spectrum8k.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date
of report (Date of earliest event reported):
May
21, 2008 (May 20, 2008)
SPECTRUM
BRANDS, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Wisconsin
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001-13615
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22-2423556
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(State
or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer Identification Number)
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Six
Concourse Parkway, Suite 3300
Atlanta,
Georgia
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30328
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(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
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(Zip
Code)
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(770)
829-6200
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(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
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N/A
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(Former
name or former address, if changed since last
report)
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Check
the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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o
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
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o
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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Item
1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On
May 20, 2008, Spectrum Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
entered into a definitive Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with
Salton Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Salton"), and its wholly owned subsidiary,
Applica Pet Products LLC (together with Salton, the "Purchaser"), for the sale
of the Company's Global Pet Business (the "Transaction").
Subject
to the conditions contained in the Purchase Agreement, the Purchaser will pay
the Company $692.5 million in cash and will surrender (i) a principal amount of
the Company’s Variable Rate Toggle Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 equal to
$98 million less an amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on such notes
since the dates of the last interest payment for such notes and (ii) a principal
amount of the Company’s 7 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015 equal
to $124.5 million less an amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on such
notes since the dates of the last interest payments for such
notes. The Company is required to deliver audited segment level
results for the Global Pet Business to the Purchaser prior to the close of the
sale. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, if the adjusted
EBITDA derived from the 2007 audited financial statements of the Global Pet
Business is more than $3 million less than $92.9 million, then the purchase
price will be reduced by a multiple of 10 times the incremental
difference. In addition, the purchase price is subject to adjustment
for changes in working capital prior to closing and certain expenses incurred in
connection with the sale. In the event of any purchase price increase
as a result of such adjustments, the proportion of the purchase price that is
paid in cash may be increased. Funding for the transaction will be
provided by an equity investment to Salton provided by Harbinger Capital
Partners Master Fund I, Ltd. and Harbinger Capital Partners Special Situations
Fund, L.P., the controlling stockholders of Salton (each a "Controlling
Fund").
The
closing of the Transaction is subject to certain customary conditions,
including, among other things, the expiration or termination of the applicable
waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvement Act of 1976,
receipt of the consent of the Company's lenders under its senior credit
facilities, release of all guarantees associated with such senior credit
facilities and all liens affecting the assets of the Global Pet Business,
delivery to the Purchaser of audited financial statements for the Global Pet
Business for fiscal 2006 and 2007, and the absence of any Material Adverse
Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) with respect to the Global Pet
Business between September 30, 2007 and the date the Transaction
closes. The Transaction is not subject to a financing
condition.
The
Company has made customary representations and warranties in the Purchase
Agreement, including, among other things, representations and warranties as to
organization, capitalization, authorization, required consents, litigation, financial
statements, absence of certain changes or events, tax, material contracts,
permits, insurance, intellectual property, environmental matters, compliance
with laws, employee benefit plans, labor matters, transaction with affiliates,
sufficiency of assets, customers,
suppliers, product
compliance with governmental regulations and other laws, warranties and bank
accounts.
The
Purchase Agreement contains customary covenants. The Company has
agreed to certain pre-closing covenants in the Purchase Agreement, including,
among other things, covenants that the Company, the transferring subsidiaries
and the subsidiaries being sold will, in all material respects
carry on the Global Pet Business in the ordinary course, in substantially the
same manner as previously conducted, during the period between the date of the
Purchase Agreement and closing of the Transaction and will not engage in certain
types of transactions without the consent of the Purchaser during such
period.
The
Purchaser has also made customary representations, warranties and covenants in
the Purchase Agreement.
In
addition, the Purchase Agreement contains certain termination rights for both
the Company and the Purchaser. Under certain circumstances, if the
Purchase Agreement is terminated the Purchaser may be required to pay the
Company a termination fee of $50 million. Each Controlling Fund has
executed a limited guarantee in favor of the Company pursuant to which such
Controlling Fund has guaranteed payment of a pro rata portion of such
termination fee.
The
foregoing summary of the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated
thereby do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and qualified in their
entirety by, the full text of the Purchase Agreement attached as Exhibit 2.1 to
this Current Report on Form 8-K which is incorporated herein by
reference.
On
May 21, 2008, the Company issued a press release announcing the execution of the
Purchase Agreement. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as
Exhibit 99.1.
The
Purchase Agreement has been included to provide investors and stockholders with
information regarding its terms. Except for its status as a
contractual document that establishes and governs the legal relations among the
parties thereto with respect to the transaction described in this Current Report
on Form 8-K, the Purchase Agreement is not intended to be a source of factual,
business or operational information about the parties. The contractual
representations and warranties made by the parties in the Purchase Agreement may
be subject to a standard of materiality different from what stockholders of the
Company may view as material to their interests. The representations and
warranties contained in the Purchase Agreement have been negotiated with the
principal purpose of establishing the circumstances in which the Purchaser may
have the right not to consummate the Transaction, or a party may have the right
to terminate the Purchase Agreement, if the representations and warranties of
the other party prove to be untrue due to a change in circumstance or otherwise,
and allocates risk between the parties, rather than establishing matters as
facts. Investors in the Company's securities are not third-party
beneficiaries under the Purchase Agreement and should not rely on the
representations
and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual
state of facts or condition of the parties or any of their
affiliates.
Non-GAAP
Measurements
Within
this report, reference is made to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). Adjusted EBITDA is a metric
used by the Company’s management and frequently used by the financial community
which provides insight into an organization’s operating trends and facilitates
comparisons between peer companies, since interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization can differ greatly between organizations as a result of differing
capital structures and tax strategies. Adjusted EBITDA can also be a
useful measure of a company’s ability to service debt and is one of the measures
used for determining the Company’s debt covenant compliance. Adjusted
EBITDA excludes certain items that are unusual in nature or not comparable from
period to period. While the Company’s management believes that
adjusted EBITDA is useful supplemental information, such adjusted results are
not intended to replace the Company’s GAAP financial results and should be read
in conjunction with those GAAP results.
Forward Looking
Information
Certain
statements in this report are forward-looking statements which includes all
statements other than those made solely with respect to historical
fact. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which
they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks
and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those
anticipated as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ
materially as a result of (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other
circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the definitive
agreement; (2) the inability to complete the transaction due to the failure to
receive required regulatory or other approvals or to satisfy other conditions to
the sale; (3) the risk that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and
operations; (4) difficulty or unanticipated expenses in connection with the
sale; (5) changes and developments in external competitive market factors, such
as introduction of new product features or technological developments,
development of new competitors or competitive brands or competitive promotional
activity or spending, (6) changes in consumer demand for the various types of
products the Company offers, (7) unfavorable developments in the global credit
markets, (8) the impact of overall economic conditions on consumer spending, (9)
fluctuations in commodities prices, the costs or availability of raw materials
or terms and conditions available from suppliers, (10) changes in the general
economic conditions in countries and regions where the Company does business,
such as stock market prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates, inflation
and consumer spending, (11) the Company’s ability to successfully implement
manufacturing, distribution and other cost efficiencies and to continue to
benefit from its cost-cutting initiatives, (12) unfavorable weather conditions
and various other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed herein and
those set forth in the Company’s securities filings, including the most recently
filed Annual Report on Form
10-K
or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The Company also cautions the
reader that its estimates of trends, market share, retail consumption of its
products and reasons for changes in such consumption are based solely on limited
data available to the Company and management’s reasonable assumptions about
market conditions, and consequently may be inaccurate, or may not reflect
significant segments of the retail market.
Item
9.01 Financial
Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed
herewith:
Exhibit
Number Description
2.1
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Purchase
Agreement, dated as of May 20, 2008, by and among Spectrum Brands, Inc.,
Salton Inc. and Applica Pet Products
LLC.
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99.1
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Press
Release issued by Spectrum Brands, Inc. on May 21,
2008.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
Date: May
21, 2008
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SPECTRUM
BRANDS, INC.
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By:
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/s/
Anthony L. Genito
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Name:
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Anthony
L. Genito
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Title:
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Executive
Vice President,
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Chief
Financial Officer and
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Chief
Accounting Officer
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EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
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Description
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2.1
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Purchase
Agreement, dated as of May 20, 2008, by and among Spectrum Brands, Inc.,
Salton Inc. and Applica Pet Products LLC.
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99.1
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Press
Release issued by Spectrum Brands, Inc. on May 21,
2008.
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exhibit2-1.htm
EXHIBIT
2.1
Execution
Version
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PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
dated
as of May 20, 2008,
among
SALTON,
INC.,
APPLICA
PET PRODUCTS LLC
and
SPECTRUM
BRANDS, INC.
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE
I Purchase and Sale of Transferred Equity Interests
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2
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SECTION
1.01. Sale of the Transferred Equity Interests
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2
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SECTION
1.02. Closing; Closing Date
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4
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SECTION
1.03. Transactions To Be Effected at the Closing
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4
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SECTION
1.04. Purchase Price Calculation
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6
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SECTION
1.05. Tax Allocation
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6
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ARTICLE
II Representations and Warranties Relating to the Transferors and the
Transferred Equity Interests
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7
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SECTION
2.01. Organization, Standing and Power
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7
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SECTION
2.02. Authority; Execution and Delivery; Enforceability
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7
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SECTION
2.03. No Conflicts; Consents
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8
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SECTION
2.04. The Transferred Equity Interests
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9
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SECTION
2.05. Brokers or Finders
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9
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SECTION
2.06. Litigation
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9
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ARTICLE
III Representations and Warranties Relating to the Transferred
Entities
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9
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SECTION
3.01. Organization and Standing; Books and Records
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9
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SECTION
3.02. Equity Interests in the Transferred Entities; Equity Interests in
Other Persons; Indebtedness
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10
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SECTION
3.03. Authority; Execution and Delivery; Enforceability
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11
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SECTION
3.04. No Conflicts; Consents
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11
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SECTION
3.05. Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities
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12
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SECTION
3.06. Assets Other than Real Property Interests or Intellectual
Property
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13
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SECTION
3.07. Real Property
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14
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SECTION
3.08. Intellectual Property
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15
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SECTION
3.09. Contracts
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17
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SECTION
3.10. Permits
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19
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SECTION
3.11. Insurance
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20
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SECTION
3.12. Taxes
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20
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SECTION
3.13. Proceedings
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23
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SECTION
3.14. Benefit Plans
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23
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SECTION
3.15. Absence of Changes or Events
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27
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SECTION
3.16. Compliance with Applicable Laws
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28
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SECTION
3.17. Environmental Matters
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28
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SECTION
3.18. Employee and Labor Matters
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29
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SECTION
3.19. Transactions with Affiliates
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29
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SECTION
3.20. Sufficiency of Assets
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30
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SECTION
3.21. Customers
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30
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SECTION
3.22. Suppliers
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30
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SECTION
3.23. Product Compliance
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31
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SECTION
3.24. Warranty and Related Matters
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31
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
SECTION
3.25. Bank Accounts
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31
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SECTION
3.26. Opinion of Financial Advisor
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32
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SECTION
3.27. Anti-takeover Laws; Organizational Document
Restrictions
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32
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SECTION
3.28. No Sale of All or Substantially All Assets
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32
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SECTION
3.29. No Other Representations or Warranties
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32
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ARTICLE
IV Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser
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32
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SECTION
4.01. Organization, Standing and Power
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32
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SECTION
4.02. Authority; Execution and Delivery; Enforceability
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33
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SECTION
4.03. No Conflicts; Consents
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33
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SECTION
4.04. Litigation
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34
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SECTION
4.05. Securities Act
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34
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SECTION
4.06. Investment Company
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34
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SECTION
4.07. Financing
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34
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SECTION
4.08. Anti-takeover Laws; Organizational Document
Restrictions
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35
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SECTION
4.09. Brokers or Finders
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35
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SECTION
4.10. No Other Representations and Warranties
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35
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ARTICLE
V Pre-Closing Covenants
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35
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SECTION
5.01. Covenants Relating to Conduct of Business
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35
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SECTION
5.02. Solicitation
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39
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SECTION
5.03. Commercially Reasonable Efforts; Financing
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40
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SECTION
5.04. Expenses; Transfer Taxes
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43
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SECTION
5.05. Tax Matters
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44
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SECTION
5.06. Employee Matters
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48
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SECTION
5.07. Access to Information
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51
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SECTION
5.08. Commercial Arrangements
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51
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SECTION
5.09. Release of Guarantees and Letters of Credit
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52
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SECTION
5.10. Repayment of Indebtedness; Intercompany Accounts
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52
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SECTION
5.11. Resignations
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53
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SECTION
5.12. Monthly Financial Information
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53
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SECTION
5.13. Cooperation with Title Insurance
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53
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SECTION
5.14. Insurance
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53
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SECTION
5.15. Shared Contracts
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54
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SECTION
5.16. Additional Financial Information
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54
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SECTION
5.17. SOX
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55
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SECTION
5.18. Use of Spectrum Name
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56
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SECTION
5.19. Existing Indemnification
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56
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SECTION
5.20. German Tax Matters
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56
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SECTION
5.21. Takeover Statute
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59
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SECTION
5.22. Record Ownership
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59
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SECTION
5.23. EBITDA Calculation
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59
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SECTION
5.24. Lien Releases
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59
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
ARTICLE
VI Other Agreements
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59
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SECTION
6.01. Agreement Not To Compete; Non-Solicitation of
Employees
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59
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SECTION
6.02. Confidentiality
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61
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SECTION
6.03. Publicity
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62
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SECTION
6.04. Post-Closing Cooperation
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62
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SECTION
6.05. Further Assurances
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62
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ARTICLE
VII Conditions Precedent
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63
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SECTION
7.01. Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation
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63
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SECTION
7.02. Conditions to Obligation of the Purchaser
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63
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SECTION
7.03. Conditions to Obligation of the Seller
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65
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SECTION
7.04. Frustration of Closing Conditions
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65
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ARTICLE
VIII Termination, Amendment and Waiver
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66
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SECTION
8.01. Termination
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66
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SECTION
8.02. Effect of Termination; Limitation of Liability
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67
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SECTION
8.03. Amendments and Waivers
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69
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ARTICLE
IX Indemnification
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69
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SECTION
9.01. Tax Indemnification
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69
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SECTION
9.02. Indemnification by the Seller
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70
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SECTION
9.03. Threshold; Cap; De Minimis
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71
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SECTION
9.04. Survival of Representations; Covenants; Agreements
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71
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SECTION
9.05. Termination of Indemnification; Other Limitations
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72
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SECTION
9.06. Exclusive Monetary Remedy; Consequential Damages; Nature of
Payments; No Duplicate Recovery
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72
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SECTION
9.07. Indemnification by the Purchaser
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73
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SECTION
9.08. Calculation of Losses
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73
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SECTION
9.09. Procedures
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74
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ARTICLE
X General Provisions
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76
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SECTION
10.01. Assignment
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76
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SECTION
10.02. No Third Party Beneficiaries
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77
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SECTION
10.03. Notices
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77
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SECTION
10.04. Counterparts
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78
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SECTION
10.05. Entire Agreement
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78
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SECTION
10.06. Severability
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78
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SECTION
10.07. Governing Law
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78
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SECTION
10.08. Consent to Jurisdiction
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78
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SECTION
10.09. Waiver of Jury Trial
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79
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SECTION
10.10. Exhibits and Seller Letter; Interpretation
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79
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SECTION
10.11. Defined Terms
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80
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SECTION
10.12. Specific Performance
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90
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
SECTION
10.13. Seller Shall Cause Subsidiaries to Take Actions
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90
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SECTION
10.14. ASMIO
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90
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Exhibits
Exhibit A
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Purchased
Direct Subsidiary’s Equity Interests and Purchased Indirect Subsidiaries’
Equity Interests
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Exhibit B
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Calculation
of Working Capital
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Exhibit C1-4
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Seller
Transfer Documents
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Exhibit D-1
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Form
of Transition Services Agreement
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Exhibit
D-2
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Form
of Supply Agreement
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Exhibit E-1
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Corporate
Exchange Agreement
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Exhibit E-2
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Amendment
No. 1 to Corporate Exchange Space Agreement (St. Louis)
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Exhibit E-3
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Amendment
No. 1 to Edwardsville Space Agreement
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Exhibit
E-4
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Amendment
to Bentonville Office Space Agreement
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Exhibit F1-4
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Amendment
to License Agreements
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Exhibit
G
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Settlement
of Cash Pooling Balance
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Exhibit H
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Balance
Sheet
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Exhibit I
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Knowledge
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Annexes
Annex A
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Transferors
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Annex B
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Tax
Allocation
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Annex C
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EBITDA
Calculation
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RECITALS
WHEREAS,
the Seller desires to sell, and the Purchaser desires to purchase, the Seller’s
business of manufacturing, researching and developing, marketing, distributing
and selling a variety of pet supplies for fish, dogs, cats, birds and other
small domestic animals on a worldwide basis, including: (x) with
respect to aquatics, integrated aquarium kits, standalone tanks and stands,
filtration systems, heaters, pumps and other equipment and (y) with respect
to companion animals, dog and cat treats, clean up and training aid products,
health and grooming aids and bedding products (the “Business”);
WHEREAS, Purchaser may obtain after the date hereof from
certain financial institutions commitment letters pursuant to which such
financial institutions will issue lending commitments to the Purchaser, the
proceeds of which will be used to pay a portion of the Purchase Price and the
fees and expenses relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(any such commitment letters are collectively referred to as the “Debt
Financing Commitment”);
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement, Harbinger has executed and delivered to the Purchaser, and the
Purchaser has delivered to the Seller limited guarantees dated as of the date of
this Agreement in favor of the Seller with respect to the monetary remedy
specified in Section 8.02 of this Agreement, subject to the limitations in
Section 8.02(c), payable by the Purchaser in certain circumstances, as
specified in such sections of this Agreement (such guarantees are collectively
referred to as the “Harbinger
Guarantees”); and
NOW,
THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
Purchase
and Sale of Transferred Equity Interests
SECTION
1.01. Sale of the
Transferred Equity Interests.
(a) Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the
Closing, the Seller shall, and shall cause the other Transferors to, sell,
transfer and deliver to the Purchaser or its designees, and the Purchaser or its
designees shall purchase and accept from the Transferors, the Transferred Equity
Interests free and clear of all Liens for an aggregate purchase price (the
“Purchase
Price”) determined as follows: (x) $692.5 million in cash plus
(y) $98 million in an amount of the Seller’s Variable Rate Toggle Senior
Subordinated Notes Due 2013, taking into account principal amount (including any
increase in principal amount pursuant to the terms of such notes since the issue
date thereof) and accrued and unpaid interest thereon as of the close of
business on the Closing Date plus (z) $124.5 million in an amount of the
Seller’s Senior Subordinated Notes due February 1, 2015 with interest
payable semiannually at 7.375% (such Variable Rate Notes and Senior Subordinated
Notes are collectively referred to as the “Notes”),
taking into account principal and accrued and unpaid interest thereon as
of
the
close of business on the date immediately preceding the Closing Date; provided, that such amounts of cash
and Notes shall be (i) increased by the Working Capital Overage, if any, (ii)
decreased by the Working Capital Underage, if any, (iii) decreased by the Final
Assumed Indebtedness Amount, if any, (iv) decreased by any Transaction Expenses
of the Transferred Entities not paid prior to Closing or accrued and included in
the “total A/P” of the Transferred Entities in Closing Working Capital, and (v)
decreased by the EBITDA Price Adjustment, if any ((i),(ii),(iii), (iv) and (v)
being collectively referred to as the “Closing Adjustments”); provided, however, that this provision shall
exclude the amounts of any accrued and unpaid interest as of the close of
business on the Closing Date on the Notes provided for in subsections (y) and
(z), but such exclusion shall apply if and only to the extent that (I) the
record date in respect of the payment of such accrued and unpaid interest occurs
on or prior to the Closing Date and (II) the holder of the applicable Notes on
such record date (excluding the Seller or any of its Subsidiaries in the event
that the record date and the Closing Date occur on the same day) will receive
payment in cash in respect of such accrued and unpaid interest on the applicable
payment date therefor notwithstanding the transfer of such Notes to the Seller
pursuant to this Agreement prior to the applicable payment date for such accrued
and unpaid interest. To the extent the aggregate amount of the Closing
Adjustments increases the Purchase Price, such increase shall be payable in cash
and, to the extent the aggregate amount of the Closing Adjustments decreases the
Purchase Price, the amount of such decrease shall reduce the Purchase Price on a
pro rata basis among the cash consideration and the Notes, it being agreed that
the pro rata percentages for any such reduction shall be 75.7% with respect to
cash, 10.7% with respect to the Variable Rate Notes and 13.6% with respect to
the Senior Subordinated Notes.
(c) The
Final Working Capital, Final Assumed Indebtedness and Cash held by the
Transferred Entities shall be measured in United States Dollars, with Cash and
other amounts held in foreign currency being converted into United States
Dollars at the currency exchange rate as of 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on
the day prior to the Closing Date for foreign exchange transactions in such
foreign currency and United States Dollars in amounts of $1,000,000 or more, as
published in The Wall
Street Journal.
(d) The
sale of the Transferred Equity Interests shall include all ancillary rights and
benefits arising from the Transferred Equity Interests including
voting
rights, subscription rights and dividend or profit distribution rights for
periods until the Closing Date, except for such dividends or profits which have
been distributed to the respective Transferor prior to the Closing Date and
except as otherwise provided in Section 5.20.
SECTION
1.02. Closing;
Closing Date. The closing of the Acquisition (the
“Closing”)
shall take place at the offices of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
LLP, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, at 10:00
a.m., New York City time, on the date specified by the parties, which shall
be no later than the third business day following the satisfaction (or, to the
extent permitted by applicable Law, the waiver) of all of the conditions set
forth in Article VII (other than such conditions that by their nature are
to be satisfied at the Closing), or at such other place, time and date as shall
be agreed between the Purchaser and the Seller; provided,
however,
that notwithstanding the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in
Article VII, the Closing shall not occur prior to July 31,
2008. The date on which the Closing takes place is referred to in
this Agreement as the “Closing
Date”. The Closing shall be deemed to be effective as of the
close of business on the Closing Date. The legal and beneficial ownership in the
shares of Tetra Holding GmbH shall be transferred with effect as of the day
immediately subsequent to the Closing Date at 00:00 a.m. German
Time.
SECTION
1.03. Transactions
To Be Effected at the Closing. At
the Closing:
(a) the
Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser or its designees (i) in the case of
the Transferred Equity Interests that are certificated, the certificates
representing such Transferred Equity Interests, duly endorsed in blank or
accompanied by stock or unit powers duly endorsed in blank in proper form for
transfer or other proper instruments of transfer, with appropriate transfer Tax
stamps, if any, affixed, and (ii) such other duly executed documents as the
Purchaser may reasonably request to demonstrate satisfaction of the conditions
and compliance with the covenants set forth in this Agreement, including the
sale, transfer and delivery of the Transferred Equity Interests to the Purchaser
or its designees, which shall include, for the avoidance of doubt,
(A) assuming the Purchaser is represented along with the Seller in front of
a notary public in accordance with German Law, a notarial share transfer
agreement with respect to the Transferred Equity Interests in Tetra Holding
GmbH, (B) to the extent requested by the Purchaser, a stock transfer
agreement with respect to the Transferred Equity Interests in Tetra (UK)
Limited, Tetra Japan K.K. and Tetra Aquatic Asia Pacific Private Limited in a
form reasonably acceptable to Purchaser and Seller, (C) share transfer
forms with respect to the Transferred Equity Interests in Tetra
France S.A.S. and, if necessary, in Aquarium Systems Manufacturer of
Instant Ocean S.A.S., and (D) assuming the Purchaser is represented along
with the Seller in front of a notary public in accordance with Italian Law, a
notarial deed of transfer with respect to the Transferred Equity Interests in
Tetra Italia S.r.L., in each case substantially in the forms as set forth in
Exhibits C-1,
C-2, C-3, C-4 hereto, respectively;
(b) the
Purchaser or its designees shall deliver to the Seller (i) payment by wire
transfer, to one or more bank accounts designated in writing by the Seller (such
designation to be made at least two business days prior to the Closing Date), of
immediately available funds in an amount equal to the cash portion of the
Purchase Price, (ii) duly executed instruments of transfer appropriate to
transfer the amount of Notes specified in Section 1.01(a) above to the
Seller, in each case in a form reasonably acceptable to Seller and Purchaser,
and (iii) such other documents as the Seller may reasonably request to
demonstrate satisfaction of the conditions and compliance with the covenants set
forth in this Agreement, including the sale, transfer and delivery of the
Transferred Equity Interests to the Purchaser or its designees;
(d) (i) the
Seller shall deliver to Purchaser a copy, duly executed by the Seller and LGH
Investment, LLC, and the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller and LGH
Investment, LLC a copy, duly executed by the Purchaser, of an assignment and
assumption agreement with respect to the lease at Spectrum’s Corporate Exchange
Facility in St. Louis, Missouri, in the form of Exhibit E-1
hereto, (ii) each of the Seller, United Industries Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (“United”),
and United Pet Group, Inc., a Delaware Corporation (“UPG”)
shall deliver to the other party and to the Purchaser a copy, duly executed by
each of Seller and UPG of Amendment No. 1 to Corporate Exchange Space Agreement
in the form of Exhibit E-2
hereto, (iii) each of UPG and United shall deliver to the other party and
to the Purchaser a copy, duly executed by each of UPG and United of Amendment
No. 1 to Edwardsville Space Agreement in the form of Exhibit E-3
hereto with respect to UPG’s Edwardsville Facility in Edwardsville, Illinois,
and (iv) each of Seller, UPG and United shall deliver to the other party and to
the Purchaser a copy, duly executed by each of Seller, UPG and United of
Amendment to Bentonville Office Space Agreement in the form of Exhibit E-4
hereto with respect to Seller’s Bentonville Facility in Bentonville,
Arkansas;
(e) the
Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser a copy, duly executed by the Seller, and
the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller a copy, duly executed by the
Purchaser, of (i) the Amended and Restated
Patent License Agreement by and between Rovcal, Inc.
(“Rovcal”) and UPG, substantially in
the form
set forth in Exhibit F-1,
(ii) the Amended and Restated
Patent License Agreement by and between Rovcal and UPG, substantially in the
form set forth in Exhibit F-2,
(iii) the Amended and Restated
Patent License Agreement by and
between United and UPG, substantially in the
form set forth in Exhibit F-3 and
(iv) the Amendment to
Trademark License Agreement by and
between United and UPG, substantially in the
form set forth in Exhibit F-4.
(f) each
of the Purchaser and the Seller shall deliver to the other party the
certificates referred to in Sections 7.02 and 7.03, as
applicable;
(g) the
Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser the corporate minute books, corporate seal
and stock records of each Transferred Entity, as applicable, as well as any
other corporate documents the delivery of which the Purchaser may reasonably
request under the laws of the jurisdiction of each Transferred Entity;
and
(h) the
Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser a listing of all opposition or similar
deadlines and all filings that must be made regarding the Owned Intellectual
Property for the six (6) months following the Closing Date.
SECTION
1.04. Purchase
Price Calculation.
(a) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, from the date of this
Agreement through the Closing Date, the Seller shall afford to the Purchaser,
its independent auditors and other Representatives complete access of any type
whatsoever to the personnel, properties, books and records of the Business and
to customers and suppliers to the extent necessary or relevant to the
calculations of Final Assumed Indebtedness, Final Working Capital and
Transaction Expenses to be made pursuant to this Article I.
(b) In
furtherance of the foregoing, the Seller shall provide the Purchaser with a
calculation (including reasonably detailed supporting documentation) of the
Working Capital and Indebtedness of the Transferred Entities on a weekly basis
(and then on a daily basis in the seven days preceding the Closing) from and
after the date of this Agreement. The Chief Financial Officers of the
Seller and the Purchaser shall confer regularly with respect to such
calculations and the Chief Financial Officer of the Seller shall respond
promptly and in a reasonably detailed manner with such supporting documentation
as may be requested in good faith by the Chief Financial Officer of the
Purchaser to any questions asked by or clarifications sought by the Chief
Financial Officer of the Purchaser with respect to the foregoing.
SECTION
1.05. Tax
Allocation. The
Seller and the Purchaser will attempt in good faith to agree upon the allocation
of the Purchase Price among the Transferred Entities prior to the Closing Date
consistent with allocation set forth on Annex B attached hereto. If
such an agreement is reached, the Parties will use such allocations, together
with those made pursuant to Section 5.05(h), for purposes of all Tax filings and
shall not take any position inconsistent with such allocations, except as
otherwise required by Law. If such an agreement is not reached, then
the Parties will adopt the Purchaser’s reasonably proposed allocation, together
with those made pursuant to Section 5.05(h), for purposes of all Tax filings and
shall not take any position inconsistent with such allocations, except as
otherwise required by Law.
Representations
and Warranties
Relating to
the Transferors and the Transferred Equity Interests
SECTION
2.01. Organization,
Standing and Power. Each
Transferor is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized and has all requisite power
and authority and possesses all material governmental franchises, licenses,
permits, authorizations and approvals necessary (a) to enable it to own,
lease or otherwise hold its assets and properties and (b) to conduct its
business as currently conducted. The Seller has made available to the
Purchaser complete and correct copies of each Transferor’s organizational
documents, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified through (and
including) the date of this Agreement.
SECTION
2.02. Authority;
Execution and Delivery; Enforceability. The Seller has all requisite corporate
power and authority and full legal capacity to execute this Agreement and each
Transferor has all requisite corporate or other organizational power and
authority, as the case may be, and full legal capacity to execute the other
agreements and instruments executed and delivered in connection with this
Agreement (such other agreements, the “Ancillary
Agreements”) to which it is, or is specified to be, a party, to fully
perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder and to consummate the
Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. The execution and delivery by the Seller of this Agreement
and the execution and delivery by each Transferor of the Ancillary Agreements to
which it is, or is specified to be, a party and the consummation by the
Transferors of the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the
Transferors, and no other action on the part of the Transferors is necessary to
authorize this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the
Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby. The Seller has duly executed and delivered this Agreement
and, prior to or at the Closing, each Transferor will have duly executed and
delivered each Ancillary Agreement to which it is, or is specified to be, a
party, and, assuming their due execution and delivery by the Purchaser, this
Agreement constitutes the Seller’s, and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is,
or is specified to be, a party will, after execution and delivery by each
Transferor, constitute such Transferor’s, legal, valid and binding obligation,
enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
Law.
SECTION 2.03. No
Conflicts; Consents. (a) The execution and delivery by the
Seller of this Agreement do not, (b) the execution and delivery by each
Transferor of each Ancillary Agreement to which it is, or is specified to be, a
party will not, and (c) the consummation of the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and compliance by the Transferors
with the terms hereof and thereof will not: conflict with, or result in any
violation or breach of, or default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or
both) under, or give rise to a right of, or result in, termination, cancellation
or acceleration of any obligation to or loss of a material benefit under, or to
increased, additional, accelerated or guaranteed rights or entitlements of any
person under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the assets or
properties of any Transferred Entity or the Business under, any provision of
(i) the certificate of incorporation or formation, by-laws or other
organizational documents of the Transferors or any Transferred Entity,
(ii) any contract, lease, sublease, license, indenture, bond, debenture,
note, mortgage, guarantee, instrument, agreement, deed of trust, conditional
sales contract, franchise, commitment or other legally binding arrangement,
together with modifications and amendments thereto (each, a “Contract”),
to which the Seller or any other Transferor is a party or by which any
Transferor’s assets or properties is bound (including any limitations on the
sale of such Person’s assets) that in each case is material to any Transferor,
or (iii) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to
in the immediately following sentence, any material judgment, order, writ,
injunction, legally binding agreement with a Governmental Entity, stipulation or
decree (each, a “Judgment”)
or statute, law (including common law), ordinance, code, rule or regulation of a
Governmental Entity (each, a “Law”)
applicable to any Transferor or the Business or any of their assets or
properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such
events that would not prohibit or materially impair the Seller’s or any
Transferor’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement. Except as set forth in Section 2.03
of the Seller Letter, no consent, approval, license, permit, order or
authorization (each, a “Consent”)
of, or registration, declaration or filing with, any national, state, county,
local, municipal, foreign or other government or any court of competent
jurisdiction, administrative agency or commission or other governmental
authority or instrumentality (each, a “Governmental
Entity”) or any other person is required to be obtained or made by or
with respect to any Transferor in connection with the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or the consummation of
the Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, other
than (A) compliance with and filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR
Act”) and compliance with and filings and approvals under applicable
foreign merger control or competition Laws (the “Foreign
Merger Control Laws”), (B) compliance with and filings under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder,
(C) compliance with and filings or notices required by the rules and
regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”)
and (D) those that may be required solely by reason of the Purchaser’s (as
opposed to any third party’s) participation in the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and by the Ancillary
Agreements.
SECTION
2.04. The
Transferred Equity Interests. Except
as set forth in Section 2.04
of the Seller Letter, the Seller and the Transferors have good and valid title
to the Transferred Equity Interests, free and clear of all Liens and are the
record and beneficial owners thereof. Upon (a) delivery to the
Purchaser or its designees at the Closing of (i) in the case of the
Transferred Equity Interests that are certificated, certificates representing
such Transferred Equity Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by
stock or unit powers duly endorsed in blank in proper form for transfer or other
proper instruments of transfer and (ii) in the case of Transferred Equity
Interests that are not certificated, proper instruments of transfer and
(b) the Seller’s receipt of the Purchase Price, good and valid title to the
Transferred Equity Interests will pass to the Purchaser or its designees, free
and clear of any Liens, other than those arising from acts of the Purchaser or
its affiliates.
SECTION
2.05. Brokers or
Finders. No
agent, broker, investment banker or other person is or will be entitled to any
broker’s or finder’s fee or any other commission or similar fee from the Seller
or its affiliates (including the Transferred Entities) in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except Goldman, Sachs &
Co., whose fees, costs and expenses will be paid by the
Seller.
SECTION
2.06. Litigation. There
is no claim, action, suit or legal proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of
the Seller, threatened against the Seller or any other Transferor which seeks to
prevent the Seller or any Transferor from consummating the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE
III
Representations
and Warranties
Relating to
the Transferred Entities
Except
as set forth in the Seller Letter (each section of which qualifies the
correspondingly numbered representation and warranty and such other
representations and warranties to the extent a matter in such section is
disclosed in such a manner as to make its relevance to the information called
for by such other representation and warranty reasonably apparent), the Seller
hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser as follows:
SECTION
3.01. Organization
and Standing; Books and Records.
(a) Each
Transferred Entity is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (or
the equivalent thereof) under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is
organized. Each Transferred Entity has all requisite power and
authority and possesses all material governmental franchises, licenses, permits,
authorizations and approvals necessary (i) to enable it to own, lease or
otherwise hold its assets and properties and (ii) to conduct its business
as currently conducted. Each Transferred Entity is duly qualified and
in good standing to do business as a foreign entity in each jurisdiction in
which the conduct or nature of the Business or the ownership, leasing or holding
of the Business’s properties makes such qualification necessary, except such
jurisdictions where
the
failure to be so qualified or in good standing, individually or in the
aggregate, is not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the
Business.
(b) No
insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings in respect of any of the Transferred
Entities have been opened by any court of competent jurisdiction or been applied
for by any of the Transferred Entities. To the knowledge of the
Seller, there is no legal requirement to file an application for any insolvency
or bankruptcy proceedings in respect of any of the Transferred
Entities.
(c) The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser complete and correct copies of the
organizational documents, including, to the extent applicable in the respective
jurisdiction, a current excerpt from a commercial register or equivalent public
register, of each Transferred Entity, each as amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified prior to the date of this Agreement. To the extent excerpts
from a commercial register or equivalent public register have been made
available to the Purchaser, these excerpts contain an accurate description of
the corporate structure of the Transferred Entities. No applications
for registration in the commercial registers of the Transferred Entities are
pending. The Transferred Entities’ shareholders’ meetings have not
passed any resolutions subject to registration, in particular on capital
measures, which have not been submitted for registration in the commercial
register. Except as set forth in Section 3.01(c)
of the Seller Letter, no German Entity is a party to, or owes an obligation to
enter into, any domination agreement, profit and loss transfer agreement or
other enterprise agreement (andere
Unternehmensverträge) within the meaning of Sections 291 and 292 of
the German Stock Corporation Act.
SECTION
3.02. Equity
Interests in the Transferred Entities; Equity Interests in Other Persons;
Indebtedness.
(a) Section 3.02(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth the name and the jurisdiction of organization of
each Transferred Entity. Section 3.02(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth, as of the date of this Agreement and for each
Transferred Entity, the record and beneficial owners of the outstanding equity
interests in such Transferred Entity and the percentage of such outstanding
equity interests owned by each that will be acquired by the Purchaser pursuant
to this Agreement. Except for the Transferred Equity Interests and
the equity interests of ASMIO that are not indirectly owned by the
Seller, there are no equity interests in a Transferred Entity issued, reserved
for issuance or outstanding and there are no preemptive or similar rights on the
part of any holder of any class of securities of any Transferred
Entity. The Transferred Equity Interests have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. As of the
date of this Agreement, there are not any bonds, debentures, notes or other
Indebtedness of any Transferred Entity having the right to vote (or that are
convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, securities having the
right to vote) on any matters on which holders of the Transferred Equity
Interests may vote (“Transferred
Entity Voting Debt”). As of the date of this Agreement, there
are not any options, warrants, rights, convertible or exchangeable securities,
“phantom” stock rights, stock appreciation rights, stock-based performance
units, commitments, Contracts, arrangements or undertakings to which any
Transferred Entity is a party or by which any of them is bound
(i) obligating any
Transferred
Entity to redeem, issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be redeemed, issued,
delivered or sold, additional units of its equity interests or any security
convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any equity interest in any
Transferred Entity or any Transferred Entity Voting Debt, (ii) obligating
any Transferred Entity to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such option,
warrant, security, right, unit, commitment, Contract, arrangement or undertaking
or (iii) that give any person the right to receive any economic benefit or
right derived from the economic benefits and rights accruing to holders of the
Transferred Equity Interests. Except as set forth in Section 3.02(a)
of the Seller Letter, and other than this Agreement, the Transferred Equity
Interests are not subject to any voting trust agreement or other Contract
restricting or otherwise relating to the voting, dividend rights or disposition
of the Transferred Equity Interests.
(b) Except
for equity interests in another Transferred Entity, no Transferred Entity owns,
directly or indirectly, any equity interests in any other person.
(c) Section 3.02(c)
of the Seller Letter sets forth a complete and correct list, as of the date of
this Agreement, of (i) each item of outstanding Indebtedness of a
Transferred Entity, in each case to the extent such individual item of
outstanding Indebtedness exceeds $25,000, (ii) all obligations of any
Transferred Entity under any interest rate, currency or other hedging agreement,
and (iii) all obligations of any Transferred Entity under any performance
bond.
SECTION
3.03. Authority;
Execution and Delivery; Enforceability. Each
Transferred Entity has all requisite power and authority to execute the
Ancillary Agreements to which it is, or is specified to be, a party, to perform
fully its obligations thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated
thereby. The execution and delivery by each Transferred Entity of the
Ancillary Agreements to which it is, or is specified to be, a party and the
consummation by each Transferred Entity of the transactions contemplated thereby
have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of each
Transferred Entity, and no other action on the part of any Transferred Entity is
necessary to authorize the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated thereby. Prior to or at the Closing, each
Transferred Entity will have duly executed and delivered each Ancillary
Agreement to which it is, or is specified to be, a party, and each Ancillary
Agreement to which it is, or is specified to be, a party will, after the
Closing, constitute its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against
it in accordance with such Ancillary Agreement’s terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
Law.
SECTION
3.04. No
Conflicts; Consents. The
execution and delivery by any Transferred Entity of each Ancillary Agreement to
which it is, or is specified to be, a party will not, and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated thereby and compliance by the Transferred Entities
with the terms thereof will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or
breach of, or default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under,
or give rise to a right of, or result in, termination, cancellation or
acceleration of any obligation to or loss of a material benefit under, or to
increased,
additional,
accelerated or guaranteed rights or entitlements of any person under, or result
in the creation of any Lien upon any of the assets or properties of the Business
or any Transferred Entity under, any provision of (a) the certificate of
incorporation or formation, by-laws or other organizational documents of any
Transferred Entity, (b) except as set forth in Section 3.04
of the Seller Letter, any Contract to which any Transferred Entity is a party or
by which any of the Business’s assets or properties is bound that is material to
the Business or (c) subject to the governmental filings and other matters
referred to in the immediately following sentence, any Judgment or Law
applicable to the Business or any Transferred Entity or any of their assets or
properties. Except as set forth in Section 3.04
of the Seller Letter, no Consent of, or registration, declaration or filing
with, any Governmental Entity or any other person is required to be obtained or
made by or with respect to the Business or any Transferred Entity in connection
with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement or the consummation of the Acquisition or the other transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, other than (A) compliance with and filings
under the HSR Act and compliance with and filings and approvals under Foreign
Merger Control Laws, (B) those that may be required solely by reason of the
Purchaser’s (as opposed to any third party’s) participation in the Acquisition
and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and by the Ancillary
Agreements and (C) the filing of the relevant instruments in the requisite
jurisdictions in order to create or perfect Liens granted to secure the
Indebtedness and other obligations incurred as a result of the consummation of
the Debt Financing.
SECTION
3.05. Financial
Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) Section 3.05(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth complete and correct copies of the following
financial statements (collectively, the “Financial
Statements”): (i) the unaudited combined consolidated
balance sheets of the Transferred Entities as of September 30, 2007 (the
“Unaudited
Financial Statements”), and the related unaudited combined statements of
operations, parent funding and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended
(including the notes contained therein or annexed thereto) and (ii) the
unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations, balance
sheets and business unit cash flows of the Transferred Entities as of
March 30, 2008, and the related unaudited combined statement of operations,
parent funding and cash flows for the six month period then ended and for the
corresponding period of the prior year (the financial statements described in
this clause (ii) are collectively referred to as the “Interim
Financial Statements”). The Financial Statements have been
prepared in conformity with GAAP as consistently applied with the past
accounting practices used in the preparation of the unaudited internal financial
statements of the Transferred Entities for the year ended December 31, 2006
and previous periods during 2007 (except in each case as described in any notes
thereto) and fairly present in all material respects (subject to, in the case of
the Interim Financial Statements, (A) normal, recurring year-end audit
adjustments, which adjustments will be immaterial, individually or in the
aggregate, and (B) the absence of footnotes) the combined consolidated
financial condition, assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows
of the Transferred Entities as of the dates thereof and for the periods
indicated. The monthly financial statements to be provided to
the
Purchaser
pursuant to Section 5.12 shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP applied
on a consistent basis and fairly present in all material respects (subject to
(A) normal, recurring year-end audit adjustments, which adjustments will be
immaterial, individually or in the aggregate and (B) the absence of
footnotes) the combined consolidated financial condition, assets, liabilities,
results of operations and cash flows of the Transferred Entities as of the dates
thereof and for the periods indicated.
(b) No
Transferred Entity has any liability or obligation of any nature (whether
accrued, absolute, contingent, unasserted or otherwise), except (i) as
disclosed or reserved against on the balance sheet contained in the Interim
Financial Statements (excluding the notes thereto) or disclosed in Section 3.05(b)
of the Seller Letter, (ii) for liabilities and obligations incurred in the
ordinary course of business since the date of the balance sheet contained in the
Interim Financial Statements and (iii) for liabilities and obligations
that, individually and in the aggregate, are not reasonably likely to have a
material adverse effect on the Business.
SECTION
3.06. Assets
Other than Real Property Interests or Intellectual Property.
(a) The
Transferred Entities have good and valid title to, or a valid leasehold interest
in or valid rights to use, all the assets used by the Business, in each case
free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, mortgages, leases,
subleases, licenses, covenants, charges, easements, rights of way, pre-emptive
rights, rights of first refusal, conditions, restrictions, title defects,
encroachments or similar exceptions (collectively, “Liens”),
except for (i) such Liens as are set forth in Section 3.06(a) of
the Seller Letter (all of which shall be discharged at or prior to the Closing),
(ii) mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens
arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business with respect to a
liability that is not yet due or delinquent or as to which adequate reserves are
maintained, Liens arising under original purchase price conditional sales
contracts and equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary
course of business and Liens for Taxes and (iii) other imperfections of
title or other non-monetary encumbrances, if any, that, individually and in the
aggregate, do not impair, and would not impair, the conduct of the Business as
currently conducted or materially detract from the value of the assets of the
Business (the Liens described in clauses (i) through (iii) above,
together with the Liens referred to in clauses (ii) through
(v) in Section 3.07(a), are referred to collectively as “Permitted
Liens”).
(b) The
buildings, machinery and equipment of the Business are free from any material
defects, have been maintained in accordance with normal industry practice, and
are in an operating condition and repair (subject to normal wear and tear)
adequate and suitable for the purposes for which such properties are presently
used, except where the failure to be such would not reasonably be expected to be
material and adverse to the Business, taken as a whole.
(c) Section 3.06(a) shall
not constitute a representation or warranty with respect to real property or
interests in real property, such items being the subject of Section 3.07,
or to Intellectual Property, such items being the subject of
Section 3.08.
SECTION
3.07. Real
Property.
(a) Section 3.07(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth a complete and correct list, as of the date of
this Agreement, of all real property owned by the Transferred Entities or the
Seller or any of its subsidiaries other than the Transferred Entities and used
in the Business (each, an “Owned
Property”), including the name of the entity owning each such Owned
Property (each a “Property
Owning Entity”). Section 3.07(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth a complete and correct list, as of the date of
this Agreement, of all real property and interests in real property of which any
Transferred Entity is a lessee, sublessee, licensee or occupant or that are
otherwise utilized by the Business (each, a “Leased
Property”), including the name of the Transferred Entity leasing each
such Leased Property (each a “Leasing
Entity”). Each Property Owning Entity has good, marketable and
valid fee title to each Owned Property it owns (including any and all
improvements located thereon) and each Leasing Entity has good and valid title
to the leasehold estates in all Leased Property it leases (an Owned Property or
a Leased Property being sometimes referred to herein, individually, as a
“Transferred
Real Property”), in each case free and clear of all Liens, except
(i) Liens described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of
Section 3.06(a), (ii) such Liens as are set forth in Section 3.07(a) of
the Seller Letter (all of which shall be discharged at or prior to Closing),
(iii) leases, subleases and similar agreements set forth in Section 3.07(b)
of the Seller Letter, (iv) easements, covenants, rights of way and other
similar restrictions of record, (v) (A) zoning, building and other similar
restrictions and (B) Liens that have been placed by any developer, landlord
or other third person on property over which the Seller or one of its
subsidiaries has easement rights or on any Leased Property and subordination or
similar agreements relating thereto, and (vi) discrepancies, conflicts in
boundary lines, shortages in area, encroachments, or any other non-monetary
Liens of a minor nature. None of the items set forth in
clauses (i) and (iii) through (vi) above, individually or in
the aggregate, is reasonably likely to materially impair the continued use and
operation of the Transferred Real Property to which it or they relate in the
conduct of the Business as currently conducted or materially impair the value of
the Transferred Real Property. The Transferred Real Property includes
all the real property currently used by the Transferred Entities or the Seller
or any subsidiary in the operation of the Business (the “Currently
Utilized Real Property”).
(b) Section 3.07(b)
of the Seller Letter sets forth each lease, sublease, license or occupancy
agreement in respect of a Leased Property (each, a “Lease”),
which schedule sets forth the date of and parties to each Lease and any
amendments or modifications thereto. Each Lease is, as of the date of
this Agreement, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Leasing Entity a
party thereto and is in full force and effect and enforceable against
such Leasing Entity in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
Law. As of the date of this Agreement, the Leasing Entity is in
possession of each applicable Leased Property. As of the date of this
Agreement, neither the lessee under any Lease (or sublessee in the case of a
sublease) nor, to the knowledge of the Seller, any other party to such Lease is
in material breach or material default under such Lease and no event has
occurred and no
condition
exists which, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute such a default or breach. No Leasing Entity has received
written notice of the termination of any Lease and to the knowledge of the
Seller no other party to any Lease has orally threatened to terminate such
Lease. The Seller has made available to the Purchaser a true,
complete and correct copy of each Lease, in each case as amended, supplemented
or otherwise modified prior to the date of this Agreement.
(d) As
of the date of this Agreement, neither Seller nor any of its subsidiaries has
received written notice or has knowledge of any pending, threatened or
contemplated condemnation proceeding affecting the Transferred Real Property or
any part thereof or of any sale or other disposition of the Transferred Real
Property or any part thereof in lieu of condemnation.
(e) No
portion of the Owned Property is located in a special flood hazard area as
designated by federal Governmental Entities.
(f) Except
as set forth in Section 3.07(f)
of the Seller Letter, neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries owns,
holds, has granted or is obligated under any option, right of first offer, right
of first refusal or other contractual right to purchase, acquire, sell or
dispose of the Transferred Real Property or any portion thereof or interest
therein.
SECTION
3.08. Intellectual
Property.
(a) “Owned
Intellectual Property” means all Intellectual Property owned by the
Transferred Entities or the Seller or any of its subsidiaries other than the
Transferred Entities and used in the Business. Section 3.08(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth a complete and correct list, as of the date of
this Agreement, of (i) all patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks,
copyright registrations and copyright applications and domain names included in
the Owned Intellectual Property, including the name of the entity owning such
Owned Intellectual Property, and (ii) all licenses or other agreements,
including settlement agreements and co-existence agreements, granted by third
parties with respect to Intellectual Property used by (x) the Transferred
Entities or (y) the Seller or any of its subsidiaries other than the
Transferred Entities in connection with the Business, except in the case of each
of (ii)(x) and (ii)(y), any license granted by a third party for off the shelf
software that is commercially available on a retail basis for less than $50,000
in the aggregate (the “Inbound
Licensed Intellectual Property”), including the name of the entity
licensing such Inbound Licensed Intellectual Property. The Owned
Intellectual Property and the Inbound Licensed Intellectual Property are
referred to collectively as the “Transferred
Intellectual Property”; provided
that the “Transferred Intellectual Property” does not include any Software to be
provided by the Seller or its subsidiaries after the Closing pursuant to the
Transition Services Agreement.
With
respect to all Owned Intellectual Property that is registered or subject to an
application for registration, Section 3.08(a)
of the Seller Letter sets forth a list, as of the date of this Agreement, of all
jurisdictions in which such Owned Intellectual Property is registered or where
registrations have been applied for and all registration and application
numbers. All such registrations and applications are not the subject
of any invalidity proceeding or determination, and have not been or are not, as
applicable, cancelled, expired, opposed, abandoned or otherwise terminated, and
payment of all renewal and maintenance fees that have become due and owing in
respect thereof has been duly made. Except as set forth in Section 3.08(a)
of the Seller Letter, the Transferred Entities, Seller and its subsidiaries
other than the Transferred Entities own or otherwise have the right pursuant to
a valid written license, sublicense or other agreement, or have public domain or
other legal right, free and clear of all Liens (other than Liens described in
clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 3.06(a)), to use all the Transferred
Intellectual Property as currently used in the Business. Except as
set forth in Section 3.08(a)
of the Seller Letter, neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries (including
the Transferred Entities) owns, holds, is obligated under or has granted, any
option, right of first offer, right of first refusal, license or other
contractual right to purchase, acquire, sell or dispose of the Transferred
Intellectual Property or any portion thereof or interest therein.
(b) The
Seller, the Transferred Entities and any other subsidiaries of the Seller have
taken all reasonably necessary actions to maintain and protect each item of
Owned Intellectual Property. Except as set forth in Section 3.08(b)
of the Seller Letter, each of the Seller, the Transferred Entities and any
subsidiary of the Seller other than a Transferred Entity, has (i) secured
and has a current policy to secure from employees, consultants and other persons
who contribute or have contributed to the creation or development of any of the
Owned Intellectual Property, written assignments of the rights to such
contributions that the Seller, the Transferred Entities or any subsidiaries of
the Seller other than the Transferred Entities, do not already own by operation
of Law and (ii) made any and all notifications or filings required by
applicable Law to ensure that all Intellectual Property used in the Business
created by any employee of the Transferred Entities, the Seller or a subsidiary
of the Seller other than a Transferred Entity, is owned by such
entity.
(c) Except
as set forth in Section 3.08(c)
of the Seller Letter, the consummation of the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not alter or impair any rights
of the Transferred Entities in and to any Transferred Intellectual
Property. No third-party consent is necessary for the exercise by the
appropriate Transferred Entity of its rights in or to the Transferred
Intellectual Property.
(d) As
of the date of this Agreement, the Seller has not and no Transferred Entity or a
subsidiary of the Seller other than a Transferred Entity has granted any
license, written or, to the Seller’s knowledge, oral, relating to any
Transferred Intellectual Property or the marketing or distribution thereof,
except as set forth in Section 3.08(b)
of the Seller Letter (the “Outbound
Licensed Intellectual Property”).
(e) Except
as set forth in Section 3.08(e)
of the Seller Letter: (i) to the knowledge of the Seller, the conduct of
the Business as currently conducted and the use of the Transferred Intellectual
Property do not violate, conflict with or infringe the Intellectual Property of
any other person; (ii) as of the date of this Agreement, no claims that
have been asserted in writing by any person are pending or threatened, against
the Seller, a Transferred Entity or a subsidiary of the Seller other than a
Transferred Entity with respect to the ownership, validity, enforceability,
effectiveness or use in the Business of any Intellectual Property; and
(iii) since May 1, 2005 and prior to the date of this Agreement, the
Seller has not and no Transferred Entity or a subsidiary of the Seller other
than a Transferred Entity has received any written communication alleging that
the Seller, a Transferred Entity or a subsidiary of the Seller other than a
Transferred Entity has violated in any material respect any rights relating to
Intellectual Property of any person. To the Seller’s knowledge, no
third party is infringing or otherwise violating in any material respect the
Owned Intellectual Property and there is no litigation currently pending or
threatened alleging the same.
(f) The
Seller and any subsidiaries of the Seller other than Transferred Entities, have
taken commercially reasonable efforts to protect the trade secrets and the
confidential Technology used in the Business. To the knowledge of the
Seller, there has been no misappropriation by any person of any trade secrets or
other Technology used in the Business as currently conducted and no such trade
secrets or other such Technology have been disclosed to any person except
pursuant to valid and appropriate non-disclosure and/or license agreements that
have not been breached. To the Seller’s knowledge, no employee,
independent contractor, or agent of any Transferred Entity, the Seller or any
subsidiary other than a Transferred Entity, (i) has misappropriated any
trade secrets or other Intellectual Property of any other person, or
(ii) is in default or breach of any term of any employment agreement,
non-disclosure agreement, assignment of invention agreement or similar agreement
relating to the protection, ownership, development, use or transfer of any
Intellectual Property. To the Seller’s knowledge, all material
computer software programs used in the conduct of the Business perform in
material conformance with their documentation and are free from any material
software defect.
(g) Any
open source software used by any of the Transferred Entities is either listed in
Section 3.08(g)
of the Seller Letter or is not a material part of the software used in the
Business. No use of open source software by the Seller, a Transferred
Entity or a subsidiary of the Seller other than a Transferred Entity requires
any Transferred Entity to disclose any software, as a whole or any material part
thereof, to the public.
SECTION
3.09. Contracts.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 3.09(a)
of the Seller Letter, as of the date of this Agreement, neither a Transferred
Entity nor the Business is a party to or bound by any:
(i)
employment agreement of any individual on a full-time,
part-time, consulting or other basis providing annual compensation in excess of
$100,000 or providing material severance, retention or change of control
benefits;
(ii)
collective bargaining agreement or other contract
with any labor organization, union or association, other than any mandatory
national collective bargaining agreement or any other collective agreement with
an employees’ representative body such as a works council or any company
practice or any commitment given to all or a substantial part of employees of a
Transferred Entity;
(iii) Contract
(A) with or for the benefit of the Seller or one of its affiliates (other
than a Transferred Entity) or (B) with any current or former director,
officer or employee of a Transferred Entity or any affiliate of the Seller
(other than a Transferred Entity) (other than any employment
agreement);
(iv) Contract
involving payment by a Transferred Entity or the Business of more than
$250,000;
(v)
Contract involving the obligation of a Transferred
Entity to deliver products or services for payment of more than
$250,000;
(vi) commodity
agreement, interest rate agreement or currency agreement;
(vii) Contract
with respect to any joint venture, partnership or similar
arrangement;
(viii) Contract
for the lease of personal property to or from any person providing for lease
payments in excess of $100,000 per annum;
(ix) Contract
under which a Transferred Entity has created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed
any Indebtedness or under which it has imposed a Lien on any of its assets,
tangible or intangible, other than a Permitted Lien;
(x)
Contract under which a Transferred Entity has advanced or loaned any other
person amounts currently outstanding in the aggregate exceeding
$100,000;
(xi) Contract
containing an obligation of a Transferred Entity to indemnify any other person
outside the ordinary course of business;
(xii) Contracts
for acquisitions of capital stock or assets of another person (whether by
merger, stock or asset purchase or otherwise);
(xiii) Contracts
regarding dispositions of any material portion of the Business or any assets
having a value greater than $100,000 other than in the ordinary course of
business;
(xiv) Contracts
involving payment of more than $50,000 entered into since May 1, 2005
involving any resolution or settlement of any actual or threatened litigation,
arbitration, claim or other dispute; and
(xv) Contracts
relating to any Inbound Licensed Intellectual Property or Outbound Licensed
Intellectual Property.
(b) Neither
a Transferred Entity nor the Business is a party to or bound by Contract that,
following the Closing, (i) restricts the ability of the Business to compete
in any business or with any person in any geographic area, (ii) provides
for exclusivity or any similar requirement, (iii) requires the Business to
grant “most favored nation” pricing or terms or (iv) restricts the ability
of the Business to solicit or hire any person;
(c) Each
Contract required to be set forth in Section 3.09(a)
of the Seller Letter (the “Material
Contracts”) is a legal, valid and binding obligation of a Transferred
Entity, enforceable against such Transferred Entity in accordance with its
terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general
principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity
or at Law. No Transferred Entity that is party to a Material Contract
nor, to the knowledge of the Seller, any other party to such Material Contract
is in material breach or default under such Material Contract. No
counterparty to a Material Contract is an affiliate of the Seller or any
Transferred Entity. Neither the Seller nor any Transferred Entity has
received written notice of the termination of any Material Contract and to the
knowledge of the Seller no other party to any Material Contract has orally
threatened to terminate any Material Contract. The Seller has made
available to the Purchaser a complete and correct copy of each Material
Contract, in each case as amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified.
SECTION
3.10. Permits. Section 3.10
of the Seller Letter sets forth a true, complete and correct list of all
material certificates, licenses, permits, authorizations, registrations,
waivers, privileges, qualifications, and approvals issued or granted by a
Governmental Entity (“Permits”)
in connection with the Business to the Seller or its subsidiaries, each of which
are validly held by a Transferred Entity, and the holder thereof has complied,
as of the date of this Agreement, in all material respects with all terms and
conditions thereof; provided,
however,
that the foregoing does not require disclosure of state and local business or
similar licenses that are required of businesses generally and can be obtained
through ministerial action and the payment of required fees. All such
Permits are in full force and effect, and neither the Seller nor any of its
subsidiaries has received written notice of any suit, action or other proceeding
relating to the revocation or modification of any Permit. The
Business possesses all Permits necessary to own, lease and operate the assets of
the Business and to conduct the Business, in each case in all material respects
as currently conducted. The terms of such Permits are not subject to
any restrictions or conditions that limit or would limit the operation of the
Business or the Transferred Entities as presently conducted, other than
restrictions or conditions generally applicable to licenses of that
type.
SECTION
3.11. Insurance.
(a) Section 3.11
of the Seller Letter lists all insurance policies currently maintained by the
Seller or its subsidiaries for the benefit of or in connection with the Business
and its assets. Section 3.11
of the Seller Letter lists all claims made by the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries seeking in excess of $100,000 under any policy of insurance during
the two years prior to the date of this Agreement with respect to the Business
or its assets.
(b) The
Company and the Subsidiaries have insurance against loss or damage arising out
of product liability, true and complete copies of which have been delivered to
the Purchaser. All incidents of damage claims paid by the Seller or
any of the Transferred Entities or any of their insurance carriers in excess of
$100,000 in the two (2) year period preceding the date of this Agreement
are described in Section 3.11(b) of the Disclosure Letter.
SECTION
3.12. Taxes.
(a) The
Transferred Entities and any affiliated group of which any Transferred Entity is
or has been a member have properly prepared in accordance with all applicable
Laws and have filed or caused to be filed in a timely manner (within any
applicable extension periods) all income and other material Tax Returns required
to be filed by applicable national, state, county, local municipal, foreign or
other Tax Laws. All such Tax Returns were complete and correct in all
material respects. All material Taxes with respect to taxable periods
covered by such Tax Returns (whether or not shown on any Tax Return), and all
other material Taxes for which any Transferred Entity is liable (other than
Taxes not yet due and payable or being contested in good faith, for which
adequate provision has been made), have been timely paid in full or adequately
reserved for in the Interim Financial Statements.
(b) The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser complete and correct copies of all
income and other material Tax Returns, examination reports and statements of
deficiencies for taxable periods, or transactions consummated, for each
Transferred Entity, for which the applicable statutory periods of limitation
have not expired.
(c) There
are no outstanding agreements extending or waiving the statutory period of
limitations applicable to any claim for, or the period for the collection or
assessment or reassessment of, Taxes due from the Transferred Entities or any
affiliated group of which any Transferred Entity is or has been a member for any
taxable period and no request for any such waiver or extension is currently
pending.
(d) No
material Tax Return of any Transferred Entity or, to the extent relating to the
Transferred Entities, any affiliated group of which any Transferred Entity is a
member is under audit or examination by any Taxing Authority, and no written
notice of any such an audit or examination has been received by the
Seller. Since May 1, 2005 and prior to the date of this
Agreement, no written claim has been received by the Seller
from
a Taxing Authority in a jurisdiction where any Transferred Entity does not
currently file Tax Returns that such Transferred Entity is or may be subject to
taxation by that jurisdiction.
(e) Each
deficiency resulting from any audit or examination relating to Taxes of a
Transferred Entity by any Taxing Authority has been fully and timely
paid.
(f) None
of the assets of any Transferred Entity is subject to a Tax Lien, except for
Taxes not yet due and payable or being contested in good faith (for which
adequate provision has been made).
(g) The
German Entities have formed a valid fiscal unity (Organschaft)
for VAT, German Trade Tax and German Corporate Income Tax purposes with Spectrum
Brands Europe GmbH. Every member of the fiscal unity has complied
with all requirements of the fiscal unity during the entire term of its
existence, and the aforementioned fiscal unities will be terminated with effect
as per expiry of the Closing Date (midnight German time) without (retroactively)
affecting the validity of the fiscal unity for German Tax
purposes. Any Tax or any payment replacing Tax such as a Tax
compensation claim resulting from the disruption or termination of any fiscal
unity or consolidated group that involves any of the German Entities has been
paid or accrued for. No German Entity has been or will be held
secondarily liable for any Tax of another member of a present or former fiscal
unity or other consolidated group. The German Entities will not be
subject to any Tax relating to the measures taken in connection with the
procedures outlined in Exhibit
G hereto, in excess of the amount offset against the claim of Spectrum
Brands Europe GmbH for the transfer of profits for the applicable period until
termination of the PLTA.
(h) For
German Tax purposes during the period of ownership by the Seller preceding the
Closing Date (i) no assets have been contributed, or deemed to be
contributed, to any of the German Entities in exchange for shares at book value
or at another value below the going concern value (Teilwert) of
individual assets, or acquired by any of the German Entities at such value
through restructuring measures or in any other way; (ii) no spin-off (Abspaltung or
Aufspaltung) at book value has been carried out regarding the German
Entities; (iii) none of the German Entities has reduced, nor will it reduce
until and as of the Closing Date, its Tax assessment base by way of a special
write-off (Teilwertabschreibung)
of any shares or any assets held by it; (iv) none of the German Entities
having a tax presence in Germany has accrued as of the Closing Date a reserve
for reinvestments or has transferred or will otherwise transfer capital gains by
way of a roll-over relief under the current Section 6b German Income Tax Act
(Einkommensteuergesetz);
(v) none of the German Entities is subject to add back taxation pursuant to
the German Foreign Tax Act (Außensteuergesetz);
(vi) all documents and records that any German Entity is required to keep
for tax purposes will be readily available at the respective German Entity as of
the Closing Date; (vii) the company has maintained transfer pricing
documentation of the German Entities; (viii) no binding ruling or other
decision of a Taxing Authority has been issued that would in the future impair,
limit or otherwise influence the conduct of business or a reorganization of any
Transferred Entity.
(i)
Since May 1, 2005, no Transferred
Entity or affiliated group of which any Transferred Entity is or has been a
member has taken any reporting position on a Tax Return, which reporting
position (i) if not sustained would be reasonably likely, absent
disclosure, to give rise to a penalty for substantial understatement of federal
income Tax under Section 6662 of the Code (or any similar provision of
state, local, or foreign Tax Law), and (ii) has not adequately been
disclosed on such Tax Return in accordance with Section 6662(d)(2)(B) of
the Code (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign Tax
Law).
(j) The
Transferred Entities have each withheld from their respective employees,
independent contractors, creditors, stockholders and third parties and timely
paid to the appropriate Taxing Authority proper and accurate amounts for all
periods ending on or before the Closing Date in compliance with all Tax
withholding and remitting provisions of applicable Laws and have each complied
with all Tax information reporting provisions of all applicable
Laws;
(k) Since
May 1, 2005, no Transferred Entity has constituted a “distributing
corporation” or a “controlled corporation” (within the meaning of
Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of shares qualifying
for tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code (i) in the two
years prior to the date of this Agreement or (ii) in a distribution that
could otherwise constitute part of a “plan” or “series of related transactions”
(within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) in conjunction with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(l)
No Transferred Entity or affiliated group of which any Transferred Entity
is or has been a member has agreed, or is required to make, any adjustment under
Section 481(a) of the Code, and to the knowledge of the Seller, no
Governmental Entity has proposed any such adjustment or change in accounting
method.
(n) No
Transferred Entity (i) has executed, entered into, or is the subject of a
closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code or any similar
provision of state, local or foreign Law, or (ii) is subject to any private
letter ruling of the IRS or comparable ruling of any other Taxing
Authority.
(o) There
is no Contract, agreement, plan, or arrangement covering any person that,
individually or collectively, would reasonably be expected to give rise to the
payment of any amount that would not be deductible by the Purchaser or any
Transferred Entity by reason of Section 280G of the Code.
(p) No
Transferred Entity has any (i) “excess loss accounts” or
(ii) “deferred gains” with respect to any “deferred intercompany
transactions,” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-19
and 1.1502-13, respectively.
SECTION
3.13. Proceedings. Section 3.13
of the Seller Letter sets forth a list, as of the date of this Agreement, of
each pending or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened suit, action,
demand, arbitration, citation, summons, subpoena, inquiry, investigation, other
proceeding or claim of any nature, civil, criminal, regulatory or otherwise, in
law or in equity arising out of the conduct of the Business or to which any
Transferred Entity is a party that (a) alleges damages or other liabilities
in excess of $100,000, (b) seeks any injunctive relief affecting the
Business or any Transferred Entity or (c) is reasonably likely to give rise
to any legal restraint on or prohibition against the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. As of the date of this Agreement, neither the
Business nor any Transferred Entity is a party or subject to or in default in
any material respect under any Judgment. This Section 3.13 does
not relate to matters with respect to Intellectual Property, which are the
subject of Section 3.08, to Permits, which are the subject of
Section 3.10, to Taxes, which are the subject of Section 3.12, to
benefit matters, which are the subject of Section 3.14, to environmental
matters, which are the subject of Section 3.17, or to employee and labor
matters, which are the subject of Section 3.18.
SECTION
3.14. Benefit
Plans.
(a) (i) Each
“employee benefit plan”, as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”),
each stock option, stock purchase or other equity compensation, incentive
compensation, deferred compensation, change of control or severance plan,
arrangement or policy, retention, salary continuation, vacation, sick leave,
disability, death benefit, group insurance, hospitalization, medical, dental,
life (including all individual life insurance policies as to which the Seller or
any of its subsidiaries is the owner, the beneficiary or both), Code
Section 125 “cafeteria” or “flexible” benefit, employee loan, educational
assistance and (ii) each other material employee fringe benefit plan,
program, policy, practice, agreement or arrangement, whether or not subject to
ERISA in each case that is currently sponsored, maintained or otherwise
contributed to by the Seller, any of its subsidiaries or any other person that,
together with the Seller, is treated as a single employer under
Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code (each, a “Seller
Commonly Controlled Entity”) for the benefit of any officer, director,
consultant or employee or former officer, director, consultant or employee of
the Seller or its affiliates (A) who is or was employed by or provided
services to the Transferred Entities, (B) who primarily works for the
Business and is not employed by the Transferred Entities or (C) who is
listed in Section 3.14(a)(i)(C)
of the Seller Letter (it being agreed that the list referred to in
clause (C) shall be updated prior to Closing based on good-faith
negotiation between Purchaser and Seller) (the employees described in the
foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C) are collectively referred to
herein as the “Business
Employees”), other than any plan, arrangement or policy mandated by
applicable Law or any “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of
Section 3(37) of ERISA) (a “Multiemployer
Plan”), is referred to herein as a “Seller
Benefit Plan”. Each Seller Benefit Plan or portion thereof
sponsored by a Transferred Entity and that the Purchaser or any of its
affiliates is required to assume under applicable Law or will otherwise assume
is referred to herein as an “Assumed
Benefit Plan”. Each employment, change in control, retention
and severance agreement
between the Seller or any of its affiliates, on the one
hand, and any Business Employee, on the other hand, is referred to herein as a
“Seller
Benefit Agreement”. Each Seller Benefit Agreement (i) to
which any Transferred Entity is a party and (ii) that the Purchaser or any
of its affiliates is required to assume under applicable Law or will otherwise
assume is referred to herein as an “Assumed
Benefit Agreement”. Section 3.14(a)(i) of
the Seller Letter lists each Business Employee and identifies each such
individual’s name, 2008 base salary or wage rate, bonus opportunity for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, date of hire, job description, and
identifies such Business Employee as belonging to clause (A), (B) or
(C) of the definition of “Business Employees.” Section 3.14(a)(ii) of
the Seller Letter is a complete and correct list, as of the date of this
Agreement, identifying each Seller Benefit Plan, Seller Benefit Agreement,
Assumed Benefit Plan and Assumed Benefit Agreement. The Seller has
made available to the Purchaser complete and correct copies, as of the date of
this Agreement, of (A) the most recent documents constituting each Assumed
Benefit Plan and Assumed Benefit Agreement, (B) any related trust agreement
or other funding instrument, (C) for the three most recent years,
(i) Forms 5500 (including all schedules and attachments thereto) filed with
the IRS, (ii) any related audited financial statements and (iii) any
related actuarial valuation reports, (D) the most recent IRS determination
or opinion letter, if applicable, (E) the most recent summary plan
description, summary of modifications and all other material written
communications by the Seller or any Seller Commonly Controlled Entity to the
Business Employees concerning the extent of benefits provided under an Assumed
Benefit Plan, (F) a summary of any material proposed amendments or changes
anticipated to be made to the Assumed Benefit Plans at any time within the 12
months immediately following the date of this Agreement and (G) for the three
years preceding the date of this Agreement, all material correspondence with the
IRS, the United States Department of Labor (the “DOL”),
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”)
or the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
and any other governmental authority regarding the operation or the
administration of any Seller Benefit Plan.
(b) Each
Assumed Benefit Plan has been operated and administered in all material respects
in accordance with its terms and in compliance with the applicable provisions of
ERISA, the Code, all other applicable Laws and the terms of all applicable
collective bargaining agreements. With respect to any Assumed Benefit
Plan there are no audits or proceedings initiated pursuant to the Employee Plans
Compliance Resolution System or similar proceedings pending with the IRS, DOL or
other Governmental Entity, and there are no claims, actions or litigation which
have been made, or to the knowledge of Seller threatened, with respect to any
Assumed Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits payable in the
ordinary course).
Title
IV Plan, (i) all premiums due the PBGC have been paid, (ii) neither
the Seller, the
Transferred Entities nor any of their respective affiliates have filed a notice
of intent to terminate the plan or adopted any amendment to treat such plan as
terminated, (iii) the PBGC has not instituted, or threatened to institute,
proceedings to treat such plan as terminated, (iv) no event has occurred or
circumstance exists that constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA
for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer such plan,
(v) there has been no “reportable event” as that term is defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations thereunder that would require the
giving of notice or any event requiring disclosure under
Section 4041(c)(3)(C) or 4063(a) of ERISA, (vi) the Seller, the
Transferred Entities and their respective affiliates are not, and do not expect
to be, subject to (A) any requirement to post security pursuant to
Section 412(f) of the Code or (B) any lien pursuant to
Section 412(n) of the Code. Neither the Seller, the Transferred
Entities nor any of their respective affiliates have incurred any liability with
respect to the termination of a Title IV Plan within the last six years or
incurred any outstanding liability under Section 4062 of ERISA to the PBGC
or to a trustee appointed under Section 4042 of ERISA. Neither
the Seller, the Transferred Entities nor any organization to which the Seller or
any Transferred Entity is a successor or parent corporation, within the meaning
of Section 4069(b) of ERISA, has engaged in any transaction described in
Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA. Except as set forth on Section
3.14(c)(ii) of the Seller Letter, with respect to each Assumed Benefit
Plan that is a Title IV Plan, as of the last day of the most recent plan year
ended prior to the date of this Agreement, there is no “amount of unfunded
benefit liabilities,” as defined in Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA, and there
has been no material change in the financial condition of any such Title IV Plan
since the last day of its most recent fiscal year.
(d) None
of the Business Employees located in the U.S. participate in, or have at any
time during the six-year period prior to the date of the Agreement, participated
in a Multiemployer Plan.
(e) Each
Seller Benefit Plan, that is intended to meet the requirements of a “qualified
plan” under Code Section 401(a) has received a favorable determination
letter from the IRS upon which it may rely to the effect that the employee
pension benefit plan is qualified and satisfies the requirements of
Section 401(a) of the Code and that its related trust is exempt from
taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code and to the knowledge of Seller,
there are no facts or circumstances that are expected to cause the loss of such
qualification.
(f) Except
as set forth in Section 3.14(f)
of the Seller Letter, none of the Seller or any Seller Commonly Controlled
Entity has sponsored, maintained, contributed to or been required to maintain or
contribute to, or has any actual or contingent liability under any Seller
Benefit Plan subject to Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA or
Section 412 or 4971 of the Code.
(g) There
have been no prohibited transactions within the meaning of Section 406 of
ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code with respect to any Assumed Benefit Plan
that are not exempt under Section 408 of ERISA, Section 4975 of the
Code or otherwise and that result in liability to the Transferred
Entities. No Transferred Entity
has
any material liability for breach of fiduciary duty or any other failure to act
or comply with the requirements of ERISA, the Code or any other applicable Laws
in connection with the administration or investment of the assets of any Assumed
Benefit Plan.
(h) Except
as disclosed in Section 3.14(h)
of the Seller Letter, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall (i) result
in any material payment (including severance, change in control or otherwise)
becoming due to any Business Employee under any Assumed Benefit Plan or Assumed
Benefit Agreement, (ii) materially increase any benefits otherwise payable
under any Assumed Benefit Plan or Assumed Benefit Agreement to any Business
Employee or (iii) result in the acceleration of time of payment or vesting
of any such benefits under any Assumed Benefit Plan or Assumed Benefit
Agreement, except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii), and
(iii), for any payments or benefits for which the Seller or any of its
affiliates (other than any Transferred Entity) shall be solely
liable.
(i) Neither
the Seller nor its affiliates (including the Transferred Entities) has any plan,
contract or legally binding commitment, nor have they announced (orally or in
writing) an intention, to create any additional material employee benefit or
compensation plans, policies or arrangements applicable to Business Employees
or, except as may be required by applicable Law, to modify, amend, suspend or
terminate any Assumed Benefit Plan or Assumed Benefit Agreement.
(k) No
Assumed Benefit Plan provides, and, except as set forth in Section 3.14(k)
of the Seller Letter, the Transferred Entities have not incurred any current or
projected liability in respect of, post-employment health, medical, life
insurance or death benefits for any current or former Business Employees, except
as may be required under COBRA, and at the expense of the employee or former
employee (collectively, “Retiree
Medical Liability”).
(l) None
of the Transferred Entities has any material liability, whether absolute or
contingent, including any obligations under any Seller Benefit Plan, with
respect to any misclassification of any person as an independent contractor
rather than as an employee.
(m) Each
Assumed Benefit Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (within
the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) to the extent subject to
Section 409A of the Code, has been operated and administered since
January 1, 2005 in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code
and the regulations issued thereunder. No Transferred Entity has any
commitment to compensate or reimburse any individual for penalty taxes imposed
under Section 409A of the Code.
(n) With
respect to each Assumed Benefit Plan maintained outside the jurisdiction of the
United States, including any such plan required to be maintained or contributed
to by applicable law, custom or rule of the relevant jurisdiction and any plan
pursuant to the German Act for Improvement of Company Pension Plans (Gesetz zur
Verbesserung der betrieblichen Altersvorsorge) (“Foreign
Plan”): (i) all employer and employee contributions to
each Foreign Plan required by law or by the terms of such Foreign Plan have been
made, or, if applicable, accrued in accordance with normal accounting practices;
(ii) the fair market value of the assets of each funded Foreign Plan, the
liability of each insurer for any Foreign Plan funded through insurance or the
book reserve established for any Foreign Plan, together with any accrued
contributions, is sufficient to procure or provide for the accrued benefit
obligations, as of the Closing, with respect to all current and former
participants in such plan according to the actuarial assumptions and valuations
most recently used to determine employer contributions to such Foreign Plan, and
no transaction contemplated by this Agreement shall cause such assets or
insurance obligations to be less than such benefit obligations; (iii) each
Foreign Plan has been operated and administered in all material respects in
accordance with its terms and in compliance with applicable Law; (iv) each
Foreign Plan required to be registered has been registered and has been
maintained in good standing with applicable regulatory authorities; (v) so far
as the Seller is aware, there are no grounds upon which the UK Pensions
Regulator may reasonably decide to impose a Contribution Notice on any of the
Transferred Entities or an employee or officer of a Transferred Entity; and
there are no circumstances that have arisen in the twelve months before the date
of Closing of this Agreement as a result of which the UK Pensions Regulator
could reasonably issue a FSD against any Transferred Entity; (vi) no assurance,
promise or guarantee (oral or written) has been made or given to any UK Employee
of a particular level or amount of benefits to be provided for or in respect of
him under any of the Group Stakeholder Pension Schemes on retirement, death or
leaving employment; and (vii) no UK Employee came to his or her employment with
any Transferred Entity as a result of a transfer under the Transfer of
Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 or the Transfer of
Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations
2006.
(o) All contributions
(including all employer contributions and employee salary reduction
contributions) and premium payments
required to have been made under the terms of any Assumed Benefit Plan, or in
accordance with applicable Law, have been timely made or accrued on the Interim
Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP. All liabilities or
expenses of any Transferred Entity and their respective Subsidiaries in respect
of any Assumed Benefit Plan (including in respect of workers’ compensation and
any fully or partially self-insured plan) have been timely paid or accrued on
the Interim Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP. There are
no reserves, assets, surpluses or prepaid premiums with respect to any Assumed
Benefit Plan that is an "employee welfare benefit plan" within the meaning of
Section 3(1) of ERISA.
SECTION
3.15. Absence of
Changes or Events.
(a) From
the date of the Balance Sheet and prior to the date of this Agreement, there has
not been any material adverse effect on the Business or the Transferred
Entities, taken as a whole, nor has there been any event, occurrence
or
condition
that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the Business.
(b) From
the date of the Balance Sheet and prior to the date of this Agreement, the
Business has been conducted in the ordinary course without any material
interruption, and in substantially the same manner as previously
conducted.
(c) There
has not occurred any event, occurrence or condition that would have been a
breach of any of Sections 5.01(b)(iv), 5.01(b)(vi),
5.01(b)(viii), 5.01(b)(ix) and 5.01(b)(xi) had such Sections of this
Agreement been in effect since the date of the Balance Sheet.
SECTION
3.16. Compliance
with Applicable Laws. The
Business and each Transferred Entity is and has been in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable Laws. None of the Seller or any
Transferred Entity has received any written communication since May 1, 2005
and prior to the date of this Agreement from any person that alleges that the
Business or any Transferred Entity is not in compliance in any material respect
with any applicable Law. This Section 3.16 does not relate to
matters with respect to Intellectual Property, which are the subject of
Section 3.08, to Taxes, which are the subject of Section 3.12, to
benefit matters, which are the subject of Section 3.14, to environmental
matters, which are the subject of Section 3.17, or to employee and labor
matters, which are the subject of Section 3.18.
SECTION
3.17. Environmental
Matters.
(a) The
Business and each Transferred Entity is and has been in material compliance with
all Environmental Laws and has all Permits required under Environmental Law for
its operations as presently conducted, all such Permits are in full force and
effect and will be upon consummation of the Acquisition, and the Business and
each Transferred Entity is in compliance in all material respects with such
Permits. Neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries has received
any (A) written communication that alleges that the Business or any
Transferred Entity is not in material compliance with, or has liability under,
any Environmental Law or (B) written request for information from any
Governmental Entity pursuant to any Environmental Law with respect to the
Business or any Transferred Entity.
(b) There
are no Environmental Claims pending or, to the knowledge of the Seller,
threatened in connection with the Business or otherwise against the Transferred
Entities.
(c) There
have been no Releases of any Hazardous Materials at, under or from any facility
or property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Business or any
Transferred Entity or otherwise in connection with the Business or any
Transferred Entity that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an
Environmental Claim against the Business.
(d) The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser copies of all material environmental
or health and safety reports, studies, Governmental Entity correspondence,
results of investigation and assessments concerning the current or former
operations, assets or properties of the Business and each Transferred Entity
which are in the possession or control of the Seller or any of the Transferred
Entities.
SECTION 3.18. Employee
and Labor Matters. Since May 1, 2005, and prior to the
date of this Agreement, (a) there has not been nor is there pending or, to
the knowledge of the Seller, threatened any labor strike, walk-out, slowdown,
work stoppage or lockout with respect to the Business or any Transferred Entity
and (b) neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries has received written
notice of any unfair labor practice charges against the Business or any
Transferred Entity that are pending before the National Labor Relations Board or
any similar state, local or foreign Governmental Entity. There are no
pending or in progress or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened suits,
actions or other proceedings in connection with the Business or any Transferred
Entity before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any similar state,
local or foreign Governmental Entity responsible for the prevention of unlawful
employment practices or any labor law courts. The Seller and each
Transferred Entity is operating the Business in compliance in all material
respects with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local Law
relating to employment, employment standards, employment of minors, employment
discrimination, health and safety, labor relations, withholding, wages and
hours, workplace safety and insurance and/or pay equity (collectively,
“Labor
Laws”). Each Transferred Entity has made adequate reserves,
according to applicable laws in jurisdictions other than the United States, for
any future anniversary or bonus payments or payments of a similar nature to the
employees of the Business. Each Transferred Entity has made adequate
contributions to any respective social insurance systems, as
applicable. As of the date of this
Agreement no Key Employee has given notice terminating employment
with Seller or any of its subsidiaries, which termination will be effective on
or after the date of this Agreement and, as of the date of this Agreement, to
the knowledge of Seller, no Key Employee intends to terminate employment with
Seller or any of its subsidiaries. For the purposes hereof,
“Key
Employee”
means any member of senior management of the Business and the employees listed
on Section 3.18 of the Seller
Letter. To the knowledge of the Seller, no Business Employee
or any Transferred Entity is in any material respect in violation of any term of
any employment contract, non-disclosure agreement or non-competition
agreement. As of the date of this Agreement, no Business Employees
located in the U.S. are represented by a labor union or are subject to a
collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”).
SECTION
3.19. Transactions
with Affiliates. Except
for employment relationships and the payment of compensation and benefits in the
ordinary course of business or as disclosed in Section 3.19
of the Seller Letter, none of the Transferred Entities or the Business is a
party to any Contract with, or involving the making of any payment, benefit or
transfer of assets to, an affiliate of such Transferred Entity (other than a
Transferred Entity). Except as set forth in Section 3.19
of the Seller Letter, no affiliate, officer, director or shareholder of any of
the Transferred Entities (i) has any interest in any property, real or
personal, tangible or intangible, of any Transferred Entity,
except
for
the normal rights as an officer, director or shareholder or (ii) has any
pending or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened claim or cause of action
against any Transferred Entity, except for accrued compensation and benefits,
expenses and similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business
with respect to employees of the Transferred Entities. Neither the
Seller nor its affiliates that it controls possess, directly or indirectly, any
financial interest in a material supplier, customer, lessor, lessee, or
competitor of the Business; provided, that ownership of securities of a company
whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, of 5% or less of any class of such securities shall not be deemed to be
a financial interest for purposes of this Section 3.19. Except
as set forth in Section 3.19
of the Seller Letter or as provided for in this Agreement, no Contract between a
Transferred Entity, on the one hand, and the Seller or any of its affiliates
(other than a Transferred Entity), on the other hand, will continue in effect
subsequent to the Closing.
SECTION
3.20. Sufficiency
of Assets. The
assets and properties that will be owned by the Transferred Entities immediately
following the Closing, the assets and properties of which any Transferred Entity
will be a lessee, sublessee or licensee immediately following the Closing and
the assets and properties which the Transferred Entities will have the right to
use pursuant to the Transition Services Agreement, the comprise all the assets
and properties (tangible or intangible) currently employed by the
Business. Such assets and properties will be sufficient for the
conduct of the Business immediately following the Closing in substantially the
same manner as currently conducted. The Transferred Entities will not
immediately prior to the Closing have any liabilities that are primarily related
to businesses of the Seller and its subsidiaries (excluding the Transferred
Entities) other than the Business or prior businesses conducted by the
Transferred Entities.
SECTION
3.21. Customers.
(a) Section 3.21(a)
of the Seller Letter lists the names of the twenty largest
customers of the Business measured by dollar value for the twelve-month period
ended March 31, 2008 and sets forth opposite the name of each customer the
percentage of net consolidated sales attributable to such
customer. As of the date hereof, none of the customers listed in
Section 3.21(a)
of the Seller Letter has notified either the Seller or any of its subsidiaries
in writing that it is canceling or terminating its relationship with the
Business and to the knowledge of the Seller no such customer intends to cancel,
terminate or materially and adversely alter its relationship with the
Business. Since September 30, 2007 and up to the date hereof,
there have been no material decreases in sales volume to or orders placed by any
customer listed in Section 3.21(a)
of the Seller Letter and, to the knowledge of the Seller, no such customer
intends to materially decrease the sales volume to or orders placed by
it.
(b) No
sales to customers of the Business are done on a consignment basis.
SECTION
3.22. Suppliers. Section 3.22
of the Seller Letter lists the names of the twenty largest
suppliers from which the Business ordered raw materials,
supplies,
merchandise and other goods and services measured by dollar value for the
twelve-month period ended March 31, 2008. As of the date hereof,
none of the suppliers listed in Section 3.22
of the Seller Letter has notified either the Seller or any of its subsidiaries
in writing that it is canceling or terminating its relationship with the
Business and to the knowledge of Seller no such supplier intends to cancel,
terminate or materially and adversely alter its relationship with the
Business. Since September 30, 2007 and up to the date hereof,
with respect to each supplier listed in Section 3.22
of the Seller Letter, there have been no material disputes or claims and, to the
knowledge of the Seller, there are no anticipated disputes or claims with
respect to order fulfillment, price increases or product quality.
SECTION
3.23. Product
Compliance. Section 3.23
of the Seller Letter identifies each product recall, market withdrawal, stock
recovery or service bulletin (collectively, “Recall”)
(whether voluntary or compulsory) and the circumstances surrounding each Recall,
involving any products of the Business since May 1, 2005 and prior to the
date of this Agreement. Since May 1, 2005 the Business has
maintained accurate sales records, order backlog and other information with
respect to all products and services. No product currently
manufactured, sold, leased, licensed or delivered by the Business is subject to
a Recall required by any Governmental Entity and the Business has no plans to
initiate a voluntary Recall. To the knowledge of the Seller, each
type of product manufactured, sold, leased, licensed or delivered by the
Business conforms in all material respects with all applicable Laws in effect at
the time of such manufacture, sale, lease, license or delivery. The
Business has complied with all applicable rules, regulations and reporting
requirements currently in effect of the United States Food and Drug
Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Federal Trade
Commission, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the United
States Environmental Protection Agency and any comparable foreign Governmental
Entity.
SECTION
3.24. Warranty
and Related Matters. Except for warranties and guarantees set
forth in any of the Material Contracts set forth in Section 3.09(a) of the
Seller Letter and except for the standard product and service warranties and
guarantees described in Section 3.24
of the Seller Letter, there are no outstanding product and service warranties
and guarantees made by any of the Transferred Entities on any of the products or
services that the Business or any Transferred Entity distributes, services,
markets, sells or produces for itself, a customer or a third party (each such
product or service, a “Business
Product”). Except as set forth in Section 3.24
of the Seller Letter, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no existing
or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened, product liability, warranty or
other similar claims in excess of $50,000 against the Business alleging that any
Business Product is defective or fails to meet any product or service warranties
or guaranties. There are no inherent design defects or systemic or
chronic problems in any of the Business Products.
SECTION
3.25. Bank
Accounts. Section 3.25
of the Seller Letter sets forth a true, correct and complete list of all banks
and other financial institutions and depositories at which any Transferred
Entity or the Business maintains (or has caused to
be
maintained) deposit accounts, lockbox accounts, spread accounts, yield
supplement reserve accounts, operating accounts, trust accounts, trust
receivable accounts or other accounts of any kind or nature into which funds of
any Transferred Entity or the Business are deposited from time to time and the
names of all Persons authorized to draw thereon or to have access
thereto.
SECTION
3.26. Opinion of
Financial Advisor. The
Board of Directors of Seller has received the opinion of Goldman, Sachs &
Co., dated as of May 17, 2008, to the effect that, as of the date thereof,
the Purchase Price was fair from a financial point of view to the
Seller.
SECTION
3.27. Anti-takeover
Laws; Organizational Document Restrictions. Assuming
the accuracy of the representations made in Section 4.08, no state
anti-takeover statute or regulation, or any takeover-related provision in any
organizational document of Seller or any of its subsidiaries would
(i) prohibit or restrict the ability of Seller or any of its subsidiaries
to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby, or (ii) have the effect of invalidating
or voiding this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION
3.28. No Sale of
All or Substantially All Assets. The
Acquisition will (i) not constitute a sale of all or substantially all of
the assets of the Seller or any of its subsidiaries and (ii) constitute a
“debt reduction plan,” in each case pursuant to the documents creating or
evidencing any Indebtedness of the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries.
SECTION
3.29. No Other
Representations or Warranties. Except
for the representations and warranties contained in Article IV or in any
certificate delivered by the Purchaser in connection with the Closing, the
Seller acknowledges that neither the Purchaser nor any other person on behalf of
the Purchaser makes or has made any other express or implied representation or
warranty with respect to the Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, with respect to the Purchaser or with respect to any other
information provided or made available to the Seller by the Purchaser in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
IV
Representations
and Warranties of the Purchaser
The
Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:
SECTION
4.01. Organization,
Standing and Power. The
Purchaser is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
Laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized and has all requisite power
and authority and possesses all material governmental franchises, licenses,
permits, authorizations and approvals necessary (a) to enable it to own,
lease or otherwise hold its assets and properties and (b) to conduct its
business as currently conducted.
SECTION
4.02. Authority;
Execution and Delivery; Enforceability. The
Purchaser has full power and authority and full legal capacity to execute this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is, or is specified to be, a
party, to fully perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to
consummate the Acquisition, the Equity Financing and the other transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery by the
Purchaser of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is, or is
specified to be, a party and the consummation by the Purchaser of the
Acquisition, the Equity Financing and the other transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the
Purchaser, and no other action on the part of the Purchaser is necessary to
authorize this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the
Acquisition, the Equity Financing or the other transactions contemplated hereby
or thereby. The Purchaser has duly executed and delivered this
Agreement and, prior to the Closing, will have duly executed and delivered each
Ancillary Agreement to which it is, or is specified to be, a party, and,
assuming their due execution and delivery by the Seller, this Agreement
constitutes, and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is, or is specified to be,
a party will, after execution and delivery by the Purchaser, constitute, its
legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with
its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to
general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding
in equity or at Law. Concurrently with the execution of this
Agreement, Harbinger has delivered to the Seller the Harbinger Guarantees, which
are, to the knowledge of the Purchaser, in full force and
effect.
SECTION
4.03. No
Conflicts; Consents. The
execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement do not, the execution
and delivery by the Purchaser of each Ancillary Agreement to which it is, or is
specified to be, a party will not, and the consummation of the Acquisition, the
Equity Financing and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and
compliance by the Purchaser with the terms hereof and thereof will not, conflict
with, or result in any violation or breach of, or default (with or without
notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of, or result
in, termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation to or loss of a
material benefit under, or to increased, additional, accelerated or guaranteed
rights or entitlements of any person under, or result in the creation of any
Lien upon any of the assets or properties of the Purchaser, under any provision
of (a) the organizational documents of the Purchaser, (b) except
as set forth in Section 4.03 of the letter dated as of the date of this
Agreement delivered by the Purchaser to the Seller in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, any material Contract to which the
Purchaser is a party or by which any of the Purchaser’s assets or properties is
bound that is material to the Purchaser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
or (c) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to in
the immediately following sentence, any material Judgment or Law applicable to
the Purchaser or any of its assets or properties. No Consent of, or
registration, declaration or filing with, any Governmental Entity is required to
be obtained or made by or with respect to the Purchaser in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement
or the consummation of the Acquisition, the Equity Financing or the other
transactions
contemplated
hereby and thereby, other than (A) compliance with and filings under the
HSR Act and compliance with and filings and approvals under Foreign Merger
Control Laws, (B) compliance with and filings under the Exchange Act and
the rules regulations promulgated thereunder and any over the counter trading
regulations and (C) in the event the Purchaser consummates a Debt
Financing, the filing of the relevant instruments in the requisite jurisdictions
in order to create or perfect Liens granted to secure the Indebtedness and other
obligations incurred as a result of the consummation of the Debt
Financing.
SECTION
4.04. Litigation. There
are not any (a) outstanding Judgments applicable to the Purchaser or any of
its affiliates, (b) suits, actions, demands, arbitrations, grievances,
citations, summonses, subpoenas, inquiries, investigations, other proceedings or
claims of any nature, civil, criminal, regulatory or otherwise, pending or, to
the knowledge of the Purchaser, threatened against the Purchaser or any of its
affiliates or (c) investigations by any Governmental Entity that are, to
the knowledge of the Purchaser, pending or threatened against the Purchaser or
any of its affiliates that, individually or in the aggregate, are reasonably
likely to have a material adverse effect on the Purchaser’s ability to
consummate the Acquisition.
SECTION
4.05. Securities
Act. The
Transferred Equity Interests are being acquired for investment only and not with
a view to any public distribution thereof, and the Purchaser shall not offer to
sell or otherwise dispose of the Transferred Equity Interests so acquired by it
in violation of any of the registration requirements of the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any other applicable
Law.
SECTION
4.06. Investment
Company. The
Purchaser is not an investment company subject to registration and regulation
under the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
SECTION
4.07. Financing. Complete
and correct executed copies of the Equity Financing Commitments have been
delivered to the Seller on or prior to the date of this
Agreement. There are no conditions or other contingencies to the
funding of the Equity Financing other than those contained in the Equity
Financing Commitments. The Equity Financing Commitments have not been
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and the commitments contained in the
Equity Financing Commitments have not been reduced, terminated, withdrawn or
rescinded in any respect. The Equity Financing Commitments are in
full force and effect and are the legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Purchaser and, to the Purchaser’s knowledge, the applicable counterparties
thereto. The Purchaser has not taken any action or omitted to take
any action, nor has any event occurred, which, with or without notice, lapse of
time or both, would constitute a default or breach on the part of the Purchaser
under any term or condition of the Equity Financing Commitments, and the
Purchaser has no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the Equity
Financing contained in the Equity Financing Commitments will not be satisfied on
a timely basis. The Equity Financing, when funded in accordance with
the Equity Financing Commitments, will provide funds at the Closing sufficient
to
consummate
the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to
pay the related fees and expenses associated therewith.
SECTION
4.08. Anti-takeover
Laws; Organizational Document Restrictions. Neither
Harbinger nor any of its “affiliates” or its
“associates” (as such
terms are defined
in Section
180.0103(1) and Section 180.1140(2), respectively, of the Wisconsin Business
Corporation Law) currently is, has been or will be at any time after the date of
this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date an “interested stockholder” (as
such term is defined in Section 180.1140(8) of the Wisconsin Business
Corporation Law) of the Company.
SECTION
4.09. Brokers or
Finders. Other
than Credit Suisse and
Centerview Partners LLC, no agent, broker, investment banker or other person
engaged by or on behalf of the Purchaser or any of its affiliates is or will be
entitled to any broker’s or finder’s fee or any other commission or similar fee
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
SECTION
4.10. No Other
Representations and Warranties. Except
for the representations and warranties contained in Article II and
Article III (as modified by the Seller Letter to the extent set forth in
the lead-in to Article III)) or in any
certificate delivered by the Seller pursuant to this Agreement, the Purchaser
acknowledges that neither the Seller nor any person on behalf of the Seller
makes or has made any other express or implied representation or warranty with
respect to the Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, with respect to the Seller or the Business or with respect to any
other information provided or made available to the Purchaser in connection with
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE
V
Pre-Closing
Covenants
SECTION
5.01. Covenants
Relating to Conduct of Business.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 5.01(a)
of the Seller Letter, as otherwise expressly contemplated or permitted by the
terms of this Agreement or with the prior written consent of the Purchaser, from
the date of this Agreement through (and including) the Closing Date, the Seller
shall, and shall cause the Transferors, the Transferred Entities and any of its
other subsidiaries conducting any portion of the Business, to:
(i)
use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct the Business in
the ordinary course in substantially the same manner as previously
conducted;
(ii)
use commercially reasonable efforts to (A)
keep available the services of the Business’s current officers, employees,
contractors and consultants, (B) preserve the Business’s assets and
properties and (C) preserve the
Business’s
relationships with customers, suppliers, licensors, licensees, distributors and
others with whom they deal;
(iii) perform
in all material respects all of their obligations under all Material Contracts,
and comply in all material respects with all applicable Laws;
(iv) maintain
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice the tangible
assets currently used in the operation of the Business in good repair, working
order and operating condition subject only to ordinary wear and
tear;
(v)
maintain the books of account and records of the
Business in the usual, regular and ordinary manner consistent with past
practice;
(vi) make
capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business consistent with the
CapEx Budget; and
(vii) use
commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the good standing of the Transferred
Entities in their respective jurisdictions of incorporation and in the
jurisdictions in which any Transferred Entity is qualified to do business, as a
foreign corporation or otherwise, and to maintain all Permits and other consents
material to the Business.
(b) In
addition (and without limiting the generality of the foregoing), except as set
forth in Section 5.01(b)
of the Seller Letter or otherwise expressly contemplated or permitted by the
terms of this Agreement, from the date of this Agreement through (and including)
the Closing Date, the Seller shall not permit the Transferred Entities or any of
its subsidiaries conducting any portion of the Business to do any of the
following with respect to any Transferred Entity or the Business without the
prior written consent of the Purchaser (it being agreed that any request for a
consent shall be considered by the Purchaser in good faith):
(i)
amend the organizational documents of any
Transferred Entity;
(ii)
declare, set aside or pay any dividend
or make any other distribution to the holders of equity interests in any
Transferred Entity, other than (A) dividends or other distributions paid or
payable to another Transferred Entity and (B) dividends or other
distributions made to withdraw cash and cash equivalents of the Transferred
Entities;
(iii) redeem
or otherwise acquire any equity interests in, or any other securities of, a
Transferred Entity or issue (A) any equity interests in, or any other
security of, a Transferred Entity, (B) any option or warrant for, or any
security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any equity
interests in, or any other security of, a Transferred Entity, (C) “phantom”
stock rights, stock appreciation rights, stock-based performance units,
commitments, Contracts, arrangements or undertakings to which any Transferred
Entity is a party or by which any of them is bound (1) obligating any
Transferred Entity to issue, deliver
or
sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional units of its equity
interests or any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for,
any equity interest in any Transferred Entity or any Transferred Entity Voting
Debt, (2) obligating any Transferred Entity to issue, grant, extend or
enter into any such option, warrant, security, right, unit, commitment,
Contract, arrangement or undertaking or (3) that give any person the right
to receive any economic benefit or right derived from the economic benefits and
rights accruing to holders of the Transferred Equity Interests or (D) any
bond, debenture, note or other Indebtedness having the right to vote (or
convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, securities having the
right to vote) on any matters on which the holders of equity interests in a
Transferred Entity may vote;
(iv) transfer
any Transferred Equity Interest to any Person other than to a Transferor or a
wholly-owned Transferred Entity;
(v)
split, combine or reclassify any of the equity
interests in any Transferred Entity, or issue any other security in respect of,
in lieu of or in substitution for the equity interests in any Transferred
Entity;
(vi) loan,
advance, invest or make a capital contribution to or in any person, other than
(A) advances in the ordinary course of business or (B) loans,
advances, investments or capital contributions to or in a Transferred Entity
that is directly or indirectly wholly owned by the Seller;
(vii) (A) incur
any Indebtedness or assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise becoming liable or
responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of
any other person other than in the ordinary course of business unless such
Indebtedness is repaid or extinguished prior to Closing in accordance with
Section 5.10; or (B) mortgage or pledge any material assets of the
Business, tangible or intangible, or create or suffer any Lien thereupon (other
than Permitted Liens) that will not be released at or prior to the
Closing;
(viii) sell,
transfer or lease any of its assets to, or enter into any agreement or
arrangement with, the Seller or any of its affiliates, except for
(A) transactions among the Transferred Entities and (B) intercompany
sales and purchases of goods and services (and payments for such sales and
purchases) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(ix) acquire
by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing a substantial portion of the
assets of, or by purchasing all of or substantial equity interests in, any other
person or its business or acquire any material assets, other than
(A) assets acquired in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice or (B) assets acquired in compliance with clause (x) of
this Section 5.01(b);
(x)
incur any capital expenditure other than as contemplated by the
Capital Expenditure Budget attached in Section 5.01(b)(x)
of the Seller Letter (the “Cap Ex
Budget”);
(xi) sell,
lease, mortgage, subject to Lien, encumber, license or otherwise dispose of any
of its assets or properties, other than assets sold, leased, licensed or
otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(xii) pay,
discharge, settle or satisfy any liabilities or obligations (whether absolute,
accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than the
payment, discharge, settlement or satisfaction (A) of liabilities or
obligations as required by the terms of any applicable Judgment or Law,
(B) of liabilities or obligations constituting Indebtedness, (C) of
liabilities or obligations to the extent reflected or reserved against on the
Balance Sheet or incurred since the date of the Balance Sheet in the ordinary
course of business or (D) of liabilities or obligations that, in the
aggregate, do not exceed $250,000;
(xiii) waive,
discharge, settle, release, grant or transfer any claim, right, action or suit
of material value other than waivers, discharges, settlements, releases, grants
or transfers that do not exceed $250,000 individually, or $1,000,000 in the
aggregate;
(xiv) modify
or amend any Contract or enter into, renew (whether pursuant to any automatic
renewal or otherwise) or extend any Contract, except, in each
case: (A) Contracts related to the provision of the Company’s
products or services to existing and prospective customers and entered into in
the ordinary course of business; (B) Contracts in connection with capital
expenditures made in accordance with the Cap Ex Budget; (C) Contracts
terminable on not more than sixty (60) days prior notice without the payment of
any penalty; or (D) Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of
business involving payments not exceeding $50,000 in the aggregate during the
period in which the Contract may not be terminated by the Seller or any of the
Transferred Entities without a material payment therefor; provided
that no such Contract entered into in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement shall (i) materially restrict the ability of the Business to
compete in any business or with any person in any geographic area,
(ii) provide for exclusivity or any similar requirement, (iii) require
the Business to grant “most favored nation” pricing or terms or
(iv) restrict the ability of the Business to solicit or hire any person;
provided, further
that notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Contracts set forth in Section
3.04 of the Seller Letter cannot be modified or amended in any
respect.
(xv) enter
into any lease of real property;
(xvi) (A) enter
into, adopt, amend in any material respect or terminate any Assumed Benefit
Plan, Assumed Benefit Agreement or any CBA related to the Transferred Entities
or the Business, (B) grant any increase in the
compensation
or benefits of, or pay or otherwise grant any bonus not required by any Seller
Benefit Plan, Seller Benefit Agreement or other written agreement to, any
Business Employee or (C) enter into any contract to do any of the
foregoing, except, in the case of clauses (A), (B) and (C),
(1) to the extent required by applicable Law or (2) as may be required
under any Seller Benefit Plan or Seller Benefit Agreement;
(xvii)
change the fiscal year of any Transferred Entity, revalue any of its material
assets or make any change in any method of accounting or accounting practice or
policy, (including procedures with respect to the payment of accounts payable
and collection of accounts receivable), except as required by the mandatory
provisions of GAAP or applicable Law;
(xviii) make,
revoke or change any material Tax election, adopt or change any material Tax
accounting method or period, file any material amended Tax Return, settle any
material Tax claim or assessment, consent to any extension or waiver of the
statute of limitations period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment, except
for consents made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice, or surrender any right to claim a Tax refund, offset or other
reduction in Tax liability; or
(xix) purchase,
order or otherwise acquire inventory for the Business outside of the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice;
(xx) prepay
any accounts payable or delay payment of any trade payables;
(xxi) accelerate
the collection of accounts receivable;
(xxii) reverse
or release any reserves other than as required by GAAP;
(xxiii) enter
into any interest rate, currency or other hedging agreement or transactions
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(xxiv) fail
to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain, prosecute and protect the
Owned Intellectual Property and the rights of the Seller, the Transferred
Entities and any other subsidiary of the Seller other than the Transferred
Entities, in the Inbound Licensed Intellectual Property; or
(xxv) authorize
any of, or commit or agree to take, the foregoing actions.
SECTION
5.02. Solicitation. From the date of this Agreement through
(and including) the Closing Date, the Seller shall not, and shall not authorize
or permit any of its affiliates or its or their directors, officers, employees,
agents, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, other advisors or other
representatives (collectively “Representatives”)
to, (a) solicit, initiate or knowingly encourage or approve any Acquisition
Proposal, (b) enter into any agreement with respect to any
Acquisition
Proposal
or (c) participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish
to any person any information with respect to, or take any other action to
knowingly facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal that
constitutes, or may reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal;
provided,
that the foregoing is not intended to apply to or prohibit any change of control
of Seller or the sale of Seller’s other business lines. For the
avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that nothing contained in the
proviso to the preceding sentence shall create a right on the part of the Seller
to terminate this Agreement or otherwise affect its obligations
hereunder.
SECTION
5.03. Commercially
Reasonable Efforts; Financing.
(a) Commercially
Reasonable Efforts. Except as set forth in Section
5.03 of the Seller Letter:
(i)
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in this Agreement, each party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the Closing to occur and to consummate the Acquisition, the Equity
Financing and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
taking all reasonable actions necessary to comply promptly with all legal
requirements that may be imposed on it or any of its affiliates with respect to
the Closing and, with respect to the Seller, using commercially reasonable
efforts to deliver all agreements, reports, estoppel certificates, environmental
reports and appraisals with respect to the Transferred Real Property reasonably
required by the Purchaser. In furtherance of the foregoing, each
party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be
taken, all appropriate action, do, or cause to be done, all things necessary,
proper or advisable under applicable Laws, and to execute and deliver such
instruments and documents as may be required to carry out the provisions of this
Agreement and to consummate the Acquisition, the Equity Financing and the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
(ii) Each
party shall, and shall cause each of its affiliates it controls to, use its
commercially reasonable efforts to take all actions and to do, cause to be done,
and assist and cooperate with the other party in doing, all things necessary or
desirable to (A) make any filing or declaration with, give any notices to,
or obtain any Consent of, any Governmental Entity which filing, declaration,
notice or Consent is necessary or desirable in connection with the Acquisition
and the other transactions contemplated hereby, including filings, notifications
and Consents under applicable Environmental Laws (including to change the
Environmental Protection Agency establishment number for the Seller’s Corporate
Exchange facility in St. Louis, MO to a number issued to UPG); provided,
however,
that prior to any such filing, declaration, notice or Consent, the parties shall
consult with each other with respect to such filing, declaration, notice or
Consent and shall afford each other party and its Representatives reasonable
opportunity to review and comment thereon; and (B) obtain all consents from
third persons necessary or appropriate to permit the consummation of the
Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby; provided,
however,
that except as otherwise agreed by the parties, neither party shall
be
required
to pay or commit to pay any amount to (or incur any obligation in favor of or
waive any material right against) any person from whom such consent may be
required. In furtherance (and not in limitation of) the
foregoing:
(1) The
Purchaser (or if applicable its ultimate parent) and the
Seller shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable, file with all
applicable U.S. and foreign Governmental Entities any notices and applications
necessary to obtain merger control or competition Law approval for the
Acquisition; provided
that each of the Seller and the Purchaser and its affiliates shall have the
right to review and provide comments on any such notices and applications prior
to their filing. Without limiting the foregoing, the Purchaser (or if
applicable its ultimate parent) and the Seller shall, as promptly as reasonably
practicable, and in no event more than ten (10) business days after the date of
this Agreement, file with the United States Federal Trade Commission (the
“FTC”)
and the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”)
the notification and report form, if any, required under the HSR Act for the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Subject to reasonable
confidentiality restrictions, the Purchaser (or if applicable its ultimate
parent) and the Seller shall each furnish to the other such necessary
information and reasonable assistance as the other may reasonably request in
connection with its preparation of any filing or submission that is necessary
under the HSR Act or any Foreign Merger Control Law. The Purchaser
(or if applicable its ultimate parent) and the Seller shall comply promptly with
any inquiry or request for additional information from any Governmental Entity
and shall promptly provide any supplemental information requested in connection
with the filings made hereunder pursuant to the HSR Act or any Foreign Merger
Control Law. Each party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts
to obtain any clearance or approval, and to cause the expiration or termination
of any waiting period, required under the HSR Act and any Foreign Merger Control
Law for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. For purposes of this Section 5.03, “commercially
reasonable efforts” shall include opposing any action for a temporary,
preliminary or permanent injunction against the Acquisition but shall not
include entering into a consent decree containing the Purchaser’s or its
affiliates’ or ultimate parent’s agreement to hold separate and divest any
products or assets, including the products and assets of the Business, or the
Purchaser’s and its subsidiaries’ existing business.
(2) Each
party shall (A) promptly inform, and provide copies to, the other party of
any communication received from, or given by it to, any Governmental Entity with
respect to obtaining clearance or approval, or the expiration or termination of
any waiting, notice or review periods, for the Acquisition under the HSR Act and
any Foreign Merger Control Law, (B) to the extent practicable and subject
to reasonable confidentiality restrictions, provide the other party and its
counsel with advance notice of,
and
the opportunity to participate in, any discussion, telephone call or meeting
with any Governmental Entity in respect of any filing, investigation or other
inquiry in connection with the Acquisition and to participate in the preparation
for such discussion, telephone call or meeting and (C) to the extent
permitted by applicable Law and subject to reasonable confidentiality
restrictions, consult with each other prior to filing or submitting documents or
entering into discussions with any Governmental Entity and give each other
advance notice to engage in meaningful consultation with respect
thereto.
(b) Financing.
(i)
The Purchaser shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, do, or cause to be done, all
things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws, and to
execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such instruments and
documents as may be reasonably required to arrange the Equity Financing on or
prior to the Closing on the terms and subject only to the conditions contained
in the Equity Financing Commitments.
(ii) The
Seller shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries to, and shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause its and its subsidiaries’ independent
accountants, legal counsel and other advisors to, provide such reasonable
cooperation in connection with the arrangement of any Debt Financing as may be
reasonably requested by the Purchaser or its Financing sources, including using
commercially reasonable efforts, upon request, to (A) assist in the
preparation for, and participating in meetings, drafting sessions,
presentations, road shows and due diligence sessions, (B) furnish the
Purchaser and its Debt Financing sources with the Required Financial Information
and such other information and projections reasonably requested by the Purchaser
in connection with the Debt Financing, (C) assist the Purchaser and its
Debt Financing sources in the preparation of offering documents, bank
information memoranda, private placement memoranda, business projections and
other informational and marketing materials and documents to be used for the
Debt Financing and materials for rating agency presentations,
(D) cooperate with the marketing efforts of the Purchaser and its Debt
Financing sources (including its efforts to cause the syndication of the Debt
Financing), (E) obtain consents of accountants for use of their reports in
any materials relating to the Debt Financing and otherwise reasonably
facilitating the pledging of collateral including real property collateral and
execution and delivery of definitive agreements relating to the Debt Financing
and customary deliverables, (F) obtain accountants’ “comfort letters”,
accountants’ consent letters, legal opinions, customary landlord lien and access
waivers, surveys and title insurance as reasonably requested by the Purchaser,
(G) take all actions reasonably necessary to (1) permit the
prospective lenders involved in the Debt Financing to evaluate the Transferred
Entities’ and Business’s inventory, current assets, cash management and account
systems, policies and procedures relating thereto for the purpose of
establishing collateral
arrangements
(including conducting reasonable commercial finance examination and inventory
appraisal contemplated by any debt commitments within the time frame contained
therein) and (2) establish bank and other accounts and blocked account
agreements in connection with the foregoing, and (H) take all corporate actions,
subject to the occurrence of the Closing, necessary to permit the consummation
of the Debt Financing and to permit the proceeds thereof to be made available to
the Purchaser; provided,
that none of the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries shall be required to pay any
commitment or other fee or incur any other liability in connection with the Debt
Financing or otherwise in connection with using such commercially reasonable
efforts pursuant to this 5.03(b); and provided,
further
that such requested cooperation does not unreasonably interfere with the ongoing
operations of the Seller and its subsidiaries. The Seller hereby
consents to the use of its and its subsidiaries’ logos in connection with the
Debt Financing; provided,
that, such logos are used solely in a manner that is not intended to nor is
reasonably likely to harm or disparage the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries. If, in connection with a marketing effort for the
syndicated credit facilities contemplated by any Debt Financing Commitment, the
Purchaser requests the Seller to file a report on Form 8-K pursuant to the
Exchange Act that contains material non-public information with respect to the
Business, which the Purchaser reasonably determines to include in a customary
“public” bank information memorandum for such facilities, then, upon the
Seller’s review of and reasonable satisfaction with such filing (it being
acknowledged and agreed that such filing shall contain all reasonable comments
of the Seller), the Seller shall file such report on Form 8-K.
(iii) The
Purchaser acknowledges that the information being provided to it in connection
with the Financing is subject to the terms of Section 6.02(a).
(iv) The
Purchaser will provide copies of, advise and update the Seller with respect to
the status of the proposed closing date and material terms of any Financing
Commitments and the status thereof.
SECTION
5.04. Expenses;
Transfer Taxes.
(a) Except
as provided in the following sentence, Section 1.04(b), paragraph
(b) of this Section 5.04, Section 5.18 and Section 6.04(b),
each party shall bear its and its affiliates’ fees, costs and expenses
(including fees, costs and expenses of legal counsel and other Representatives)
incurred by them in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements and consummation of the Acquisition, the Equity Financing
and the other transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all fees, costs and expenses
(including fees, costs and expenses of legal counsel) incurred in connection
with compliance with and filings and approvals under merger control and
competition Laws, including the HSR Act, shall be shared equally by the
Purchaser on the one hand, and the Seller on the other hand.
(b) All
sales, use, value added, transfer, stamp, registration, documentary, excise,
real property transfer or gains, or similar Taxes (the “Transfer
Taxes”)
and all notary fees applicable to the transfer of the Transferred Equity
Interests or the Transferred Equity Interests shall be shared equally by the
Purchaser on the one hand, and the Seller on the other hand. The
parties agree that the transfer of the equity interests in the German Entities
shall not give rise to any liability for German VAT, and that neither Purchaser
nor Seller shall make any election that is inconsistent with such
agreement. Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
avail itself of any available exemptions from any such Transfer Taxes, and to
cooperate with the other in providing any information and documentation that may
be necessary to obtain such exemptions. The Purchaser, the Seller and
the Transferred Entities shall jointly file all required returns and similar
statements and take all other actions under all applicable transfer notification
statutes and regulations and all applicable Tax statutes and regulations that
are required to be made or taken by the parties in connection with or as a
result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
SECTION
5.05. Tax
Matters.
(a) Return
Filings. For any taxable period of the Transferred Entities
that includes (but does not end on) the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall timely
prepare (or cause to be prepared) and file with the appropriate Taxing
Authorities all Tax Returns required to be filed and shall pay (or cause to be
paid) all Taxes due with respect to such Tax Returns; provided, however, that
upon notification by the Purchaser of any amount owed by the Seller pursuant to
Section 9.01(a) with respect to the taxable periods covered by such Tax
Returns, the Seller shall remit such amount to the Purchaser at least five days
before such Tax Return is due. In the case of any Tax Return for any
taxable period of the Transferred Entities that ends on or before the Closing
Date (other than consolidated, combined or unitary Tax Returns), the Seller
shall timely prepare, on a basis consistent with the past practices of the
Business, and shall deliver such Tax Return to the Purchaser at least ten days
prior to the date on which such Tax Return is required to be filed with the
appropriate Taxing Authority for the review and approval of the Purchaser, which
shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. If the
Purchaser disputes any item on such Tax Return, it shall notify the Seller of
such disputed item (or items) and the basis for its objection. Such
parties shall act in good faith to resolve any such dispute prior to the date on
which the relevant Tax Return is required to be filed. If such
parties cannot resolve any disputed item, the item in question shall be resolved
by an independent accounting firm mutually acceptable to the Seller and the
Purchaser. The fees and expenses of such accounting firm shall be
borne equally by the Seller and the Purchaser. The Seller shall
timely file with the appropriate Taxing Authorities all such Tax Returns
required to be filed on or prior to the Closing Date and shall fully pay all
Taxes due and payable in respect of such Tax Returns. The Purchaser
shall timely file (or cause to be filed) with the appropriate Taxing Authorities
all such Tax Returns required to be filed after the Closing Date, and the Seller
shall pay all Taxes due with respect to such Tax Returns by remitting the amount
due to the Purchaser at least five days before such Tax Return is
due. Neither the Purchaser nor its affiliates (including the
Transferred Entities) shall amend any prior Tax Return of any of the Transferred
Entities for any Pre-Closing Tax Period without the prior written consent of the
Seller, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed.
(b) Other Tax
Matters. The Seller shall include the income of the
Transferred Entities (including any deferred income triggered into income under
Treasury Regulations Sections 1.1502-13 and 1.1502-14 and any excess loss
accounts taken into income under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-19,
and any income triggered under any comparable provisions of state, local or
foreign law) resulting from or related to transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, on the relevant Seller group consolidated, combined and unitary Tax
Returns for all periods through and including the Closing Date and pay any
federal, foreign, state or local income Taxes attributable to such
income. The Purchaser may at its sole discretion make an election
under Section 338(g) of the Code with respect to any of the Transferred
Entities organized outside the United States.
(c) Cooperation. The
Purchaser and the Seller shall reasonably cooperate, and shall cause their
affiliates and Representatives to reasonably cooperate, in preparing and filing
all Tax Returns, including maintaining and making available to each other all
records necessary in connection with Taxes and in resolving all suits, claims,
actions, investigations, proceedings or audits (collectively, “Actions”)
with respect to all taxable periods relating to Taxes involving or otherwise
relating to the Transferred Entities. The Seller and its affiliates
will need access, from time to time, after the Closing Date, to certain
accounting and Tax records and information held by the Transferred Entities to
the extent such records and information pertain to events occurring prior to the
Closing Date; therefore, the Purchaser shall, and shall cause each Transferred
Entity to, (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to properly retain
and maintain such records for ten years and shall thereafter provide the Seller
with written notice prior to any destruction, abandonment or disposition,
(ii) transfer such records to the Seller upon its written request prior to
any such destruction, abandonment or disposition and (ii) allow the Seller
and its Representatives (and Representatives of any of its affiliates), at times
and dates mutually acceptable to the parties, to inspect, review and make copies
of such records as the Seller may deem necessary or appropriate from time to
time, such activities to be conducted during normal business hours and at the
Seller’s expense. Any information obtained under this
Section 5.05(c) shall be kept confidential, except as may be otherwise
necessary in connection with the filing of Tax Returns or in the conduct of an
audit or other Action.
(d) Refunds and
Credits. Any refund or credit of Taxes of the Transferred
Entities for, or any tax benefit or reduction (including as a result of any
overpayment of Taxes in prior periods) accruing to the Purchaser or any of its
affiliates as a result of the ownership of the Business that is a refund of
Taxes paid in, any taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date shall be
for the account of the Seller, unless any such refund or credit is attributable
to the carryback from a Post-Closing Tax Period of items of loss, deductions or
other Tax items of the Transferred Entities (or any of their affiliates,
including the Purchaser). Any refund or credit of Taxes of the
Transferred Entities for, or any tax benefit or reduction (including as a result
of any overpayment of Taxes in prior periods) accruing to the Purchaser or any
of its affiliates as a result of the ownership of the Business and attributable
to any Straddle Period shall be equitably apportioned between the Purchaser and
the Seller in accordance with the principles of
Section 9.01(c).
(e) Tax Sharing
Agreements. The Seller shall cause the provisions of any
agreement relating to the sharing, allocation or indemnification of Taxes, or
any similar agreement, contract or arrangement (collectively, “Tax Sharing
Agreements”) between the Seller or any of their affiliates (other than
the Transferred Entities) and any Transferred Entity to be terminated on or
before the Closing Date. After the Closing Date, no party shall have
any rights or obligations under any such Tax Sharing Agreement or liability for
Taxes of any Person under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.1502-6,
1.1502-78, or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Law, as a
transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.
(f) Closing
Date. On the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall cause each
Transferred Entity to conduct its business in the ordinary course in
substantially the same manner as currently conducted and on the Closing Date
shall not permit any Transferred Entity to effect any extraordinary transactions
(other than any such transactions expressly required by applicable law or by
this Agreement) that would reasonably be expected to result in Tax liability to
any Transferred Entity in excess of Tax liability associated with the conduct of
its business in the ordinary course.
(g) Purchase
Price Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
this Agreement, the Purchaser and the Seller agree to treat only amounts payable
pursuant to Section 1.01 of this Agreement as consideration for the assets
of the Business and equity interests of the Transferred Entities or any
adjustment to the Purchase Price, and no other amounts payable from the
Purchaser to the Seller or from the Seller to the Purchaser pursuant
hereto. The Seller agrees that it will not take the position that any
amount payable pursuant to Article IX of this Agreement is deductible as an
expense to the Seller or any of its affiliates for any income Tax
purpose. Neither the Purchaser nor the Seller shall file any Tax
Return, or take a position with any Taxing Authority, that (i) is
inconsistent with the Allocation or (ii) treats the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement in a manner inconsistent with the terms of this
Agreement, unless required to do so by a final determination and after which
prompt notice thereof shall be given to the other party to this
Agreement.
(h) Elections
Under Section 338(h)(10).
(i) With
respect to the purchase of Transferred Equity Interests hereunder, the Seller
(and to the extent necessary, the Transferred Entities) and the Purchaser shall
jointly make timely and irrevocable elections under Section 338(h)(10) of
the Code, and if permissible, similar elections under any applicable U.S. state
and local or foreign Tax
Laws (collectively, the “Section 338
Elections”). The Seller shall include any income, gain, loss,
deduction, or other Tax item resulting from the Section 338 Elections on
their Tax Returns to the extent required by applicable Law. The
Seller shall pay any Taxes imposed on the Seller or the Transferred Entities
attributable to the making of the Section 338 Elections, including
(i) any Taxes imposed under the Treasury Regulations promulgated under
Section 338(h)(10) of the Code, and (ii) any state, local or foreign
Taxes imposed on the Seller's or the Transferred Entities'
gain.
(iv) The
Purchaser, the Transferred Entities and the Seller shall file all Tax Returns
(including the Section 338 Forms) consistent with the Final Allocation and
shall not voluntarily take any action inconsistent therewith upon examination of
any Tax Return, in any refund claim, in any litigation, or otherwise with
respect to such Tax Returns, unless required to pursuant to a final
determination of any governmental authority; provided,
however,
that the deemed purchase price of the assets may differ from the ADSP to the
extent necessary to reflect (A) the Purchaser’s capitalized transaction
costs not included in the total ADSP, (B) any liabilities or other items
included in the ADSP but not included in the deemed purchase price; provided
further,
that the amount realized upon the deemed sale of assets may differ from the ADSP
to reflect transaction costs that reduce the amount realized for federal income
Tax purposes.
(v) The
Purchaser shall bear all of the costs and expenses of preparing the
Section 338 Forms and the Draft and Final Allocations provided,
however,
that the Purchaser and the Seller shall share equally the costs of any
accounting firm required to resolve any dispute under Section 5.05(h)(iii);
provided,
further,
that the Seller shall bear the costs and expenses incurred by the Seller in
connection with the review of the Draft Allocation or any Section 338 Form
or the execution of any Section 338 Form.
SECTION
5.06. Employee
Matters.
(a) Effective
as of the Closing Date, the Transferred Entities or the Purchaser shall, or the
Purchaser shall cause its affiliates to, employ or continue the employment of,
each Business Employee listed in Section 3.14(a)(i) of
the Seller Letter who is actively employed by Seller or its affiliates as of the
Closing Date (each, an “Active
Employee”). Section 3.14(a)(i)
of the Seller Letter contains a list of all Active Employees as of the date
hereof, which list shall be updated by the Seller no later than three (3)
business days prior to the Closing to reflect employee terminations and other
changes of employment status (e.g.,
return from authorized absences) through three (3) business days
prior to the Closing; provided,
however,
that no new employee may be added to such list following the date
hereof. For purposes of this Agreement, any Business Employee who is
not actively at work on the Closing Date due to an approved leave of absence
(including due to short term or long term disability leave, vacation, holiday,
sick leave, workers compensation, maternity or paternity leave, military leave,
jury duty or bereavement leave, but not including due to lay off, unauthorized
leave of absence or other leave for bad behavior) in compliance with the
applicable policies of the Seller and its affiliates, shall be considered an
Active Employee. Business Employees of the Transferred Entities on
the Closing Date and Business Employees who become employees of the Purchaser or
one of its affiliates, as of the Closing Date, shall be referred to as
“Transferred
Employees”. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the Closing those employees set forth on Section 5.06(a)(i)
of the Seller Letter, although no longer employees of the Seller or any of its
affiliates, shall continue to receive long-term disability benefits pursuant to
an employee benefit plan sponsored by the Seller to the extent so provided under
such plan.
(b) Effective
as of the Closing, the Seller will cause the Transferred Entities to cease
participation in any Seller Benefit Plan that covers employees who are not
Business Employees, and the Business Employees will no longer be entitled to
active participation in and coverage under such Seller Benefit
Plans.
adopt
any plans or arrangements providing for (i) the issuance of equity or
equity-based compensation, (ii) the provision of post-retirement medical
coverage, (iii) a U.S. qualified or non-qualified defined benefit pension
plan, (iv) except as provided in Section 5.06(j)(ii), severance and
other separation benefits or (v) bonus plans (including but not limited to
annual bonus plans), and the items listed in clauses (i), (ii), (iii),
(iv) and (v) shall not herewith be taken into account for purposes of
determining whether such compensation and benefits are
comparable. The phrase “without any gap in coverage” means that there
will be no waiting period for participation in such plans, actively-at-work
requirements or any restrictions or limitations with respect to pre-existing
conditions with respect to any Transferred Employee or his or her spouse or
dependents, to the extent that such waiting period, requirements, restrictions
or limitations did not apply under the Seller Benefit Plans. The
Purchaser shall cause the New Welfare Plans to credit (or shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause its third party administrator or insurance carrier
to credit) the Transferred Employees and their dependants and beneficiaries with
any deductible, co-payments and out-of-pocket requirements under the New Welfare
Plans to the extent of amounts previously credited for 2008 for such purposes
under the corresponding Seller Benefit Plans. Nothing herein shall
(i) guarantee employment of any Transferred Employee for any period of time
after the Closing Date or preclude the ability of the Purchaser to terminate the
employment of any Transferred Employee for any reason or no reason, or
(ii) require the Purchaser to continue any particular employee benefit plan
or arrangement after the Closing Date, subject in each case to applicable Law
and the terms of such employee benefits plan and arrangements. No
provision of this Section 5.06 shall create any third party beneficiary or
other rights in any current or former employee of the Seller, the Business or
Purchaser (including any dependent or beneficiary thereof) or any other
person. The Purchaser or any of its affiliates, as applicable, shall
have the right in its sole discretion to amend, modify, terminate or adjust
benefit levels under any and all employee benefit plans and arrangements
covering the Transferred Employees after the Closing Date, subject to this
Section 5.06. No provision of this Section 5.06 is intended
to modify, amend or create any employee benefit plan or arrangement of the
Seller or Purchaser or any affiliate of the Seller or the
Purchaser.
(e) The
Seller shall be responsible for providing continuation coverage, within the
meaning of COBRA, in respect of any Business Employee or “qualified beneficiary”
(as defined in COBRA) who incurs a “qualifying event” on or prior to the Closing
Date. The Purchaser shall be responsible for providing continuation
coverage in respect of any Transferred Employee or qualified beneficiary of a
Transferred Employee, in each case, who incurs a qualifying event after the
Closing Date.
(f)
Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement to the contrary, on and after the Closing, the Seller shall
retain all liabilities, obligations and commitments with respect to (i) the
Spectrum Brands, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan and the Rayovac
Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan, (ii) Retiree Medical Liability,
(iii) any defined benefit pension plan, except for defined benefit pension
plans set forth in Section 5.06(f)
of the Seller Letter, (iv) stock plans and awards granted under the plans
or arrangements of the Seller and (v) Controlled Group
Liability.
(g) The
Seller shall be responsible in accordance with its welfare plans in effect prior
to the Closing Date for all reimbursement claims (such as medical and dental
claims) for expenses incurred, and for all non-reimbursement claims (such as
life insurance and disability claims) incurred, under any Seller Benefit Plans
that are “employee welfare benefit plans” (within the meaning of
Section 3(1) of ERISA), prior to the Closing Date by Business Employees and
their dependents and beneficiaries.
(h) The
Seller shall provide to the Purchaser, no later than five calendar days prior to
the Closing Date, a list of all employees or former employees of the Seller who
have suffered an “employment loss” (as defined in WARN) during the ninety
calendar day period on or preceding the Closing Date at each “single site of
employment” (as defined in WARN) and the date of such employment loss and
applicable site of employment for each such person.
(i)
The Purchaser shall be responsible for any
obligation or liability under WARN with respect to “employment losses” which
take place after the Closing Date. The Seller shall be responsible
for any obligation or liability under WARN with respect to “employment losses”
that take place on or prior to the Closing Date.
respect
to those employees set forth on Section 5.06(j)(ii) of
the Seller Letter, in the event the employment of any such employee is
terminated during the Continuation Period and subject to such employee’s
execution of a release of claims, the Purchaser agrees to provide severance
benefits comparable to the amounts and terms of the severance benefits set forth
on Section 5.06(j)(ii) of
the Seller Letter. Prior to Closing, the Seller or its affiliates
shall terminate the Seller Benefit Plans set forth on Section 5.06(j)(iii)
of the Seller Letter.
(l) Prior
to the Closing, the Seller shall (in consultation with the Purchaser) provide
notice of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to each labor union,
works’ council or similar representative body that represents any Business
Employees located outside the U.S. and shall use commercially reasonable efforts
satisfy in all material respects any bargaining obligations relating to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in each case, to the extent
required by applicable Law or any applicable collective bargaining
agreement.
SECTION
5.07. Access to
Information. To
the extent consistent with applicable Law, the Seller shall, and shall cause the
Business to, afford to the Purchaser and its Representatives full access, upon
reasonable notice during normal business hours during the period prior to the
Closing, to all the personnel, Representatives (including their work papers),
properties, books, Contracts, commitments, Tax Returns and records of the
Business, and, during such period, shall furnish promptly to the Purchaser any
information concerning the Business and its assets as the Purchaser may
reasonably request; provided,
however,
that such access does not unreasonably disrupt the normal operations of the
Seller or the Business.
SECTION
5.08. Commercial
Arrangements. Except
as contemplated by this Agreement and for Contracts or other arrangements set
forth in Section 5.08
of the Seller Letter, all Contracts or other arrangements between the Seller or
its affiliates (other than the Transferred Entities), on the one hand, and the
Transferred Entities, on the other hand, shall be canceled and terminated at or
prior to the Closing.
SECTION
5.09. Release of
Guarantees and Letters of Credit.
(a) At
or prior to the Closing, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts
to cause (i) to be unconditionally released or extinguished in full the
guarantees or sureties (whether or not of Indebtedness), together with any
ancillary obligations thereto, issued by the Seller or any of its affiliates
(other than the Transferred Entities) on behalf of the Business or any
Transferred Entity and that are listed on Section 5.09
of the Seller Letter, without further recourse to the Seller or its applicable
affiliate and (ii) the Seller and its affiliates (other than the
Transferred Entities) to be unconditionally released in full from any liability
or obligation in respect of any letter of credit issued for the account of the
Business or in connection with any liability or obligation of the Business,
without further recourse to the Seller or its applicable affiliate; provided,
that the Purchaser shall or shall cause letters of credit to be issued for the
benefit of the Seller in respect of the guarantees or sureties to the extent
indicated on Section 5.09
of the Seller Letter if they are not unconditionally released or extinguished
pursuant to this Section 5.09(a).
(b) At
or prior to the Closing, the Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause (i) to be unconditionally released or extinguished in full all
guarantees or sureties (whether or not of Indebtedness), together with any
ancillary obligations thereto, issued by any Transferred Entity on behalf of the
Seller or any of its affiliates (other than guarantees or sureties issued on
behalf of another Transferred Entity or in respect of the Business), without
further recourse to the applicable Transferred Entity and (ii) the
Transferred Entities to be unconditionally released in full from any liability
or obligation in respect of any letter of credit issued for the account of the
Seller or any of its affiliates (other than letters of credit issued for the
account of the Business or in connection with any liability or obligation of the
Business), without further recourse to the applicable Transferred
Entity. The Seller and its affiliates shall, on a joint and several
basis, indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser and its affiliates from and
against any Losses suffered or incurred by them in connection with any of the
foregoing guarantees, sureties, liabilities or obligations.
(c) If,
upon the termination of the profit and loss transfer agreement among Spectrum
Brands Europe GmbH and Tetra Holding GmbH, Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH is
required by one or more creditors to furnish a liquid security in accordance
with Section 303 of the German Stock Corporation Act, such security will be
provided by the Purchaser.
SECTION
5.10. Repayment
of Indebtedness; Intercompany Accounts.
(a) Prior
to the Closing, the Seller (i) shall extinguish or repay, or shall cause to
be extinguished or repaid, all Indebtedness (including interest) owed by any
Transferred Entity or the Business to any person (including the Seller and its
affiliates) except as otherwise provided in Section 5.09, (ii) shall
extinguish or repay all ancillary obligations thereto owed by any Transferred
Entity or the Business to any person (including the Seller and its affiliates),
and (iii) shall, and shall cause its affiliates it controls to, repay in
full all Indebtedness and ancillary obligations thereto (including
interest)
it or they owe to any Transferred Entity, and such repayment may be effected
through the declaration of dividends and/or capitalization of
debt. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Seller shall, or shall
cause, the release of (i) any guaranties executed by any Transferred Entity
and (ii) any Liens, pledges or other security interests against the equity
securities of any Transferred Entity or any asset of the Business, in each case
pursuant to documentation reasonably acceptable in form and substance to the
Purchaser and its Debt Financing sources.
(b) Prior
to the Closing, the Seller shall, and shall cause its affiliates (including the
Transferred Entities) to, settle or extinguish all intercompany receivables and
payables that were incurred on or prior to the Closing and that arose between
the Seller or its affiliates it controls (other than the Transferred Entities),
on the one hand, and the Transferred Entities, on the other hand, and such
settlement or extinguishment may be effected through the declaration of
dividends and/or capitalization of debt.
SECTION
5.11. Resignations. On
the Closing Date, the Seller shall cause to be delivered to the Purchaser duly
signed resignations, effective as of the close of business on the Closing Date,
of all directors and officers (or persons performing similar functions) of each
Transferred Entity designated by the Purchaser not later than two business days
prior to the Closing.
SECTION
5.12. Monthly
Financial Information. Commencing
with the month ending on May 31, 2008, as soon as available, but in any
event not later than 15 business days after the end of each month of each fiscal
year, the Seller shall provide to the Purchaser its customary monthly financial
information package respecting the Business.
SECTION
5.13. Cooperation
with Title Insurance.
(b) The
Seller shall deliver, or caused to be delivered, to the Purchaser true, correct
and complete copies of the most recent surveys of each parcel of Owned Property
in its or one of its subsidiary’s possession on or prior to the
Closing.
SECTION
5.14. Insurance. Each
of the Transferred Entities is included as an insured party under certain
insurance policies maintained by the Seller. Effective as of the
close of business on the Closing Date: (a) the Seller will cause the
termination of
all
continuing coverage under all such policies; and (b) the Purchaser shall
become solely responsible for all insurance coverage and related risk of loss
with respect to the Business. To the extent that after the Closing a
party requires any information regarding claim data, payroll or other
information in order to make filings with insurance carriers or self insurance
regulators from the other party, then the other party will promptly supply such
information to the extent permitted by applicable Law.
SECTION
5.15. Shared
Contracts. Prior to the Closing, the Seller and
Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to work together and with
the other parties to the contracts listed on Section 5.15
of the Seller Letter, if any (the “Shared
Contracts”), in an effort to (i) divide, modify and/or replicate (in
whole or in part) the respective rights and obligations under the Shared
Contracts and (ii) if possible, novate the respective rights and
obligations under the Shared Contracts, such that, effective as of the Closing,
(y) the Purchaser (or its designee) is the beneficiary of the rights and is
responsible for the obligations related to that portion of the Shared Contract
that is related to the Business or any Transferred Entity (the “Business
Portion”) (so that, subsequent to the Closing, the Seller or its
affiliates shall have no rights or obligations with respect to the Business
Portion of the Shared Contract) and (z) the Seller or its affiliates is the
beneficiary of the rights and is responsible for the obligations related to the
Shared Contract other than the Business Portion (the “Non-Business
Portion”) (and Purchaser (or its designees) shall have no rights or
obligations with respect to the Non-Business Portion of the Shared
Contract). If the applicable parties are not able to enter into an
arrangement to formally divide, modify and/or replicate one or more Shared
Contracts prior to the Closing as contemplated by the previous sentence, each of
the parties shall use its commercially reasonable efforts and cooperate with the
other (at its sole cost and expense) to obtain such an arrangement as quickly as
practicable after the Closing; provided,
however,
that no party shall be required to pay or commit to pay any amount to (or incur
any obligation in favor of) any Person from whom such arrangement may be
required (other than nominal filing or application fees) in connection with
obtaining any such arrangement. Prior to the obtaining of any such
arrangement, Seller shall not cause and shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to not permit the Shared Contract to lapse, be violated, become subject
to a Lien or otherwise be adversely affected (without Purchaser’s prior written
consent) and shall cooperate with Purchaser (or its designee) in any reasonable
and lawful arrangements to provide to Purchaser (or its designee) the benefits
of use of the Business Portion of the Shared Contract for its term and, to the
extent Purchaser (or its designee) receives such benefits, it will perform the
obligations of the Seller or its affiliates under the Business Portion of the
Shared Contract. The Purchaser and the Seller shall participate
jointly in any negotiations with parties to the Shared
Contracts.
preparation of the audited combined consolidated balance
sheets of the Transferred Entities as of September 30, 2006 (the “2006
Audited Financial Statements”), and the related audited combined
statements of operations, parent funding and cash flows for the fiscal year then
ended (including the notes contained therein or annexed thereto), (b) the
preparation of the audited combined consolidated balance sheets of the
Transferred Entities as of September 30, 2007 (the “2007
Audited Financial Statements”), and the related audited combined
statements of operations, parent funding and cash flows for the period then
ended (including the notes contained therein or annexed thereto) and
(c) the preparation of the audited combined consolidated balance
sheets of the Transferred Entities as of June 30, 2008 (the “2008
Audited Financial Statements”), and the related audited combined
consolidated statements of operations, parent funding and cash flows for the
period then ended (including the notes contained therein or annexed thereto), in
each case as required to be filed by Purchaser under Rule 3-05 of
Regulation S-X (under Item 2.01 of Form 8-K) of the Exchange Act as a
result of the consummation of the Acquisition; provided,
that if the Closing occurs after September 30, 2008, the 2008 Audited
Financial Statements shall be prepared as of September 30, 2008; provided,
further,
however,
that the Purchaser shall pay all of the Seller’s and its affiliates reasonable
out-of-pocket costs with respect thereto, including the reasonable costs and
expenses of consultants. In connection with the audit and review of
the 2006 Audited Financial Statements, the 2007 Audited Financial Statements,
and the 2008 Audited Financial Statements, the Seller agrees to (i) provide
KPMG LLP (the “Auditors”)
with full and timely assistance and access to, and to examine and make copies
of, all books and records of the Seller relating to the Business, and authorize
the independent auditors for Seller and their affiliates, to provide all work
papers, (ii) close the books of the Business in accordance with GAAP,
(iii) prepare all appropriate income tax provisions, (iv) draft the
combined financial statements of the Business, (v) execute reasonable and
customary “representation letters” upon completion of the audit prior to the
issuance of the Auditors’ audit report, (vi) obtain the consent of any
auditors required under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act in connection
with the filing of any Form 8-K by the Purchaser, and (vii) use
commercially reasonable efforts to cause any prior accountants
to comply with the provisions of this
Section 5.16.
SECTION 5.17. SOX. From and after the date hereof, the Seller
shall, and shall cause the Transferred Entities and their Representatives to,
use commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Purchaser to take all actions
that the Purchaser may deem reasonably necessary or appropriate, and to
cooperate and to cause the Representatives of the Transferors and the
Transferred Entities to cooperate in the taking of such actions, to enable the
Purchaser, following the Closing, to satisfy the applicable obligations under
Sections 302, 404 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “SOX”)
and the other requirements of the SOX with respect to Transferred Entities and
the Business, including establishing and maintaining adequate disclosure
controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting as such
terms are defined in the SOX. All out-of-pocket costs and expenses,
including the reasonable costs and expenses of consultants, incurred by the
Seller and its affiliates in complying with this Section 5.18 shall be
reimbursed by the Purchaser as such costs and expenses are incurred upon
submission to the Purchaser of appropriate documentation of
same.
SECTION
5.18. Use of
Spectrum Name. Following
the Closing, the Purchaser may use sales brochures, letterhead and other similar
materials of the Transferred Entities containing the name “Spectrum”
or “Spectrum Brands” and variations thereof, but shall cease using such
brochures, letterhead and other materials as soon as practicable and in any
event within 180 days following the Closing Date, and shall indemnify, defend
and hold harmless the Seller and its affiliates it controls from and against any
Losses with respect to any such use.
SECTION
5.19. Existing
Indemnification. The
Purchaser agrees that all rights to indemnification, exculpation from liability,
and advancement of expenses, in each case with respect to acts or omissions
occurring on or prior to the Closing Date, now existing in favor of the officers
or directors of any Transferred Entity as provided in the respective
organizational or governing documents of such Transferred Entity, shall survive
the Closing and shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with their
respective terms for a period of not less than six years after the Closing
Date.
SECTION 5.20. German Tax
Matters
(a) Change of
Fiscal Year. If, after execution and delivery of this
Agreement, it turns out that Closing will not occur on July 31, 2008 and
provided the change of the fiscal year as described in Section 5.20(b) has not
yet been registered with the commercial register, Seller undertakes to use its
commercially reasonable efforts to arrange for a change of the fiscal year of
Tetra Holding GmbH and its German subsidiaries such that it ends on the Closing
Date. The parties acknowledge that (i) pursuant to Section 5.10 any intra
company payables between the Transferred Entities and the Seller or its
affiliates shall be settled prior to the Closing Date and (ii) Spectrum Brands
Europe GmbH is likely to have an outstanding payable to Tetra GmbH prior to the
Closing Date resulting from a cash pooling agreement, which as of April, 27,
2008 amounted to € 41,609,161. Seller and Purchaser agree that such
payable should be settled prior to the Closing Date in a cash neutral manner,
and agree to closely cooperate to cause such settlement to be in a
manner that is as tax efficient as possible for both parties. The
steps currently envisaged by the parties to be taken prior to the Closing Date
and when setting up and approving the next fiscal year end financial statements
are outlined in Exhibit
G hereto.
(b) The
Seller shall cause the current profit and loss transfer agreement
(Ergebnisabführungsvertrag)
between Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH and Tetra Holding GmbH (the "PLTA")
to be terminated for cause (aus wichtigem
Grund) as per expiry of the Closing Date (midnight German
time). In addition, the Seller shall cause each of Tetra Holding GmbH
and its German subsidiaries to change its current fiscal year to a short fiscal
year ending as of July 31, 2008, provided,
the competent German tax authorities have approved such change of the fiscal
year.
(i)
(A) If the changes of the fiscal years are timely registered
and Closing occurs on July 31, 2008, the profits of Tetra Holding GmbH for the
short fiscal year ending as of the Closing Date shall be transferred to Spectrum
Brands Europe GmbH on the Closing Date on the basis of a best estimate to be
submitted by the management of Tetra Holding GmbH. The transfer
amounts will be finally derived from the accounts of Tetra Holding GmbH for the
short fiscal year ending
as
of July 31, 2008, which shall be set up and audited at the expense of the Seller
within two months following the Closing Date, at the latest. The
Purchaser hereby guarantees the prompt and full payment of the transfer amounts
(to the extent such transfer amounts have not been offset against Taxes to be
borne by Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH pursuant to paragraphs (ii) and (iii) of
this Section 5.20(b)) by Tetra Holding GmbH to Spectrum Brands Europe
GmbH. Promptly after adoption of the annual accounts (Feststellung des
Jahresabschlusses) of Tetra Holding GmbH, the Seller shall cause Spectrum
Brands Europe GmbH and the Purchaser shall cause Tetra Holding GmbH, as the case
may be, to pay any balancing amount to the relevant other party of the PLTA
pursuant to and as provided in paragraphs (ii) and (iii) of this Section
5.20(b). The Seller (in the case of Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH) and
the Purchaser (in the case of Tetra Holding GmbH) hereby guarantee the treatment
of the balancing amount pursuant to and as provided in paragraphs (ii) and (iii)
of this Section 5.20(b).
(B) If the changes of the
fiscal years are timely registered, but Closing occurs after July 31, 2008, the
profits of Tetra Holding GmbH for the short fiscal year ending as of July 31,
2008 and the profits of Tetra Holding GmbH for the period between August, 1,
2008 and the Closing Date shall be transferred to Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH on
the Closing Date. The relevant profit amount for the short fiscal
year shall be derived from the accounts of Tetra Holding GmbH as of July 31,
2008, provided
the accounts are readily available and audited on the Closing
Date. If this is not the case, the relevant amount shall be
determined on the basis of a best estimate by the management of Tetra Holding
GmbH. The last two sentences of paragraph (A) of this Section
5.20(b)(i) shall apply accordingly. The results of Tetra Holding GmbH
for the period between August, 1, 2008 and the Closing Date shall be
determined on the basis of a best estimate by the management of Tetra Holding
GmbH and shall be verified by interim accounts to be set up for Tetra Holding
GmbH as per the Closing Date. The last two sentences of paragraph (A)
of this Section 5.20(b)(i) shall apply accordingly.
(C) If the changes of the
fiscal years are not (timely) registered, the profits of Tetra Holding GmbH for
the period between October 1, 2007 and the Closing Date shall be transferred to
Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH on the Closing Date. The relevant amount
shall be determined on the basis of a best estimate by the management of Tetra
Holding GmbH and shall be verified by interim accounts to be set up for Tetra
Holding GmbH as per the Closing Date. The last two sentences of
paragraph (A) of this Section 5.20(b)(i) shall apply
accordingly.
(D) If the Closing does
not occur until (and including) September 29, 2008, and the changes of the
fiscal years are not (timely) registered, paragraphs (A) through (C) of this
Section 5.20(b)(i) shall apply mutatis mutandis.
(ii)
For purposes of Section 5.20(b)(i), any Taxes payable by Tetra
Holding GmbH in connection with a distribution of Tetra Holding GmbH as outlined
in Exhibit
G hereto shall be borne by Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH, provided,
however,
that such amount shall be paid by Tetra Holding GmbH to the competent German tax
authorities and that the corresponding claim of Tetra Holding GmbH for
reimbursement of such amount shall be booked to a newly created shareholder's
current account. The full balance of this current account shall be
offset against the claim of Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH for the transfer of
profits for the applicable period until termination of the PLTA, and only the
remaining profit transfer claim shall be paid to Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH and
taken into account as Indebtedness for the calculation of the Final Assumed
Indebtedness Amount to the extent it exceeds the amount effected by Tetra
Holding GmbH by way of advance payment prior to and/or at Closing. If
and to the extent the amount of annual profits shown in the audited annual
accounts of Tetra Holding GmbH as of July 31, 2008 (or in the respective interim
accounts, as applicable) is higher than the amount of the best estimate, the
Purchaser shall ensure that Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH is entitled to the
difference from Tetra Holding GmbH, which difference shall be settled in the
manner provided in paragraph (iii) of this Section 5.20(b) within two weeks
after the annual accounts have become final as outlined above. If and
to the extent that the amount of annual profits shown in the audited annual
accounts of Tetra Holding GmbH as of July 31, 2008 (or in the respective interim
accounts, as applicable) is lower than the amount of the best estimate, the
Seller shall ensure that Tetra Holding GmbH is entitled to the difference from
Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH, which difference shall be settled in the manner
provided in paragraph (iii) of this Section 5.20(b) within two weeks after the
annual accounts have become final as outlined above. If and to
the extent the Taxes payable by Tetra Holding GmbH relating to the steps
described in Exhibit
G exceed the profit transfer claim, Seller shall cause Spectrum Brands
Europe GmbH to promptly indemnify Tetra Holding GmbH for any such
excess.
(iii) In
order to avoid Post-Closing cash payments, the parties assure that any payment
obligations of Tetra Holding GmbH to Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH or of Spectrum
Brands Europe GmbH to Tetra Holding GmbH under the PLTA arising out of the fact
that the amount of annual profits shown in the audited annual accounts of Tetra
Holding GmbH as of July 31, 2008 (or in the respective interim accounts, as
applicable) is higher or lower than the amount of the best estimate, shall be
settled as follows: If Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH has a claim against Tetra
Holding GmbH, there shall be a corresponding indemnification claim in an equal
amount payable by the Purchaser to the Seller. The parties agree that the
Purchaser shall assign this claim to Tetra Holding GmbH and that Tetra Holding
GmbH shall assign the claim to Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH in full satisfaction
of its payment obligation under the PLTA. If Tetra Holding GmbH has a claim
against Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH, there shall be a corresponding
indemnification claim in an equal amount by the Seller from the Purchaser. The
parties agree that the Seller shall assign this claim to Spectrum Brands Europe
GmbH and that Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH shall
assign
the claim to Tetra Holding GmbH in full satisfaction of its payment obligation
under the PLTA. The parties shall cause Tetra Holding GmbH and
Spectrum Brands Europe GmbH to take all necessary actions to implement this
paragraph.
SECTION
5.21. Takeover
Statute.
If any “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share acquisition” or other form of
anti-takeover statute or regulation shall become applicable to the transactions
contemplated hereby, the Seller and the members of its board of directors shall
grant such approvals and take such actions as are reasonably necessary, if any,
so that the transactions contemplated hereby may be consummated as promptly as
practicable on the terms contemplated hereby and otherwise act to eliminate or
minimize the effects of such statute or regulation on the transactions
contemplated hereby.
SECTION
5.22. Record
Ownership. Each
of item of Owned Intellectual Property that is registered or pending in the
United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or
equivalent foreign intellectual property registry, shall be recorded by Seller
or its affiliates in such offices as owned by a Transferred
Entity.
SECTION
5.23. EBITDA
Calculation. Prior
to the Closing and following receipt of the 2007 Audited Financial Statements,
the parties shall jointly calculate the Final EBITDA Amount in good
faith.
SECTION
5.24. Lien
Releases. The
Seller, at its expense, shall cooperate with the Purchaser and take such action
requested by the Purchaser, before and after the Closing to obtain evidence of
the release of the Liens set forth in Section
5.24 of the Seller Letter.
ARTICLE
VI
Other
Agreements
SECTION
6.01. Agreement
Not To Compete; Non-Solicitation of Employees.
(a) The
Seller understands that the Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and preserve
the going concern value of the Business to the extent permitted by Law and that
the Purchaser would not have entered into this Agreement absent the provisions
of this Section 6.01 and, therefore, from the Closing Date until the fourth
anniversary of the Closing Date with respect to the Business the Seller shall
not, and shall cause each of its affiliates that it controls not to engage in
activities or businesses, invest or acquire any interest in any person or
establish any new businesses, that are engaged in the Business (“Competitive
Activities”) anywhere in the world; provided,
however,
the Seller or its affiliates that it controls shall not be prohibited from
investing in securities of any company that is listed on a national securities
exchange or traded on NASDAQ, provided that it does not hereafter own, or have
the right to acquire, more than 5% of the
outstanding
voting securities of a company engaged in Competitive Activities. For
the avoidance of doubt, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Section 6.01, without violating this Section 6.01, the Seller and its
affiliates it controls may engage in the manufacture, marketing and sale for use
by consumers of (i) aquatic soil for ponds and (ii) electric pet
groomers for dogs and cats as currently conducted.
(b) From
the date of this Agreement through (and including) the second anniversary of the
Closing Date, the Seller shall not, and shall cause each of its affiliates that
it controls not to directly or indirectly solicit, recruit or hire any
Transferred Employees or directly or indirectly solicit or encourage any
Transferred Employee to leave the employment of the Purchaser or its affiliates;
provided
that the Seller and its affiliates that it controls shall not be prohibited
(i) from making general solicitations of employment that are not
specifically targeted at Transferred Employees or (ii) hiring any
Transferred Employee who first initiates contact with the Seller or its
affiliates that it controls regarding possible future employment on his or her
own initiative without any direct solicitation by the Seller or any of its
affiliates that it controls.
(e) It
is the desire and intent of the parties to this Agreement that the provisions of
Section 6.01(a) shall be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under
the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement
is sought. It is expressly understood and agreed that although the
Seller and the Purchaser consider the provisions of Section 6.01(a) to be
reasonable, if a judicial determination is made by a court of competent
jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction contained in
this Agreement is an unenforceable restriction against the Seller, the
provisions of this
Agreement
shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed amended to apply as to such
maximum time and territory and to such maximum extent as such court may
judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable. If any particular
provisions or portion of Section 6.01(a) shall be adjudicated to be
unenforceable, the amendment contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence
shall apply only with respect to the operation of such Section in the
particular jurisdiction in which such adjudication is made.
(f) The
parties recognize that the performance of the obligations under
Section 6.01(a) by the Seller is special, unique and extraordinary in
character, and that in the event of the breach by Seller of the terms and
conditions of Section 6.01(a) to be performed by Seller, the Purchaser and
its affiliates shall be entitled, if they so elect, to obtain damages for any
breach, or to enforce the specific performance thereof by the
Seller.
(g) Notwithstanding
anything in this Section 6.01 to the contrary, the Seller and its
affiliates it controls may acquire, directly or indirectly, any business that is
engaged in Competitive Activities, if such Competitive Activities account for
less than 15% of such business’ consolidated annual revenues and earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization or consolidated operating income
during the twelve month period preceding such acquisition.
(h) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the Seller or any of its affiliates
it controls may (i) be acquired by a non-affiliated third party (where the
stockholders of the Seller immediately prior to the acquisition own less than a
majority of the outstanding equity or voting interests of such acquiring or
combined person) or (ii) merge with a person set forth in
Section 6.01(h) of the Seller Letter and Competitive Activities by such
acquiring person or the combined entity shall not be a violation of this
Section 6.01.
SECTION
6.02. Confidentiality.
(b) Until
the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date, the Seller shall keep confidential,
and cause its affiliates that it controls and their respective advisors,
consultants, employees and agents to keep confidential, all information relating
to the Business following the Closing; provided,
however,
that with respect to any information that is a trade secret under applicable Law
such confidentiality obligation shall survive for so long as such information
remains a trade secret. The provisions of this Section 6.02(b)
shall not apply to the disclosure by the Seller or its affiliates that it
controls of any information, documents or materials which (i) are or become
publicly
available,
other than by reason of a breach of this 6.02(b) by Seller or any of its
affiliates that it controls or (ii) is required by applicable Law to be
disclosed, but then only (A) to the extent disclosure is required and
(B) after notifying the Purchaser of such obligation and using commercially
reasonable efforts, at the Purchaser’s expense, to seek a protective order or
other similar or appropriate relief.
SECTION
6.03. Publicity. The
Purchaser and the Seller shall consult with each other before issuing, and give
each other the opportunity to review and comment upon, any press release or
other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including the Acquisition, and shall not, and shall not permit their
subsidiaries to, issue any such press release or make any such public statement
prior to such consultation, except as such party may reasonably conclude may be
required by applicable Law, court process or by obligations pursuant to any
listing agreement with any national securities exchange or national securities
quotation system. The parties agree that the initial press release to
be issued with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall
be in the form heretofore agreed to by the parties.
SECTION
6.04. Post-Closing
Cooperation.
(a) The
Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Seller, on the other hand, shall cooperate
with each other in good faith, and shall cause their affiliates that they
control and their Representatives to cooperate with each other, after the
Closing to facilitate the orderly transition of the Business to the Purchaser
after the Closing and to minimize any disruption to the Business that might
result from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. This
cooperation shall include cooperating to change the Environmental Protection
Agency establishment number for the Seller’s Corporate Exchange facility in St.
Louis, MO to a number issued to UPG. After the Closing, upon
reasonable written notice, the Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Seller, on
the other hand, shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the other and the
other’s affiliates and their Representatives access, during normal business
hours, to such books, records, manuals and other information and assistance
relating to the Business or any Transferred Entity (to the extent within the
control of such party) as is reasonably necessary for financial reporting,
accounting and Tax matters or other reasonable purposes.
(b) The
Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Seller, on the other hand, shall reimburse
the other for reasonable documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in
assisting the other pursuant to this Section 6.04. Neither party
shall be required by this Section 6.04 to take any action that would
unreasonably interfere with the conduct of its business or unreasonably disrupt
its normal operations (or, in the case of the Purchaser, those of the
Business).
SECTION
6.05. Further
Assurances. From
time to time after the Closing, as and when reasonably requested by any party,
the other party shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and
delivered, all such documents, conveyances, assurances and instruments and shall
take, or cause to be taken, all such further or other actions as such party may
reasonably require to confirm and assure the rights and
obligations
provided for in this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, including, in the case of the Seller, executing and
delivering to the Purchaser such assignments, deeds, bills of sale, consents and
other instruments as the Purchaser may reasonably request as necessary or
desirable for such purpose.
ARTICLE
VII
Conditions
Precedent
SECTION
7.01. Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation. The
obligation of the Purchaser and the Seller to consummate the Acquisition is
subject to the satisfaction or (to the extent permitted by applicable Law)
waiver of the following conditions:
(a) Governmental
Approvals. The waiting period under the HSR Act and any
applicable Foreign Merger Control Laws applicable to the Acquisition shall have
expired or been terminated.
(b) No
Injunctions or Restraints. No Law or Injunction enacted,
entered, promulgated, enforced or issued by any Governmental Entity or other
legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Acquisition
shall be in effect.
(c) Senior Debt
Consent and Releases. (i) The Seller shall have
received consents from the requisite lenders party to each of the Seller
Senior Loan Documents to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, in form and substance as reasonably agreed in advance by the Seller
and Purchaser, and (ii) the Seller and the Purchaser shall have received, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser and the
Seller, evidence of the release under the Seller Senior Loan Documents of
all Liens and guarantees affecting the assets of the Business or equity
interests of any of the Transferred Entities.
SECTION
7.02. Conditions
to Obligation of the Purchaser. The
obligation of the Purchaser to consummate the Acquisition is subject to the
satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waiver by the
Purchaser) of the following conditions:
individually
or in the aggregate, have neither had nor are reasonably likely to have a
material adverse effect on the Seller or on the Business or on the Transferred
Entities, taken as a whole, and (ii) the Class I Representations of the
Seller shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, with the same effect as
though made as of the Closing Date (except to the extent such representations
and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case as of such
earlier date). The Purchaser shall have received a certificate signed
by an authorized officer of the Seller to such effect.
(b) Performance
of Obligations of the Seller. The Seller shall have performed
or complied in all material respects with all obligations and covenants required
by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Seller by the time of
the Closing and the Purchaser shall have received a certificate signed by an
authorized officer of the Seller to such effect, unless the failure to perform
or comply with any of its obligations and covenants, individually or in the
aggregate, is reasonably likely to result in Losses to the Purchaser of less
than $5,000,000 in the
aggregate for all such Losses and the Seller agrees in writing at the Closing to
use commercially reasonable efforts to remedy such failure(s) to perform or
comply (“Seller
Non-Material Covenant Failures”) as soon as practicable and to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless the Purchaser for all of the Losses resulting from such
failure(s).
(c) No Material
Adverse Effect. From and including the date of the Balance
Sheet, there shall not have occurred a material adverse effect on the Business
or the Transferred Entities, taken as a whole, nor shall there have been any
event, occurrence or condition that would, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Business or the
Transferred Entities, taken as a whole.
(d) FIRPTA
Certificate. The Seller shall have delivered to the Purchaser
at the Closing a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Purchaser, certifying that the acquisition of U.S. Transferred Equity
Interests is exempt from withholding pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real
Property Tax Act.
(e) Consents. The
Seller shall have obtained and shall have delivered to the Purchaser copies of
all approvals, authorizations and consents set forth in Section 7.02(e)
of the Seller Letter (the “Required
Consents”).
(f) Lien
Release. The Purchaser shall have received evidence in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to it of the release of all Liens
affecting the assets of the Business or equity interests of any of the
Transferred Entities other than (i) Permitted Liens, (ii) those Liens
described in Section 7.01(c)(ii) and (iii) the Liens listed in Section
5.24 of the Seller Letter;
(g) Financial
Statements. The Auditors shall have delivered to the Purchaser
the 2006 Audited Financial Statements and 2007 Audited Financial Statements
meeting the requirements of Form 8-K applicable to the filing of such Form
by the Purchaser.
(h) Deliverables. The
Seller shall have tendered for delivery all agreements, instruments and other
documentation to be delivered by the Seller or its affiliates pursuant to
Section 1.03.
For
the avoidance of doubt, the ability of the Purchaser to obtain financing for the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement is not a condition to the
Purchaser’s obligation to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
SECTION
7.03. Conditions
to Obligation of the Seller. The
obligation of the Seller to consummate the Acquisition is subject to the
satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by Law, waiver by the Seller) of the
following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the
Purchaser set forth in Article IV shall be true and correct as of the
Closing Date, with the same effect as though made as of the Closing Date (except
to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier
date, in which case as of such earlier date), except to the extent that the
facts or matters as to which such representations and warranties are not so true
and correct as of the Closing Date (without giving effect to any qualifications
and limitations as to “materiality” or “material adverse effect” set forth
therein), individually or in the aggregate, have neither had nor are reasonably
likely to have a material adverse effect on the Purchaser. The Seller
shall have received a certificate signed by an authorized officer of the
Purchaser to such effect.
(b) Performance
of Obligations of Purchaser. The Purchaser shall have
performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations and
covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the
Purchaser by the time of the Closing, and the Seller shall have received a
certificate signed by an authorized officer of the Purchaser to such effect
unless the failure to perform or comply with any of its obligations and
covenants, individually or in the aggregate, is reasonably likely to result in
Losses to the Seller of less than $5,000,000 in the
aggregate for all such Losses and the Purchaser agrees in writing at the Closing
to use commercially reasonable efforts to remedy such failure(s) to perform or
comply (“Purchaser
Non-Material Covenant Failures”) as soon as practicable and to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless the Seller for all of the Losses resulting from such
failure(s).
(c) Deliverables. The
Purchaser shall have tendered for delivery all agreements, instruments and other
documentation to be delivered by the Purchaser or its affiliates pursuant to
Section 1.03.
SECTION
7.04. Frustration
of Closing Conditions. Neither
the Purchaser, on the one hand, nor the Seller on the other hand, may rely on
the failure of any condition set forth in this Article VII to be satisfied
if such failure was caused by such party’s failure to act in good faith or to
comply with its obligations under this Agreement.
ARTICLE
VIII
Termination,
Amendment and Waiver
SECTION
8.01. Termination.
(a) Notwithstanding
any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement may be
terminated and the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement abandoned at any time prior to the Closing:
(i)
by mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the
Seller;
(iii) by
Purchaser, if Seller breaches or fails to perform in any respect any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement
and such breach or failure to perform (A) would give rise to the failure of
a condition set forth in Section 7.02, (B) has not been cured within
thirty (30) days following delivery of written notice thereof to Seller and
(C) has not been waived by Purchaser;
(v)
by Purchaser, if Purchaser may not otherwise terminate this
Agreement pursuant to any other provision of this Section 8.01(a), if the
Closing has not occurred on or prior to the Outside Date;
provided,
however,
that the party seeking termination pursuant to clause (ii) or
(iii) is not then in material breach of any of its covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement, it being understood that (i) Purchaser Non-Material
Covenant Failures shall
not
be deemed to be breaches that would prevent Purchaser from exercising its
termination rights pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(iii) and (ii) Seller Non-Material
Covenant Failures shall not be deemed to be breaches that would prevent Seller
from exercising its termination rights pursuant to Section
8.01(a)(ii).
(b) If
this Agreement is terminated by the Purchaser or the Seller pursuant to this
Section 8.01, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to the other
party and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be terminated,
without further action by any party. If the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement are terminated as provided herein:
(i)
the Purchaser shall return all documents and other
material received from the Seller, its affiliates or Representatives relating to
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether so obtained before or
after the execution of this Agreement, to the Seller; and
(ii)
all confidential information received by the
Purchaser with respect to the Business shall be treated in accordance with the
Confidentiality Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.
SECTION
8.02. Effect of
Termination; Limitation of Liability.
(a) If
this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.01, this Agreement shall
become null and void and of no further force and effect, except (i) for the
provisions of (A) Sections 2.05 and 4.07 relating to brokers and
finders, (B) Section 5.04 relating to expenses,
(C) Section 6.02(a) relating to the obligation of Purchaser to keep
confidential certain information and data obtained by it,
(D) Section 6.03 relating to publicity, (E) Sections 8.01
and 8.02 and (F) Article X; (ii) Seller shall be entitled solely
to the remedy available in Section 8.02(b), subject to the limitations set
forth in Section 8.02(c), in the case of a termination (1) by Seller
pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(ii) or (2) by Purchaser pursuant to
Section 8.01(a)(v) if, at the time of such termination, Seller would
have otherwise been entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 8.01(a)(ii), assuming the Purchaser Cure Period, if applicable, had
expired; (iii) in the case of termination by Purchaser pursuant to
Section 8.01(a)(iii), Purchaser shall be entitled to all remedies available
hereunder or at equity or in law resulting from Seller’s willful breach of this
Agreement or fraud; (iv) in the case of termination by Seller pursuant to
Section 8.01(a)(iv), Purchaser shall be entitled to the Expense
Reimbursement, if applicable, and (v) in the case of termination by
Purchaser pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(iv), Purchaser shall be entitled to
(x) the Expense Reimbursement, if applicable, and (y) all remedies available
hereunder or at equity or in law resulting from Seller’s willful breach of this
Agreement or fraud. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
(x) in the event of any breach or failure to perform by Purchaser of any of
its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this
Agreement or any agreement entered into in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby at or prior to Closing, whether or not this Agreement has
been terminated pursuant to any provision hereof, Seller’s sole and exclusive
remedy
shall
be to terminate this Agreement pursuant to, and as permitted by,
Section 8.01(a)(ii) with the effect described in Section 8.02(b)
and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8.02(c) and (y) in
no event shall Purchaser or Harbinger be subject to any liability in excess of
the Liquidated Damages for any losses or damages relating to or arising out of
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) In
the event this Agreement is terminated by (i) Purchaser pursuant to
Section 8.01(a)(v) and, at the time of such termination, Seller would
have otherwise been entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 8.01(a)(ii), assuming the Purchaser Cure Period, if applicable, had
expired, or (ii) Seller pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(ii), Purchaser
shall pay to Seller an amount equal to Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000) as
Seller’s sole and exclusive remedy for any breach or failure to perform by
Purchaser of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement (the “Liquidated
Damages”) and such Liquidated Damages shall be Seller’s sole and
exclusive remedy and shall be in lieu of any other remedies at law or in equity
to which Seller might otherwise be entitled, including on account of punitive
damages. The payment of the Liquidated Damages shall be made (i) on the
date of such termination by the Purchaser pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(v),
if, at the time of such termination, Seller would have otherwise been entitled
to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(ii), assuming the
Purchaser Cure Period, if applicable, had expired, or (ii) within three
(3) Business Days following the date of such termination if terminated by
the Seller pursuant to Section 8.01(a)(ii). The Liquidated
Damages shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an
account designated by Seller and, if not timely paid as described in the
immediately preceding sentence, shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to
the “prime
rate,” as published in the Wall Street Journal, Eastern Edition, in
effect from time to time or, if less, the maximum rate permitted by applicable
Law, calculated daily on the basis of a 365-day year and the actual number of
days elapsed, without compounding. In addition, if the Purchaser
shall fail to pay the Liquidated Damages when due, the Purchaser shall also pay
to the Seller all of the Seller’s costs and expenses (including reasonable
attorneys’ fees) in connection with the Seller’s efforts to collect the
Liquidated Damages. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the
Liquidated Damages, plus any interest accrued and payable thereon, are to be
paid by Purchaser to compensate Seller for such damages as liquidated damages,
and that any and all amounts paid pursuant to this Section 8.02(b)
represent liquidated damages and not a penalty.
(c)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for the avoidance of
doubt, it is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that, except in the
event of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement:
(i)
Seller’s sole and exclusive remedy for the breach of this Agreement
by Purchaser at or prior to Closing, including any failure of, or refusal by,
Purchaser to pay the Purchase Price for any reason whatsoever or any failure of,
or refusal by, Purchaser to consummate the Financing, obtain the proceeds
thereof or otherwise have available sufficient funds or Notes to pay the
Purchase Price, shall be (A) to obtain Liquidated Damages as described in
Section 8.02(b)
in
the event of a termination of this Agreement by Purchaser pursuant to
Section 8.0l(a)(v) in the event that, at the time of such termination,
Seller would have otherwise been entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to Section 8.01(a)(ii), assuming the Purchaser Cure Period, if applicable,
had expired, or (B) to terminate this Agreement pursuant to, and as
permitted by, the terms of Section 8.01(a)(ii) and to obtain
Liquidated Damages pursuant to Section 8.02(b); and
(ii)
Seller shall not pursue any other remedies or
actions, at law or in equity, and hereby waives any and all other remedies
against Purchaser (and its affiliates) in respect thereof.
SECTION
8.03. Amendments
and Waivers. This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf
of each of the parties. By an instrument in writing the Purchaser, on
the one hand, or the Seller, on the other hand, may waive compliance by the
other with any term or provision of this Agreement that such other party was or
is obligated to comply with or perform. Any such waiver shall only be
effective in the specific instance and for the specific and limited purpose for
which it was given and shall not be deemed a waiver of any other provision of
this Agreement or of the same breach or default upon any recurrence
thereof. No failure on the part of any party to exercise and no delay
in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall
any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or
further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.
ARTICLE
IX
Indemnification
SECTION
9.01. Tax
Indemnification.
respect
of (i) except as provided in Section 9.01(b), any Taxes imposed on the
Business with respect to any Pre-Closing Tax Period, (ii) any Taxes that
may be imposed on the Business as a result of being a member of a consolidated,
combined, unitary or similar group of corporations or other taxpayers at any
time on or prior to the Closing Date, (iii) any Transfer Taxes for which
the Seller is liable under Section 5.04(b), (iv) any Taxes in
connection with the 338 Elections for which the Seller is liable under
Section 5.05(h), (v) any breach of any representation or warranty of
the Seller contained in Section 3.12 of this Agreement or in the
certificate delivered by the Seller pursuant to Section 7.02(d), and
(vi) any breach of any covenant of the Seller contained in
Section 5.01(b)(xviii) or Section 5.05.
(b) From
and after the Closing, except and only to the extent otherwise included in the
calculation of the Final Working Capital, the Purchaser and the Transferred
Entities shall, jointly and severally, indemnify the Seller, its affiliates and
each of their stockholders, members, partners and Representatives (the
“Seller
Indemnitees”) and hold them harmless from any Losses arising from,
relating to or otherwise in respect of (i) any Taxes imposed on the
Business with respect to any Post-Closing Tax Period, (ii) any Taxes that
may be imposed on the Business as a result of being a member of a consolidated,
combined, unitary or similar group of corporations or other taxpayers at any
time after the Closing Date, (iii) any Transfer Taxes for which the
Purchaser is liable under Section 5.04(b) and (iv) any breach by the
Purchaser or any of its affiliates of any covenant contained in
Section 5.05.
(c) In
the case of any taxable period that includes (but does not end on) the Closing
Date (a “Straddle
Period”):
(ii)
the Taxes of the Business (other than Property Taxes)
for the Pre-Closing Tax Period shall be computed as if such taxable period ended
as of the close of business on the Closing Date.
(d) To
the extent that any indemnification provided for in this Section 9.01 may
overlap or conflict with any indemnification contained in Section 9.02, the
Seller shall not be required to duplicate the indemnification for the same
Losses under both Section 9.01 and Sections 9.02.
SECTION
9.02. Indemnification
by the Seller. From
and after the Closing, the Seller shall indemnify the Purchaser Indemnitees
against, and hold them harmless from, any loss, liability, claim, obligation,
damage or expense, including reasonable legal fees, costs and expenses, which
shall include, for the avoidance of doubt,
(a) any
breach of any representation or warranty of the Seller contained in
Articles II or III of this Agreement or in any certificate delivered
by the Seller pursuant to this Agreement;
(b) any
breach of any covenant, obligation or agreement of the Seller contained in this
Agreement;
(c) any
Transaction Expenses incurred or owed by the Seller or any Transferred Entity in
connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
and
(d) any
failure to obtain the consent set forth in Section
3.04(C)(a)
of the Seller Letter.
SECTION
9.03. Threshold;
Cap; De Minimis. The
Seller shall not be required to indemnify any Purchaser Indemnitee, and shall
not have any liability:
SECTION
9.04. Survival of
Representations; Covenants; Agreements. The
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this
Agreement shall survive the Closing as follows: (a) the
representations and warranties in Articles II, III and IV (other than
the Class I Representations and Sections 3.12, 3.14 and 3.17 and the last
sentence of Section 3.20 ) shall survive until the fifteen month
anniversary of the Closing Date, (b) the Class I Representations shall
survive indefinitely, (c) the representations and warranties in
Section 3.17 shall survive until the three year anniversary of the Closing
Date, (d) the representations and warranties in Section 3.12,
Section 3.14 and the last sentence of Section 3.20 shall survive for
60 days following the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations
(after giving effect to any extension thereof), it being agreed that with
respect to the representations in Section 3.12, in
respect
of
any German Entities such period shall not expire before the expiration of a
limitation period of six months after the final binding and unchangeable
assessment (endgültig
bestandskräftige und nicht mehr änderbare Festsetzung) of the relevant
Tax, (e) the covenants contained in Sections 6.01(a), 6.01(b) and 6.01(c)
shall survive until the fourth, second and second anniversaries of the Closing
Date, respectively, of the Closing Date, and (f) all other covenants contained
in this Agreement shall survive indefinitely or otherwise in accordance with
their terms.
SECTION
9.05. Termination
of Indemnification; Other Limitations.
(a) The
obligations to indemnify and hold harmless any person (i) pursuant to
Section 9.01 and subject to Section 9.04(d), with respect to the
German Entities (in any such case the determining date under this
clause (i) shall be six months following the final binding and
unchangeable assessment (endgültig
bestandskräftige und nicht mehr änderbare Festsetzung) of the applicable
Tax), shall terminate 60 days following the expiration of the applicable statute
of limitations (after giving effect to any extension thereof),
(ii) pursuant to Section 9.02(a) or 9.07(a) shall terminate when the
applicable representation or warranty terminates pursuant to Section 9.04,
(iii) pursuant to Section 9.02(b) or Section 9.07(b) shall
terminate 90 days after the applicable covenant terminates pursuant to
Section 9.04 and (iv) pursuant to the other clauses of
Section 9.02 and Section 9.07 shall not terminate; provided,
however,
that all such obligations to indemnify and hold harmless shall not terminate
with respect to any item as to which the person to be indemnified shall have,
before the expiration of the applicable period, previously made a claim by
delivering a notice of such claim pursuant to Section 9.09 to the party
providing the indemnification.
(b) For
purposes of calculating the amount of any Loss in connection with a claim by any
Purchaser Indemnitee with respect to a breach of any representation or warranty
made by the Seller for which indemnification is sought pursuant to this
Article IX, all “material adverse effect” and other materiality references
in the representations and warranties set forth in Article II and
Article III, as applicable, shall be disregarded other than the references
set forth in Sections 3.05(a), 3.05(b), 3.15(a), 3.21(a) and
3.22.
SECTION
9.06. Exclusive
Monetary Remedy; Consequential Damages; Nature of Payments; No Duplicate
Recovery.
(a) Except
as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement or in the Transition
Services Agreement, the Purchaser and the Seller acknowledge that their
exclusive monetary remedy after the Closing with respect to any claims relating
to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
Business and its assets and liabilities (other than for fraud or criminal
activity) shall be pursuant to the indemnification provisions set forth in this
Article IX. In furtherance of the foregoing, each of the
Purchaser and the Seller, for itself and its affiliates (including the
Transferred Entities), waives, from and after the Closing, to the fullest extent
permitted under applicable Law, any and all rights, claims and causes of action
(other than claims of, or causes of action arising from, fraud) for monetary
damages it may have against the other
or
its affiliates arising under this Agreement, any document or certificate
delivered in connection herewith, any applicable Law, except pursuant to the
indemnification provisions set forth in this Article IX.
(b) Neither
the Purchaser, any Transferred Entity nor the Seller shall be liable or
otherwise responsible to any other person for lost profits, lost revenues, lost
opportunity costs, costs of financing or indirect, consequential, punitive,
special, or incidental damages arising out of, or relating to, this Agreement or
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the performance or breach of
this Agreement or any liability or obligation retained or assumed under this
Agreement except to the extent such damages are an element of a Third Party
Claim against the Purchaser, any Transferred Entity or the Seller which is the
object of indemnification hereunder.
(c) Notwithstanding
any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, no indemnified party
shall be entitled to indemnification under this Article IX with respect to
any Loss to the extent that such Loss was specifically reflected in the
calculation of the adjustment to Purchase Price pursuant to
Section 1.04.
SECTION
9.07. Indemnification
by the Purchaser. From
and after the Closing, the Purchaser and the Transferred Entities shall, jointly
and severally, indemnify the Seller Indemnitees against, and hold each of them
harmless from, any Loss suffered or incurred by the Seller Indemnities (without
duplication for (i) any indemnification provided for in
Section 9.01(b) and (ii) any indemnification that may be sought under
more than one clause of this Section 9.07) arising from, relating to or
otherwise in respect of:
(a) any
breach of any representation or warranty of the Purchaser contained in
Article IV of this Agreement or in any certificate delivered by the
Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement; or
(b) any
breach of any covenant, obligation or agreement of Purchaser contained in this
Agreement.
SECTION
9.08. Calculation
of Losses. The
amount of any Loss for which indemnification is provided under this
Article IX shall be net of any amounts actually recovered by the
indemnified party under insurance policies with respect to such
Loss. In any case where the Purchaser or its subsidiaries recovers
from third parties any amount in respect of a matter with respect to which an
indemnifying party has indemnified it pursuant to this Article IX, such
indemnified party shall promptly pay over to the indemnifying party the amount
so recovered (after deducting therefrom the full amount of the expenses incurred
by it in procuring such recovery), but not in excess of any amount previously so
paid by the indemnifying party to or on behalf of the indemnified party in
respect of such matter.
SECTION
9.09. Procedures.
(a) Third Party
Claims.
(ii)
If a Third Party Claim is made against an
indemnified party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in
the defense thereof and, if it so chooses, to assume the defense thereof by
written notice to the indemnified party within 10 days of the receipt of the
notice received pursuant to Section 9.09(a)(i) with counsel selected
by the indemnifying party; provided
that such counsel is not reasonably objected to by the indemnified party; provided,
further,
that such written notice given after 10 days will be valid except and only to
the extent the indemnified party shall have been actually and materially
prejudiced; provided,
further,
that notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall not be entitled
to assume control of such defense and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses
of counsel (reasonably acceptable to the indemnifying party) retained by the
indemnified party if (i) the claim for indemnification relates to or arises
in connection with any criminal proceeding, action, indictment, allegations or
investigation; (ii) the claim seeks an injunction or equitable relief
against the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party reasonably
believes upon advice of counsel that an adverse determination with respect to
the action, lawsuit, investigation, proceeding or other claim giving rise to
such claim for indemnification would have a material adverse effect on the
Business; (iv) the indemnifying party failed or is failing to
prosecute or defend such claim; or (v) if the claim is subject to the Cap
and such claim together with all outstanding and unresolved claims that are
subject to the Cap could reasonably be expected to give rise to Losses which are
more than 150% of the remaining amount indemnifiable by such indemnifying party
with respect to such claims pursuant to this Article IX. Should
the indemnifying party be entitled and so elect to assume the defense of a Third
Party Claim, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party
for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in
connection with the defense thereof. If the indemnifying party
assumes such defense in accordance with this Agreement, the indemnified party
shall have the right to participate in the defense thereof and to
employ
counsel,
at its own expense, separate from the counsel employed by the indemnifying
party, it being understood that the indemnifying party shall control such
defense. The indemnifying party shall be liable for the fees, costs
and expenses of counsel employed by the indemnified party for any period during
which the indemnifying party has not assumed the defense thereof (other than
during any period in which the indemnified party is delinquent in giving notice
of the Third Party Claim as provided above) and with respect to any Third Party
Claim where the indemnifying party was prohibited from assuming such defense
pursuant to this Section 9.09. If the indemnifying party chooses
to defend or prosecute a Third Party Claim, all the indemnified parties shall
cooperate in the defense or prosecution thereof. Such cooperation
shall include the retention and (upon the indemnifying party’s request) the
provision to the indemnifying party of records and information that are
reasonably relevant to such Third Party Claim, and making employees available on
a mutually convenient basis to provide additional information and explanation of
any material provided hereunder. No party shall compromise or settle
any Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the other party,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided,
however,
that if such compromise or settlement relates only to monetary amounts and
provides for the full and unconditional release of the Purchaser Indemnitees
from all liability in connection with such claim, then the Seller may settle
such claim without the Purchaser’s consent as long as the Seller pays in full
the amount required to settle such Third Party Claim and the settlement of such
claim does not contain an admission of wrongdoing on the part of any Purchaser
Indemnitee. All claims under Section 9.02 or Section 9.07
other than Third Party Claims shall be governed by
Section 9.09(b).
(b) Other
Claims. If any indemnified party should have a claim against
any indemnifying party under Section 9.02 or Section 9.07 that does
not involve a Third Party Claim being asserted against or sought to be collected
from such indemnified party, the indemnified party shall promptly deliver notice
of such claim to the indemnifying party after obtaining knowledge of such
claim. The failure by any indemnified party so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability
that it may have to such indemnified party under Section 9.02 or
Section 9.07, except to the extent that the indemnifying party shall have
been actually prejudiced by such failure. If the indemnifying party
and the indemnified party do not agree within 30 calendar days following
the indemnifying party’s receipt of such notice with respect to such claim under
Section 9.02 or Section 9.07 (as such period may be extended by mutual
agreement), then the indemnified party and the indemnifying party may pursue the
remedies available under this Agreement.
(c) Procedures
Relating to Indemnification of Tax Claims.
Tax
Indemnifying Party copies of the relevant portion of any notice or other
document received from any Taxing Authority and communications with any Taxing
Authority relating to such Tax Controversy; provided, however, that a failure to
give such notice will not affect such other party’s rights to indemnification
under this Article IX, except to the extent that such party is actually
prejudiced thereby. Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in handling,
settling or contesting a Tax Controversy shall be borne by the Tax Indemnifying
Party.
(ii) Except
as otherwise provided in this Section 9.09(c)(ii), after the Closing Date
(except in the case of any Tax Controversy relating to a Tax Return of any
consolidated, combined or unitary group of which the Transferred Entities were
members (a “Pre-Closing
Consolidated Return”)), the Purchaser shall control the conduct, through
counsel of its own choosing, of any Tax Controversy with respect to any of the
Transferred Entities. In the case of a Contest after the Closing Date
that relates solely to Taxes for which the Purchaser is indemnified under
9.01(a) (including any Pre-Closing Consolidated Returns), the Seller may elect
to control the handling, settling or contesting of any such Tax Controversy, but
the Purchaser shall have the right to participate in such Tax Controversy
(except in the case of a Tax Controversy that relates to a Pre-Closing
Consolidated Return) at its own expense. The Seller shall not settle,
compromise and/or concede any portion of such Tax Controversy (except in the
case of a Tax Controversy that relates to a Pre-Closing Consolidated Return)
without obtaining the Purchaser’s prior written consent, which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. In the case of a
Tax Controversy that relates both to Taxes for which Purchaser is indemnified
under Section 9.01(a) and Taxes for which Seller is indemnified under
9.01(b), the Purchaser shall control the conduct of such Tax Controversy, but
the Seller shall have the right to participate in such Tax Controversy at its
own expense, and the Purchaser shall not settle, compromise and/or concede such
Tax Controversy without the prior written consent of the Seller, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Tax
Indemnifying Party shall keep the Tax Indemnified Party reasonably informed as
to the progress of any Tax proceeding with respect to a Tax Controversy to the
extent such Tax proceeding relates to Taxes payable by or with respect to the
Transferred Entities and shall consider in good faith any written comments or
suggestions regarding such Tax proceeding from the Tax Indemnified
Party.
ARTICLE
X
General
Provisions
SECTION
10.01. Assignment. This
Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall not be assignable or
transferable by any party without the prior written consent of the other party;
provided that (a) the Purchaser may assign this Agreement (i) to any
affiliate of the Purchaser, (ii) for collateral purposes to any lender
providing debt financing to the Purchaser or (iii) subsequent to the
Closing, to any
transferee
of all or substantially all of the assets of the Business, and (b) this
shall not require consent in connection with or otherwise restrict a change of
control of the Seller or the Purchaser. Any attempted assignment in
violation of this Section 10.01 shall be null and void.
SECTION
10.02. No Third
Party Beneficiaries. Except
with respect to the Purchaser Indemnities and Seller Indemnities as provided in
Article IX and with respect to Harbinger pursuant to Section 8.02(d),
this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties and their permitted
successors and assigns and nothing herein expressed or implied shall give or be
construed to give to any person, other than the parties and such successors and
assigns, any legal or equitable rights hereunder.
SECTION
10.03. Notices. All
notices or other communications required or permitted to be given hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by electronic mail,
facsimile or sent, postage prepaid, by registered, certified or express mail or
overnight courier service and shall be deemed given when so delivered by hand or
electronic mail, facsimile, or if mailed, three days after mailing (or, one
business day in the case of express mail or overnight courier service) to the
parties at the following addresses or facsimiles (or at such other address for a
party as shall be specified by like notice):
(a) if
to the Purchaser,
Salton, Inc.
3633 Flamingo Road
Miami, FL 33027
Telephone: (954) 883-1000
Facsimile: (954) 883-1714
Attention: General Counsel
with a copy to:
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019-6064
Telephone: (212) 373-3000
Facsimile: (212) 757-3990
Attention: Jeffrey D. Marell
(b) if
to the Seller,
Spectrum Brands, Inc.
Six Concourse Parkway, Suite 3300
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
Telephone: (770) 829-6202
Facsimile: (770) 829-6200
Attention: Kent J. Hussey, Chief Executive Officer
with a copy to:
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
999 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3996
Telephone: (404) 853-8107
Facsimile: (404) 853-8806
Attention: Mark D. Kaufman
Notices
delivered by facsimile shall have the same legal effect as if such notice had
been delivered in person.
SECTION
10.04. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be
considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or
more such counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to
the other party. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature
page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging means shall be
effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this
Agreement.
SECTION
10.05. Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement, the Harbinger Guarantees, the Ancillary Agreements, the
Confidentiality Agreement, the Seller Letter, the Equity Financing Commitments
and the other annexes and exhibits hereto and thereto, contain the entire
agreement and understanding among the parties with respect to the subject matter
hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to such
subject matter.
SECTION
10.06. Severability. If
any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of
being enforced by any applicable Law or public policy, all other conditions and
provisions of this Agreement shall nonetheless remain in full force and effect
so long as the economic and legal substance of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any
party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is
invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, 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 a mutually acceptable manner in order that the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated as originally
contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
SECTION
10.07. Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of
the State of New York, regardless of the Laws that might otherwise govern
under applicable principles of conflicts of Laws thereof.
SECTION
10.08. Consent to
Jurisdiction.
(a) Each
party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of
the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and any
appellate court from
any
thereof, in any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or relating to
this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement, or for
recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each party irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such suit, action or
other proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to
the extent permitted by applicable Law, in such Federal court. The
parties agree that a final judgment in any such suit, action or other proceeding
shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the
judgment or in any other manner provided by applicable Law.
(b) Each
party irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable Law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying
of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or relating to
this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement in any court
referred to in the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this
Section 10.08. Each party irrevocably and unconditionally
waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the defense of an
inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any suit, action or other proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by
this Agreement in any court referred to in the first sentence of
Section 10.08(a).
(c) Each
party consents, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to service of
any process, summons, notice or document in the manner provided for notices in
Section 10.03. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right
of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable
Law.
SECTION
10.09. Waiver of
Jury Trial. Each
party hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, any
right it may have to a trial by jury in respect to any litigation, directly or
indirectly, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any transaction
contemplated by this Agreement. Each party (a) certifies that no
Representative of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that
such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the
foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it and the other parties have
been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual
waivers and certifications in this Section 10.09.
SECTION
10.10. Exhibits and
Seller Letter; Interpretation. When
a reference is made in this Agreement to a party or to an Article, Section,
Annex, Exhibit or the Seller Letter, such reference shall be to a party to,
an Article or Section of, or an Annex, Exhibit or the Seller
Letter to, this Agreement, unless otherwise indicated. The Seller
Letter and all Annexes and Exhibits annexed hereto or referred to herein
are hereby incorporated in and made part of this Agreement as if set forth in
full herein. The table of contents and the headings contained in this
Agreement, the Seller Letter or any Annex or Exhibit to this
Agreement, are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words
“include”, “includes”, “including” or “such as” are used in this Agreement, they
shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”. The
word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word
“shall.” The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of
similar import when used in this Agreement shall
refer
to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this
Agreement. The word “or” when used in this Agreement is not
exclusive. The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean
the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not
mean simply “if”. Whenever used in this Agreement, any noun or
pronoun shall be deemed to include the plural as well as the singular and to
cover all genders. This Agreement shall be construed without regard
to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the
party drafting or causing any instrument to be drafted. All terms
defined in this Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used in any
certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto, unless
otherwise defined therein. Any agreement, instrument or statute
defined or referred to herein means such agreement, instrument or statute as
from time to time amended, supplemented or modified, including (x) (in the
case of agreements or instruments) by waiver or consent and (in the case of
statutes) by succession of comparable successor statutes and (y) all
attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein. The words
“asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect
and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties,
including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. References
to a person are also to its permitted successors and assigns. When a
reference is made in this Agreement to the Business, such reference shall also
be a reference to the Transferred Entities if the context so
requires.
SECTION
10.11. Defined
Terms.
“Acquisition
Proposal” means an inquiry, proposal, indication of interest or offer
relating to any (i) acquisition or sale of (1) any assets of the
Transferred Entities outside of the ordinary course of business in excess of $1
million in the aggregate, or (2) any of the equity securities of any
Transferred Entity, or (ii) merger, consolidation, business combination,
reorganization, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar
transaction involving the Transferred Entities, other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“affiliate”
means, with respect to any person, another person that directly or indirectly,
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with, such person.
“Assumed
Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness of the Transferred Entities existing
as of the Closing, excluding (i) Indebtedness that is repaid by the Seller
on or prior to the Closing or (ii) Indebtedness as to which the Transferred
Entities are being fully released on or prior to the Closing so as to no longer
constitute Indebtedness of a Transferred Entity.
“Balance
Sheet” means the unaudited combined consolidated balance sheet of the
Business as of September 30, 2007 attached as Exhibit H
hereto.
“business
day” means any day on which banks are not required or authorized to close
in The City of New York, New York.
“Cash”
means all cash and cash equivalents (net of book overdraft), as determined in
accordance with GAAP.
“Closing
Working Capital” means the Working Capital as of the close of business on
the business day immediately preceding the Closing Date.
“COBRA”
means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as
amended.
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“commodity
agreement” means any commodity futures contract, commodity derivative
instrument, commodity option or other agreement, instrument or
arrangement.
“Contribution
Notice” means a notice as defined in section 38 of the Pensions Act 2004
issued by the UK Pensions Regulator.
“control”
means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management or policies of a person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Controlled
Group Liability” means Liabilities with respect to any employee benefit
plan or arrangement that is subject to Section 302 of ERISA, Title IV
of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code other than the plan set forth in Section 3.14(c)
of the Seller Letter, COBRA, the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act of
1992, as amended, or any other statute that imposes liability on a so-called
controlled group basis with reference to any provision of Section 52(a) or
Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA, as applicable, that
is due to the Seller’s status as part of a Seller Commonly Controlled
Entity.
“currency
agreement” means any currency exchange contract, currency swap agreement,
currency derivative instrument or other agreement, instrument or arrangement
designed to hedge currency exchange risk.
“Debt
Financing” means the debt financing provided to the Purchaser or its
designees pursuant to the Debt Financing Commitments (or any replacement
commitments obtained by the Purchaser).
“EBITDA
Baseline” means an amount equal to ninety-two million nine hundred
thousand dollars ($92,900,000), which amount has been determined with
respect to the Transferred Entities on a combined consolidated basis and
calculated in the manner and using the same methods as the corresponding line
items set forth on Annex C
for
purposes of calculating EBITDA, as reported for the year ended
September 30, 2007 by reference to the Unaudited Financial
Statements.
“EBITDA
Price Adjustment” means an amount equal to the product of (x) ten
(10) multiplied by (y) the amount of the EBITDA Shortfall.
“EBITDA
Shortfall” means the amount, if any, by which the Final EBITDA Amount is
more than three million dollars ($3,000,000) less than the EBITDA
Baseline.
“Environmental
Claim” means any administrative, regulatory or judicial action, suit,
order, demand, claim, investigation, other proceeding or written notice of
noncompliance or violation by or from any person alleging liability arising out
of, based on or resulting from (a) the presence or Release of, or exposure
to, any Hazardous Materials at any location or (b) the failure to comply
with any Environmental Law.
“Environmental
Laws” means any applicable Law, Judgment or Permit issued, promulgated or
entered into, by or with any Governmental Entity relating to (a) pollution,
preservation or reclamation of natural resources, (b) the protection of
human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, soils, land surface or subsurface strata) or (c) human
exposure to Hazardous Materials.
“Equity
Financing” means the equity financing to be provided to the Purchaser or
its designees pursuant to the Equity Financing Commitments (or any replacement
commitments obtained by the Purchaser in compliance with this
Agreement).
“equity
interests” means shares of capital stock, membership interests in a
limited liability company, partnership interests, beneficial interests in a
trust or other equity ownership interests in a person, and any warrants, options
or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such
equity interest.
“Final
EBITDA Amount” means an amount determined in accordance with
Section 5.23 with respect to the Transferred Entities on a combined
consolidated basis and calculated in the manner and using the same methods as
the corresponding line items set forth on Annex C for purposes of
calculating EBITDA, as reported for the year ended September 30, 2007 by
reference to the 2007 Audited Financial Statements.
“Financing”
means the Debt Financing and the Equity Financing.
“FSD”
means a notice issued by the Pensions Regulator under section 43 of the Pensions
Act 2004.
“German
Entity” means any of Tetra Holding GmbH, 8 in 1 Pet Products GmbH and/or
Tetra GmbH.
“Group
Stakeholder Pension Schemes” means the stakeholder pension schemes
administered by Legal & General to which Tetra (UK) Limited contributes on
behalf of UK Employees.
“Hazardous
Materials” means (a) any petroleum (including crude oil or any
fraction thereof) or asbestos or asbestos-containing materials and (b) any
other wastes, materials, chemicals or substances prohibited, limited or
regulated pursuant to any Law, Judgment or Permit.
“Indebtedness”
means, without duplication, (i) indebtedness for borrowed money or
indebtedness issued or incurred in substitution or exchange for indebtedness for
borrowed money, (ii) amounts owing as deferred purchase price for property
or services, including all seller notes and “earn out” payments, and purchase
price adjustment payments and non competition payments in connection with
mergers and acquisitions transactions, (iii) indebtedness evidenced by any
note, bond, debenture, mortgage or other debt instrument or debt security,
(iv) obligations under any letter of credit, (v) all capitalized lease
obligations and purchase money liens, (vi) guarantees (including so called
take or pay or keep well agreements) with respect to any indebtedness,
obligation, claim or liability of any other person of a type described in
clauses (i) through (v) above, (vii) such amounts
treated as Indebtedness pursuant to Section 5.20(b)(ii) hereof, and
(viii) for clauses (i) through (vi) above, all accrued
interest thereon, if any, and any termination fees, prepayment penalties,
“breakage” costs or similar payments associated with the repayment of or default
under such Indebtedness.
“Intellectual
Property” means any patent (including all reissues, divisions,
continuations, continuations-in-part and extensions thereof), patent
application, patent right, unpatented invention, trademark, trademark
registration, trademark application, service mark, trade name, business name,
logo, brand name, copyright, copyright registration, design, computer software
programs, including all source code, object code, specifications, designs and
documentation related thereto; Technology; domain names, Internet addresses and
other computer identifiers; and all applications and registrations for any of
the foregoing, including all renewals and extensions thereof, or any right to
any of the foregoing.
“interest
rate agreement” means any interest rate protection agreement (including
interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars, derivative instruments and similar
agreements) or other agreement, instrument or arrangement designed to hedge
interest rate risk.
“knowledge”
means, with respect to the Seller on any matter in question, the knowledge of
any person set forth in Exhibit I
hereto under the caption “Seller’s knowledge”, after reasonable inquiry and
“knowledge”
means, with respect to the Purchaser on any matter in question, the actual
knowledge of any person set forth in Exhibit I
hereto under the caption “Purchaser’s knowledge” after reasonable
inquiry.
“material
adverse effect” on or with respect to the Business or the Transferred
Entities, taken as a whole, means any state of facts, change,
development,
condition, effect, event or occurrence (any such item,
an “Effect”)
that is materially adverse to the assets, properties, business condition
(financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Business or the
Transferred Entities, taken as a whole; provided,
however,
that in no event shall any Effect resulting from any of the following be deemed
to constitute or be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or
is reasonably likely to be, a material adverse effect on the Business or the
Transferred Entities: any Effect relating to (i) the economy in
general, (ii) the economic, business, financial or regulatory environment
generally affecting the industries in which the Business operates except to the
extent such Effect has a materially disproportionate effect on the Business,
(iii) an act of terrorism or an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
war (whether declared or not declared) or any natural disasters or any national
or international calamity or crisis except to the extent such Effect directly
involves the properties or assets of the Business or has a materially
disproportionate effect on the Business, (iv) the public announcement of
the identity of the Purchaser; (v) any action taken by the Purchaser or any
of its affiliates or Representatives, and (vi) any action
required to be taken under any Law or Consent of a Governmental Entity.
“Material adverse effect” on or with respect to the Seller or the Purchaser
means any Effect that (a) prevents or materially impedes or delays the
consummation of the Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or (b) has a material adverse effect on the ability of the Seller
or the Purchaser, as the case may be, to perform its obligations under this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.
“person”
means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
trust, joint venture, association, Governmental Entity, unincorporated entity or
other entity.
“Post-Closing
Tax Period” means any taxable period (or portions thereof) that begins
after the Closing Date.
“Pre-Closing
Tax Period” means any taxable period (or portions thereof) ending on or
prior to the Closing Date.
“Release”
means any release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, injection, deposit,
disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching, dumping, pouring, emanation or
migration of any Hazardous Material in, into, onto or through the environment
(including ambient air, surface water, ground water, soils, land surface or
subsurface strata) or within any building, structure, facility or
fixture.
“Required
Financial Information” means financial and other information regarding
the Business of the type and in the form customarily included in confidential
information memoranda used to syndicate bank credit facilities similar to the
Debt Financing including all financial statements and financial data required by
any debt financing commitments.
“Seller
Senior Credit Agreements” means (i) the Credit Agreement entered
into as of March 30, 2007, among the Seller, each lender from time to time
party thereto, Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P., as the administrative agent,
the collateral
agent
and the syndication agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto
and (ii) the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2007, among
the Seller, the subsidiaries of the Seller party thereto, the lenders from time
to time party thereto, Wachovia Bank, National Association, as the
administrative agent, the collateral agent and a letter of credit issuer, and
the other financial institutions party thereto, in each such case as such
agreement may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“Seller
Senior Loan Documents” means the “Loan Documents”, as defined in each of
the Seller Senior Credit Agreements, as each such Loan Document may be amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“subsidiary”
means, with respect to any person, another person (a) as to which such
person owns directly or indirectly (by another subsidiary of such person) an
amount of the voting securities, other voting ownership or voting partnership
interests sufficient to elect at least a majority of such other person’s Board
of Directors or other governing body (or, if there are no such voting interests,
50% or more of the equity interests of which) or (b) of which such person
or another subsidiary of such person is a general partner or managing
member.
“Tax”
or “Taxes”
means (i) all national, state, county, local, municipal, foreign and other
taxes, assessments, duties or similar charges of any kind whatsoever, including
all corporate franchise, income, sales, use, ad valorem,
receipts, value added, profits, license, withholding, payroll, employment,
excise, premium, property, customs, net worth, capital gains, transfer, stamp,
documentary, social security, environmental, alternative minimum, occupation,
recapture, severance, capital stock, unemployment, disability, registration,
estimated, and other taxes, and including all interest, penalties and additions
imposed with respect to such amounts, and (ii) any transferee or secondary
liability in respect of any items described in
clause (i) above.
“Taxing
Authority” means any national, state, county, local, municipal, foreign
or other government, any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof,
or any quasi-governmental body exercising Tax regulatory authority.
“Tax
Return” or “Tax
Returns” means all returns, declarations of estimated tax payments,
reports, estimates, information returns and statements, including any related or
supporting information with respect to any of the foregoing, filed or to be
filed with any Taxing Authority in connection with the determination,
assessment, collection or administration of any Taxes.
“Technology”
means all trade secrets, confidential information, inventions, know-how,
formulae, processes, procedures, research records, records of inventions, test
information, market surveys and marketing and process know-how.
“Transaction
Expenses” means any third party legal, accounting, financial advisory or
other fees or expenses of the Transferred Entities related to the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except with respect
to
Transfer
Taxes to the extent Purchaser has agreed to pay one-half of such amounts
pursuant to Section 5.04(b). For the avoidance of doubt, Transaction
Expenses shall include any “change of control,” severance, stay bonuses, deal
bonuses or similar payments payable as a result of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement other than those identified in 5.06(j) of the Seller
Letter.
“UK
Employee” means any individual employed by Tetra (UK)
Limited.
“UK Pensions
Regulator” means the body corporate as defined in section 1 of Pensions
Act 2004 (UK).
“Working
Capital” means, as of any time, the sum of net trade accounts receivable,
non-trade accounts receivable, Cash, net inventory, and prepaid expenses, as set
forth in Exhibit B,
minus
total accounts payable, accrued wages, accrued taxes O/T income/payroll and
other accrued expenses, as set forth in Exhibit B,
in each case of the Transferred Entities determined on a combined consolidated
basis and calculated in the same manner, using the same methods, as the
corresponding line items of the Working Capital Amount set forth on Exhibit B
hereto, which in all cases shall be determined in accordance with GAAP applied
consistently with past accounting practices in the preparation of the Interim
Financial Statements, except as otherwise provided in Exhibit B
hereto.
“Working
Capital Amount” means one hundred million six hundred thousand dollars
($100,600,000).
“Working
Capital Overage” shall exist when (and shall be equal to the amount by
which) the Final Working Capital exceeds the Working Capital
Amount.
“Working
Capital Underage” shall exist when (and shall be equal to the amount by
which) the Final Working Capital is less than the Working Capital
Amount.
(b) Other
Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, each of the
following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such
term:
|
Section
|
2006 Audited Financial
Statements
|
5.16
|
2007 Audited Financial
Statements
|
5.16
|
2008 Audited Financial
Statements
|
5.16
|
Acquisition
|
Recitals
|
Actions
|
5.05(c)
|
Active
Employee
|
5.06(a)
|
Additional Financial
Information
|
5.16
|
ADSP
|
5.05(h)(iii)
|
Agreement
|
Preamble
|
Ancillary
Agreements
|
2.02
|
ASMIO
|
Recitals
|
Term
|
Section
|
Assumed Benefit
Agreement
|
3.14(a)
|
Assumed Benefit
Plan
|
3.14(a)
|
Assumed Employee
Payments
|
5.06(j)
|
Assumed Severance
Agreements
|
5.06(j)
|
Auditors
|
5.16
|
Basket
Amount
|
9.03(a)
|
Business
|
Recitals
|
Business
Customer
|
6.01(d)
|
Business
Employees
|
3.14(a)
|
Business
Portion
|
5.15
|
Business
Product
|
3.24
|
Cap
|
9.03(b)
|
Cap Ex
Budget
|
5.01(b)(x)
|
CBA
|
3.18
|
Class I
Representations
|
7.02(a)
|
Closing
|
1.02
|
Closing
Adjustments
|
1.01(a)
|
Closing
Date
|
1.02
|
Competitive
Activities
|
6.01(a)
|
Confidentiality
Agreement
|
6.02(a)
|
Consent
|
2.03
|
Continuation
Period
|
5.06(c)
|
Contract
|
2.03
|
Currently Utilized Real
Property
|
3.07(a)
|
Debt Financing
Commitment
|
Recitals
|
DOJ
|
5.03(a)(ii)(1)
|
DOL
|
3.14(a)
|
Draft
Allocation
|
5.05(h)(iii)
|
Effect
|
10.11(a)
|
Equity Financing
Commitment
|
Recitals
|
ERISA
|
3.14(a)
|
Exchange
Act
|
2.03
|
Expense
Reimbursement
|
8.02(d)
|
Final
Allocation
|
5.05(h)(iii)
|
Final Assumed Indebtedness
Amount
|
1.01(b)
|
Final Working
Capital
|
1.01(b)
|
Financial
Statements
|
3.05(a)
|
Foreign Merger Control
Laws
|
2.03
|
Foreign
Plan
|
3.14(n)
|
FTC
|
5.03(a)(ii)(1)
|
GAAP
|
1.01(b)
|
Governmental
Entity
|
2.03
|
Harbinger
|
Recitals
|
Harbinger
Guarantee
|
Recitals
|
HCPMF
|
Recitals
|
Term
|
Section
|
HCPSSF
|
Recitals
|
HSR Act
|
2.03
|
Improvements
|
3.07(c)
|
Inbound Licensed Intellectual
Property
|
3.08(a)
|
Incentive
Plans
|
5.06(j)
|
indemnified
party
|
9.09(a)(i)
|
Interim Financial
Statements
|
3.05(a)
|
IRS
|
3.12(m)
|
Judgment
|
2.03
|
Key
Employee
|
3.18
|
Labor Laws
|
3.18
|
Law
|
2.03
|
Lease
|
3.07(b)
|
Leased
Property
|
3.07(a)
|
Leasing
Entity
|
3.07(a)
|
Liens
|
3.06(a)
|
Liquidated
Damages
|
8.02(b)
|
Losses
|
9.02
|
Material
Contracts
|
3.09(c)
|
Multiemployer
Plan
|
3.14(a)
|
New Welfare
Plans
|
5.06(c)
|
Non-Business
Portion
|
5.15
|
Notes
|
1.01(a)
|
NYSE
|
2.03
|
Outbound Licensed Intellectual
Property
|
3.08(d)
|
Outside
Date
|
8.01(a)(iv)
|
Owned Intellectual
Property
|
3.08(a)
|
Owned
Property
|
3.07(a)
|
PBGC
|
3.14(a)
|
Permits
|
3.10
|
Permitted
Liens
|
3.06(a)
|
Pet LLC
|
Preamble
|
PLTA
|
5.20(b)
|
Pre-Closing Consolidated
Return
|
9.09(c)(ii)
|
Pre-Closing
Service
|
5.06(d)
|
Property Owning
Entity
|
3.07(a)
|
Property
Taxes
|
9.01(c)(i)
|
Purchased Direct
Subsidiary
|
Recitals
|
Purchased Direct Subsidiary’s
Equity Interests
|
Recitals
|
Purchased Indirect
Subsidiaries
|
Recitals
|
Purchased Indirect Subsidiaries’
Equity Interests
|
Recitals
|
Purchase
Price
|
1.01
|
Purchaser
|
Preamble
|
Purchaser 401(k)
Plan
|
5.06(k)
|
Purchaser Cure
Period
|
8.01(a)(ii)
|
Term
|
Section
|
Purchaser
Indemnitees
|
9.01(a)
|
Purchaser
Seller Non-Material
Covenant Failures
|
7.03(b)
|
Recall
|
3.23
|
Remaining
Employees
|
6.01(c)
|
Representatives
|
5.02
|
Required
Consents
|
7.02(e)
|
Retiree Medical
Liability
|
3.14(k)
|
Rovcal
|
1.03(e)
|
Salton
|
Preamble
|
SEC
|
3.14(a)
|
Section 338
Elections
|
5.05(h)(i)
|
Section 338
Forms
|
5.05(h)(ii)
|
Seller
|
Preamble
|
Seller 401(k)
Plan
|
5.06(k)
|
Seller Benefit
Agreement
|
3.14(a)
|
Seller Benefit
Plan
|
3.14(a)
|
Seller Commonly Controlled
Entity
|
3.14(a)
|
Seller
Indemnitees
|
9.01(b)
|
Seller
Letter
|
II
|
Seller Non-Material Covenant
Failures
|
7.02(b)
|
Shared
Contracts
|
5.15
|
SOX
|
5.17
|
Straddle
Period
|
9.01(c)
|
Tax
Controversy
|
9.09(c)(i)
|
Tax Indemnified
Party
|
9.09(c)(i)
|
Tax Indemnifying
Party
|
9.09(c)(i)
|
Tax Sharing
Agreements
|
5.05(e)
|
Third Party
Claim
|
9.09(a)(i)
|
Title
Company
|
5.13(a)
|
Title IV
Plan
|
3.14(c)
|
Transfer
Taxes
|
5.04(b)
|
Transferors
|
Recitals
|
Transferred
Employees
|
5.06(a)
|
Transferred
Entities
|
Recitals
|
Transferred Entity Voting
Debt
|
3.02(a)
|
Transferred Equity
Interests
|
Recitals
|
Transferred Intellectual
Property
|
3.08(a)
|
Transferred Real
Property
|
3.07(a)
|
Transition Services
Agreement
|
1.03(c)
|
Unaudited Financial
Statements
|
3.05(a)
|
United
|
1.03(d)
|
UPG
|
1.03(d)
|
WARN Act
|
3.14(j)
|
SECTION
10.12. Specific
Performance. Seller
hereby acknowledges and agrees that money damages would not be a sufficient
remedy for any breach of this Agreement by Seller, that Purchaser would suffer
irreparable harm as a result of any such breach, and that, in addition to all
other remedies available under this Agreement or at law or in equity, Purchaser
shall be entitled to seek specific performance and injunctive or other equitable
relief as a remedy for any such breach or threatened breach, without posting any
bond, security or other undertaking in the Supreme Court of the State of
New York sitting in New York County (and, if such Supreme Court of the
State of New York shall be unavailable, in any other New York State
court or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of
New York), and any appellate court from any thereof. In the event of any
action by Purchaser to enforce this Agreement, Seller hereby waives the defense
that there is an adequate remedy at law. Purchaser hereby
acknowledges and agrees that money damages would not be a sufficient remedy for
any breach by Purchaser of Sections 5.05 (but only in respect of matters
after the Closing), 5.06 (but only in respect of matters after the Closing),
5.09(a), 5.09(c) (but only in respect of matters after the Closing), 5.15 (but
only in respect of matters after the Closing), 5.19 (but only in respect of
matters after the Closing), 5.20 (but only in respect of matters after the
Closing), 6.01(c) (but only in respect of matters after the Closing), 6.01(f)
(but only in respect of matters after the Closing), 6.02, 6.03, 6.04 (but only
in respect of matters after the Closing) and 6.05 (but only in respect of
matters after the Closing) that Seller would suffer irreparable harm as a result
of any such breach, and that, in addition to all other remedies available under
this Agreement or at law or in equity, Seller shall be entitled to seek specific
performance and injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any such
breach or threatened breach, without posting any bond, security or other
undertaking in the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in
New York County (and, if such Supreme Court of the State of New York
shall be unavailable, in any other New York State court or in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York), and any
appellate court from any thereof. In the event of any action by Seller to
enforce Sections 5.05 (but only in respect of matters after the Closing),
5.06 (but only in respect of matters after the Closing), 5.09(a), 5.09(c) (but
only in respect of matters after the Closing), 5.15 (but only in respect of
matters after the Closing), 6.01(c) (but only in respect of matters after the
Closing), 6.01(f) (but only in respect of matters after the Closing), 6.02,
6.03, 6.04 (but only in respect of matters after the Closing) and 6.05 (but only
in respect of matters after the Closing), Purchaser hereby waives the defense
that there is an adequate remedy at law. For the avoidance of
doubt, except as specifically provided above, Seller shall not be entitled to
specific performance or injunctive relief as a remedy under this Agreement or in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION
10.13. Seller
Shall Cause Subsidiaries to Take Actions. Seller
shall cause the other Transferors and the Transferred Entities to take all
actions required by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to be taken by
them.
SECTION
10.14. ASMIO. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the assets, liabilities and results
of operations of ASMIO are not included in the Financial Statements and its
assets and liabilities shall not be included in
computing
the Purchase Price or Working Capital. In addition, none of the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Seller in this
Agreement shall apply to ASMIO except for Sections 1.03(a), 2.04 and this
Section 10.14.
[remainder
of this page intentionally left blank]
[signatures
on next page]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Purchaser and the Seller has duly executed this
Purchase Agreement as of the date first written above.
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SALTON,
INC.
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By:
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/s/
Terry Polistina |
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Name: Terry
Polistina
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Title:
President and Chief Executive Officer
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SPECTRUM
BRANDS, INC.
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By:
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/s/ Kent J.
Hussey |
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Name:
Kent J. Hussey
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Title:
Chief Executive Officer
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APPLICA
PET PRODUCTS LLC
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By:
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/s/ Lisa R.
Carstarphen |
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Name:
Lisa R. Carstarphen
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Title:
Secretary
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exhibit99-1.htm
EXHIBIT
99.1
Spectrum
Brands Announces the Sale of its Global Pet Supply Business;
Proceeds
to be Used for Debt Reduction
ATLANTA,
May 21, 2008 – (SPC: NYSE) – Spectrum Brands (the “Company”) today announced
that it has signed a definitive agreement with Salton, Inc. (“Salton”) and its
wholly owned subsidiary, Applica Pet Products LLC, for the sale of its Global
Pet Business for $692.5 million in cash and an aggregate principal amount of the
Company’s subordinated debt securities equal to $222.5 million less an amount
equal to accrued and unpaid interest on such subordinated debt securities since
the dates of the last interest payments thereon, which, depending on when the
closing occurs, could be an amount of up to approximately $6.5
million.
Under
and subject to the terms of the agreement, Salton will pay the Company $692.5
million of the purchase price in cash and will surrender a principal amount of
the Company’s Variable Rate Toggle Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013, also
referred to as PIK Notes, equal to $98 million less an amount equal to accrued
and unpaid interest, and a principal amount of the Company’s 7 3/8 percent
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015 equal to $124.5 million less an amount equal
to accrued and unpaid interest. Additionally, the agreement between
the parties provides that if the adjusted EBITDA derived from the 2007 audited
financial statements of the Global Pet Business is more than $3 million less
than $92.9 million, the purchase price will be reduced by a multiple of 10 times
the incremental difference. These audited segment level results are
required to be delivered to Salton prior to the close of the
sale. The Company does not currently believe, based on available
information, that any purchase price adjustment related to the audited adjusted
EBITDA will be required. In addition, the purchase price is subject
to adjustment for changes in working capital prior to closing and certain
expenses incurred in connection with the sale. In the event of any
purchase price increase as a result of such adjustments, the proportion of the
purchase price that is paid in cash may be increased. Funding for the
transaction will be provided by an equity investment to Salton provided by
Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I, Ltd. and Harbinger Capital Partners
Special Situations Fund, L.P., the controlling stockholders of
Salton.
Consistent
with its previously communicated strategies, the Company will apply the net cash
proceeds from the sale to pay down a portion of its ABL facility and other
senior bank facilities in accordance with the Company’s debt
agreements.
“The
sale of our Global Pet Supply business for a full and fair value is a critical
step toward achieving one of our key priorities, improving the overall capital
structure of this company,” said Kent Hussey, Chief Executive
Officer. “We estimate that this transaction will decrease our total
leverage ratio of approximately 8.5 as of March 30, 2008 to approximately 7.8 on
a pro forma basis and will provide greater flexibility to our remaining core
businesses. Additionally, we estimate that this transaction will
decrease our senior leverage ratio from approximately 5.0 as of March 30, 2008
to approximately 4.0 on a pro forma basis.” The Company also
estimates that its annualized cash interest expense will be reduced by
approximately $70 million as a result of this transaction.
Subject
to approval of its senior lenders and certain regulatory and other statutory
notices and filings, the Company currently expects the transaction to close by
the end of August 2008.
Sutherland
acted as legal advisor to the Company and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher Flom LLP
also provided certain legal advice to the Company in connection with the
transaction. Goldman, Sachs & Co. is acting as the Company’s
financial advisor.
Non-GAAP
Measurements
Within
this press release, reference is made to adjusted earnings before interest,
taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). Adjusted EBITDA is a
metric used by management and frequently used by the financial community which
provides insight into an organization’s operating trends and facilitates
comparisons between peer companies, since interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization can differ greatly between organizations as a result of differing
capital structures and tax strategies. Adjusted EBITDA can also be a
useful measure of a company’s ability to service debt and is one of the measures
used for determining the Company’s debt covenant compliance. Adjusted
EBITDA excludes certain items that are unusual in nature or not comparable from
period to period. The Company provides this information to investors
to assist in comparisons of past, present and future operating results and to
assist in highlighting the results of on-going operations. While the
Company’s management believes that adjusted EBITDA are useful supplemental
information, such adjusted results are not intended to replace the Company’s
GAAP financial results and should be read in conjunction with those GAAP
results.
About
Spectrum Brands, Inc.
Spectrum
Brands is a global consumer products company and a leading supplier of consumer
batteries, lawn and garden care products, specialty pet supplies, shaving and
grooming products, household insect control products, personal care products and
portable lighting. Helping to meet the needs of consumers worldwide, included in
its portfolio of widely trusted brands are Rayovac®, Remington®, Tetra®,
Marineland®, Nature’s Miracle®, Dingo®, 8-In-1®, Spectracide®, Schultz®,
Cutter®, Repel®, and HotShot®. Spectrum Brands’ products are sold by
the world's top 25 retailers and are available in more than one million stores
in more than 120 countries around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia,
Spectrum Brands generated fiscal year 2007 net sales of $2.6
billion. The Company’s stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol SPC.
Based
in Miramar, Florida, Salton, Inc. and its subsidiaries are leading marketers and
distributors of a broad range of branded small household appliances. Salton
markets and distributes small kitchen and home appliances, pet and pest
products, and personal care products. Salton has a broad portfolio of well
recognized brand names, including Black & Decker®, George Foreman®, Russell
Hobbs®, Toastmaster®, LitterMaid®, and Farberware®. Salton's
customers include mass merchandisers, specialty retailers and appliance
distributors primarily in North America, South America, Europe and
Australia.
Certain
matters discussed in this news release, with the exception of historical
matters, may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially
from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Actual results
may differ materially as a result of (1) the occurrence of any event, change or
other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the definitive
agreement; (2) the inability to complete the transaction due to the failure to
receive required regulatory or other approvals or to satisfy other conditions to
the sale; (3) the risk that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and
operations; (4) difficulty or unanticipated expenses in connection with the
sale; (5) changes and developments in external competitive market factors, such
as introduction of new product features or technological developments,
development of new competitors or competitive brands or competitive promotional
activity or spending, (6) changes in consumer demand for the various types of
products the Company offers, (7) unfavorable developments in the global credit
markets, (8) the impact of overall economic conditions on consumer spending, (9)
fluctuations in commodities prices, the costs or availability of raw materials
or terms and conditions available from suppliers, (10) changes in the general
economic conditions in countries and regions where the Company does business,
such as stock market prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates, inflation
and consumer spending, (11) the Company’s ability to successfully implement
manufacturing, distribution and other cost efficiencies and to continue to
benefit from its cost-cutting initiatives, (12) unfavorable weather conditions
and various other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed herein and
those set forth in the Company’s securities filings, including the most recently
filed Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q. The Company also cautions the reader that its estimates of
trends, market share, retail consumption of its products and reasons for changes
in such consumption are based solely on limited data available to the Company
and management’s reasonable assumptions about market conditions, and
consequently may be inaccurate, or may not reflect significant segments of the
retail market.
The
Company also cautions the reader that undue reliance should not be placed on any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this
release. The Company undertakes no duty or responsibility to update
any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after
the date of this report or to reflect actual outcomes.
#
# #
Investor
Contact:
Carey
Skinner
DVP
Investor Relations, Spectrum Brands
770-829-6208
Media
Contact:
Sard
Verbinnen & Co for Spectrum Brands
Kara
Findlay or Jamie Tully
212-687-8080