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the Parent Shareholder Circular before any filing thereof (or of any
amendment thereto) with the UKLA, and Parent shall give reasonable good faith consideration to any comments thereon made by the Company or its counsel. Parent shall provide the Company and its counsel
with (i) any material comments or other communications, whether written or oral, that Parent or its counsel may receive from time to time from the UKLA with respect to the Parent Shareholder
Circular promptly after receipt of those comments or other communications and (ii) a reasonable opportunity to participate in Parent's response to any such comments and to provide comments on
any such response (to which reasonable and good faith consideration shall be given).
(d) If
at any time prior to the Effective Time, either the Company or Parent discovers any information relating to the Company, Parent, or any of their respective
Affiliates, directors or officers that should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to either the Company Proxy Statement or the Parent Shareholder Circular so that such document would not
include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the
party that discovers such information shall promptly notify the other parties hereto and the applicable party shall (i) file an appropriate amendment or supplement to such document with the SEC
or the UKLA, as the case may be and if required by Applicable Law, describing such information and (ii) to the extent required by Applicable Law, disseminate such amendment or supplement to the
stockholders of the Company or the shareholders of Parent, as applicable. The parties shall notify each other promptly of the receipt of any oral or written notice of the clearance of the Company
Proxy Statement by the SEC or the approval of the Parent Shareholder Circular by the UKLA, the filing of any supplement or amendment thereto, the issuance of any stop order or any oral or written
request by the SEC for amendment or supplement of the Company Proxy Statement or by the UKLA for amendment or supplement of the Parent Shareholder Circular or comments thereon or responses thereto or
for additional information, and shall supply each other with copies of all correspondence between it or any of its Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC or the staff of the SEC, or the UKLA or
the staff of the UKLA, on the other hand, with respect to the Company Proxy Statement, the Parent Shareholder Circular or the Merger.
Section 8.03.
Public Announcements.
To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, Parent and the
Company shall consult with each other and consider in good faith the comments of the other parties
hereto before, directly or indirectly through any Representatives, issuing any press release, having any communication with the press (whether or not for attribution), making any other public
statement or scheduling any press conference or conference call with investors or analysts with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby and, except in respect of any public
statement or press release as may be required by Applicable Law or any listing agreement with or rule of any national securities exchange or association, shall not issue any such press release or make
any such other public statement or schedule any such press conference or conference call without the prior consent of the other party;
provided
that, no
party will be required to consult with or obtain the consent of the other parties hereto with respect to any such press release, public announcement or
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other
communication (a) if the Board of Directors of the Company has effected an Adverse Recommendation Change in accordance with Section 6.03, (b) if the Board of Directors of
Parent has effected a Parent Adverse Recommendation Change in accordance with Section 7.03, (c) if the information included in such communication was previously approved for external
distribution by the other parties or (d) in connection with any dispute between the parties regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 8.04.
Further Assurances.
At and after the Effective Time, the officers and directors of
the Surviving Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of
the Company or Merger Sub, any deeds, bills of sale, assignments or assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Merger Sub, any other actions and things to vest, perfect
or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving Corporation 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 Corporation as a result of, or in connection with, the Merger.
Section 8.05.
Notices of Certain Events.
Each of the Company and Parent shall promptly notify
the other of: (a) any written notice or other written 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 written notice or other written communication from any Governmental
Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) any actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings commenced or, to its knowledge, threatened against,
relating to or involving or otherwise affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, that, if pending on the date of this Agreement, would
have been required to have been disclosed pursuant to any Section of this Agreement or that relate to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (d) to the
knowledge of such party, the occurrence or non-occurrence, or impending occurrence or non-occurrence, of any event or circumstance that would reasonably be expected to cause the conditions set forth
in Article 9 not to be satisfied;
provided
, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 8.05 shall not limit or otherwise
affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such notice.
Section 8.06.
De-listing; Deregistration.
Prior to the Effective Time, the Company and Parent
shall cooperate and use their respective 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 their respective parts under Applicable Law and rules and policies of the NYSE to enable the de-listing by the
Surviving Corporation of the Company Common Stock from the NYSE and the deregistration of the Company Common Stock under the 1934 Act at or as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time.
Section 8.07.
Takeover Statutes.
If any "control share acquisition," "fair price," "moratorium"
or other antitakeover or similar statute or regulation shall become applicable to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub and the respective members of their Boards of Directors shall, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, use reasonable best
efforts to grant such approvals and to take such actions as are reasonably necessary so that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms
contemplated herein and otherwise take all such other actions as are reasonably necessary to eliminate or minimize the effects of any such statute or regulation on the transactions contemplated
hereby.
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Article 9
CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER
Section 9.01.
Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party.
The obligations of Parent, Merger Sub and
the Company to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law,
waiver by each such party) of the following conditions:
(a) the
Company Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with Delaware Law;
(b) the
Parent Shareholder Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with the Listing Rules and all Applicable Law;
(c) any
applicable waiting period under the HSR Act relating to the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby shall have expired or been terminated, and
the Required Governmental Approvals set forth on Annex A shall have been made, obtained or taken, and any applicable approvals and waiting periods thereunder shall have been received and remain
in effect (in the case of approvals) or expired or been terminated; and
(d) no
provision of any Applicable Law shall restrain, enjoin, prohibit or otherwise make illegal the consummation of the Merger (any such provision of any Applicable Law
that is an order, injunction, judgment or decree, a "
Restraint
").
Section 9.02.
Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
The obligations of Parent
and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, waiver by
Parent) of the following further conditions:
(a) (i)
the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Sections 4.01, 4.02, 4.04(a), 4.06(b) and 4.22 shall be true and correct (disregarding all
materiality and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) in all material respects at and as of the date of this Agreement and at and as of the Effective Time as if made at and
as of such time (other than any such representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality
and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) in all material respects only as of such time), (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 4.05 shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein), subject only to
de
minimis
exceptions, at and as of the date of this Agreement and at and as of the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than any such representations and
warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications
contained therein), subject only to
de minimis
exceptions, only at and as of such time), and (iii) all other representations and warranties of
the Company contained in Article 4 shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) at and as of the date of this
Agreement and at and as of the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than any such representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified
time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time), except, in the case of this clause (a) only, where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct has not
had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect;
(b) the
Company shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it at or prior to the Effective Time;
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(c) Parent
shall have received a certificate signed by an executive officer of the Company in such capacity confirming the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Sections 9.02(a), 9.02(b) and 9.02(d); and
(d) since
the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred or arisen any event, occurrence, development, change or state of circumstances or facts that has had or
would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 9.03.
Conditions to the Obligations of the Company.
The obligations of the Company to
consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, waiver by the Company) of
the following further condition:
(a) (i)
the representations and warranties of Parent contained in Sections 5.01, 5.02, 5.04(a) and 5.08 shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality and
Parent Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) in all material respects at and as of the date of this Agreement and at and as of the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time
(other than any such representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality and Parent
Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) in all material respects only as of such time) and (ii) all other representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in
Article 5 shall be true and correct (disregarding all materiality and Parent Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) at and as of the date of this Agreement and at and at and
as of the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than any such representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be
true and correct (disregarding all materiality and Parent Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) only as of such time), except, in the case of this clause (ii) only, where
the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect;
(b) each
of Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it at or prior to the Effective
Time; and
(c) the
Company shall have received a certificate signed by an executive officer of Parent in such capacity confirming the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Sections 9.03(a) and 9.03(b).
Article 10
TERMINATION
Section 10.01.
Termination
.
This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time (notwithstanding any approval or adoption of this Agreement by the stockholders
of the Company or Parent):
(a) by
mutual written agreement of the Company and Parent;
(b) by
either the Company or Parent, if:
(i) the
Merger shall not have been consummated on or before September 10, 2017 (such date, as extended in accordance with this Section 10.01(b)(i), the
"
End Date
");
provided
that if on September 10, 2017, the condition to Closing set forth in
Section 9.01(c), or in Section 9.01(d) if the applicable Restraint relates to any Competition Laws, shall not have been satisfied, but all other conditions to Closing shall have been
satisfied (or in the case of conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, shall be capable of being satisfied on September 10, 2017), then the End Date shall be extended
to and including December 10, 2017 if Parent notifies the Company, or the Company notifies Parent, in writing
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on
or prior to September 10, 2017 of its election to so extend the End Date;
provided, further
, that the right to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 10.01(b)(i) shall not be available to any party whose breach of any provision of this Agreement has been the principal cause of the failure of the Merger to be
consummated by such time;
(ii) there
shall be any Applicable Law that (A) makes consummation of the Merger illegal or otherwise prohibited or (B) enjoins the Company or Parent from
consummating the Merger and such injunction shall have become final and nonappealable;
(iii) the
Company Stockholder Approval shall not have been obtained at the Company Stockholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof);
provided
that the right to terminate the Agreement
pursuant to this Section 10.01(b)(iii) shall not be available to the Company if its breach of
any provision of this Agreement has been the principal cause of the failure to obtain the Company Stockholder Approval; or
(iv) the
Parent Shareholder Approval shall not have been obtained at the Parent Shareholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof);
provided
that the right to terminate the Agreement
pursuant to this Section 10.01(b)(iv) shall not be available to Parent if its breach of any
provision of this Agreement has been the principal cause of the failure to obtain the Parent Shareholder Approval; or
(c) by
Parent, if:
(i) (A)
the Board of Directors of the Company shall have made an Adverse Recommendation Change; or (B) at any time after an Acquisition Proposal shall have been
publicly proposed or publicly disclosed the Company's Board of Directors shall have failed to publicly affirm the Company Board Recommendation within five Business Days after receipt of any written
request to do so from Parent (
provided
that Parent shall only make such request once with respect to any Acquisition Proposal or any material and
publicly proposed or disclosed amendment thereto); or
(ii) a
breach of any representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred
that would result in the condition set forth in Section 9.02(a) or Section 9.02(b), as applicable, not to be satisfied, and such breach or failure to perform (A) is incapable of
being cured by the End Date or (B) has not been cured by the Company within 30 days following written notice to the Company from Parent or Merger Sub of such breach or failure to
perform;
provided, however
, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.01(c)(ii) shall not be available to Parent if
it is then in breach of this Agreement, which breach by Parent would cause any condition set forth in Section 9.03(a) or Section 9.03(b) not to be satisfied; or
(iii) any
of the Persons listed on Section 10.01(c)(iii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall have willfully and materially breached, or shall have caused or
directed the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives to materially breach, any of the Company's, its Subsidiaries or the Company Transaction Representatives'
obligations under Section 6.03; and such breach is incapable of being cured or, if capable of being cured, has not been cured within five Business Days following written notice thereof from
Parent; or
(d) by
the Company:
(i) prior
to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval, in order to enter into a definitive, written agreement concerning a Superior Proposal in compliance with the terms
of this Agreement, including Sections 6.03(d) and 10.03(a) (including that the Company shall have concurrently paid any amount due pursuant to Section 10.03 in accordance therewith);
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(ii) if
the Board of Directors of Parent shall have made a Parent Adverse Recommendation Change; or
(iii) if
a breach of any representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of Parent or Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement shall
have occurred that would result in the condition set forth in Section 9.03(a) or Section 9.03(b), as applicable, not to be satisfied, and such breach or failure to perform (A) is
incapable of being cured by the End Date or (B) has not been cured by Parent or Merger Sub, as applicable, within 30 days following written notice to Parent or Merger Sub, as applicable,
from the Company of such breach or failure to perform;
provided, however
, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 10.01(d)(iii) shall not be available to the Company if it is then in breach of this Agreement, which breach by the Company would cause any condition set forth in Section 9.02(a)
or Section 9.02(b) not to be satisfied.
The party desiring to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.01 (other than pursuant to Section 10.01(a)) shall give notice of such
termination to the other party.
Section 10.02.
Effect of Termination
.
If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 10.01, this Agreement shall become void and of no effect without liability of any party (or any stockholder or Representative
of such party) to each other party hereto except as provided in Section 10.03;
provided
that, subject to Section 10.03(f), no such
termination shall relieve or otherwise affect the liability of any party hereto for fraud or any material breach of this Agreement by such party prior to termination, which breach is the consequence
of an act or omission by such party with the actual knowledge that such act or omission would be a material breach of this Agreement. The provisions of this Section 10.02, the final sentence of
Section 6.05, Section 10.03 and Article 11 (other than Section 11.13 except to the extent Section 11.13 relates to the specific performance of the provisions of this
Agreement that survive termination) shall survive any termination hereof pursuant to Section 10.01.
Section 10.03.
Termination Fees
.
(a)
Company Termination Fees
.
(i) If
this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 10.01(c)(i) or Section 10.01(c)(iii), or by the Company pursuant to
Section 10.01(d)(i), then the Company shall pay to Parent or, if designated by Parent, a direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent (the "
Parent Fee
Designee
"), by way of compensation, $480,000,000 (the "
Termination Fee
") within one Business Day after the date of the
termination of the Agreement (in the case of any such termination by Parent) or concurrently with, and as a condition precedent to, the termination of the Agreement (in the case of any such
termination by the Company).
(ii) If
this Agreement is terminated by Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 10.01(b)(iii), then the Company shall pay to Parent or the Parent Fee Designee, as
applicable, by way of compensation, an amount equal to all out-of-pocket costs, fees and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by Parent or any of its Affiliates in connection with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including obtaining the Debt Financing or any Bond Refinancing) subject to cap on such reimbursement of $20,000,000
("
Parent Cost Reimbursement
"), within one Business Day after the date of the termination of the Agreement (in the case of any such termination by
Parent) or concurrently with, and as a condition precedent to, the termination of the Agreement (in the case of any such termination by the Company), and in addition, if (A) prior to the
Company Stockholder Meeting, a
bona fide
Acquisition Proposal shall have been publicly proposed or publicly disclosed and not publicly withdrawn and
(B) within 12 months following the date of such termination, the Company shall have consummated an Acquisition Proposal or entered into a definitive agreement providing for a transaction
that constitutes an Acquisition Proposal (
provided
that for purposes of this clause (ii), each reference to "20%" in the definition of
Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed to be a reference to "50%"), then the Company shall
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pay
to Parent or the Parent Fee Designee, as applicable, by way of compensation, an amount equal to the Termination Fee, less any amounts already paid to Parent with respect to the Parent Cost
Reimbursement, within one Business Day after the first date on which the Company enters into such definitive agreement or consummates such transaction.
(iii) If
this Agreement is terminated by Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 10.01(b)(i) and (A) prior to the date of such termination a
bona fide
Acquisition Proposal shall have been publicly
proposed or publicly disclosed and not publicly withdrawn, and (B) within
12 months following the date of such termination, the Company shall have consummated an Acquisition Proposal or entered into a definitive agreement providing for a transaction that constitutes
an Acquisition Proposal (
provided
that for purposes of this clause (iii), each reference to "20%" in the definition of Acquisition Proposal shall
be deemed to be a reference to "50%"), then the Company shall pay to Parent or the Parent Fee Designee, by way of compensation, the Termination Fee within one Business Day after the first date on
which the Company enters into such definitive agreement or consummates such transaction;
provided
that no Termination Fee shall be payable by the
Company under this Section 10.03(a)(iii) if at the date of such termination, the condition set forth in Section 9.01(c) has not been satisfied, or the condition set forth in
Section 9.01(d) has not been satisfied solely in connection with any Restraint in respect of any Competition Law.
(b)
Parent Termination Fees.
(i) If
this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 10.01(d)(ii), then Parent shall pay to the Company, by way of compensation, $480,000,000 (the
"
Reverse Termination Fee
"), within one Business Day after the date of the termination of the Agreement.
(ii) If
this Agreement is terminated by Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 10.01(b)(iv), then Parent shall pay to the Company, by way of compensation, the
Reverse Termination Fee, within one Business Day after the date of the termination of the Agreement (in the case of any such termination by the Company) or concurrently with, and as a condition
precedent to, the termination of the Agreement (in the case of any such termination by Parent).
(c)
VAT.
The parties anticipate that the Termination Fee, the Parent Cost Reimbursement and the Reverse
Termination Fee, if paid, being compensatory in nature, shall not be treated, in whole or in part, as consideration for a supply for VAT purposes. However, if under a reverse charge mechanism, the
Termination Fee or the Reverse Termination Fee, as applicable, is or is deemed to be consideration,
in whole or in part, for a supply for VAT purposes, then the amount of the Termination Fee or the Reverse Termination Fee, as applicable, shall be reduced by an amount such that the sum payable by
Parent or the Company, as applicable, when aggregated with any irrecoverable VAT in respect thereof, shall be equal to the amount of the Termination Fee or the Reverse Termination Fee, as applicable,
that would be payable but for this Section 10.03(c). Such adjusting payment or payments as may be required between the parties to give effect to this Section 10.03(c) shall be made as
soon as reasonably practicable.
(d)
Payment.
Any payment of the Termination Fee, the Reverse Termination Fee or the Parent Cost Reimbursement
shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated in writing by Parent or the Parent Fee Designee, or the Company, as applicable.
(e)
Costs and Expenses.
Each party acknowledges that the agreements contained in this Section 10.03 are
an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that, without these agreements, such party would not enter into this Agreement. Accordingly, if the
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applicable
party fails promptly to pay any amount due pursuant to this Section 10.03, such party shall also pay any costs, fees and expenses incurred by the other party (including reasonable
legal fees and expenses) in connection with a legal action to enforce this Agreement that results in a judgment for such amount against the party failing to promptly pay such amount. Any amount not
paid when due pursuant to this Section 10.03 shall bear interest from the date such amount is due until the date paid at a rate equal to the prime rate as published in
The Wall Street Journal, Eastern
Edition
, in effect on the date of such payment.
(f)
Sole and Exclusive Remedy.
The parties agree and understand that (i) in no event shall the Company be
required to pay the Termination Fee on more than one occasion and in no event shall Parent or Merger Sub be required to pay the Reverse Termination Fee on more than one occasion and (ii) in no
event shall Parent or the Parent Fee Designee, as applicable, be entitled, pursuant to Section 10.03, to receive an amount greater than the Termination Fee and in no event shall the Company be
entitled, pursuant to Section 10.03(b), to receive an amount greater than the Reverse Termination Fee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of fraud of
any party hereto, (x) if Parent or the Parent Fee Designee, as applicable receives the Termination Fee from the Company pursuant to Section 10.03(a) or if the Company receives the
Reverse Termination Fee from Parent pursuant to Section 10.03(b), such payment, together with any costs, fees or expenses payable pursuant to Section 10.03(e), shall be the sole and
exclusive remedy of the receiving party against the paying party and its Subsidiaries and their respective former, current or future partners, stockholders,
managers, members, Affiliates and Representatives and none of the paying party, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective former, current or future partners, stockholders, managers, members,
Affiliates or Representatives shall have any further liability or obligation relating to or arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby and (y) if (A) Parent or
Merger Sub receive any payments from the Company in respect of any breach of this Agreement and thereafter Parent receives the Termination Fee pursuant to this Section 10.03, or (B) the
Company receives any payments from Parent or Merger Sub in respect of any breach of this Agreement and thereafter the Company receives the Reverse Termination Fee pursuant to this
Section 10.03, the amount of such Termination Fee or Reverse Termination Fee, as applicable, shall be reduced by the aggregate amount of such payments made by the party paying the Termination
Fee or Reverse Termination Fee, as applicable, in respect of any such breaches.
Article 11
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 11.01.
Notices
.
All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission and electronic mail
("
e-mail
") transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and received) and shall be given,
if
to Parent or Merger Sub, to:
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with
a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
if
to the Company, to:
with
a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
or
to such other address or facsimile number as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties hereto. All such notices, requests and other communications shall be
deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m. on a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication
shall be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.
Section 11.02.
Survival of Representations and Warranties
.
The representations, warranties and agreements contained herein and in any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall not survive the Effective Time, except for the
agreements set forth in Section 7.04.
Section 11.03.
Amendments and Waivers
.
(a) Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived prior to the Effective Time if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed, in the case of an
amendment, by each party to this Agreement or, in the case of a waiver, by each party against whom the waiver is to be effective;
provided
that after
the Company Stockholder Approval or Parent Shareholder Approval has been obtained there shall be no amendment or waiver that would require the further approval of the stockholders of the Company under
Delaware Law or the shareholders of Parent under the Listing Rules without such approval having first been obtained.
(b) No
failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or
remedies provided by Applicable Law.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of which the Financing Related Parties are made third
party beneficiaries pursuant to Section 11.06 that affects the rights of the Financing Related Parties will not be effective without the prior written consent of all the Financing Sources.
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Section 11.04.
Expenses
.
Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.
Section 11.05.
Disclosure Schedule and SEC Document References
.
(a) The parties hereto agree that disclosure of any item, matter or event in a particular Section of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be an exception to (or, as
applicable, a disclosure for purposes of) (i) the representations and warranties (or covenants, as applicable) of the relevant party that are contained in the corresponding Section or
subsection, as applicable, of this Agreement and (ii) any other representation and warranty of such party that is contained in another Section or subsection of this Agreement, but only if the
relevance of that disclosure as an exception to (or a disclosure for purposes of) such representations and warranties (or covenants, as applicable) would be reasonably apparent to a person who read
such disclosure and such representations and warranties (or covenants, as applicable) concurrently with such representations and warranties.
(b) The
parties hereto agree that any information contained in any part of any Company SEC Document shall only be deemed to be an exception to (or a disclosure for purposes
of) the Company's representations and warranties if the relevance of that information as an exception to (or a disclosure for purposes of) such representations and warranties would be reasonably
apparent to a person who has read that information concurrently with such representations and warranties;
provided
that in no event shall any
information contained in any part of any Company SEC Document entitled "Risk Factors" or containing a description or explanation of "Forward-Looking Statements" or any other disclosures in any Company
SEC Document that are forward-looking in nature be deemed to be an exception to (or a disclosure for purposes of) any representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement.
Section 11.06.
Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment.
(a) Except as provided in
Section 6.05 and Section 7.04, and except that each Financing Related Party shall be an express third-party
beneficiary of Sections 11.06, 11.07, 11.08 and 11.09, the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure solely to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns, and no provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person other than the parties hereto and
their respective successors and assigns.
(b) No
party may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of each other party hereto,
except that Parent or Merger Sub may transfer or assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement, in whole or from time to time in part, to (i) one or more of their Affiliates at any
time and (ii) after the Effective Time, to any Person;
provided
that such transfer or assignment shall not relieve Parent or Merger Sub of its
obligations hereunder or enlarge, alter or change any obligation of any other party hereto or due to Parent or Merger Sub.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company agrees that (i) neither it, nor any Company Related Persons shall have any rights or
claims against any Financing Related Party in connection with the Debt Financing, this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether at law, in equity, in contract, tort
or otherwise and (ii) no Financing Related Party shall have any liability whatsoever to the Company or any Company Related Persons, in connection with or relating to the Debt Financing, this
Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether at law, in equity, in contract, tort or otherwise.
Section 11.07.
Governing Law
.
This Agreement and all actions (whether in contract or tort) based on, arising out of or relating to the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of Delaware, regardless of the Applicable Law that might otherwise govern under applicable
principles of conflicts of law thereof.
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Section 11.08.
Jurisdiction
.
The parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby (whether brought by any party or any of its Affiliates or against any party or any of its Affiliates) shall be brought exclusively in the Delaware Chancery Court or,
if such court shall not have jurisdiction, any federal court located in the State of Delaware or other Delaware state court, and each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of
such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or
hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an
inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the
foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11.01 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party. The parties hereto agree that a final
judgment in any suit, action or proceeding brought in accordance with this Section 11.08 shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other
manner provided by Applicable Law. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each of the parties hereto agrees that it will not bring or support any action, cause of action, claim,
cross-claim or third-party claim of any kind or description, at law or in equity, in contract, tort or otherwise, against or including any Financing Related Party in any way relating to this
Agreement, including any dispute arising under or relating to any agreement entered into by any Financing Related Party in connection with the Debt Financing, or the performance thereof, in any forum
other than the courts of England.
Section 11.09.
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
.
EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY INCLUDING ANY SUCH PROCEEDING INVOLVING ANY FINANCING RELATED PARTY.
Section 11.10.
Counterparts; Effectiveness
.
This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same
instrument. This Agreement shall become effective when each party hereto shall have received a counterpart hereof signed by all of the other parties hereto. Until and unless each party has received a
counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written
agreement or other communication).
Section 11.11.
Entire Agreement
.
This Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter thereof and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter thereof.
Section 11.12.
Severability
.
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic
or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify
this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally
contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
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Section 11.13.
Specific Performance
.
The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and
that monetary damages, even if available, would not be an adequate remedy therefor. It is accordingly agreed that, prior to the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article 10, the parties
shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in the courts referred to in
Section 11.08 without proof of actual damages (and each party further agrees to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy); in addition to any
other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity. The parties further agree not to assert that a remedy of specific performance is unenforceable, invalid, contrary to Applicable Law or
inequitable for any reason, nor to assert that a remedy of monetary damages would provide an adequate remedy for any such breach.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the date set forth on the
cover page of this Agreement.
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RECKITT BENCKISER GROUP PLC
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By:
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/s/ RUPERT BONDY
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Name:
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Rupert Bondy
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Title:
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Authorized Signatory
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MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY
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By:
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/s/ PETER KASPER JAKOBSEN
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Name:
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Peter Kasper Jakobsen
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Title:
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Chief Executive Officer
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MARIGOLD MERGER SUB, INC.
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By:
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/s/ RUPERT BONDY
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Name:
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Rupert Bondy
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Title:
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Officer
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[Signature Page to Merger Agreement]
A-63
Table of Contents
Annex BOpinion of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
February 10,
2017
Board
of Directors
Mead Johnson Nutrition Company
2701 Patriot Boulevard
Glenview, Illinois 60026
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
You
have requested our opinion as to the fairness from a financial point of view to the holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc ("Reckitt Benckiser") and its affiliates)
of the outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Shares"), of Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (the "Company") of the $90.00 in cash per Share to be paid to such holders
pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 10, 2017 (the "Agreement"), by and among Reckitt Benckiser Group, Marigold Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary
of Reckitt Benckiser ("Acquisition Sub"), and the Company.
Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and its affiliates are engaged in advisory, underwriting and financing, principal investing, sales and trading, research, investment management and
other financial and non-financial activities and services for various persons and entities. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and its affiliates and employees, and funds or other entities they manage
or in which they invest or have other economic interests or with which they co-invest, may at any time purchase, sell, hold or vote long or short positions and investments in securities, derivatives,
loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps and other financial instruments of the Company, Reckitt Benckiser, any of their respective affiliates and third parties, or any currency or
commodity that may be involved in the transaction contemplated by the Agreement (the "Transaction"). We have acted as financial advisor to the Company in connection with, and have participated in
certain of the negotiations leading to, the Transaction. We expect to receive fees for our services in connection with the Transaction, all of which are contingent upon consummation of the
Transaction, and the Company has agreed to reimburse certain of our expenses arising, and indemnify us against certain liabilities that may arise, out of our engagement. We have provided certain
financial advisory and/or underwriting services to the Company and/or its affiliates from time to time. We have provided certain financial advisory and/or underwriting services to Reckitt Benckiser
and/or its affiliates from time to time. We may also in the future provide financial advisory and/or underwriting services to the Company, Reckitt Benckiser and their respective affiliates for which
our Investment Banking Division may receive compensation.
In
connection with this opinion, we have reviewed, among other things, the Agreement; annual reports to stockholders and Annual Reports on Form 10-K of the Company for the five
fiscal years ended December 31, 2015; certain interim reports to stockholders and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q of the Company; certain other communications from the Company to its
stockholders; certain publicly available research analyst reports for the Company; and certain internal financial analyses and forecasts for the Company prepared by its management, as approved for our
use by the Company (the "Forecasts"). We have also held discussions with members of the senior management of the Company regarding their assessment of the past and current business operations,
financial condition and future prospects of the Company; reviewed the reported price and trading activity for the Shares; compared
certain financial and stock market information for the Company with similar information for certain other companies the securities of which are publicly traded; reviewed the financial terms of certain
recent business combinations in the food industry and in other industries; and performed such other studies and analyses, and considered such other factors, as we deemed appropriate.
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For
purposes of rendering this opinion, we have, with your consent, relied upon and assumed the accuracy and completeness of all of the financial, legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and
other information provided to, discussed with or reviewed by, us, without assuming any responsibility for independent verification thereof. In that regard, we have assumed with your consent that the
Forecasts have been reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting the best currently available estimates and judgments of the management of the Company. We have not made an independent evaluation or
appraisal of the assets and liabilities (including any contingent, derivative or other off-balance-sheet assets and liabilities) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and we have not been
furnished with any such evaluation or appraisal. We have assumed that all governmental, regulatory or other consents and approvals necessary for the consummation of the Transaction will be obtained
without any adverse effect on the expected benefits of the Transaction in any way meaningful to our analysis. We have assumed that the Transaction will be consummated on the terms set forth in the
Agreement, without the waiver or modification of any term or condition the effect of which would be in any way meaningful to our analysis.
Our
opinion does not address the underlying business decision of the Company to engage in the Transaction, or the relative merits of the Transaction as compared to any strategic
alternatives that may be available to the Company; nor does it address any legal, regulatory, tax or accounting matters. We were not requested to solicit, and did not solicit, interest from other
parties with respect to an acquisition of, or other business combination with, the Company or any other alternative transaction. This opinion addresses only the fairness from a financial point of view
to the holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser and its affiliates) of Shares, as of the date hereof, of the $90.00 in cash per Share to be paid to such holders pursuant to the Agreement. We do not
express any view on, and our opinion does not address, any other term or aspect of the Agreement or Transaction or any term or aspect of any other agreement or instrument contemplated by the Agreement
or entered into or amended in connection with the Transaction, including, the fairness of the Transaction to, or any consideration received in connection therewith by, the holders of any other class
of securities, creditors, or other constituencies of the Company; nor as to the fairness of the amount or nature of any compensation to be paid or payable to any of the officers, directors or
employees of the Company, or class of such persons, in connection with the Transaction, whether relative to the $90.00 in cash per Share to be paid to the holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser and its
affiliates) of Shares pursuant to the Agreement or otherwise. We are not expressing any opinion as to the impact of the Transaction on the solvency or viability of the Company or Reckitt Benckiser or
the ability of the Company or Reckitt Benckiser to pay their respective obligations when they come due. Our opinion is necessarily based on economic, monetary, market and other conditions as in effect
on, and the information made available to us as of, the date hereof and we assume no responsibility for updating, revising or reaffirming this opinion based on circumstances, developments or events
occurring after the date hereof. Our advisory services and the opinion expressed herein are provided for the information and assistance of the Board of Directors
of the Company in connection with its consideration of the Transaction and such opinion does not constitute a recommendation as to how any holder of Shares should vote with respect to such Transaction
or any other matter. This opinion has been approved by a fairness committee of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Based
upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, the $90.00 in cash per Share to be paid to the holders (other than Reckitt Benckiser and its
affiliates) of Shares pursuant to the Agreement is fair from a financial point of view to such holders.
Very
truly yours,
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/s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
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Annex COpinion of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
February 9
th
,
2017
Board
of Directors
Mead Johnson Nutrition Company
2701 Patriot Boulevard
Glenview, Illinois 60026
Members
of the Board:
We
understand that Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (the "Company"), Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc (the "Buyer") and Marigold Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Buyer ("Acquisition Sub"), propose to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, substantially in the form of the draft dated February 9
th
, 2017 (the "Merger Agreement"), which
provides, among other things, for the merger (the "Merger") of Acquisition Sub with and into the Company. Pursuant to the Merger, the Company will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Buyer, and
each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Company Common Stock"), other than shares held in treasury (other than shares held for the account of clients,
customers or other persons) or held by the Buyer or any subsidiary of the Buyer or the Company or as to which dissenters' rights have been perfected, will be converted into the right to receive $90.00
per share in cash, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances (the "Consideration"). The terms and conditions of the Merger are more fully set forth in the Merger Agreement.
You
have asked for our opinion as to whether the Consideration to be received by the holders of shares of the Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger Agreement is fair from a
financial point of view to such holders.
For
purposes of the opinion set forth herein, we have:
-
1)
-
Reviewed
certain publicly available financial statements and other business and financial information of the Company;
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2)
-
Reviewed
certain internal financial statements and other financial and operating data concerning the Company;
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3)
-
Reviewed
certain financial projections prepared by the management of the Company;
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4)
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Discussed
the past and current operations and financial condition and the prospects of the Company with senior executives of the Company;
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5)
-
Reviewed
the reported prices and trading activity for the Company Common Stock;
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6)
-
Compared
the financial performance of the Company and the prices and trading activity of the Company Common Stock with that of certain other publicly-traded companies
comparable with the Company and their securities;
-
7)
-
Reviewed
the financial terms, to the extent publicly available, of certain comparable acquisition transactions;
-
8)
-
Reviewed
the Merger Agreement, the draft credit facilities agreement from certain lenders substantially in the form of the draft dated
February 9
th
, 2017 (the "Credit Facilities Agreement") and certain related documents; and
-
9)
-
Performed
such other analyses and reviewed such other information and considered such other factors as we have deemed appropriate.
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We
have assumed and relied upon, without independent verification, the accuracy and completeness of the information that was publicly available or supplied or otherwise made available to
us by the Company, and formed a substantial basis for this opinion. With respect to the financial projections, we have assumed that they have been reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best
currently available estimates and judgments of the management of the Company of the future financial performance of the Company. In addition, we have assumed that the Merger will be consummated in
accordance with the terms set forth in the Merger Agreement without any waiver, amendment or delay of any terms or conditions, including, among other things, that the Buyer will obtain financing in
accordance with the terms set forth in the Credit Facilities Agreement, and that the definitive Merger Agreement will not differ in any material respect from the draft thereof furnished to us. Morgan
Stanley has assumed that
in connection with the receipt of all the necessary governmental, regulatory or other approvals and consents required for the proposed Merger, no delays, limitations, conditions or restrictions will
be imposed that would have a material adverse effect on the contemplated benefits expected to be derived in the proposed Merger. We are not legal, tax or regulatory advisors. We are financial advisors
only and have relied upon, without independent verification, the assessment of the Company and its legal, tax or regulatory advisors with respect to legal, tax or regulatory matters. We express no
opinion with respect to the fairness of the amount or nature of the compensation to any of the Company's officers, directors or employees, or any class of such persons, relative to the Consideration
to be received by the holders of shares of the Company Common Stock in the transaction. We have not made any independent valuation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities of the Company, nor have we
been furnished with any such valuations or appraisals. Our opinion is necessarily based on financial, economic, market and other conditions as in effect on, and the information made available to us as
of, the date hereof. Events occurring after the date hereof may affect this opinion and the assumptions used in preparing it, and we do not assume any obligation to update, revise or reaffirm this
opinion.
In
arriving at our opinion, we were not authorized to solicit, and did not solicit, interest from any party with respect to the acquisition, business combination or other extraordinary
transaction, involving the Company, nor did we negotiate with any party with respect to a possible acquisition of the Company or any of its constituent businesses.
We
have acted as financial advisor to the Board of Directors of the Company in connection with this transaction and will receive a fee for our services, all of which is contingent upon
the closing of the Merger. In the two years prior to the date hereof, Morgan Stanley and its affiliates have provided financial advisory and financing services for the Buyer and the Company and have
received fees in connection with such services. In addition, Morgan Stanley or an affiliate thereof is currently a lender to the Buyer and the Company, and Morgan Stanley & Co.
International plc, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley, has been acting as joint corporate broker to the Buyer since November 2013 and have received fees in connection with such services. Morgan
Stanley may also seek to provide financial advisory and financing services to the Buyer and the Company and their respective affiliates in the future and would expect to receive fees for the rendering
of these services.
Please
note that Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm engaged in the securities, investment management and individual wealth management businesses. Our securities business
is engaged in securities underwriting, trading and brokerage activities, foreign exchange, commodities and derivatives trading, prime brokerage, as well as providing investment banking, financing and
financial advisory services. Morgan Stanley, its affiliates, directors and officers may at any time invest on a principal basis or manage funds that invest, hold long or short positions, finance
positions, and may trade or otherwise structure and effect transactions, for their own account or the accounts of its customers, in debt or equity securities or loans of the Buyer, the Company, or any
other company, or any currency or commodity, that may be involved in this transaction, or any related derivative instrument.
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This
opinion has been approved by a committee of Morgan Stanley investment banking and other professionals in accordance with our customary practice. This opinion is for the information
of the Board of Directors of the Company and may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed without our prior written consent, except that a copy of this opinion may be included in its entirety in
any filing the Company is required to make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this transaction if such inclusion is required by applicable law. In addition, Morgan Stanley
expresses no opinion or recommendation as to how the shareholders of the Company or the Buyer should vote at the shareholders' meetings to be held in connection with the Merger.
Based
on and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion on the date hereof that the Consideration to be received by the holders of shares of the Company Common Stock pursuant to the
Merger Agreement is fair from a financial point of view to such holders.
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Very truly yours,
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MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
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By:
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/s/ SUSAN HUANG
Susan Huang
Vice Chairman
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Annex DSection 262, Delaware General Corporation Law (Appraisal Rights)
(a) Any
stockholder of a corporation of this State who holds shares of stock on the date of the making of a demand pursuant to subsection (d) of this section with
respect to such shares, who continuously holds such shares through the effective date of the merger or consolidation, who has otherwise complied with subsection (d) of this section and who has
neither voted in favor of the merger or consolidation nor consented thereto in writing pursuant to § 228 of this title shall be entitled to an appraisal by the Court of Chancery of
the fair value of the stockholder's shares of stock under the circumstances described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. As used in this section, the word "stockholder" means a
holder of record of stock in a corporation; the words "stock" and "share" mean and include what is ordinarily meant by those words; and the words "depository receipt" mean a receipt or other
instrument issued by a depository representing an interest in 1 or more shares, or fractions thereof, solely of stock of a corporation, which stock is deposited with the depository.
(b) Appraisal
rights shall be available for the shares of any class or series of stock of a constituent corporation in a merger or consolidation to be effected pursuant to
§ 251 (other than a merger effected pursuant to § 251(g) of this title and, subject to paragraph (b)(3) of this section, § 251(h) of
this title), § 252, § 254, § 255, § 256, § 257, § 258, § 263 or
§ 264 of this title:
(1) Provided,
however, that, except as expressly provided in § 363(b) of this title, no appraisal rights under this section shall be available for the
shares of any class or series of stock, which stock, or depository receipts in respect thereof, at the record date fixed to determine the stockholders entitled to receive notice of the meeting of
stockholders to act upon the agreement of merger or consolidation, were either: (i) listed on a national securities exchange or (ii) held of record by more than 2,000 holders; and
further provided that no appraisal rights shall be available for any shares of stock of the constituent corporation surviving a merger if the merger did not require for its approval the vote of the
stockholders of the surviving corporation as provided in § 251(f) of this title.
(2) Notwithstanding
paragraph (b)(1) of this section, appraisal rights under this section shall be available for the shares of any class or series of stock of a
constituent corporation if the holders thereof are required by the terms of an agreement of merger or consolidation pursuant to §§ 251, 252, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 263
and 264 of this title to accept for such stock anything except:
a. Shares
of stock of the corporation surviving or resulting from such merger or consolidation, or depository receipts in respect thereof;
b. Shares
of stock of any other corporation, or depository receipts in respect thereof, which shares of stock (or depository receipts in respect thereof) or depository
receipts at the effective date of the merger or consolidation will be either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders;
c. Cash
in lieu of fractional shares or fractional depository receipts described in the foregoing paragraphs (b)(2)a. and b. of this section; or
d. Any
combination of the shares of stock, depository receipts and cash in lieu of fractional shares or fractional depository receipts described in the foregoing
paragraphs (b)(2)a., b. and c. of this section.
(3) In
the event all of the stock of a subsidiary Delaware corporation party to a merger effected under § 251(h), § 253 or
§ 267 of this title is not owned by the
parent immediately prior to the merger, appraisal rights shall be available for the shares of the subsidiary Delaware corporation.
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(4) In
the event of an amendment to a corporation's certificate of incorporation contemplated by § 363(a) of this title, appraisal rights shall be
available as contemplated by § 363(b) of this title, and the procedures of this section, including those set forth in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, shall
apply as nearly as practicable, with the word "amendment" substituted for the words "merger or consolidation," and the word "corporation" substituted for the words "constituent corporation" and/or
"surviving or resulting corporation."
(c) Any
corporation may provide in its certificate of incorporation that appraisal rights under this section shall be available for the shares of any class or series of its
stock as a result of an amendment to its certificate of incorporation, any merger or consolidation in which the corporation is a constituent corporation or the sale of all or substantially all of the
assets of the corporation. If the certificate of incorporation contains such a provision, the provisions of this section, including those set forth in subsections (d), (e), and (g) of
this section, shall apply as nearly as is practicable.
(d) Appraisal
rights shall be perfected as follows:
(1) If
a proposed merger or consolidation for which appraisal rights are provided under this section is to be submitted for approval at a meeting of stockholders, the
corporation, not less than 20 days prior to the meeting, shall notify each of its stockholders who was such on the record date for notice of such meeting (or such members who received notice in
accordance with § 255(c) of this title) with respect to shares for which appraisal rights are available pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section that
appraisal rights are available for any or all of the shares of the constituent corporations, and shall include in such notice a copy of this section and, if 1 of the constituent corporations is a
nonstock corporation, a copy of § 114 of this title. Each stockholder electing to demand the appraisal of such stockholder's shares shall deliver to the corporation, before the
taking of the vote on the merger or consolidation, a written demand for appraisal of such stockholder's shares. Such demand will be sufficient if it reasonably informs the corporation of the identity
of the stockholder and that the stockholder intends thereby to demand the appraisal of such stockholder's shares. A proxy or vote against the merger or consolidation shall not constitute such a
demand. A stockholder electing to take such action must do so by a separate written demand as herein provided. Within 10 days after the effective date of such merger or consolidation, the
surviving or resulting corporation shall notify each stockholder of each constituent corporation who has complied with this subsection and has not voted in favor of or consented to the merger or
consolidation of the date that the merger or consolidation has become effective; or
(2) If
the merger or consolidation was approved pursuant to § 228, § 251(h), § 253, or § 267 of
this title, then either a constituent corporation before the effective date of the merger or consolidation or the surviving or resulting corporation within 10 days thereafter shall notify each
of the holders of any class or series of stock of such constituent corporation who are entitled to appraisal rights of the approval of the merger or consolidation and that appraisal rights are
available for any or all shares of such class or series of stock of such constituent corporation, and shall include in such notice a copy of this section and, if 1 of the constituent corporations is a
nonstock corporation, a copy of § 114 of this title. Such notice may, and, if given on or after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, shall, also notify such
stockholders of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. Any stockholder entitled to appraisal rights may, within 20 days after the date of mailing of such notice or, in the case of a
merger approved pursuant to § 251(h) of this title, within the later of the consummation of the offer contemplated by § 251(h) of this title and 20 days
after the date of mailing of such notice, demand in writing from the surviving or resulting corporation the appraisal of such holder's shares. Such demand will be sufficient if it reasonably informs
the corporation of the identity of the stockholder and that the stockholder intends thereby to demand the appraisal of such holder's shares. If such notice did not notify stockholders of the effective
date of the merger or consolidation, either (i) each such
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constituent
corporation shall send a second notice before the effective date of the merger or consolidation notifying each of the holders of any class or series of stock of such constituent
corporation that are entitled to appraisal rights of the effective date of the merger or consolidation or (ii) the surviving or resulting corporation shall send such a second notice to all such
holders on or within 10 days after such effective date; provided, however, that if such second notice is sent more than 20 days following the sending of the first notice or, in the case
of a merger approved pursuant to § 251(h) of this title, later than the later of the consummation of the offer contemplated by § 251(h) of this title and
20 days following the sending of the first notice, such second notice need only be sent to each stockholder who is entitled to appraisal rights and who has demanded appraisal of such holder's
shares in accordance with this subsection. An affidavit of the secretary or assistant secretary or of the transfer agent of the corporation that is required to give either notice that such notice has
been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. For purposes of determining the stockholders entitled to receive either notice, each constituent
corporation may fix, in advance, a record date that shall be not more than 10 days prior to the date the notice is given, provided, that if the notice is given on or after the effective date of
the merger or consolidation, the record date shall be such effective date. If no record date is fixed and the notice is given prior to the effective date, the record date shall be the close of
business on the day next preceding the day on which the notice is given.
(e) Within
120 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting corporation or any stockholder who has complied with
subsections (a) and (d) of this section hereof and who is otherwise entitled to appraisal rights, may commence an appraisal proceeding by filing a petition in the Court of Chancery
demanding a determination of the value of the stock of all such stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time within 60 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation,
any stockholder who has not commenced an appraisal proceeding or joined that proceeding as a named party shall have the right to withdraw such stockholder's demand for appraisal and to accept the
terms offered upon the merger or consolidation. Within 120 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, any stockholder who has complied with the requirements of
subsections (a) and (d) of this section hereof, upon written request, shall be entitled to receive from the corporation surviving the merger or resulting from the consolidation a
statement setting forth the aggregate number of shares not voted in favor of the merger or consolidation and with respect to which demands for appraisal have been received and the aggregate number of
holders of such shares. Such written statement shall be mailed to the stockholder within 10 days after such stockholder's written request for such a statement is received by the surviving or
resulting corporation or within 10 days after expiration of the period for delivery of demands for appraisal under subsection (d) of this section hereof, whichever is later.
Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a person who is the beneficial owner of shares of such stock held either in a voting trust or by a nominee on behalf of such person may, in such
person's own name, file a petition or request from the corporation the statement described in this subsection.
(f) Upon
the filing of any such petition by a stockholder, service of a copy thereof shall be made upon the surviving or resulting corporation, which shall within
20 days after such service file in the office of the Register in Chancery in which the petition was filed a duly verified list containing the names and addresses of all stockholders who have
demanded payment for their shares and with whom agreements as to the value of their shares have not been reached by the surviving or resulting corporation. If the petition shall be filed by the
surviving or resulting corporation, the petition shall be accompanied by such a duly verified list. The Register in Chancery, if so ordered by the Court, shall give notice of the time and place fixed
for the hearing of such petition by registered or certified mail to the surviving or resulting corporation and to the stockholders shown on the list at the addresses therein stated. Such notice shall
also be given by 1 or more publications at least 1 week before the day of the hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Wilmington, Delaware or such
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publication
as the Court deems advisable. The forms of the notices by mail and by publication shall be approved by the Court, and the costs thereof shall be borne by the surviving or resulting
corporation.
(g) At
the hearing on such petition, the Court shall determine the stockholders who have complied with this section and who have become entitled to appraisal rights. The
Court may require the stockholders who have demanded an appraisal for their shares and who hold stock represented by certificates to submit their certificates of stock to the Register in Chancery for
notation thereon of the pendency of the appraisal proceedings; and if any stockholder fails to comply with such direction, the Court may dismiss the proceedings as to such stockholder. If immediately
before the merger or consolidation the shares of the class or series of stock of the constituent corporation as to which appraisal rights are available were listed on a national securities exchange,
the Court shall dismiss the proceedings as to all holders of such shares who are otherwise entitled to appraisal rights unless (1) the total number of shares entitled to appraisal exceeds 1% of
the outstanding shares of the class or series eligible for appraisal, (2) the value of the consideration provided in the merger or consolidation for such total number of shares exceeds
$1 million, or (3) the merger was approved pursuant to § 253 or § 267 of this title.
(h) After
the Court determines the stockholders entitled to an appraisal, the appraisal proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of the Court of Chancery,
including any rules specifically governing appraisal proceedings. Through such proceeding the Court shall determine the fair value of the shares exclusive of any element of value arising from the
accomplishment or expectation of the merger or consolidation, together with interest, if any, to be paid upon the amount determined to be the fair value. In determining such fair value, the Court
shall take into account all relevant factors. Unless the Court in its discretion determines otherwise for good cause shown, and except as provided in this subsection, interest from the effective date
of the merger through the date of payment of the judgment shall be compounded quarterly and shall accrue at 5% over the Federal Reserve discount rate (including any surcharge) as established from time
to time during the period between the effective date of the merger and the date of payment of the judgment. At any time before the entry of judgment in the proceedings, the surviving corporation may
pay to each stockholder entitled to appraisal an amount in cash, in which case interest shall accrue thereafter as provided herein only upon the sum of (1) the difference, if any, between the
amount so paid and the fair value of the shares as determined by the Court, and (2) interest theretofore accrued, unless paid at that time. Upon application by the surviving or resulting
corporation or by any stockholder entitled to participate in the appraisal proceeding, the Court may, in its discretion, proceed to trial upon the appraisal prior to the final determination of the
stockholders entitled to an appraisal. Any stockholder whose name appears on the list filed by the surviving or resulting corporation pursuant to subsection (f) of this section and who has
submitted such stockholder's certificates of stock to the Register in Chancery, if such is required, may participate fully in all proceedings until it is finally determined that such stockholder is
not entitled to appraisal rights under this section.
(i) The
Court shall direct the payment of the fair value of the shares, together with interest, if any, by the surviving or resulting corporation to the stockholders
entitled thereto. Payment shall be so made to each such stockholder, in the case of holders of uncertificated stock forthwith, and the case of holders of shares represented by certificates upon the
surrender to the corporation of the certificates representing such stock. The Court's decree may be enforced as other decrees in the Court of Chancery may be enforced, whether such surviving or
resulting corporation be a corporation of this State or of any state.
(j) The
costs of the proceeding may be determined by the Court and taxed upon the parties as the Court deems equitable in the circumstances. Upon application of a
stockholder, the Court may order all or a portion of the expenses incurred by any stockholder in connection with the appraisal proceeding, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney's fees and
the fees and expenses of experts, to be charged pro rata against the value of all the shares entitled to an appraisal.
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(k) From
and after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, no stockholder who has demanded appraisal rights as provided in subsection (d) of this section
shall be entitled to vote such stock for any purpose or to receive payment of dividends or other distributions on the stock (except dividends or other distributions payable to stockholders of record
at a date which is prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation); provided, however, that if no petition for an appraisal shall be filed within the time provided in subsection (e)
of this section, or if such stockholder shall deliver to the surviving or resulting corporation a written withdrawal of such stockholder's demand for an appraisal and an acceptance of the merger or
consolidation, either within 60 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation as provided in subsection (e) of this section or thereafter with the written approval of the
corporation, then the right of such stockholder to an appraisal shall cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no appraisal proceeding in the Court of Chancery shall be dismissed as to any stockholder
without the approval of the Court, and such approval may be conditioned upon such terms as the Court deems just; provided, however that this provision shall not affect the right of any stockholder who
has not commenced an appraisal proceeding or joined that proceeding as a named party to withdraw such stockholder's demand for appraisal and to accept the terms offered upon the merger or
consolidation within 60 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, as set forth in subsection (e) of this section.
(l) The
shares of the surviving or resulting corporation to which the shares of such objecting stockholders would have been converted had they assented to the merger or
consolidation shall have the status of authorized and unissued shares of the surviving or resulting corporation.
D-5
MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY
225 NORTH CANAL STREET, 25TH FLOOR
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60606
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VOTE BY INTERNET www.proxyvote.com
Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until
[ ] Central Daylight Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the on-screen instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
VOTE BY PHONE [ ]
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until
[ ] Central Daylight Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.
VOTE BY MAIL
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it as soon as possible in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.
VOTE IN PERSON
You may vote the shares in person by attending the special meeting.
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TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:
KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED.
MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY
Our board of directors recommends you vote FOR Proposals 1, 2 and 3:
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For
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Against
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Abstain
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1.
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Proposal to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 10, 2017, entered into among Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (the Company), Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (Reckitt Benckiser) and Marigold Merger Sub, Inc. (Merger Sub), as may be amended from time to time (the merger agreement), pursuant to which Reckitt Benckiser will indirectly acquire the Company by means of a merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity following the merger as a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Reckitt Benckiser (the merger).
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o
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o
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o
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2.
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Proposal to adjourn the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to establish a quorum or adopt the merger agreement (the Adjournment Proposal).
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o
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o
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o
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3.
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Proposal to approve, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the payment of certain compensation and benefits to our named executive officers, which they will or may be entitled to receive from the Company (or its successor) and as a consequence of the merger (the Merger-Related Compensation Proposal).
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o
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o
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o
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NOTE
: In their discretion, the proxies are also authorized to vote upon such other matter or matters which may properly come before the meeting or any postponements or adjournments thereof.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE
FOR
THE PROPOSAL TO ADOPT THE MERGER AGREEMENT,
FOR
THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL AND
FOR
THE MERGER-RELATED COMPENSATION PROPOSAL.
For address changes/comments, mark here. (see reverse for instructions)
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o
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Please indicate if you plan to attend this meeting.
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o
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o
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Yes
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No
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Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer.
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Signature (PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX)
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Date
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Signature (Joint Owners)
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Date
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Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting:
The Notice and Proxy Statement are available at www.proxyvote.com.
2
MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY
Special Meeting of Stockholders
[ ], 2017 at [ ] Central Daylight Time
THIS PROXY AND VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY FOR USE ONLY AT THE SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON [ ], 2017 AND AT ANY ADJOURNMENT OR POSTPONEMENT THEREOF.
The stockholder(s) hereby appoint(s) [ ] and [ ], and each of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint his/her substitute, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote all of the shares of common stock of MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION COMPANY that the stockholder(s) is/are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting of Stockholders to be held at [ ] on [ ], at [ ], as designated on the reverse side of this proxy card and in their discretion with respect to any other matters that may properly come before the Special Meeting of Stockholders and any adjournment or postponement thereof.
This proxy also provides voting instructions for any shares of common stock held on the undersigneds behalf in the Mead Johnson & Company, LLC Retirement & Savings Plan and/or the Mead Johnson Nutrition (Puerto Rico) Inc. Retirement Savings Plan.
This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors recommendations. You may revoke this proxy at any time prior to the vote at the special meeting.
Address Changes/Comments:
(If you noted any Address Changes/Comments above, please mark the corresponding box on the reverse side.)
Continued and to be signed on reverse side
3
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