Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 6, 2018, by and among Gramercy Property Trust, BRE Glacier Parent L.P., BRE Glacier L.P., BRE Glacier Acquisition L.P. and GPT Operating Partnership LP
Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION VERSION
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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
DATED AS OF MAY 6, 2018
BY AND AMONG
GRAMERCY PROPERTY TRUST,
GPT OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP,
BRE GLACIER PARENT L.P.,
BRE GLACIER L.P.
AND
BRE GLACIER ACQUISITION L.P.
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ARTICLE I. THE MERGERS | 3 | |
Section 1.1 | The Mergers | 3 |
Section 1.2 | Governing Documents | 3 |
Section 1.3 | Officers, General Partner and Limited Partners of the Surviving Entities | 4 |
Section 1.4 | Effective Times | 4 |
Section 1.5 | Closing of the Mergers | 5 |
Section 1.6 | Effects of the Mergers | 6 |
Section 1.7 | Tax Consequences | 6 |
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ARTICLE II. MERGER CONSIDERATION; COMPANY SHARES; PARTNERSHIP UNITS | 6 | |
Section 2.1 | Company Share Merger Consideration; Effect on Company Shares | 6 |
Section 2.2 | Partnership Unit Merger Consideration; Effect on Partnership Units | 7 |
Section 2.3 | Treatment of Equity-Based Awards | 10 |
Section 2.4 | Exchange of Certificates | 12 |
Section 2.5 | Exchange Procedures | 13 |
Section 2.6 | Withholding Rights | 15 |
Section 2.7 | Dissenters Rights | 15 |
Section 2.8 | Adjustment of Per Company Share Merger Consideration, Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units | 16 |
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ARTICLE III. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY PARTIES | 16 | |
Section 3.1 | Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries | 16 |
Section 3.2 | Capitalization | 17 |
Section 3.3 | Authority | 20 |
Section 3.4 | No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents | 21 |
Section 3.5 | Company SEC Documents; Financial Statements | 21 |
Section 3.6 | Information Supplied | 23 |
Section 3.7 | Absence of Certain Changes | 23 |
Section 3.8 | Undisclosed Liabilities | 23 |
Section 3.9 | Permits; Compliance with Laws | 23 |
Section 3.10 | Litigation | 24 |
Section 3.11 | Employee Benefits | 25 |
Section 3.12 | Labor Matters | 26 |
Section 3.13 | Tax Matters | 27 |
Section 3.14 | Real Property | 30 |
Section 3.15 | Environmental Matters | 33 |
Section 3.16 | Intellectual Property | 34 |
Section 3.17 | Contracts | 34 |
Section 3.18 | Opinion of Financial Advisor | 36 |
Section 3.19 | Takeover Statutes | 37 |
Section 3.20 | Vote Required | 37 |
Section 3.21 | Insurance | 37 |
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Section 3.22 | Investment Company Act | 37 |
Section 3.23 | Brokers | 37 |
Section 3.24 | Acknowledgement of No Other Representations or Warranties | 38 |
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ARTICLE IV. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT, MERGER SUB I AND MERGER SUB II | 39 | |
Section 4.1 | Organization | 39 |
Section 4.2 | Authority | 40 |
Section 4.3 | No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents | 40 |
Section 4.4 | Litigation | 41 |
Section 4.5 | Brokers | 41 |
Section 4.6 | Information Supplied | 41 |
Section 4.7 | Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II | 41 |
Section 4.8 | Sufficient Funds | 42 |
Section 4.9 | Guaranty | 43 |
Section 4.10 | Solvency | 43 |
Section 4.11 | Absence of Certain Arrangements | 43 |
Section 4.12 | Acknowledgement of No Other Representations and Warranties | 44 |
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ARTICLE V. COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS | 44 | |
Section 5.1 | Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Mergers | 44 |
Section 5.2 | Access to Information | 50 |
Section 5.3 | Proxy Statement | 51 |
Section 5.4 | Company Shareholders Meeting | 52 |
Section 5.5 | Appropriate Action; Consents; Filings | 52 |
Section 5.6 | Solicitation; Acquisition Proposals; Adverse Recommendation Change | 54 |
Section 5.7 | Public Announcements | 57 |
Section 5.8 | Trustees and Officers Indemnification | 58 |
Section 5.9 | Employee Matters | 60 |
Section 5.10 | Notification of Certain Matters | 61 |
Section 5.11 | Dividends | 62 |
Section 5.12 | Other Transactions; Parent-Approved Transactions | 62 |
Section 5.13 | Taxes | 63 |
Section 5.14 | Rule 16b-3 Matters | 64 |
Section 5.15 | Preferred Share Redemptions | 64 |
Section 5.16 | Cooperation Regarding Existing Loans | 65 |
Section 5.17 | Financing and Cooperation | 66 |
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ARTICLE VI. CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGERS | 69 | |
Section 6.1 | Conditions to Each Partys Obligations to Effect the Mergers | 69 |
Section 6.2 | Conditions to the Obligations of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II | 69 |
Section 6.3 | Conditions to Obligations of the Company and the Partnership | 70 |
Section 6.4 | Frustration of Closing Conditions | 71 |
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ARTICLE VII. TERMINATION | 71 | |
Section 7.1 | Termination | 71 |
Section 7.2 | Effect of the Termination | 73 |
Section 7.3 | Fees and Expenses | 73 |
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ARTICLE VIII. MISCELLANEOUS | 75 | |
Section 8.1 | Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties | 75 |
Section 8.2 | Entire Agreement; Assignment | 75 |
Section 8.3 | Notices | 76 |
Section 8.4 | Governing Law and Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial | 77 |
Section 8.5 | Interpretation; Certain Definitions | 78 |
Section 8.6 | Parties In Interest | 79 |
Section 8.7 | Severability | 79 |
Section 8.8 | Specific Performance | 79 |
Section 8.9 | Amendment | 81 |
Section 8.10 | Extension; Waiver | 81 |
Section 8.11 | Counterparts | 81 |
Section 8.12 | Definitions | 82 |
Exhibits
Exhibit A | Form of REIT Opinion |
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Exhibit B | Terms of New Partnership Preferred Units |
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Schedules
Schedule A | Parent Knowledge |
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Schedule B | Parent Contact Persons |
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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this Agreement), dated as of May 6, 2018, is by and among Gramercy Property Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the Company), BRE Glacier Parent L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Parent), BRE Glacier L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Merger Sub I), BRE Glacier Acquisition L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Merger Sub II), and GPT Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the parties wish to effect a business combination through (i) a merger of Merger Sub II with and into the Partnership, with the Partnership being the surviving entity (the Partnership Merger), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance with the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, as amended (the DRULPA) and (ii) immediately following the consummation of the Partnership Merger, a merger of the Company with and into Merger Sub I, with Merger Sub I being the surviving entity (the Company Merger and, together with the Partnership Merger, the Mergers), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance with the DRULPA and the Maryland REIT Law, as amended (the MRL);
WHEREAS, the Company is the sole general partner and a limited partner of the Partnership through which the Company operates its business, and, as of the date hereof, the Company owns approximately 96.8% of the outstanding Class A Units of the Partnership (the Class A Partnership Units and, together with the Company LTIP Units, the Partnership Units) and 100% of the outstanding 7.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units of the Partnership (the Partnership Preferred Units);
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Company (the Company Board) has declared the Company Merger advisable, and approved this Agreement, the Company Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, on substantially the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, BRE Glacier LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Merger Sub I GP), as the sole general partner of Merger Sub I, has approved this Agreement and the Company Merger and determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of Merger Sub I and its limited partner for Merger Sub I to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the Company Merger on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, the Company, as the sole general partner of the Partnership, has approved this Agreement and the Partnership Merger and determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Partnership and the limited partners of the Partnership for the Partnership to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the Partnership Merger on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, BRE Glacier Acquisition LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Merger Sub II GP), as the sole general partner of Merger Sub II, has approved this Agreement and the Partnership Merger and determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of Merger
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Sub II and its limited partner for Merger Sub II to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the Partnership Merger on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend that, for U.S. federal, and applicable state and local, income tax purposes, the Company Merger shall be treated as a taxable sale by the Company of all of the Companys assets to Merger Sub I in exchange for the Company Share Merger Consideration, the Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount and the assumption of all of the Companys liabilities, followed by a distribution of the Company Share Merger Consideration and the Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount to the shareholders of the Company in complete liquidation of the Company pursuant to Section 331 and Section 562 of the Code;
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend that this Agreement be, and this Agreement is hereby adopted as, a plan of liquidation of the Company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, pursuant to which the distribution (or deemed distribution) of the Company Share Merger Consideration and the Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount to the shareholders of the Company, in complete liquidation of the Company pursuant to Section 331 and Section 562 of the Code, is effected;
WHEREAS, the Minority Limited Partners may elect to receive in the Partnership Merger, on the terms and conditions specified herein, in exchange for Class A Partnership Units, New Partnership Preferred Units in the Surviving Partnership (each such Minority Limited Partner, a Roll-Over Limited Partner) in an amount described in Section 2.2(b). In the Partnership Merger, any Class A Partnership Units held by any Minority Limited Partners that do not elect for such Class A Partnership Units to be exchanged for New Partnership Preferred Units will be converted into the right to receive cash per Class A Partnership Unit (each such Minority Limited Partner, a Cash-Out Limited Partner) in an amount as described in Section 2.2(a);
WHEREAS, as an inducement to the Company and the Partnership entering into this Agreement, Blackstone Real Estate Partners VIII L.P. (the Guarantor) is entering into a guaranty with the Company (the Guaranty), pursuant to which the Guarantor is guaranteeing certain obligations of Parent and Merger Sub I under this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Parent, the Partnership, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II and the Company desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Mergers as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
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ARTICLE I.
THE MERGERS
Section 1.1 The Mergers.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and in accordance with the DRULPA, at the Partnership Merger Effective Time, Merger Sub II and the Partnership shall consummate the Partnership Merger, pursuant to which (i) Merger Sub II shall be merged with and into the Partnership and the separate existence of Merger Sub II shall thereupon cease and (ii) the Partnership shall be the surviving partnership in the Partnership Merger (the Surviving Partnership). The Partnership Merger shall have the effects provided in this Agreement and as specified in the DRULPA.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and in accordance with the DRULPA and the MRL, at the Company Merger Effective Time, the Company and Merger Sub I shall consummate the Company Merger, pursuant to which (i) the Company shall be merged with and into Merger Sub I and the separate existence of the Company shall thereupon cease and (ii) Merger Sub I shall survive the Company Merger (the Surviving Company), such that, immediately following the Company Merger, Parent shall be the sole limited partner of the Surviving Company and Merger Sub I GP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent, will be the sole general partner of the Surviving Company. The Company Merger shall have the effects provided in this Agreement and as specified in the DRULPA and the MRL.
Section 1.2 Governing Documents.
(a) At the Company Merger Effective Time, the name of the Surviving Company shall be BRE Glacier L.P. At the Company Merger Effective Time, the certificate of limited partnership of Merger Sub I, as in effect immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, shall be the certificate of limited partnership of the Surviving Company until thereafter amended as provided in the limited partnership agreement of Merger Sub I or by applicable Law. The limited partnership agreement of Merger Sub I, as in effect immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, shall be the limited partnership agreement of the Surviving Company until thereafter amended as provided therein or by applicable Law.
(b) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company, as the general partner of the Partnership, shall cause the Partnership Agreement to be amended to add to such agreement an Exhibit G thereto in the form of Exhibit B hereto (as so amended, the Amended Partnership Agreement). At the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership, as in effect immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time (the Certificate of Limited Partnership), shall be the certificate of limited partnership of the Surviving Partnership until thereafter amended as provided below. At the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the Amended Partnership Agreement, as in effect immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, shall be the limited partnership agreement of the Surviving Partnership until thereafter amended as provided therein or by applicable Law. On the Closing Date, following the Company Merger Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall file a certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership to reflect the Surviving Companys admission to the Surviving Partnership as the new sole general partner of the Surviving Partnership. From and after the Company Merger Effective Time, the Certificate of Limited Partnership, as so amended, shall be the certificate of limited partnership of the Surviving Partnership until thereafter amended as provided therein or by applicable Law.
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Promptly following the Company Merger Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall execute and deliver to the Surviving Partnership such documents or instruments as may be required to effect its admission as the successor sole general partner of the Surviving Partnership and as a limited partner of the Surviving Partnership, and it shall thereafter be admitted to the Surviving Partnership as the successor sole general partner and a limited partner of the Surviving Partnership at the Company Merger Effective Time and shall carry on the business of the Surviving Partnership without dissolution as provided in the Partnership Agreement.
Section 1.3 Officers, General Partner and Limited Partners of the Surviving Entities.
(a) Merger Sub I GP shall be the sole general partner of the Surviving Company following the Company Merger Effective Time, entitling Merger Sub I GP to such rights, duties and obligations as are more fully set forth in the limited partnership agreement of the Surviving Company.
(b) The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Company from and after the Company Merger Effective Time, until such time as their resignation or removal or such time as their successors shall be duly elected and qualified.
(c) The Company shall be the sole general partner and a limited partner of the Surviving Partnership following the Partnership Merger Effective Time and prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, entitling the Company to such rights, duties and obligations as are more fully set forth in the Amended Partnership Agreement. In the event there are Roll-Over Limited Partners, such Roll-Over Limited Partners shall be additional limited partners of the Surviving Partnership immediately following the Partnership Merger Effective Time. In the event there are no Roll-Over Limited Partners, a direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of Merger Sub I to be designated by Parent prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time shall be admitted as a limited partner of the Surviving Partnership immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time.
(d) The Surviving Company shall be the sole general partner of the Surviving Partnership following the Company Merger Effective Time, entitling the Surviving Company to such rights, duties and obligations as are more fully set forth in the Amended Partnership Agreement (as may be further amended to reflect the Surviving Company as the sole general partner of the Surviving Partnership following the Company Merger Effective Time).
Section 1.4 Effective Times.
(a) On the Closing Date, the Partnership and Merger Sub II shall duly execute and file a certificate of merger (the Partnership Merger Certificate) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the DSOS) in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware. The Partnership Merger shall become effective upon the filing of the Partnership Merger Certificate with the DSOS or on such other date and time as may be mutually agreed to by the Company and Parent and specified in the Partnership Merger Certificate in accordance with the DRULPA (the Partnership Merger Effective Time).
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(b) On the Closing Date, Merger Sub I and the Company shall (i) duly execute and file articles of merger (the Company Merger Articles of Merger) with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the SDAT) in accordance with the Laws of the State of Maryland, (ii) duly execute and file a certificate of merger (the Company Merger Certificate) with the DSOS in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware and (iii) make any other filings, recordings or publications required to be made by the Company or Merger Sub I under the MRL and the DRULPA in connection with the Company Merger. The Company Merger shall become effective upon the later of the acceptance for record of the Company Merger Articles of Merger by the SDAT, the filing of the Company Merger Certificate with the DSOS or on such other date and time as may be mutually agreed to by the Company and Parent and specified in the Company Merger Articles of Merger and the Company Merger Certificate in accordance with the MRL and the DRULPA (such date and time being hereinafter referred to as the Company Merger Effective Time), it being understood and agreed that the parties shall cause the Company Merger Effective Time to occur immediately after the Partnership Merger Effective Time.
(c) Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the parties shall cause the Company Merger Effective Time and the Partnership Merger Effective Time to occur on the Closing Date, with the Company Merger Effective Time occurring immediately after the Partnership Merger Effective Time.
Section 1.5 Closing of the Mergers. The closing of the Mergers (the Closing) shall take place at a time to be specified by the parties on the third Business Day after satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VI (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied or waived at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions), at the offices of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, 51 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019, or at such other time, date and place as may be mutually agreed to in writing by the parties hereto (the Closing Date); provided, that (i) Parent may on one or more occasions elect to delay the Closing to a date that is on or prior to October 10, 2018 by giving written notice to the Company (an Extension Notice) at least two Business Days immediately preceding the date that, but for such delivery of such Extension Notice, would have been the Closing Date and (ii) if Parent has delivered an Extension Notice, then Parent may, upon at least five Business Days prior written notice to the Company, designate the Closing Date to occur on a Business Day occurring on or prior to October 10, 2018 (such date, the Designated Closing Date) (and, for the avoidance of doubt, Parent shall be entitled to provide one or more additional Extension Notices to delay the Closing to a date following such Designated Closing Date that is on or prior to October 10, 2018, in which event the date specified in such additional Extension Notice(s) shall be the Designated Closing Date); provided, further, that if, on the Designated Closing Date, the conditions set forth in Article VI are not satisfied or waived (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied or waived at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions), then the Closing shall occur on the third Business Day following the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VI (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied or waived at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions) or on such other date as may be mutually agreed to in writing by the parties hereto. In the event that Parent elects to delay the Closing pursuant to the foregoing, all references to the Closing Date in this Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the date on which the Closing occurs.
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Section 1.6 Effects of the Mergers.
(a) The Company Merger shall have the effects set forth in the DRULPA and the MRL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Company Merger Effective Time, all the properties, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the Company and Merger Sub I shall vest in the Surviving Company, and all debts, liabilities, duties and obligations of the Company and Merger Sub I shall become the debts, liabilities, duties and obligations of the Surviving Company.
(b) The Partnership Merger shall have the effects set forth in the DRULPA. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Partnership Merger Effective Time, all the properties, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the Partnership and Merger Sub II shall vest in the Surviving Partnership, and all debts, liabilities, duties and obligations of the Partnership and Merger Sub II shall become the debts, liabilities, duties and obligations of the Surviving Partnership.
Section 1.7 Tax Consequences. The parties intend that for U.S. federal, and applicable state and local, income tax purposes (a) the Company Merger shall be treated as a taxable sale by the Company of all of the Companys assets to Merger Sub I in exchange for the Company Share Merger Consideration, the Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount and the assumption of all of the Companys liabilities, followed by a distribution of the Company Share Merger Consideration and the Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount to the shareholders of the Company in complete liquidation of the Company pursuant to Section 331 and Section 562 of the Code, and that this Agreement be, and is hereby adopted as, a plan of liquidation of the Company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and (b) the Partnership Merger shall be treated as (i) a taxable sale of the Partnership Units by the Cash-Out Limited Partners to Merger Sub I in exchange for the cash portion of the Partnership Unit Merger Consideration and (ii) a contribution of Partnership Units to the Surviving Partnership by the Roll-Over Limited Partners in exchange for New Partnership Preferred Units in a tax deferred transaction under Section 721 of the Code by each Roll-Over Limited Partner. In connection with the Partnership Merger, the capital accounts of the partners of the Partnership will be adjusted to reflect a revaluation of the Partnership property in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f). The parties hereto agree not to take any position on any Tax Return that is inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 1.7 for all U.S. federal, and, if applicable, state and local tax purposes.
ARTICLE II.
MERGER CONSIDERATION; COMPANY SHARES; PARTNERSHIP UNITS
Section 2.1 Company Share Merger Consideration; Effect on Company Shares.
(a) Partnership Interest of Merger Sub I. At the Company Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Company Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof, each unit of partnership interest in Merger Sub I issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time shall remain as one issued and outstanding unit of partnership interest in the Surviving Company.
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(b) Company Share Merger Consideration; Conversion of Company Shares. At the Company Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Company Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof, each common share, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (each, a Company Share) (other than Excluded Shares, if any, and Company Shares under a Company Restricted Share Award) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall automatically be converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the sum of (i) Twenty-Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents ($27.50) plus (ii) the Additional Consideration, without interest (such sum, the Per Company Share Merger Consideration). The aggregate amount of cash payable to holders of Company Shares as the Per Company Share Merger Consideration is hereinafter referred to as the Company Share Merger Consideration. The Per Company Share Merger Consideration shall be subject to adjustments as contemplated by Section 2.8 and Section 5.11.
(c) Cancellation of Company Shares Owned by Parent, the Company or Merger Sub I. At the Company Merger Effective Time, each issued and outstanding Company Share that is owned by Parent or Merger Sub I or any Subsidiary of Parent, the Company or Merger Sub I immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time (collectively, the Excluded Shares), if any, shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and no cash, Per Company Share Merger Consideration or other consideration shall be delivered or deliverable in exchange therefor.
(d) Cancellation of Company Shares. As of the Company Merger Effective Time, all Company Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and each holder of a Company Share (other than Excluded Shares, if any) shall cease to have any rights with respect to such interest, except the right to receive the Per Company Share Merger Consideration.
Section 2.2 Partnership Unit Merger Consideration; Effect on Partnership Units.
(a) Partnership Unit Merger Consideration; Conversion of Class A Partnership Units. At the Partnership Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Partnership Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof, each Class A Partnership Unit, other than Excluded Units, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be converted into, and shall be canceled in exchange for, the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, without interest (the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration); provided, that in lieu of receiving the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration with respect to Class A Partnership Units held immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time and subject to a Unit Election, if but only if (x) the applicable Minority Limited Partner has effectively made and not revoked a valid election pursuant to Section 2.2(b) to receive New Partnership Preferred Units in respect thereof and (y) the issuance of such New Partnership Preferred Units would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state and foreign securities laws, then each of such holders Class A Partnership Units subject to a Unit Election shall be converted into one fully paid New Partnership Preferred Unit, without interest. The aggregate amount of cash payable as the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration, together with the New Partnership Preferred Units, is
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hereinafter referred to as the Partnership Unit Merger Consideration and, together with the Company Share Merger Consideration and the aggregate Per Company Share Merger Consideration payable in respect of Company Equity Awards pursuant to Section 2.3, the Merger Consideration.
(b) Election of New Partnership Preferred Units. Subject to Section 2.2(b)(iv) and in accordance with Section 2.2(a), each eligible Minority Limited Partner shall be entitled, with respect to all or a portion of the Class A Partnership Units held immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time by such Minority Limited Partner (and as and to the extent specified by such Minority Limited Partner in the Minority Limited Partners Form of Election), to make an unconditional election, on or prior to the Election Date, to receive in the Partnership Merger in lieu of the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration to which such Minority Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled, New Partnership Preferred Units (a Unit Election) as follows:
(i) Parent shall prepare and deliver to the Partnership, as promptly as practicable following the date the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the shareholders of the Company and, in any event, not later than five (5) Business Days after the date on which the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the shareholders of the Company, and the Partnership shall mail to the Minority Limited Partners, a form of election, which form shall be subject to the reasonable approval of the Company (the Form of Election). The Form of Election may be used by each eligible Minority Limited Partner to designate such Minority Limited Partners election to convert any Class A Partnership Units that will be held by such Minority Limited Partner immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time into New Partnership Preferred Units. Any such Minority Limited Partners election to receive New Partnership Preferred Units shall be deemed to have been properly made only if Parent shall have received at its principal executive office, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date that is five (5) Business Days before the scheduled date of the Company Shareholders Meeting (the Election Date), a Form of Election specifying that such Minority Limited Partner elects to receive New Partnership Preferred Units with respect to the Class A Partnership Units specified by such Minority Limited Partner in the Minority Limited Partners Form of Election and otherwise properly completed and signed. The Form of Election shall state therein the date that constitutes the Election Date.
(ii) A Form of Election may be revoked by any Minority Limited Partner only by written notice received by Parent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Election Date. In addition, all Forms of Election shall be automatically revoked if the Partnership Merger has been abandoned.
(iii) The reasonable determination of Parent shall be binding as to whether or not elections to receive New Partnership Preferred Units have been properly made or revoked. If Parent determines that any election to receive New Partnership Preferred Units was not properly made, Parent shall notify such Minority Limited Partner of the improper election and provide a reasonable opportunity to such Minority Limited Partner to cure the improper election. If, following such reasonable period, the improperly made election remains uncured, the Class A Partnership Units with respect to
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which such election was not properly made shall be converted into Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration in accordance with Section 2.2(a). Parent may, with the agreement of the Company, make such rules as are consistent with this Section 2.2(b) for the implementation of elections provided for herein as shall be necessary or desirable to fully effect such elections.
(iv) Each eligible Minority Limited Partner, as a condition to making a Unit Election with respect to such Minority Limited Partners Partnership Units subject to a Unit Election, shall (x) represent to Parent that such holder is (1) an Accredited Investor (as such term is defined under Rule 501 promulgated under the Securities Act) and (2) not a benefit plan investor within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or other plan, account or arrangement (or entity whose assets constitute the assets of a plan, account or arrangement) that is subject to any Laws or regulations that are similar to the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, and (y) agree to be bound by the terms of the Amended Partnership Agreement as it will be in effect immediately following the Partnership Merger Effective Time (which agreement shall incorporate the terms of the New Partnership Preferred Units set forth in Exhibit B hereto and any other terms determined by Parent that are not inconsistent with the terms of the New Partnership Preferred Units and do not otherwise materially and adversely affect the holders of New Partnership Preferred Units).
(v) The Company and the Company Subsidiaries agree to reasonably cooperate with Parent in preparing any disclosure statement or other disclosure information to accompany the Form of Election, including information applicable to an offering of securities exempt from registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 506 thereunder, each of which shall be subject to the reasonable approval of the Company.
(vi) Promptly after the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the Surviving Partnership shall deliver to each Minority Limited Partner entitled to receive New Partnership Preferred Units pursuant to the terms of Section 2.2(a) and (b), a notice confirming such Minority Limited Partners record ownership of the New Partnership Preferred Units issuable pursuant hereto in respect of such Minority Limited Partners Class A Partnership Units subject to a Unit Election.
(vii) Each Person that receives New Partnership Preferred Units pursuant to the terms of Section 2.2(a) and (b) shall automatically be admitted as a limited partner of the Surviving Partnership at the Partnership Merger Effective Time.
(c) Partnership Units Held by the Company and Roll-Over Limited Partners. At the Partnership Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Partnership Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any partnership interest in the Partnership, (i) each Partnership Unit held by the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time (collectively, the Continuing Units) shall be unaffected by the Partnership Merger and shall remain outstanding as Partnership Units of the Surviving Partnership held by the Company and/or relevant wholly owned Subsidiaries of the
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Company and (ii) the Roll-Over Limited Partners shall own the number of New Partnership Preferred Units issued to them in the Partnership Merger.
(d) Cancellation of Parent and Merger Sub II-Owned Partnership Units. At the Partnership Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Partnership Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any partnership interest in the Partnership, each Partnership Unit held by Parent, Merger Sub II or any of their respective wholly owned Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time (collectively, the Cancelled Units and, together with the Continuing Units, the Excluded Units) shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist, with no consideration to be delivered or deliverable in exchange therefor.
(e) Cancellation of Merger Sub II Interests. At the Partnership Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the Partnership Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof, each partnership interest in Merger Sub II shall automatically be canceled and cease to exist, the holders thereof shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.
Section 2.3 Treatment of Equity-Based Awards.
(a) Company Restricted Share Awards. Effective immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, each award of restricted Company Shares (each, a Company Restricted Share Award) granted under a Company Equity Plan that is outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time shall be cancelled, with the holder of each such Company Restricted Share Award becoming entitled to receive, in full satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto, an amount in cash equal to (i) the number of Company Shares subject to the Company Restricted Share Award immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, less applicable withholding Taxes.
(b) Company RSU Awards. Effective immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, each restricted share unit award covering Company Shares (each, a Company RSU Award) granted under a Company Equity Plan that is outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time shall be cancelled, with the holder of each such Company RSU Award becoming entitled to receive, in full satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto, an amount in cash equal to (i) the number of Company Shares subject to the Company RSU Award immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, less applicable withholding Taxes.
(c) Company Options. Effective immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, each option to purchase Company Shares (each, a Company Option) shall automatically be cancelled, with the holder of such Company Option becoming entitled to receive, in full satisfaction of the rights of such holder with respect thereto, an amount in cash equal to (i) the number of Company Shares subject to the Company Option immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the excess (if any) of the Per Company Share Merger Consideration over the per share exercise price applicable to the Company Option, less applicable withholding taxes.
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(d) Company LTIP Units.
(i) With respect to each LTIP Unit (as defined in the Partnership Agreement, each, a Company LTIP Unit) that has vested in accordance with its terms prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time (each, a Vested LTIP Unit), prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the Company, as the general partner of the Partnership, shall exercise its right to cause a Forced Conversion (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) with respect to the maximum number of Vested LTIP Units then eligible for conversion, such that as of immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, each Vested LTIP Unit shall be converted into one Class A Partnership Unit. For the avoidance of doubt, such Class A Partnership Units issued in respect of such Vested LTIP Units shall be treated as Class A Partnership Units for purposes of this Agreement and the holders of such Class A Partnership Units shall be treated as holders of Class A Partnership Units as described in Section 2.2.
(ii) With respect to each Company LTIP Unit that is unvested as of the Business Day prior to the Closing Date, (i) the Valuation Date (as defined in the award agreement applicable to such Company LTIP Units) will be deemed to occur on the Business Day immediately prior to the Closing Date, (ii) the Compensation Committee of the Company Board (the Compensation Committee) shall determine the number of Company LTIP Units that vest as of such Valuation Date in accordance with the provisions of such award agreement that apply in connection with a Change-in-Control (as defined in the award agreement applicable to such Company LTIP Units) and (iii) such Company LTIP Units will vest, without proration, on the Business Day immediately prior to the Closing Date in accordance with the Compensation Committees determination. For the avoidance of doubt, following such vesting, such Company LTIP Units shall be treated as described in Section 2.3(d)(i). Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall provide written notice to Parent of the number of Company LTIP Units that vest pursuant to the foregoing, together with a reasonably detailed calculation showing how such number was determined by the Compensation Committee.
(e) As soon as practicable following the date hereof, the Company shall take all actions with respect to the Company ESPP to provide that (i) with respect to any offering periods in effect as of the date hereof (the Current ESPP Offering Period), no employee who is not a participant in the Company ESPP as of the date hereof may become a participant in the Company ESPP; (ii) subject to the consummation of the Company Merger, the Company ESPP shall terminate immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, (iii) if the Current ESPP Offering Period terminates prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, then the Company ESPP shall be suspended and no new offering period shall be commenced under the Company ESPP prior to the termination of this Agreement, and (iv) if the Current ESPP Offering Period is still in effect at the Company Merger Effective Time, then the last day of such Current ESPP Offering Period shall be accelerated to a date before the Closing Date as specified by the Company Board or its designated committee in accordance with Section 18(b) of the Company ESPP.
(f) Cash amounts payable to employees pursuant to Section 2.3(a), Section 2.3(b) and Section 2.3(c) shall be paid through the Companys payroll, less applicable
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withholding taxes, within ten (10) Business Days following the Closing Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.3, any payment in respect of a Company RSU Award that, immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, was subject to Section 409A of the Code, shall be made at such time is required to comply with Section 409A of the Code.
(g) Prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the Company shall take all actions necessary for the treatment of Company Equity Awards contemplated by this Section 2.3 and to ensure that, following the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, no Company Equity Awards shall exist (and no holder of any rights in respect thereof shall have any further rights other than as expressly contemplated by this Section 2.3).
Section 2.4 Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Paying Agent. Prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, Parent shall appoint a bank or trust company reasonably satisfactory to the Company to act as Paying Agent (the Paying Agent) for (i) the payment or exchange in accordance with this Article II of the Merger Consideration (other than any New Partnership Preferred Units to be issued in accordance with this Article II pursuant to the Unit Election and payments in respect of Company Equity Awards) and (ii) if Parent directs the Paying Agent to so act (provided, however, that if Parent does not direct the Paying Agent to so act, Parent shall so act), in Parents discretion, the exchange of Class A Partnership Units subject to a Unit Election for New Partnership Preferred Units pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.2. At or prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, Parent shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Paying Agent the cash portion of the Merger Consideration for the benefit of the holders of Company Shares and Class A Partnership Units, as applicable, and, if applicable, immediately following the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the New Partnership Preferred Units to be issued pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.2, less the Per Company Share Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of Company Equity Awards (for the avoidance of doubt, the cash portion of the Merger Consideration payable in respect of Class A Partnership Units issued upon conversion of LTIP Units shall be deposited with the Paying Agent) which amount shall be paid directly to the Surviving Company (the cash portion of the Merger Consideration and, if applicable, any such New Partnership Preferred Units so deposited being referred to herein as the Exchange Fund). The Paying Agent shall make payments of the Company Share Merger Consideration and the Partnership Unit Merger Consideration out of the Exchange Fund in accordance with this Agreement, and the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose. Any and all interest earned on cash deposited in the Exchange Fund shall be paid to the Surviving Company.
(b) Share and Unit Transfer Books. On the Closing Date, the share transfer books of the Company and the unit transfer books of the Partnership shall be closed and thereafter there shall be no further registration of transfers of the Company Shares or Partnership Units (except for the transfer of Partnership Units owned by the Company in the Company Merger). From and after the Closing Date, the holders of any certificates (each such certificate, a Certificate) representing ownership of the Company Shares or Partnership Units outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time or the Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable, or any book-entry shares (each such book-entry share, a Book-Entry Share) or book-entry units (each such book-entry unit, a Book-Entry Unit) representing
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Company Shares or Partnership Units outstanding immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time or the Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable, shall cease to have rights with respect to such shares or units, as applicable, except as otherwise provided for herein. On or after the Closing Date, any Certificates, Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units presented to the Paying Agent, the Surviving Company or the Surviving Partnership in accordance with this Agreement shall be exchanged for the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, with respect to the Company Shares or Partnership Units formerly represented thereby.
Section 2.5 Exchange Procedures.
(a) Procedure. As soon as practicable after the Closing Date (but in any event within five (5) Business Days), the Surviving Company shall (i) cause the Paying Agent to mail to each holder of record of a Certificate or Certificates that, immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, represented outstanding Company Shares or that, immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time, represented Partnership Units, which were converted into the right to receive or be exchanged for the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, pursuant to Section 2.1 and Section 2.2: (x) a letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass to the Paying Agent, only upon delivery of the Certificates or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof in accordance with Section 2.5(f) to the Paying Agent, and which letter shall be in such form and have such other provisions as Parent and the Company may mutually agree and specify) and (y) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, to which the holder thereof is entitled, and (ii) pay (or deliver, as applicable) the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration and any New Partnership Preferred Units to be paid or issued to holders of Class A Partnership Units, less any applicable income and employment withholding Taxes. Upon surrender of a Certificate for cancellation or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof in accordance with Section 2.5(f) to the Paying Agent or to such other agent or agents reasonably satisfactory to the Company as may be appointed by Parent, together with such letter of transmittal, duly executed and completed in accordance with the instructions thereto, and such other documents as may reasonably be required by the Paying Agent, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, payable or issuable in respect of the Company Shares or Partnership Units, as applicable, previously represented by such Certificate pursuant to the provisions of this Article II, and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. In the event of a transfer of ownership of Company Shares or Partnership Units to a Person that is not registered in the transfer records of the Company or Partnership, payment may be made to a Person other than the Person in whose name the Certificate so surrendered is registered, if such Certificate shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for transfer and the Person requesting such payment shall pay any transfer or other similar Taxes required by reason of the payment to a Person other than the registered holder of such Certificate or establish to the reasonable satisfaction of Parent that such Tax has been paid or is not applicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no holder of Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units shall be required to deliver a Certificate or letter of transmittal or
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surrender such Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units to the Paying Agent. In lieu thereof, the holder of such Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units shall automatically upon the Company Merger Effective Time or the Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable, be entitled to receive in exchange therefor the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, payable in respect of the Company Shares or Partnership Units, as applicable, previously represented by such Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units pursuant to the provisions of this Article II. Until surrendered, in the case of a Certificate, or paid, in the case of a Book-Entry Share or Book-Entry Unit, in each case, as contemplated by this Section 2.5, each Certificate, Book-Entry Share or Book-Entry Unit shall be deemed at any time after the Closing Date to represent only the right to receive, upon such surrender, the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, as contemplated by this Article II. No interest shall be paid or accrue for the benefit of the holders of the Certificates, Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units on any cash payable hereunder.
(b) No Further Ownership Rights in the Company Shares or Partnership Units. On the Closing Date, holders of Company Shares or Partnership Units that are converted into the right to receive Per Company Share Merger Consideration, Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, shall cease to be, and shall have no rights as, shareholders of the Company or limited partners of the Partnership other than the right to receive the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, as provided under this Article II. The Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or the New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, paid, delivered or issued upon the surrender for exchange of Certificates representing Company Shares or Partnership Units, or automatically in the case of Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units, in accordance with the terms of this Article II shall be deemed to have been paid, delivered or issued, as the case may be, in full satisfaction of all rights and privileges pertaining to the Company Shares or Partnership Units, as applicable, exchanged therefor.
(c) Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains undistributed to the holders of the Certificates, Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units for twelve (12) months after the Closing Date shall be delivered to the Surviving Company and any holders of Company Shares or Partnership Units prior to the Company Merger Effective Time or Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable, who have not theretofore complied with this Article II shall thereafter look only to the Surviving Company and only as general creditors thereof for payment of the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or the New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, upon compliance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.5(a) and subject to Section 2.5(d).
(d) No Liability. None of Parent, Merger Sub I, the Surviving Company, the Partnership, Merger Sub II, the Surviving Partnership, the Company or the Paying Agent, or any employee, officer, trustee, director, agent or affiliate thereof, shall be liable to any Person in respect of Merger Consideration from the Exchange Fund delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Law. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by holders of the Certificates, Book-Entry Shares or Book-Entry Units immediately prior to the time at which such amounts would otherwise escheat to, or become the property of,
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any Governmental Entity shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, become the property of the Surviving Company, free and clear of any claims or interest of any such holders or their successors, assigns or personal representatives previously entitled thereto.
(e) Investment of Exchange Fund. After the Closing Date, the Paying Agent shall invest any cash included in the Exchange Fund as directed by the Surviving Company. Any interest and other income resulting from such investments shall be paid to the Surviving Company. Until the termination of the Exchange Fund pursuant to Section 2.5(c), to the extent that there are losses with respect to such investments, or the cash portion of the Exchange Fund diminishes for other reasons below the level required to make prompt payments of the Company Share Merger Consideration or the cash portion of the Partnership Unit Merger Consideration as contemplated hereby, the Surviving Company shall promptly replace or restore the cash portion of the Exchange Fund lost through investments or other events so as to ensure that the cash portion of the Exchange Fund is, at all times, maintained at a level sufficient to make all such payments.
(f) Lost Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed to the reasonable satisfaction of Parent and the Paying Agent and the taking of such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent (or, if subsequent to the termination of the Exchange Fund pursuant to, and subject to, Section 2.5(c), the Surviving Company) will issue, in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or the New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, payable in respect thereof, in accordance with this Agreement.
Section 2.6 Withholding Rights. Each of the Company, the Surviving Company, the Surviving Partnership, Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II and the Paying Agent, as applicable, shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any amounts otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment (and, with respect to Company Equity Awards, the vesting, cancellation or redemption of such Company Equity Awards, as applicable) under the Code, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any applicable provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law. Any amounts so deducted and withheld by the Company, the Surviving Company, the Surviving Partnership, Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II and the Paying Agent shall be promptly paid over by such Person to the appropriate Governmental Entity in accordance with applicable Law. To the extent that amounts are so deducted and withheld and so paid over to the appropriate Governmental Entity, such deducted and withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made. The Surviving Company shall pay or cause to be paid the income and employment withholding Taxes required to be paid in connection with the cancellation of Company Equity Awards pursuant to Section 2.3 to the appropriate Governmental Entity on behalf of the holders of Company Equity Awards within the time period required by applicable Law.
Section 2.7 Dissenters Rights. No dissenters or appraisal rights shall be available with respect to the Mergers.
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Section 2.8 Adjustment of Per Company Share Merger Consideration, Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration or New Partnership Preferred Units. In the event that, subsequent to the date of this Agreement but prior to the Company Merger Effective Time or the Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable, the Company Shares or the Partnership Units issued and outstanding shall, through a reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, share dividend, share split, reverse share split or other similar change in the capitalization of the Company or the Partnership, as applicable, increase or decrease in number or be changed into or exchanged for a different kind or number of securities, then an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be made to the Per Company Share Merger Consideration, the Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration and New Partnership Preferred Units, as applicable, to provide the holders the same economic effect as contemplated by this Agreement prior to such event; provided, however, that nothing set forth in this Section 2.8 shall be construed to supersede or in any way limit the prohibitions set forth in Section 5.1 hereof.
ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY PARTIES
Except (a) as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents furnished or filed prior to the date hereof (other than disclosures in the Risk Factors sections of any such filings and any disclosure of risks or other matters included in any forward-looking statements disclaimer or other statements that are cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature), or (b) as disclosed in the separate disclosure letter which has been delivered by the Company to Parent in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, including the documents attached to or incorporated by reference in such disclosure letter (the Company Disclosure Letter) (it being agreed that disclosure of any item in any section or subsection of the Company Disclosure Letter shall also be deemed to be disclosed with respect to any other section or subsection in this Agreement to which the relevance of such item is reasonably apparent on the face of such disclosure), the Company and the Partnership hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II as follows:
Section 3.1 Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.
(a) The Company is a real estate investment trust duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Maryland. The Partnership is a limited partnership duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware. Each other Company Subsidiary is a corporation or other legal entity duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions that recognize such concept), as applicable, under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, except where the failure to be so existing and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each Company Subsidiary has requisite real estate investment trust or other legal entity, as the case may be, power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, except where the failure to have such power and authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each Company Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction (with
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respect to jurisdictions that recognize such concept) where the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties or assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of (i) the declaration of trust of the Company (the Company Charter), (ii) the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the Company Bylaws), (iii) the Partnership Agreement and (iv) the Certificate of Limited Partnership, in each case as in effect as of the date hereof and together with all amendments thereto. Each of the Company Charter, the Company Bylaws, the Partnership Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership was duly adopted and is in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor the Partnership is in violation of any of the provisions of such documents.
(c) Section 3.1(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete list of each Company Subsidiary, together with its jurisdiction of organization or incorporation and the ownership interest (and percentage interest) of the Company or a Company Subsidiary and any other Person, as applicable, in such Company Subsidiary.
(d) Section 3.1(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete list of Persons, other than the Company Subsidiaries, in which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has an equity interest as of the date of this Agreement recorded on the Companys most recent balance sheet in an amount in excess of $2,000,000 (a JV Entity), together with the Companys or applicable Company Subsidiarys ownership interests and stated percentage interests in each such entity.
Section 3.2 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized share capital of the Company consists of 490,000,000 Company Shares, and 10,000,000 preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the Company Preferred Shares), of which 3,500,000 shares are classified as Company Series A Preferred Shares (the Company Series A Preferred Shares). As of May 4, 2018, (i) 160,785,498 Company Shares were issued and outstanding, all of which were duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and free of preemptive rights (such number includes 365,721 Company Shares that are unvested outstanding Company Restricted Share Awards), and 3,500,000 Company Series A Preferred Shares were issued and outstanding, all of which were duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and free of preemptive rights, (ii) no Company Shares or Company Preferred Shares were reserved for issuance except for an aggregate of 16,351,564 Company Shares reserved and available for future issuance under the Company Equity Plans, the Company ESPP, the Companys dividend reinvestment plan and the Companys at-the-market program, (iii) 67,984 Company Shares were underlying outstanding Company RSU Awards and (iv) 68,313 Company Shares were underlying Company Options.
(b) All Company Shares to be issued pursuant to any Company Equity Award shall be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and free of preemptive rights. Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth the following information with respect to each Company Restricted Share Award, Company RSU Award,
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Company Option and Company LTIP Unit outstanding as of May 4, 2018: (i) the name of the holder of such Company Restricted Share Award, Company RSU Award, Company Option or Company LTIP Unit; (ii) the number of Company Shares subject to such Company RSU Award, or Company Option and the number of Company LTIP Units held by such holder; (iii) the date on which such Company Restricted Share Award, Company RSU Award, Company Option or Company LTIP Unit was granted; (iv) the extent to which such Company Restricted Share Award, Company RSU Award, Company Option or Company LTIP Unit is vested and/or non-forfeitable, as of May 4, 2018, and the times and extent to which such Company Restricted Share Award, or Company RSU Award (assuming target level and maximum performance to the extent applicable) or Company Option or Company LTIP Unit is scheduled to become vested and/or non-forfeitable thereafter; and (v) the exercise price per Company Share of such Company Option.
(c) As of the date hereof, except as provided in Section 3.2(a) or (b) and except as set forth in Section 3.2(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter, there are no (i) outstanding securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary convertible into or exchangeable for one or more shares of the share capital of, or other equity or voting interests in, the Company or any Company Subsidiary, (ii) options, warrants or other rights or securities issued or granted by the Company or any Company Subsidiary relating to or based on the value of the equity securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, (iii) Contracts that are binding on the Company or any Company Subsidiary that obligate the Company or any Company Subsidiary to issue, acquire, sell, redeem, exchange or convert any capital shares of, or other equity interests in, the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or (iv) outstanding restricted shares, restricted share units, share appreciation rights, performance shares, performance units, deferred share units, contingent value rights, phantom shares or similar rights issued or granted by the Company or any Company Subsidiary that are linked to the value of the Company Shares. Since the close of business on May 4, 2018 through the date hereof, the Company has not issued any Company Shares or other equity security (other than shares in respect of Company Equity Awards outstanding prior to such date). The Company does not have a shareholder rights plan in place. Except as set forth in Section 3.2(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Company has not exempted any Person from the Common Share Ownership Limit or the Preferred Share Ownership Limit or established or increased an Excepted Holder Limit, as such terms are defined in the Company Charter, which exemption or Excepted Holder Limit remains in effect. There are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries having the right to vote on any matters on which holders of capital stock or other equity interests of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries may vote. None of the Company Subsidiaries owns any Company Shares.
(d) Except as provided in Section 3.2(f) and except as set forth in Section 3.2(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Company or another Company Subsidiary owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding shares of share capital or other equity securities of each of the Company Subsidiaries, free and clear of any Liens other than transfer and other restrictions under applicable federal and state securities Laws and restrictions in the organizational documents of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, and all of such outstanding shares or other equity securities have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable (as applicable) and free of preemptive rights. Except (i) pursuant to the Company Charter, (ii) pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, (iii) for equity securities and other
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instruments (including loans) in wholly owned Company Subsidiaries and (iv) as set forth in Section 3.2(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has any obligation to acquire any equity interest in another Person, or to make any investment (in each case, in the form of a loan, capital contribution or similar transaction) in, any other Person (including any Company Subsidiary).
(e) Except as set forth in Section 3.2(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter and for transfer restrictions in the organizational documents of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries is a party to any Contract with respect to the voting of, that restricts the transfer of or that provides registration rights in respect of, any capital shares or other voting securities or equity interests of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries.
(f) The Company is the sole general partner of the Partnership. As of the date hereof, the Company holds 160,785,498 Class A Partnership Units and 3,500,000 Partnership Preferred Units. In addition to the Partnership Units held by the Company, as of the date hereof, (i) 5,300,343 issued and outstanding Class A Partnership Units were held by Persons other than the Company, (ii) 659,515 issued and outstanding Company LTIP Units were earned, vested and not subject to forfeiture and (iii) 1,161,628 issued and outstanding Company LTIP Units were unearned and unvested, but available to become earned and vested assuming achievement of Maximum performance levels (or 580,809 Company LTIP Units assuming achievement of Target performance levels) and, other than the foregoing specified numbers of units, no other units or equity interests in the Partnership are issued and outstanding. Each Class A Partnership Unit is redeemable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement in exchange for one Company Share or cash, at the Companys election. Section 3.2(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a list as of the date hereof of all other holders of the Partnership Units (such holders most recent address is on file with the Partnerships transfer agent, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.), the number and type of such Partnership Units held. Except as set forth in Section 3.2(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter, as of the date hereof, there are no existing options, warrants, calls, subscriptions, convertible securities, or other rights, agreements or commitments which obligate the Partnership to issue, transfer or sell any partnership interests in the Partnership or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any partnership interests in the Partnership. Except as set forth in Section 3.2(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter, and other than with respect to Company LTIP Units set forth in Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter and Partnership Preferred Units, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Partnership to issue, repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any partnership interests in the Partnership or any other securities convertible into or exchangeable for any partnership interest in the Partnership. Except as set forth in Section 3.2(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Partnership Units that are owned by the Company are free and clear of any Liens other than any transfer and other restrictions under applicable federal and state securities Laws or the Partnership Agreement.
(g) As of the date of this Agreement, there is no outstanding Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries in excess of $10,000,000 in principal amount, other than Indebtedness in the principal amounts identified by instrument in Section 3.2(g) of the Company Disclosure Letter.
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Section 3.3 Authority.
(a) The Company has the requisite real estate investment trust power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and, subject to the receipt of the Company Requisite Vote, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary trust action on the part of the Company Board and, other than the Company Requisite Vote and the filing of the Company Merger Articles of Merger with the SDAT and the Company Merger Certificate with the DSOS, no additional trust proceedings on the part of the Company or any Company Subsidiary are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II) constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability (i) may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws of general application, now or hereafter in effect, affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity (clauses (i) and (ii) collectively, the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception).
(b) The Partnership has the requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership and the consummation by the Partnership of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Partnership and the Company in its capacity as the sole general partner of the Partnership and, other than the filing of the Partnership Merger Certificate with the DSOS, no additional proceedings on the part of the Partnership are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by the Partnership of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Partnership. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Partnership and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II) constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Partnership enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.
(c) The Company Board has unanimously (i) approved and declared advisable the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) approved the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and, subject to obtaining the Company Requisite Vote, the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Mergers, (iii) directed that, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company Merger be submitted to the shareholders of the Company for their approval and (iv) resolved, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, to recommend the approval of the Company Merger by the shareholders of the Company, in each case by resolutions duly adopted, which resolutions, except as permitted under Section 5.6, have not been subsequently rescinded, withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Parent.
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Section 3.4 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) None of the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company or the Partnership or the consummation by the Company or the Partnership of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will: (i) subject to obtaining the Company Requisite Vote, conflict with or violate any provision of the Company Charter, the Company Bylaws, the Certificate of Limited Partnership or the Partnership Agreement, as applicable; (ii) (A) conflict with or violate any provision of the organizational documents of any Company Subsidiary (other than the Partnership) and (B) assuming that all consents, approvals and authorizations described in Section 3.4(b) have been obtained and all filings and notifications described in Section 3.4(b) have been made and any waiting periods thereunder have terminated or expired, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or any of their respective properties or assets; or (iii) require any consent, notice or approval under, violate, conflict with, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both), or result in termination or give to others any right of termination, vesting, amendment, acceleration, notification, cancellation, purchase or sale under or result in the triggering of any payment or creation of a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) upon any of the respective properties or assets (including rights) of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, pursuant to, any Contract to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party (or by which any of their respective properties or assets (including rights) are bound) or any Company Permit, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), (x) as set forth in Section 3.4(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (y) contemplated by Section 2.3 or (z) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) None of the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company or the Partnership or the consummation by the Company or the Partnership of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will require (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing or registration with or notification to, any Governmental Entity by the Company or any Company Subsidiary or with respect to any of their respective properties or assets, other than (i) the filing, and acceptance for record, of the Company Merger Articles of Merger with the SDAT, (ii) the filing of the Partnership Merger Certificate with the DSOS, (iii) the filing of the Company Merger Certificate with the DSOS, (iv) compliance with, and such filings as may be required under, Environmental Laws, (v) compliance with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, (vi) filings as may be required under the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, (vii) compliance with any applicable federal or state securities or blue sky Laws, (viii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, permits, filings, registrations or notifications as may be required as a result of the identity of Parent or any of its affiliates, (ix) such filings as may be required in connection with the payment of any transfer and gain taxes and (x) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits of, or to make such filings, registrations with or notifications to, any Governmental Entity would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.5 Company SEC Documents; Financial Statements.
(a) Since January 1, 2016, the Company has filed with or otherwise furnished to the SEC all registration statements, prospectuses, forms, reports, definitive proxy statements, schedules and documents required to be filed or furnished by it under the Securities Act or the
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Exchange Act, as the case may be, together with all certifications required pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) (such documents and any other documents filed by the Company with the SEC, as they may have been supplemented, modified or amended since the time of filing, including those filed or furnished subsequent to the date hereof, collectively, the Company SEC Documents). As of their respective filing (or furnishing) dates or, if supplemented, modified or amended since the time of filing, as of the date of the most recent supplement, modification or amendment, the Company SEC Documents (i) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (ii) complied in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as the case may be, in each case as in effect on the date each such document was filed with or furnished to the SEC. None of the Company Subsidiaries (other than the Partnership) is currently subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company has made available to Parent all comment letters and all material correspondence between the SEC, on the one hand, and the Company or the Partnership, on the other hand, since January 1, 2016. As of the date hereof, there are no material outstanding or unresolved comments received from the SEC with respect to any of the Company SEC Documents filed or furnished by the Company or the Partnership with the SEC and, as of the date hereof, to the Companys knowledge, none of the Company SEC Documents is the subject of ongoing SEC review. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange. The audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidated interim financial statements of the Company (including, in each case, any notes and schedules thereto) and the consolidated Company Subsidiaries included in or incorporated by reference into the Company SEC Documents (collectively, the Company Financial Statements) (i) were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States (GAAP) (as in effect in the United States on the date of such Company Financial Statement) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited financial statements, as permitted by SEC rules and regulations) and (ii) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and the consolidated Company Subsidiaries and the results of their operations and their cash flows as of the dates and for the periods referred to therein (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of interim financial statements, for normal year-end adjustments).
(b) The Company has designed and maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) intended to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting for the Company and the Company Subsidiaries. The Company has designed disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to provide reasonable assurance that material information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to the Companys management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
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Section 3.6 Information Supplied. The Proxy Statement will not, at the time the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the Companys shareholders, at the time of the Company Shareholders Meeting or at the time of any amendment or supplement thereof, as applicable, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The Proxy Statement, insofar as it relates to the Company or the Company Subsidiaries or other information supplied by the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference therein, will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no representation or warranty is made by the Company or the Partnership with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information supplied by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their Representatives specifically for inclusion (or incorporation by reference) in the Proxy Statement.
Section 3.7 Absence of Certain Changes. Except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, since December 31, 2017 through the date hereof, (a) the Company, the Partnership and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have conducted their respective businesses in all material respects in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (b) there have not been any changes, events, state of facts or developments, that, individually or in the aggregate, have had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect and (c) except for regular quarterly cash dividends or other distributions on the Company Shares, Company Series A Preferred Shares, Partnership Preferred Units and Partnership Units, there has not been any declaration, setting aside for payment or payment of any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property) with respect to any Company Shares, Partnership Units, Company Series A Preferred Shares or Partnership Preferred Units.
Section 3.8 Undisclosed Liabilities. Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has, or is subject to, any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) of a type required by GAAP as in effect on the date hereof to be set forth on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries or in the notes thereto, other than liabilities and obligations (a) disclosed, reflected, reserved against or provided for in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2017 or in the notes thereto, (b) incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in all material respects since December 31, 2017, (c) incurred or permitted to be incurred under this Agreement or incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, or (d) that otherwise would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.9 Permits; Compliance with Laws.
(a) The Company and each Company Subsidiary is in possession of all franchises, authorizations, licenses, permits, certificates, variances, exemptions, approvals and orders of any Governmental Entity (each, a Permit) necessary for the Company and each Company Subsidiary to own, lease and operate its properties and assets, and to carry on and operate its businesses as currently conducted as of the date hereof (the Company Permits), and all such Company Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
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Effect. No suspension or cancellation of any Company Permits is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing and no such suspension or cancellation will result from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Laws applicable to the Company, the Company Subsidiaries and their respective businesses and properties or assets, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, no investigation, review or proceeding by any Governmental Entity with respect to the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries or their operations is pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened in writing, and, to the Companys knowledge, no Governmental Entity has indicated an intention to conduct the same.
(c) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries, nor, to the Companys knowledge, any trustee, director, officer or employee of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries, has (i) knowingly used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (ii) unlawfully offered or provided, directly or indirectly, anything of value to (or received anything of value from) any foreign or domestic government employee or official or any other Person, or (iii) taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would constitute a violation in any material respect by such Persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the FCPA), including making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA.
Section 3.10 Litigation. Except as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Company Disclosure Letter and except for shareholder or derivative litigation that may be brought relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or events leading up to this Agreement, there is no suit, claim, action, investigation or proceeding which is against the Company or any Company Subsidiary (or any of their properties or assets) pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity or arbitrator unrelated to this Agreement that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. As of immediately prior to the date of this Agreement, there is no suit, claim, action or proceeding to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing seeking to prevent, hinder, modify, delay or challenge the Mergers or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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Section 3.11 Employee Benefits.
(a) Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a list of all material employee benefit plans, as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), and all other material employee benefit plans or other benefit arrangements or payroll practices, including bonus plans, fringe benefits, executive compensation, consulting or other compensation agreements, change in control agreements, incentive, equity or equity-based compensation, deferred compensation arrangements, share purchase, severance pay, sick leave, vacation pay, salary continuation, hospitalization, medical benefits, life insurance, other welfare benefits, cafeteria, scholarship programs, trustees benefit, bonus or other incentive compensation, which the Company or any Company Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains, contributes to or has any obligation to contribute to or with respect to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate has any direct or indirect liability (each a Company Employee Benefit Plan and collectively, the Company Employee Benefit Plans).
(b) None of the Company Employee Benefit Plans is or has been subject to Title IV of ERISA, or is or has been subject to Sections 4063 or 4064 of ERISA, nor is the Company, any Company Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate obligated to contribute (and such entities have not, in the past six (6) years, had an obligation to contribute) to a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA (a Multiemployer Plan). Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any present or contingent liability under Title IV of ERISA, nor does any condition exist which would reasonably be expected to result in any such liability.
(c) Correct and complete copies of the following documents, with respect to each of the Company Employee Benefit Plans (other than a Multiemployer Plan, of which there are none) have been made available to Parent by the Company: (i) plan and related trust documents, and amendments thereto (or, to the extent no such plan exists, a written summary of material terms); (ii) the most recent Form 5500 and schedules thereto, if applicable; (iii) the most recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determination letter, if any; (iv) the current summary plan description and any material modifications thereto, if applicable; (v) the most recent financial statements and actuarial valuations, if applicable; and (vi) all material correspondence regarding the Company Employee Benefit Plan with any Governmental Entity.
(d) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its ERISA Affiliates have performed all obligations required to be performed by them under all Company Employee Benefit Plans; (ii) the Company Employee Benefit Plans have been administered in compliance with their terms and the requirements of applicable Laws; (iii) all contributions and premium payments (including all employer contributions and employee salary reduction contributions) required to have been made under any of the Company Employee Benefit Plans, including to any funds or trusts established thereunder or in connection therewith, have been made by the due date thereof, or, to the extent not yet due, will have been paid, or accrued in accordance with GAAP, prior to the Company Merger Effective Time; (iv) there are no actions, suits, arbitrations, investigations, audits or claims (other than routine claims for benefits) filed, or to the Companys knowledge, threatened in writing with respect to any Company Employee Benefit Plan; (v) the Company and its ERISA Affiliates have no liability as a result of any prohibited transaction (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) for
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any excise Tax or civil penalty, and (vi) none of the Company Employee Benefit Plans provide for continuing post-employment health, life insurance coverage or other welfare benefits for any participant or any beneficiary of a participant, except as may be required under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (COBRA), or similar state Law, or except with respect to a contractual obligation to reimburse any premiums such Person may pay in order to obtain health coverage under COBRA.
(e) Each of the Company Employee Benefit Plans which is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable opinion letter or determination letter from the IRS and, to the Companys knowledge, there is no fact which would adversely affect the qualified status of any such Company Employee Benefit Plan or the exemption of such trust.
(f) Except as set forth in Section 3.11(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Mergers will (either alone or in combination with any other event) (i) result in any payment becoming due, or increase the amount of compensation due, to any current or former Service Provider; (ii) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any Company Employee Benefit Plan; or (iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment (including the funding of a trust) or vesting of any compensation or benefits from the Company or any Company Subsidiary to any current or former Service Provider. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as set forth in Section 3.11(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter, no amount payable to any current or former Service Provider (whether in cash or property or as a result of accelerated vesting) as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (either alone or in combination with any other event) would be nondeductible under Section 280G of the Code. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has any obligations to gross-up, indemnify or otherwise reimburse any current or former Service Provider for any Taxes incurred by such Service Provider, including, but not limited to, Taxes incurred under Section 409A or 4999 of the Code, or any interest or penalty related thereto.
Section 3.12 Labor Matters.
(a) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is party to any collective bargaining agreement or similar labor agreement (excluding personal services contracts).
(b) (i) No employees of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries are represented by any labor organization; (ii) no labor organization or group of employees of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries has made a written demand to the Company or any Company Subsidiary for recognition or certification; (iii) there are no representation or certification proceedings or petitions seeking a representation proceeding presently filed, or to the Companys knowledge, threatened in writing to be brought or filed with the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority; (iv) to the Companys knowledge, there are no organizing activities involving the Company or any Company Subsidiary pending with any labor organization or group of employees of the Company or any Company Subsidiary; and (v) the Company and the Company Subsidiaries are
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not currently materially affected and have not been materially affected in the past by any actual or threatened work stoppage, strike or other labor disturbance.
(c) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no unfair labor practice charges, grievances or complaints filed or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened in writing by or on behalf of any employee or group of employees of the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
(d) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no complaints, charges or claims against the Company or any Company Subsidiary filed or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing to be brought or filed, with any Governmental Entity or arbitrator based on, arising out of, in connection with, or otherwise relating to the employment or termination of employment of any individual by the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
(e) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and each Company Subsidiary is in compliance with all Laws relating to the employment of labor, including all such Laws relating to wages, hours, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and any similar state or local mass layoff or plant closing Law (WARN), collective bargaining, discrimination, civil rights, affirmative action, safety and health, workers compensation and the collection and payment of withholding and/or social security Taxes and any similar Tax; and (ii) there has been no mass layoff or plant closing as defined by WARN with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiary within the last six (6) months.
Section 3.13 Tax Matters.
(a) The Company and each Company Subsidiary has timely filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) all income and all other material Tax Returns required to be filed by it and all such filed Tax Returns are correct, complete and accurate in all material respects. All material Taxes payable by or on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (whether or not shown on a Tax Return) have been fully and timely paid or adequately provided for in accordance with GAAP, and adequate reserves or accruals for Taxes have been provided in accordance with GAAP with respect to any period for which Tax Returns have not yet been filed or for which Taxes are not yet due and owing or for which Taxes are being contested in good faith. No power of attorney with respect to any Tax matter is currently in force.
(b) The Company (i) for all taxable years commencing in 2004, the year with respect to which the Company first made the election to be treated as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, through December 31, 2017, has been organized and operated in conformity for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (a REIT) within the meaning of Section 856 of the Code, (ii) has operated, and will continue to operate, in such a manner so as to enable it to qualify as a REIT from January 1, 2018 through the date of the Company Merger Effective Time, and (iii) has not taken or omitted to take any action which would reasonably be expected to result in the Companys failure to qualify as a REIT, and no
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challenge to the Companys status or qualification as a REIT is pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened in writing. Section 3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth each Company Subsidiary and its classification for U.S. federal income tax purposes as of the date hereof. Each entity that is listed in Section 3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter as a partnership, joint venture, or limited liability company has, since the later of the date of its formation and the date on which the Company acquired an interest in such entity, been treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a partnership or disregarded entity, as the case may be, and not as a corporation or an association taxable as a corporation. Each entity that is listed in Section 3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter as a corporation has, since the later of the date of its formation or the date on which the Company acquired an interest in such entity, been treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a REIT, a qualified REIT subsidiary pursuant to Section 856(i) of the Code (a QRS) or a taxable REIT subsidiary pursuant to Section 856(l) of the Code (a TRS) as set forth on such schedule. Each entity that is listed in Section 3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter as a REIT has been, since the date of its formation, treated as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary holds any asset the disposition of which would be subject to rules similar to Section 1374 of the Code (or otherwise result in any built-in gains Tax under Section 337(d) of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations thereunder).
(c) Since January 1, 2013, the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have not incurred (i) any liability for Taxes under Sections 857(b), 857(f), 860(c) or 4981 of the Code or Section 337(d) of the Code (and the applicable Treasury Regulations thereunder) or (ii) any other material liability for Taxes that have become due and that have not been previously paid other than in the ordinary course of business. Since January 1, 2013, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary (other than a TRS or any subsidiary of a TRS) has engaged at any time in any prohibited transaction within the meaning of Section 857(b)(6) of the Code. Since January 1, 2013, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has engaged in any transaction that would give rise to redetermined rents, redetermined deductions and excess interest described in Section 857(b)(7) of the Code. To the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred, and no condition or circumstance exists, which presents a material risk that any material Tax described in the preceding sentences will be imposed on the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
(d) Section 3.13(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth the Tax Protection Agreements currently in force and there are no other Tax Protection Agreements currently in force.
(e) Each of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries: (i) is not currently the subject of any audits, examinations, investigations or other proceedings in respect of any material Tax or Tax matter by any Governmental Entity; (ii) has not received any notice in writing from any Governmental Entity that such an audit, examination, investigation or other proceeding is contemplated or pending; (iii) has not waived any statute of limitations in respect of material Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a material Tax assessment or deficiency; (iv) has not received a request for waiver of the time to assess any material Taxes, which request is still pending; (v) is not contesting any liability for material Taxes before any Governmental Entity; (vi) to the knowledge of the Company, is not subject to a claim or deficiency for any material Tax which has not been satisfied by payment, settled or been
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withdrawn; (vii) to the knowledge of the Company, is not subject to a claim by a Governmental Entity in a jurisdiction where the Company or such Company Subsidiary does not file Tax Returns that the Company or such Company Subsidiary is or may be subject to material taxation by that jurisdiction; (viii) has no outstanding requests for any Tax ruling from any Governmental Entity and has not received a Tax ruling; and (ix) is not the subject of a closing agreement within the meaning of Section 7121 of the Code (or any comparable agreement under applicable state, local or foreign Tax Law).
(f) The Company and the Company Subsidiaries (i) have complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws, rules and regulations relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes, (ii) have duly and timely withheld from employee salaries, wages and other compensation and have paid over to the appropriate Governmental Entity all material amounts required to be withheld and paid over on or prior to the due date thereof under all applicable Laws, (iii) have in all material respects properly completed and timely filed all IRS Forms W-2 and 1099 required thereof, and (iv) have collected and remitted to the appropriate Governmental Entity all material sales and use Taxes, or have been furnished properly completed exemption certificates and have in all material respects maintained all such records and supporting documents in a manner required by all applicable sales and use Tax statutes and regulations.
(g) The Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies of (i) all U.S. federal and other material Tax Returns of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries relating to the taxable periods ending since the Companys taxable year ending on December 31, 2014 and (ii) any audit report issued within the last four (4) years relating to any Taxes due from or with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiaries.
(h) Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries: (i) has agreed to make any material adjustment pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code, (ii) has any knowledge that the IRS has proposed, in writing, such an adjustment or a change in accounting method with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiary or (iii) has any application pending with the IRS or any other Governmental Entity requesting permission for any change in accounting method.
(i) Neither the Company nor any other Person on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary has requested any extension of time within which to file any income Tax Return, which income Tax Return has since not been filed.
(j) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a party to any Tax indemnity, allocation or sharing agreement or similar agreement or arrangement, other than (i) the Tax Protection Agreements listed in Section 3.13(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (ii) any agreement or arrangement between the Company and any Company Subsidiary, and (iii) provisions in commercial contracts not primarily relating to Taxes.
(k) The Company has set forth in Section 3.13(k) of the Company Disclosure Letter a list of all Reportable Transactions in which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has participated. Each of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have disclosed to the IRS on the appropriate Tax Returns any Reportable Transaction in which it has participated. Each of
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the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have retained all documents and other records pertaining to any Reportable Transaction in which it has participated, including documents and other records listed in Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(g) and any other documents and other records which are related to any Reportable Transaction in which it has participated but not listed in Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(g).
(l) In the past two (2) years, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has been a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation in a distribution in which the parties to such distribution treated the distribution as one to which Section 355 of the Code is applicable.
(m) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary: (i) is or has ever been a member of an affiliated group of corporations filing a consolidated federal income Tax Return or (ii) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than the Company or any Company Subsidiary) under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of any state, local, or foreign Law), or as a transferee or successor.
Section 3.14 Real Property.
(a) Subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, Section 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists the common street address for all real property owned by the Company or any Company Subsidiary in fee as of the date hereof, and the Company Subsidiary owning such real property (such real property interests are, as the context may require, individually or collectively referred to as the Owned Real Property). Except as set forth in Section 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company or a Company Subsidiary has good and valid fee simple title to all Owned Real Property, in each case free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens.
(b) Subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, Section 3.14(b)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists the common street address for all real property in which a Company Subsidiary holds as lessee or sublessee a ground lease or ground sublease interest in any real property (as the context may require, individually or collectively, the Ground Leased Real Property), and each ground lease (or ground sublease) pursuant to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a lessee (or sublessee) as of the date hereof, including each amendment or guaranty or any other agreement related thereto (individually, a Ground Lease and collectively, Ground Leases) and the applicable Company Subsidiary holding such leasehold interest. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company or a Company Subsidiary holds a valid leasehold or subleasehold interest in the Ground Leased Real Property free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens. Section 3.14(b)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists any Company Real Property subject to a PILOT arrangement.
(c) Subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, Section 3.14(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists the common street address for all real property in which a Company Subsidiary holds as a lessee or sublessee a leasehold or sublease interest (excluding the Ground Leases) (as the context may require, individually or collectively, the Company Leased
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Real Property), each lease or sublease of such real property pursuant to which a Company Subsidiary holds as a lessee or sublessee a leasehold or sublease interest, including each amendment, guaranty or any other agreement relating thereto (Company Leases) and the applicable Company Subsidiary holding such leasehold or sublease interest. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company or a Company Subsidiary holds a valid leasehold or subleasehold interest as a lessee or sublessee in the Company Leased Real Property free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens. True and complete copies of the Company Leases have been made available to Parent.
(d) The operating budget set forth in Section 3.14(d)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter (the Operating Budget) discloses, as of the date hereof, the budgeted operating expenses of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries for industrial, office and retail portfolios through December 31, 2018 (the Operating Expenses), excluding Capital Expenditures not directly related to corporate activities. The development expenditure budgets (the Development Expenditure Budget) in Section 3.14(d)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Letter disclose, as of the date hereof, the budgeted amount of all expenditures and fundings (capital or otherwise) (the Development Expenditures) by Company Real Property, anticipated to be funded on a quarter-to-quarter basis through December 31, 2018 and annually through project completion by or on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, in connection with renovations, construction projects, restorations, developments and redevelopments and any projects that are in pre-development (collectively, the Development Projects), on, relating to or adjacent to any Company Real Property, in each case, in excess of $500,000 per Development Project or in an aggregate amount per Company Real Property in excess of $1,000,000. The capital expenditure budget in Section 3.14(d)(iii) of the Company Disclosure Letter (the Capital Expenditure Budget) discloses, as of the date hereof, the budgeted amount of all allowances (including tenant allowances), expenditures and fundings (other than those relating to Development Projects which are shown on the Development Expenditure Budget) (the Capital Expenditures) by Company Real Property, budgeted to be funded annually through project completion by or on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, in each case with respect to each project or line item, in excess of $500,000 or in an aggregate amount per Company Real Property in excess of $1,000,000. Section 3.14(d)(iv) of the Company Disclosure Letter (the Space Lease Commission Schedule), sets forth the amount of brokerage commissions or fees per Company Real Property that are now due or which would reasonably be expected to become due from the Company or any Company Subsidiary with respect to any individual Company Lease or Company Space Lease as of the date hereof.
(e) Except for such discrepancies, errors or omissions that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the rent rolls for the Company Real Properties dated as of May 1, 2018 (the Rent Rolls), which have previously been made available to Parent, as such Rent Rolls have been supplemented by the information set forth in Section 3.14(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter, list each lease, sublease, ground lease or other occupancy agreement to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are party as landlord with respect to each of the applicable Company Real Properties (such leases, together with all amendments, modifications, supplements, renewals, extensions, guarantees and other agreements related thereto, the Company Space Leases). To the knowledge of the Company, the Company has made available to Parent correct and complete
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copies of all Company Space Leases as of the date hereof. Except as set forth in Section 3.14(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiaries, on the one hand, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party, on the other hand, is in default under any Material Space Lease, except for defaults that are disclosed in the Rent Rolls or that do not have or would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. As of the date hereof, no termination option has been exercised in writing under any of the Material Space Leases that would result in a full or partial termination of such Material Space Lease after the date hereof except as disclosed in Section 3.14(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter.
(f) Except for those contracts or agreements set forth in Section 3.14(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter and the Company Material Contracts, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has entered into any contract or agreement (collectively, the Participation Agreements) with any Person other than the Company or a wholly-owned Company Subsidiary (the Participation Party) which provides for a right of such Participation Party to participate, invest, join, partner, have any material interest in (whether characterized as a contingent fee, profits interest, equity interest or otherwise) or have the right to any of the foregoing in any proposed or anticipated investment opportunity, joint venture, partnership or any other current or future transaction or property in which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has or will have a material interest, including those transactions or properties identified, sourced, produced or developed by such Participation Party (a Participation Interest). Section 3.14(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth all of the Company Real Properties which are held by the Company, a Company Subsidiary or a JV Entity in respect of which any Participation Party currently has a Participation Interest, and setting forth the Joint Venture Agreements or Participation Agreements, as the case may be, pertaining thereto.
(g) Except as set forth in Company Space Leases or in Section 3.14(g) of the Company Disclosure Letter or disclosed in the Company Material Contracts, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a party to any material agreement pursuant to which a Person other than the Company or any wholly-owned Company Subsidiary manages or manages the development of any of the Company Real Properties (a Third Party).
(h) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(h) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries is a party to any material agreement pursuant to which the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries manages, is a development manager of or is the leasing agent of any real properties for any Third Party.
(i) As of the date hereof, (i) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has exercised any Transfer Right with respect to any real property or Person in an amount in excess of $2,000,000, individually or in the aggregate, which transaction has not yet been consummated and (ii) no Third Party has exercised in writing any Transfer Right with respect to any Company Subsidiary or Company Real Property, which transaction has not yet been consummated.
(j) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the knowledge of the Company, as of the date hereof, none of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries has received any
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written notice to the effect that any condemnation or rezoning proceedings are pending or threatened with respect to any of the Company Real Properties. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have good and valid title to, or a valid and enforceable leasehold interest in, all material personal property held or used by them at the Company Real Property, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens.
(k) Section 3.14(k) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists each real property or leasehold interest in any ground lease (or sublease) conveyed, transferred, assigned or otherwise disposed of by the Company or any Company Subsidiary (if a Company Subsidiary at the time of such conveyance, transfer, assignment or disposition) since January 1, 2014, except for easements or similar interests. Other than as set forth in Section 3.14(k) of the Company Disclosure Letter, to the knowledge of the Company, as of the date hereof, none of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries has received any written notice of any outstanding claims under any Prior Sale Agreements which would reasonably be expected to result in liability to the Company or any Company Subsidiary in an amount, in the aggregate, in excess of $2,000,000. To the Companys knowledge, none of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries has received any written notice of any outstanding violation of any Law, including zoning regulation or ordinance, building or similar law, code, ordinance, order or regulation, for any Company Real Property, in each case which has had, or would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.15 Environmental Matters. Except as set forth in Section 3.15 of the Company Disclosure Letter or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect:
(a) (i) The Company and each Company Subsidiary are and have been in compliance with those Environmental Laws applicable to their respective operations (including possessing and complying with any required Environmental Permits), and at all times during the Companys and each Company Subsidiarys ownership or operation of any Company Real Property, such Company Real Property has been (and with respect to former Subsidiaries of the Company and properties formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any former Subsidiaries of the Company, to the knowledge of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, was during the period owned, leased or operated by any of them) in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (including possessing and complying with any required Environmental Permits); (ii) there are no administrative or judicial proceedings relating to Environmental Laws pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company, any Company Subsidiary any Company Real Property, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any properties formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any former Subsidiaries of the Company; (iii) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received any written notice, demand, letter or claim, in any case, alleging that the Company or such Company Subsidiary is in violation of, or liable under, any Environmental Law and, to the knowledge of the Company, no such notice, demand or claim has been threatened; and (iv) each Environmental Permit required of the Company, any Company Subsidiary, and any Company Real Property is valid and in effect and the renewal of such Environmental Permit has been timely re-applied for.
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(b) (i) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received any written notice, demand or claim alleging liability on the part of the Company or any Company Subsidiary as a result of a Release of Hazardous Substances; (ii) Hazardous Substances are not present in, at, on or under any of the Company Real Property, either as a result of the operations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or otherwise, and to the knowledge of the Company are not present in, at, on or under any other real property for which the Company or any Company Subsidiary could reasonably be expected to be liable, in a quantity or condition that, in either case, would reasonably be expected to result in a liability under Environmental Laws on the part of the Company or any Company Subsidiary; and (iii) there are, to the Companys knowledge, no wetlands (as that term is defined under Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. Section 1344, and all implementing regulations) at any Company Real Property, nor is any Company Real Property subject to any current or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened environmental deed restriction, use restriction, institutional or engineering control or order or agreement with any Governmental Entity or any other restriction of record.
Section 3.16 Intellectual Property.
(a) Except as set forth in Section 3.16 of the Company Disclosure Letter or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and the Company Subsidiaries own or have the right to use in the manner currently used all Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets (the Intellectual Property Rights) used by the Company or any Company Subsidiary in, and that are material to, the business of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries as currently conducted (the Company Intellectual Property Rights) and (ii) neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has received, in the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, any written charge, complaint, claim, demand or notice challenging the validity of or right to use any of the Company Intellectual Property Rights. To the Companys knowledge, no other Person has infringed any Company Intellectual Property Rights during the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, except for any such infringement as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) To the knowledge of the Company, the conduct of the business of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe upon any Intellectual Property Rights of any other Person, except for any such infringement that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has received, in the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, any written charge, complaint, claim, demand or notice alleging any such infringement of the Intellectual Property Rights of any other Person by the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries that has not been settled or otherwise fully resolved, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.17 Contracts.
(a) All Contracts, including amendments thereto, required to be filed as an exhibit to any report of the Company filed on or after January 1, 2017 pursuant to the Exchange
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Act of the type described in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC have been filed. All such filed Contracts shall be deemed to have been made available to Parent.
(b) Other than the Contracts described in Section 3.17(a), Section 3.17(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete list, in each case as of the date hereof, of each Contract (or the accurate description of principal terms in case of oral Contracts), including all amendments, supplements and side letters thereto that modify each such Contract in any material respect, to which the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of their respective assets are subject (other than any of the foregoing solely between the Company and any of the wholly owned Company Subsidiaries or solely between any wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries) that:
(i) is a limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or joint venture agreement or similar Contract (including Joint Venture Agreements) with a third party;
(ii) is a Material Space Lease, Ground Lease or Material Company Lease;
(iii) contains covenants of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries purporting to limit, in any material respect, either the type of business in which the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries or any of their affiliates may engage or the geographic area in which any of them may so engage, other than exclusive lease provisions, non-compete provisions and other similar leasing restrictions entered into by the Company or a Company Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, contained in the Material Company Leases or contained in other recorded documents by which real property was conveyed by the Company to any user;
(iv) evidences Indebtedness for borrowed money (A) in excess of $10,000,000 of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries, whether unsecured or secured or (B) secured by Company Real Property (such Indebtedness described in clauses (A) and (B), the Existing Indebtedness and such Contracts, the Existing Loan Documents);
(v) provides for the pending purchase, sale, assignment, ground leasing or disposition of or Transfer Right to purchase, sell, dispose of, assign or ground lease, in each case, by merger, purchase or sale of assets or stock or otherwise, directly or indirectly, any real property (including any Company Real Property or any portion thereof);
(vi) except for any capital contribution requirements as set forth in the organizational documents of any Person set forth in Section 3.17(b)(vi) of the Company Disclosure Letter or in any Joint Venture Agreements, (x) requires the Company or any Company Subsidiary to make any investment (in each case, in the form of a loan, capital contribution or similar transaction) in any Company Subsidiary or other Person in excess
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of $2,000,000 or (y) evidences a loan (whether secured or unsecured) made to any other Person in excess of $1,000,000;
(vii) relates to the settlement (or proposed settlement) of any pending or threatened suit or proceeding, other than any settlement that provides solely for the payment of less than $1,000,000 in cash (net of any amount covered by insurance or indemnification that is reasonably expected to be received by the Company or any Company Subsidiary);
(viii) with any current executive officer, trustee or director of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries, any shareholder of the Company beneficially owning 5% or more of outstanding Company Shares or, to the Companys knowledge, any member of the immediate family (as such term is defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act) of any of the foregoing; or
(ix) is not described in clauses (i) through (viii) above and calls for or guarantees (A) aggregate payments by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries of more than $7,500,000 over the remaining term of such Contract or (B) annual aggregate payments by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries of more than $5,000,000.
Each Contract of a type described in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 3.17 is referred to herein as a Company Material Contract. To the knowledge of the Company, the Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of all Company Material Contracts as of the date hereof, including amendments and supplements thereto.
(c) (i) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in (or has received any written claim of) breach of or default under the terms of any Company Material Contract, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred that with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a breach or default thereunder by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, in each case, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, no other party to any Company Material Contract is in breach of or default under the terms of any Company Material Contract where such breach or default would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) as of the date of this Agreement each Company Material Contract is a valid and binding agreement of the Company or a Company Subsidiary, as applicable, and, to the knowledge of the Company, the other parties thereto and is in full force and effect, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.18 Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company Board has received the opinion of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion and based upon and subject to the various matters, limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth therein, the Merger Consideration to be received by the holders of Company Shares pursuant to this Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders.
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Section 3.19 Takeover Statutes. The Company has taken all action required to be taken by it in order to exempt this Agreement and the Mergers from, and this Agreement and the Mergers are exempt from, the requirements of any moratorium, control share, fair price, affiliate transaction, business combination or other takeover Laws and regulations in the MRL, the Maryland General Corporation Law or the DRULPA (collectively, Takeover Statutes).
Section 3.20 Vote Required. Subject to the redemption of the Company Series A Preferred Shares in accordance with the Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption, the affirmative vote of the holders of Company Shares entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter at the Company Shareholders Meeting is the only vote required of the holders of any shares of the share capital or other equity securities of the Company to approve the Company Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the Company Requisite Vote). Other than the Partnership Approval (which has been obtained), no vote or consent of the holders of any Partnership Units is necessary to approve the Partnership Merger, the Company Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and no dissenters or appraisal rights will be available to any holder of Partnership Units.
Section 3.21 Insurance. Section 3.21 of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a correct and complete list of the material insurance policies held by, or for the benefit of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement, including the insurer under such policies and the type of and amount of coverage thereunder. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (a) all insurance policies maintained by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries are in full force and effect, (b) all premiums due and payable thereon have been paid, and (c) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in breach of or default under any of such insurance policies. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, since December 31, 2017, the Company has not received written notice of termination or cancellation or denial of coverage with respect to any insurance policy or written notice of failure to renew any such insurance policy or refusal of coverage thereunder or any other notice that such policies are no longer in full force or effect or that the issuer of any such policy is no longer willing or able to perform its obligations thereunder.
Section 3.22 Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries is required to be registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 3.23 Brokers. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has entered into any agreement or arrangement entitling any broker, finder, investment banker or financial advisor (other than Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Eastdil Secured, L.L.C.) to any brokers or finders fee or other fee or commission in connection with the Mergers. The Company has furnished to Parent true and complete copies of all Contracts between the Company and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and between the Company and Eastdil Secured, L.L.C., relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, which agreements disclose all fees payable thereunder.
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Section 3.24 Acknowledgement of No Other Representations or Warranties. Except for the representations and warranties in this Article III, neither the Company, the Partnership nor any Person on behalf of the Company or the Partnership makes any express or implied representation or warranty with respect to the Company, the Partnership or any other Company Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, operations, properties, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects, or any estimates, projections, forecasts and other forward-looking information or business and strategic plan information regarding the Company, the Partnership and the other Company Subsidiaries or with respect to any other information provided or made available to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or their respective Representatives in connection with the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including any information, documents, projections, forecasts, estimates, predictions or other material made available to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or their respective Representatives in data rooms, management presentations or due diligence sessions in expectation of the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement), and each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II acknowledge the foregoing. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except for the representations and warranties in this Article III neither the Company, the Partnership nor any other Person makes or has made any express or implied representation or warranty to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective Representatives with respect to (a) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or prospect information relating to the Company, the Partnership, any of the other Company Subsidiaries or their respective businesses or (b) any oral or written information presented to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective Representatives in the course of their due diligence investigation of the Company and the Partnership, the negotiation of this Agreement or the course of the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Company and the Partnership hereby acknowledge that, except for the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article IV, neither Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II nor any of their affiliates, nor any other Person on behalf of any of them, has made or is making any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or their respective business or operations, including with respect to any information provided or made available to the Company, the Partnership or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives. Except with respect to the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article IV or any breach of any covenant or other agreement of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II contained herein, the Company and the Partnership hereby acknowledge that neither the Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, nor any of their affiliates, nor any other Person on their behalf, will have or be subject to any liability or indemnification obligation to the Company, the Partnership or any of their affiliates on any basis (including in contract or tort, under federal or state securities Laws or otherwise) based upon the delivery, dissemination or any other distribution to the Company, the Partnership or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives, or the use by the Company, the Partnership or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives, of any information, documents, projections, forecasts, estimates, predictions or other material made available to the Company, the Partnership or any of their respective affiliates or their respective Representatives in expectation of the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 3.24 do not limit the express representations and obligations of the Guarantor contained in the Guaranty.
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ARTICLE IV.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT, MERGER SUB I AND MERGER SUB II
Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company and the Partnership as follows:
Section 4.1 Organization.
(a) Parent is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware. Parent is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing under the Laws of any other jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it therein or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification or licensing necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay, individually or in the aggregate, the ability of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to consummate the Mergers. Parent has all requisite power and authority to own, operate, lease and encumber its properties and carry on its business as now conducted. The certificate of limited partnership of Parent is in full force and effect, and no dissolution, revocation or forfeiture proceedings regarding Parent have been commenced.
(b) Merger Sub I is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware. Merger Sub I is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing under the Laws of any other jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it therein or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification or licensing necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay, individually or in the aggregate, the ability of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to consummate the Mergers. Merger Sub I has all requisite power and authority to own, operate, lease and encumber its properties and carry on its business as now conducted. The certificate of limited partnership of Merger Sub I is in full force and effect, and no dissolution, revocation or forfeiture proceedings regarding Merger Sub I have been commenced.
(c) Merger Sub II is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware. Merger Sub II is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing under the Laws of any other jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it therein or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification or licensing necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay, individually or in the aggregate, the ability of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to consummate the Mergers. Merger Sub II has all requisite power and authority to own, operate, lease and encumber its properties and carry on its business as now conducted. The certificate of limited partnership and partnership agreement of Merger Sub II are in full force and effect, and no dissolution, revocation or forfeiture proceedings regarding Merger Sub II have been commenced.
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(d) Parent was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby, and it has not conducted any business prior to the date hereof and has no, and prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time will have no, assets, liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those incident to its formation and pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.2 Authority. Each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II has the requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II and the consummation by them of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary limited partnership action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II, as applicable, and, other than the filing, and acceptance for record, of the Company Merger Articles of Merger with the SDAT, the filing of the Company Merger Certificate with the DSOS and the filing of the Partnership Merger Certificate with the DSOS, no additional limited partnership proceedings on the part of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of them or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the Partnership) constitutes the valid and binding obligation of each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.
Section 4.3 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) None of the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or the consummation by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will: (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the certificate of limited partnership or partnership agreement of each of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II; (ii) assuming that all consents, approvals and authorizations described in Section 4.3(b) have been obtained and all filings and notifications described in Section 4.3(b) have been made and any waiting periods thereunder have terminated or expired, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their respective properties or assets; or (iii) require any consent or approval under, violate, conflict with, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both), or result in termination or give to others any right of termination, vesting, amendment, acceleration, notification, cancellation, purchase or sale under, or result in the triggering of any payment or creation of a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) upon any of the respective properties or assets of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II pursuant to, any Contract to which Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II is a party (or by which any of their respective properties or assets is bound) or any Permit held by it or them, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to consummate the Mergers.
(b) None of the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or the consummation by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger
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Sub II of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will require (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing or registration with or notification to, any Governmental Entity with respect to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective properties or assets, other than (i) the filing and acceptance for record of the Company Merger Articles of Merger with the SDAT, (ii) the filing of the Company Merger Certificate with the DSOS, (iii) the filing of the Partnership Merger Certificate with the DSOS, (iv) compliance with, and such filings as may be required under, Environmental Laws, (v) compliance with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, (vi) such filings as may be required in connection with the payment of any transfer and gain taxes and (vii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits of, or to make such filings, registrations with or notifications to, any Governmental Entity would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to consummate the Mergers.
Section 4.4 Litigation. As of the date hereof, there is no suit, claim, action or proceeding to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened in writing against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. As of the date hereof, none of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction, judgment or decree that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 4.5 Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finders or other fee or commission payable by the Company or any of its affiliates or any of their respective shareholders in connection with the Mergers based upon arrangements made by and on behalf of Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their Subsidiaries.
Section 4.6 Information Supplied. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their Representatives specifically for inclusion (or incorporation by reference) in the Proxy Statement will, at the time the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the Companys shareholders or at the time of the Company Shareholders Meeting, as applicable, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
Section 4.7 Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II.
(a) All of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests in Merger Sub I are, and immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time will be, owned by Parent or a direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent. Merger Sub I GP is, and immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time will be, the sole general partner of Merger Sub I. Merger Sub I was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby, and it has not conducted any business prior to the date hereof and has no, and prior to the Company Merger Effective Time will have no, assets, liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those incident to its formation and pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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(b) All of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests in Merger Sub II are, and, immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time will be, owned by Merger Sub I or its direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary to be designated by Parent prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time. Merger Sub II GP is, and immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time will be, the sole general partner of Merger Sub II. Merger Sub II was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby, and it has not conducted any business prior to the date hereof and has no, and prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time will have no, assets, liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those incident to its formation and pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) None of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their respective Subsidiaries beneficially owns (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) any Company Shares or Partnership Units or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Company Shares or Partnership Units, or holds any rights to acquire or vote any Company Shares or Partnership Units, other than pursuant to this Agreement. None of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or the affiliates or, to the knowledge of Parent, the associates of any such Person, is, nor at any time during the last five (5) years has been, an interested stockholder of the Company, in each case as defined in Section 3-601 of the Maryland General Corporation Law.
Section 4.8 Sufficient Funds.
(a) Parent has delivered to the Company a true and complete copy of the fully executed commitment letter dated May 6, 2018 (the Equity Commitment Letter), between Parent and the other party thereto (the Equity Investor) pursuant to which the Equity Investor has committed, subject only to the terms and conditions thereof, to invest in Parent the amounts set forth therein on the Closing Date (the Equity Financing).
(b) Assuming the Equity Financing is funded in accordance with the Equity Commitment Letter, the accuracy of the representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement and the performance in all material respects by the Company and the Partnership of their obligations under this Agreement, at the Closing Parent will have sufficient cash on hand to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and satisfy all of its obligations under this Agreement, including the payment of the Merger Consideration, any fees and expenses of or payable by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or the Surviving Company, any payments in respect of equity compensation obligations required to be made in connection with the Mergers, and any repayment or refinancing of any outstanding Indebtedness of Parent, the Company, and their respective Subsidiaries required in connection therewith.
(c) The Equity Commitment Letter is in full force and effect and has not been (and will not be prior to the Closing or valid termination of this Agreement) withdrawn, terminated or rescinded or otherwise amended, supplemented or modified (or is contemplated to be amended, supplemented or modified) in any respect. The Equity Commitment Letter, in the form delivered to the Company, constitutes the valid and binding obligation of all the parties thereto, enforceable against Parent and the Equity Investor in accordance with and subject to its terms and conditions, except as enforceability may be limited by the Bankruptcy and Equity
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Exception. There are no side letters or other Contracts or arrangements relating to the Equity Commitment Letter. No event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, could constitute a default or breach by Parent under any term, or a failure of any condition, of the Equity Commitment Letter or otherwise result in any portion of the Equity Financing contemplated thereby to be unavailable on the date on which the Closing should occur pursuant to Section 1.5. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement, the performance in all material respects by the Company and the Partnership of their obligations under this Agreement and the satisfaction of the conditions to Closing set forth in Section 6.1 and Section 6.2, Parent does not have any reason to believe that it or the Equity Investor would be unable to satisfy on a timely basis any term or condition of the Equity Commitment Letter required to be satisfied by Parent or the Equity Investor, as applicable. Parent has paid in full any and all commitment fees or other fees required to be paid pursuant to the terms of the Equity Commitment Letter on or before the date of this Agreement. There are no conditions precedent or other contingencies related to the investing of the full amount of the Equity Financing, other than as expressly set forth in the Equity Commitment Letter. In no event shall the receipt or availability of any funds or financing (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Equity Financing or the Debt Financing) by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or any other financing or other transactions be a condition to any of Parents, Merger Sub Is or Merger Sub IIs obligations under this Agreement.
Section 4.9 Guaranty. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Parent has delivered the Guaranty to the Company. The Guaranty is in full force and effect, has not been withdrawn or terminated or otherwise amended, supplemented or modified in any respect, and constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with and subject to its terms and conditions, except as enforceability may be limited by the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. No event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, could constitute a default on the part of the Guarantor under such Guaranty. The provisions of this Section 4.9 do not limit the express representations of the Guarantor contained in the Guaranty.
Section 4.10 Solvency. Assuming that (a) the conditions to the obligation of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II to consummate the Mergers have been satisfied or waived, (b) the representations and warranties set forth in Article III are true and correct, and (c) the financial projections or forecasts provided by the Company to Parent prior to the date hereof have been prepared in good faith on assumptions that were and continue to be reasonable, then at and immediately following the Company Merger Effective Time and after giving effect to all of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the funding of the Equity Financing, Parent, the Surviving Company and each Subsidiary of the Surviving Company, including the Surviving Partnership, will be Solvent. Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II are not entering into the transactions contemplated by this Agreement with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud either present or future creditors.
Section 4.11 Absence of Certain Arrangements. None of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II nor any of their affiliates has entered into any Contract with any bank or investment bank or other potential provider of debt or equity financing on an exclusive basis in connection with any transaction involving the Company or the Partnership (or otherwise on terms that would prohibit such provider from providing or seeking to provide such financing to
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any third party in connection with a transaction relating to the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries), except for such actions to which the Company has previously agreed in writing. Other than this Agreement, the Guaranty and the Confidentiality Agreement, as of the date hereof, there are no Contracts or any commitments to enter into any Contract between Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their respective controlled affiliates, on the one hand, and any trustee, officer, employee or shareholder of the Company or the Partnership, on the other hand, relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the operations of the Surviving Company after the Company Merger Effective Time or the Surviving Partnership after the Partnership Merger Effective Time.
Section 4.12 Acknowledgement of No Other Representations and Warranties. Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II hereby acknowledge that, except for the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article III, neither the Company, the Partnership nor any of their affiliates, nor any other Person on behalf of the Company or the Partnership, has made or is making any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to the Company, the Partnership or any of their respective affiliates or their respective business or operations, including with respect to any information provided or made available to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives. Except with respect to the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article III or any breach of any covenant or other agreement of the Company or the Partnership contained herein, Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II hereby acknowledge that neither the Company, the Partnership, nor any of their affiliates, nor any other Person on their behalf, will have or be subject to any liability or indemnification obligation to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their affiliates on any basis (including in contract or tort, under federal or state securities Laws or otherwise) based upon the delivery, dissemination or any other distribution to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives, or the use by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives, of any information, documents, projections, forecasts, estimates, predictions or other material made available to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or their respective affiliates and Representatives, including in data rooms, management presentations or due diligence sessions, in expectation of the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each of Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II and their respective affiliates and Representatives have relied on the results of their own independent investigation and the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article III.
ARTICLE V.
COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS
Section 5.1 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Mergers. During the period from the date of this Agreement to the earlier of the Partnership Merger Effective Time and the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1 (the Interim Period), except as otherwise expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement or as required by Law, the Company shall, and shall cause each Company Subsidiary to, in all material respects, use commercially reasonable efforts (i) to carry on their respective businesses in the ordinary course of business consistent with the Operating Budget, the Capital Expenditure Budget, the Development Expenditure Budget and the unconsolidated joint venture budget as set forth in
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Section 5.1(x) of the Company Disclosure Letter and past practice, (ii) to maintain and preserve substantially intact their respective current business organizations, (iii) to retain the services of their respective current officers and key employees, (iv) to preserve their goodwill and relationships with tenants and others having business dealings with them and (v) to preserve their assets and properties in good repair and condition (normal wear and tear excepted). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during the Interim Period, the Company will not, and the Company shall cause each Company Subsidiary not to (except as expressly permitted or expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as expressly contemplated by the transactions contemplated hereby, as required by Law, as set forth in Section 5.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter, to the extent requested by Parent pursuant to Section 5.12 or otherwise, or to the extent that Parent shall otherwise consent in writing, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned):
(a) (i) amend the Company Charter or Company Bylaws, Certificate of Limited Partnership, Partnership Agreement, or similar organizational or governance documents of the Company or the Partnership or (ii) amend the organizational or governance documents of any other wholly-owned Company Subsidiary, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(b) authorize for issuance, issue, sell, deliver or agree or commit to issue, sell or deliver (whether through the issuance or granting of options, warrants, commitments, subscriptions, rights to purchase or otherwise) any shares of any class, partnership interests or any equity equivalents (including any share options or share appreciation rights) or any other securities convertible into or exchangeable for any shares, partnership interests or any equity equivalents (including any share options or share appreciation rights), except for the issuance or sale of shares of Company Shares (i) pursuant to the exercise or vesting or redemption of Company Equity Awards outstanding on the date hereof and disclosed in Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter or issuances pursuant to the Company ESPP in accordance with Section 2.3(e), (ii) issuable upon exchange or redemption of Partnership Units in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement or (iii) as set forth in Section 5.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter;
(c) (i) split, combine or reclassify any of their respective share capital, partnership interests or other equity interests; (ii) except (A) as permitted pursuant to Section 5.11, (B) for (1) the payment of dividends or distributions declared prior to the date of this Agreement and (2) the declaration and payment in the ordinary course of business of regular quarterly cash dividends or other distributions on the Company Series A Preferred Shares and the Partnership Preferred Units in an amount not to exceed a quarterly rate of (x) $0.44531 per Company Series A Preferred Share and (y) $0.44531 per Partnership Preferred Unit and (3) the payment of dividends earned but not yet paid as of the date of this Agreement to holders of Company LTIP Units under the 2016 and 2017 LTIP plans set forth in Section 5.1(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (C) in transactions between the Company and one or more wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries or solely between wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries or (D) for distributions by any Company Subsidiary that is not wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, in accordance with the requirements of the organizational documents of such Company Subsidiary, authorize, declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, shares or property or any combination thereof) in respect of their respective
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share capital, partnership interests or other equity interests or make any actual, constructive or deemed distribution in respect of any shares of their respective share capital, partnership interests or other equity interests or otherwise make any payments to equityholders in their capacity as such; (iii) redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of their respective securities or any securities of any of their respective Subsidiaries, except in the case of clause (iii), (x) as may be required by the Company Charter or the Partnership Agreement, (y) the withholding of Company Shares from a Company Equity Award or acquisition of Company Shares from a holder of a Company Equity Award, in each case, in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations or in payment of the applicable exercise price in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Equity Plan or (z) as may be reasonably necessary for the Company to maintain its status as a REIT under the Code or avoid the payment of any income or excise tax; or (iv) enter into any Contract with respect to the voting or registration of any capital share or equity interest of the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
(d) subject to the provisions of Section 5.6, authorize, recommend, propose or announce an intention to adopt or effect, or adopt or effect a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, conversion, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization;
(e) other than as set forth in Section 5.1(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (i) incur, assume, refinance or guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any debt securities, or assume or guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money of any Person, except (x) for borrowings and guarantees under the Companys or any of the Company Subsidiaries Existing Loan Documents in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (y) in connection with transactions permitted pursuant to Section 5.1(j) or (z) Indebtedness in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate and is not secured, directly or indirectly, by Company Real Property (provided that in the case of clauses (y) and (z) such Indebtedness shall be prepayable at any time without penalty or premium), (ii) prepay, refinance or amend any Indebtedness, except for (A) repayments under the Companys existing credit facilities in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice (specifically excluding the loans secured, directly or indirectly, by any Company Real Property), and (B) mandatory payments under the terms of any Indebtedness in accordance with its terms or (iii) make loans, advances or capital contributions to or investments in any Person (other than (x) as required by any Joint Venture Agreement or (y) as permitted pursuant to Section 5.1(o));
(f) create or suffer to exist any material Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on shares of stock, partnership interests or other equity interests of any Company Subsidiary;
(g) except as required by the terms of any Company Employee Benefit Plan, as set forth in Section 5.1(g) of the Company Disclosure Letter, or as expressly otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, (i) enter into, adopt, amend or terminate any Company Employee Benefit Plan, (ii) enter into, adopt, amend or terminate any agreement, arrangement, plan or policy between the Company or any Company Subsidiary and one or more of their employees with an annual base salary of $150,000 or above or trustees, (iii) except for increases or payments in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with respect to any employee with an annual base salary below $150,000, increase in any manner the compensation or fringe benefits of any employee, officer or trustee, (iv) grant to any officer,
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trustee, director or employee the right to receive any new severance, change of control or termination pay or termination benefits or any increase in the right to receive any severance, change of control or termination pay or termination benefits, (v) except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with respect to any employee with an annual base salary below $150,000, enter into any new employment, loan, retention, consulting, indemnification, change-in-control, termination or similar agreement, (vi) grant any awards under any bonus, incentive, performance or other compensation plan or arrangement or Company Employee Benefit Plan (including, but not limited to, the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock-based or stock-related awards, performance units or restricted stock, long-term incentive plan units), (vii) hire any new employee other than with respect to employees with prospective total compensation of not more than $150,000, or (viii) take any action to fund, accelerate or in any way secure the payment of compensation or benefits under any employee plan, agreement, contract or arrangement or Company Employee Benefit Plan;
(h) except as set forth in Section 5.1(h) of the Company Disclosure Letter or pursuant to Section 5.12, (i) other than in the ordinary course of business, sell, transfer, assign, dispose of, pledge or encumber (other than Permitted Liens) any material personal property, equipment or assets (other than as set forth in clause (ii) below) of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or (ii) except in connection with the incurrence of any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Company pursuant to Section 5.1(e), sell, transfer, ground lease, dispose of, pledge or encumber (other than Permitted Liens) any real property (including Company Real Property), except, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), for the execution of easements, covenants, rights of way, restrictions and other similar instruments in the ordinary course of business that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially impair the existing use, operation or value of the property or asset affected by the applicable instrument;
(i) except as may be required as a result of a change in Law or in GAAP or statutory or regulatory accounting rules or interpretations with respect thereto or by any Governmental Entity or quasi-governmental authority (including the Financial Accounting Standards Board or any similar organization), make any material change in any financial accounting policies or financial accounting procedures that would materially affect the consolidated assets, liabilities or results of operations of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries;
(j) acquire (whether by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise) any interest in any Person (or equity interests thereof) or any assets, real property, personal property, equipment, business or other rights, other than (i) acquisitions of personal property (and not real property) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice for consideration that does not exceed $5,000,000 individually or in the aggregate and (ii) acquisitions of assets or real property pursuant to Contracts listed in Section 5.1(j) of the Company Disclosure Letter;
(k) except in each case if the Company determines, after prior consultation with Parent, that such action is reasonably necessary to preserve the status of the Company as a REIT or to preserve the status of any Company Subsidiary as a REIT, partnership, disregarded entity, TRS or QRS for U.S. federal tax purposes, file any material Tax Return that is materially
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inconsistent with a previously filed Tax Return of the same type for a prior taxable period (taking into account any amendments), make or change any material Tax election (it being understood and agreed, for the avoidance of doubt, that nothing in this Agreement shall preclude the Company from designating dividends paid by it as capital gain dividends within the meaning of Section 857 of the Code), settle or compromise any material Tax claim or assessment by any Governmental Entity, change any accounting method with respect to Taxes, enter into any closing agreement with a taxing authority, surrender any right to claim a refund of a material amount of Taxes or consent (other than in the ordinary course of business) to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any material Tax claim or assessment;
(l) settle or compromise any claim, suit or proceeding against the Company or any Company Subsidiary (or for which the Company or any Company Subsidiary would be financially responsible) (whether or not commenced prior to the date of this Agreement), except for (i) settlements or compromises providing solely for payment of amounts less than $2,000,000 individually, or $5,000,000 in the aggregate or (ii) claims, suits or proceedings arising from the ordinary course of operations of the Company involving collection matters or personal injury which are fully covered by adequate insurance (subject to customary deductibles); provided, that in no event shall the Company or any Company Subsidiary settle any Transaction Litigation except in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.5(c) (for the avoidance of doubt, this Section 5.1(l) shall not apply to any claim, suit or proceeding with respect to Taxes);
(m) enter into any new line of business;
(n) except as set forth in Section 5.1(n) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (i) amend in any material respect or terminate, or waive compliance with the material terms of or material breaches under, or assign, or renew or extend (except as may be required under the terms thereof) any Material Space Lease or Material Company Lease, (ii) amend or terminate, or waive compliance with the terms of or breaches under, or assign, or renew or extend (except as may be required under the terms thereof) any other Company Material Contract or (iii) enter into a new Contract that, if entered into prior to the date of this Agreement, would have been a Company Material Contract; provided, however, that if Parent fails to respond to the Companys written request for approval of any such action (which response may include a request for additional information) within 48 hours of receipt of any such request made to each of the Persons set forth on Schedule B hereto in the manner set forth in Section 8.3, Parent shall be deemed to have given its written consent to such action; provided, further, that (x) the immediately preceding proviso does not apply to Ground Leases, Existing Loan Documents, Joint Venture Agreements, or Contracts for acquisitions, dispositions, development projects or joint ventures, and (y) the Company agrees it shall not be unreasonable for Parent to withhold consent with respect to any Contract that relates to a new development project that is contemplated to include capital expenditures in the aggregate for such project in excess of $5,000,000;
(o) except as set forth in Section 5.1(o) of the Company Disclosure Letter, make, enter into any Contract for, or otherwise commit to, any Capital Expenditures or Development Expenditures on, relating to or adjacent to any Company Real Property; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to the provisions of Section 5.1(n) above, the Company and any Company Subsidiary shall be permitted to make, enter into
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Contracts for or otherwise commit to: (i) Capital Expenditures and Development Expenditures as required by Law, (ii) emergency Capital Expenditures and Development Expenditures in any amount that the Company determines is necessary in its reasonable judgment to maintain its ability to operate its businesses in the ordinary course, (iii) Capital Expenditures in an aggregate amount up to 110% of the respective amounts specified for each such expenditure in the Capital Expenditure Budget and in an aggregate amount up to 105% of the Capital Expenditure Budget taken as a whole, (iv) Development Expenditures in an aggregate amount up to 110% of the respective amounts specified for each such expenditure in the Development Expenditure Budget and in an aggregate amount up to 105% of the Development Expenditure Budget taken as a whole and (v) Capital Expenditures and Development Expenditures in any amount not exceeding $3,000,000 in the aggregate;
(p) except as set forth in Section 5.1(p) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (i) initiate or consent to any material zoning reclassification of any Company Real Property or any material change to any approved site plan (in each case, that is material to such Company Real Property or plan, as applicable), special use permit or other land use entitlement affecting any material Company Real Properties in any material respect or (ii) amend, modify or terminate, or authorize any Person to amend, modify, terminate or allow to lapse, any material Company Permit;
(q) fail to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain in full force and effect the existing insurance policies or to replace such insurance policies with comparable insurance policies covering the Company or any Company Subsidiary and their respective properties, assets and businesses (including Company Real Properties);
(r) enter into, amend or modify any Tax Protection Agreement, or take any action or fail to take any action that would violate or be inconsistent with any Tax Protection Agreement or otherwise give rise to a material liability with respect thereto; and
(s) authorize or enter into any Contract or arrangement to do any of the actions described in Section 5.1(a) through Section 5.1(r).
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall give Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the operations of the Company, the Partnership or any other Company Subsidiary prior to the Company Merger Effective Time or the Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable (it being acknowledged that prior to the Company Merger Effective Time or the Partnership Merger Effective Time, as applicable, the Company, the Partnership and the other Company Subsidiaries, as applicable, shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, complete unilateral control and supervision over its business operations). In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither the Company nor the Company Subsidiaries shall be required to take (or not take) any action to the extent taking (or not taking) such action requires, under the organizational or other governing documents of BTS Holdco LLC or BTS Holdco II LLC, a consent or approval from (x) any member thereof that is not an affiliate of the Company or (y) the Management Committee (as defined thereunder).
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Section 5.2 Access to Information.
(a) During the Interim Period, the Company shall, and shall cause each Company Subsidiary to, (i) give Parent and its authorized Representatives reasonable access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable advance notice, to all properties, facilities, personnel and books and records of the Company and each Company Subsidiary in such a manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the operation of any business conducted by the Company or any Company Subsidiary and (ii) permit such inspections as Parent may reasonably require and promptly furnish Parent with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business, properties and personnel of the Company and each Company Subsidiary as Parent may reasonably request; provided that all such access shall be coordinated through the Company or its designated Representatives, in accordance with such reasonable procedures as they may establish; provided, further, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Parent and its affiliates shall not conduct any environmental investigation at any Company Real Property involving sampling or other intrusive investigation of air, surface water, groundwater, soil or anything else at or in connection with any Company Real Property; and provided, further, that the Company shall not be required to (or to cause any Company Subsidiary to) afford such access or furnish such information to the extent that the Company believes in good faith that doing so would be reasonably likely to (i) result in a risk of loss or waiver of attorney-client privilege, attorney work product or other legal privilege, (ii) violate any obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary with respect to confidentiality to any third party or otherwise breach, contravene or violate any Contract to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is party, (iii) result in a competitor of the Company or any Company Subsidiary receiving information that is competitively sensitive, or (iv) breach, contravene or violate any applicable Law (provided that the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to allow for such access or disclosure in a manner that does not result in the events set out in clauses (i) through (iv)). No investigation under this Section 5.2(a) or otherwise shall affect the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of the Company or the Partnership or the conditions to the obligations of the parties under this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the rights or remedies available hereunder.
(b) Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II will hold and will cause their authorized Representatives to hold in confidence all documents and information concerning the Company and the Company Subsidiaries made available to them or their Representatives by the Company, the Partnership or their Representatives in connection with the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the terms of that certain Confidentiality Agreement entered into between the Company and Blackstone Real Estate Advisors L.P., dated April 10, 2018 (the Confidentiality Agreement), which shall continue in full force and effect, notwithstanding clause (i) of Section 16 thereof; provided that Parent and its Representatives may disclose Information (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) subject to the confidentiality restrictions applicable to Representatives (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) set forth in the Confidentiality Agreement to (i) potential purchasers (and their financing sources) of the Specified Properties or Company Subsidiaries that directly or indirectly own such Specified Properties and (ii) Parents potential Lenders as permitted by Section 5.17(c); provided, further, that with respect to the preceding clause (i), (A) such potential purchasers (and their financing sources) shall not use any such Information (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) other than in connection with their consideration, evaluation,
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negotiation, financing and if applicable, consummation of such a transaction, (B) Parent will not require any such potential purchasers to, and Parent shall require that any such potential purchasers (and their affiliates) not, enter into any exclusivity, lock-up or other agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral, with any financing source without the prior written consent of the Company that may reasonably be expected to limit, restrict, restrain or otherwise impair in any manner, directly or indirectly, the ability of such financing source to provide financing or other assistance to any other Person in respect of a Company Acquisition Proposal (provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the establishment of customary tree arrangements) and (C) Parent will not restrict any such potential purchasers from engaging in discussions or entering into agreements with the Company and the Company Subsidiaries. Parent shall keep the Company reasonably informed on a reasonably current basis with respect to potential transactions involving the Specified Properties, including the identities of potential purchasers to whom Parent has furnished Information.
Section 5.3 Proxy Statement.
(a) As promptly as practicable after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall prepare a proxy statement (together with any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, the Proxy Statement) and, after consultation with, and approval by, Parent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), file the preliminary Proxy Statement with the SEC. The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to (i) obtain and furnish the information required to be included by the SEC in the Proxy Statement, and respond, after consultation with Parent, promptly to any comments made by the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement, and (ii) promptly upon the earlier of (A) receiving notification that the SEC is not reviewing the preliminary Proxy Statement and (B) the conclusion of any SEC review of the preliminary Proxy Statement, cause the definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Companys shareholders and, if necessary, after the definitive Proxy Statement shall have been so mailed, promptly circulate amended or supplemental proxy materials and, if required in connection therewith, resolicit proxies; provided, however, that no such amended or supplemental proxy materials will be filed with the SEC or mailed by the Company without affording Parent a reasonable opportunity for consultation and review, and the Company shall consider in good faith any comments on such materials reasonably proposed by Parent. The Company will promptly notify Parent of the receipt of comments from the SEC and of any request from the SEC for amendments or supplements to the preliminary Proxy Statement or definitive Proxy Statement or for additional information, and will promptly supply Parent with copies of all written correspondence between the Company or its Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC or members of its staff, on the other hand, with respect to the preliminary Proxy Statement, the definitive Proxy Statement, the Mergers or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Prior to responding to any comments of the SEC or members of its staff, the Company shall provide Parent with a reasonable opportunity to consult and review such response and the Company shall consider in good faith any comments on such response reasonably proposed by Parent. Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II will cooperate with the Company in connection with the preparation of the Proxy Statement, including promptly furnishing to the Company any and all information regarding Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II and their respective affiliates as may be required to be disclosed therein. The Proxy Statement shall contain the Company Recommendation, except to the extent that the Company Board shall have effected an Adverse Recommendation Change, as permitted by and determined in accordance with Section 5.6.
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(b) If at any time prior to the Company Shareholders Meeting any event or circumstance relating to the Company or Parent or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or their respective officers, trustees or directors, should be discovered by the Company or Parent, as the case may be, which, pursuant to the Exchange Act, should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Proxy Statement, so that the Proxy Statement would not include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company or Parent, as the case may be, shall promptly inform the other party hereto, and an appropriate amendment or supplement describing such information shall be filed with the SEC and, to the extent required by applicable Law, disseminated to the Companys shareholders. All documents that the Company is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with the Mergers will comply as to form and substance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Section 5.4 Company Shareholders Meeting. The Company shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Proxy Statement is cleared by the SEC for mailing to the Companys shareholders in accordance with Section 5.3(a), duly call, give notice of, convene and hold a meeting of the holders of the Company Shares (the Company Shareholders Meeting) for the purpose of seeking the Company Requisite Vote. The Company, through the Company Board, shall recommend to holders of the Company Shares that they vote in favor of the Company Merger so that the Company may obtain the Company Requisite Vote (the Company Recommendation) and the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to solicit the Company Requisite Vote (including by soliciting proxies from the Companys shareholders), except in each case to the extent that the Company Board shall have effected an Adverse Recommendation Change, as permitted by and determined in accordance with Section 5.6. The Company shall keep Parent reasonably informed with respect to proxy solicitation results as reasonably requested by Parent. Unless this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, the Company shall not submit to the vote of its shareholders any Company Acquisition Proposal. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company may adjourn or postpone the Company Shareholders Meeting after consultation with Parent (A) to the extent necessary to ensure that any required supplement or amendment to the Proxy Statement is provided to the holders of Company Shares within a reasonable amount of time in advance of a vote on the Company Merger or (B) if additional time is reasonably required to solicit proxies in favor of the approval of the Company Merger; provided, that, in the case of this clause (B), without the written consent of Parent, in no event shall the Company Shareholders Meeting (as so postponed or adjourned) be held on a date that is more than thirty (30) days after the date for which the Company Shareholders Meeting was originally scheduled. Unless this Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with Article VII, the obligation of the Company to duly call, give notice of, convene and hold the Company Shareholders Meeting and mail the Proxy Statement (and any amendment or supplement thereto that may be required by Law) to the Companys shareholders shall not be affected by an Adverse Recommendation Change.
Section 5.5 Appropriate Action; Consents; Filings.
(a) Each party hereto shall (i) give the other parties prompt notice of the making or commencement of any request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding by or
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before any Governmental Entity with respect to the Mergers, (ii) keep the other parties informed as to the status of any such request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding and (iii) promptly inform the other parties of (and provide copies of) any communications to or from any Governmental Entity and keep the other parties reasonably informed regarding any substantive communications to or from a third party, in each case regarding the Mergers or other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each party hereto will have the right to review in advance, and each party will consult and cooperate with the other parties and will consider in good faith the views of the other parties in connection with any filing, analysis, appearance, presentation, memorandum, brief, argument, opinion or proposal made or submitted to any Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, except as may be prohibited by any Governmental Entity or by any Law, in connection with any such request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding, each party hereto will permit authorized Representatives of the other parties to be present at each meeting or conference relating to such request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding and to have access to and be consulted in connection with any document, opinion or proposal made or submitted in writing to any Governmental Entity in connection with such request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each party hereto will use reasonable best efforts to consummate the Mergers as promptly as practicable and to cause to be satisfied all conditions precedent to its obligations under this Agreement, including, consistent with the foregoing, (i) preparing and filing as promptly as practicable, with the objective of being in a position to consummate the Mergers as promptly as practicable following the date of the Company Shareholders Meeting, all documentation to effect all necessary or advisable applications, notices, petitions, filings, and other documents and to obtain as promptly as practicable all consents, waivers, licenses, orders, registrations, approvals, permits, rulings, authorizations and clearances necessary or advisable to be obtained from any Governmental Entity or third party in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including any that are required to be obtained under any federal, state or local Law or Contract to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party or by which any of their respective properties or assets are bound, (ii) defending all lawsuits or other legal proceedings against it or any of its affiliates relating to or challenging this Agreement or the consummation of the Mergers (Transaction Litigation) and (iii) effecting all necessary or advisable registrations and other filings required under the Exchange Act or any other federal, state or local Law relating to the Mergers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in connection with obtaining any consents in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement from any Person (other than from a Governmental Entity) (i) without the prior written consent of Parent, none of the Company or any Company Subsidiary shall pay or commit to pay to such Person whose approval or consent is being solicited any cash or other consideration, make any commitment or incur any liability or other obligation and (ii) none of Parent or any of its affiliates shall be required to pay or commit to pay to such Person whose approval or consent is being solicited any cash or other consideration, make any commitment or incur any liability or other obligations. In the event that any party fails to obtain any such consent, the parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any adverse effect upon the Company and Parent and their respective affiliates and businesses resulting, or which would reasonably be expected to result, after the Partnership Merger Effective Time, from the failure to obtain such consent.
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(c) Each party shall keep the other parties reasonably informed regarding any Transaction Litigation unless doing so would, in the reasonable judgment of such party, jeopardize any privilege of the Company or any Company Subsidiaries with respect thereto. The Company shall promptly advise Parent in writing of the initiation of and any material developments regarding, and shall reasonably consult with and permit Parent and its Representatives to participate in the defense, negotiations or settlement of, any Transaction Litigation, and the Company shall give consideration to Parents advice with respect to such Transaction Litigation. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Company Subsidiaries nor any of its or their Representatives to, compromise or settle any Transaction Litigation without the prior written consent of Parent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
(d) Each of the Company and Parent shall (i) take all action necessary so that no Takeover Statute is or becomes applicable to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, this Agreement, the Mergers or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby and (ii) if any Takeover Statute becomes applicable to Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, this Agreement, the Mergers or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby, take all action necessary so that the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated hereby may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise to minimize the effect of such Takeover Statute on Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, this Agreement, the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
(e) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall cooperate with Parent and use commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause to be done all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable on its part under applicable Laws and rules and policies of the New York Stock Exchange to cause the delisting of the Company Shares and the Company Series A Preferred Shares from the New York Stock Exchange as promptly as practicable after the Company Merger Effective Time and the Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption and the deregistration of the Company Shares and the Company Series A Preferred Shares under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable after such delisting.
Section 5.6 Solicitation; Acquisition Proposals; Adverse Recommendation Change.
(a) Subject to the other provisions of this Section 5.6, (i) from and after the date of this Agreement, the Company agrees that it shall, and shall cause each of the Company Subsidiaries and its and their officers, trustees and directors to, and shall direct its and their other Representatives to, immediately cease any solicitations, discussions, negotiations or communications with any Person that may be ongoing with respect to any Company Acquisition Proposal and (ii) during the Interim Period, the Company agrees that it shall not, and shall cause each of the Company Subsidiaries and its and their officers, trustees and directors not to, and shall not authorize and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its and their other Representatives not to, directly or indirectly through another Person, (A) solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage or knowingly facilitate any inquiry, discussion, offer, request or proposal that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, a Company Acquisition Proposal (an Inquiry), (B) engage in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish to any third party any non-public information in connection with, or knowingly facilitate in any way any effort by,
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any third party in furtherance of any Company Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry, (C) approve or recommend a Company Acquisition Proposal, (D) enter into any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement, merger agreement, share purchase agreement, asset purchase agreement, share exchange agreement, option agreement or other similar definitive agreement providing for or relating to a Company Acquisition Proposal or requiring the Company or the Partnership to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (any of the foregoing referred in this clause (D), an Alternative Acquisition Agreement), or (E) propose or agree to do any of the foregoing.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, but subject to the Companys compliance with the provisions of this Section 5.6, at any time prior to obtaining the Company Requisite Vote, the Company and the Company Subsidiaries may, directly or indirectly, through any Representative, in response to an unsolicited written bona fide Company Acquisition Proposal by a third party made after the date of this Agreement (that did not result from a breach of this Section 5.6, it being agreed that the Company Board may correspond in writing with any Person making such a written Company Acquisition Proposal to request clarification of the terms and conditions thereof so as to determine whether such Company Acquisition Proposal constitutes or could reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal), (i) furnish non-public information to such third party (and such third partys Representatives) making such a Company Acquisition Proposal (provided, however, that (A) prior to so furnishing such information, the Company receives from the third party an executed confidentiality agreement on terms no more favorable in any material respect to such Person than the Confidentiality Agreement (taking into account any consents or waivers provided thereunder to allow the disclosure of information to financing sources and/or teaming arrangements) (such confidentiality agreement, an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement), and (B) any non-public information concerning the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries that is provided to such third party (or its Representatives) shall, to the extent not previously provided to Parent, be provided to Parent as promptly as practicable after providing it to such third party (and in any event within 48 hours thereafter)), and (ii) engage in discussions or negotiations with such third party (and such third partys Representatives) with respect to the Company Acquisition Proposal if, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, that such Company Acquisition Proposal constitutes or could reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal.
(c) The Company shall notify Parent promptly (but in no event later than 48 hours) after receipt of any Company Acquisition Proposal or any request for nonpublic information regarding the Company or any Company Subsidiary by any third party that informs the Company that it is considering making, or has made, a Company Acquisition Proposal, or any other Inquiry from any Person seeking to have discussions or negotiations with the Company regarding a possible Company Acquisition Proposal. Such notice shall be made in writing and shall identify the Person making such Company Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry and indicate the material terms and conditions of any Company Acquisition Proposals or Inquiries, to the extent known (including, if applicable, providing copies of any written Company Acquisition Proposals or Inquiries and any proposed agreements related thereto, which may be redacted to the extent necessary to protect confidential information of the business or operations of the Person making such Company Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry). The Company shall also promptly (and in any event within 48 hours) notify Parent, in writing, if it enters into discussions or negotiations
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concerning any Company Acquisition Proposal or provides nonpublic information to any Person in each case in accordance with Section 5.6(b), notify Parent of any change to the financial and other material terms and conditions of any Company Acquisition Proposal and otherwise keep Parent reasonably informed of the status and terms of any Company Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry on a reasonably current basis, including by providing a copy of all written proposals, offers, drafts of proposed agreements or correspondence relating thereto. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall, after the date of this Agreement, enter into any confidential or similar agreement that would prohibit it from providing such information to Parent.
(d) Except as permitted by this Section 5.6(d), neither the Company Board nor any committee thereof shall (i) withhold, withdraw, modify or qualify in any manner adverse to Parent (or publicly propose to withhold, withdraw, modify or qualify in a manner adverse to Parent) the Company Recommendation, (ii) approve, adopt or recommend (or publicly propose to approve, adopt or recommend) any Company Acquisition Proposal, (iii) fail to include the Company Recommendation in the Proxy Statement (any of the actions described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this Section 5.6(d), an Adverse Recommendation Change) or (iv) approve, adopt, declare advisable or recommend (or agree to, resolve or propose to approve, adopt, declare advisable or recommend), or cause or permit the Company or any Company Subsidiary to enter into, any Alternative Acquisition Agreement (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement entered into in accordance with this Section 5.6). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, at any time prior to obtaining the Company Requisite Vote, the Company Board may (A) effect an Adverse Recommendation Change if an Intervening Event has occurred and the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that the failure to take such action would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the trustees duties under applicable Law, or (B) if the Company is not in breach of this Section 5.6, effect an Adverse Recommendation Change and/or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i), in each case in this clause (B), in response to an unsolicited written bona fide Company Acquisition Proposal that the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, constitutes a Superior Proposal after having complied with, and giving effect to all of the adjustments which may be offered by Parent pursuant to, Section 5.6(e) and such Company Acquisition Proposal is not withdrawn.
(e) The Company Board shall only be entitled to effect an Adverse Recommendation Change and/or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i) as permitted under Section 5.6(d) if (i) the Company has provided a prior written notice (a Notice of Change of Recommendation) to Parent that the Company intends to take such action, identifying the Person making the Superior Proposal and describing the material terms and conditions of the Superior Proposal or Intervening Event, as applicable, that is the basis of such action, including, if applicable, copies of any written proposals or offers and any proposed written agreements related to a Superior Proposal (it being agreed that the delivery of the Notice of Change of Recommendation by the Company shall not constitute an Adverse Recommendation Change), (ii) during the three (3) Business Day period following Parents receipt of the Notice of Change of Recommendation (a Notice of Change Period), the Company shall, and shall cause its Representatives to, negotiate with Parent in good faith (to the extent Parent desires to negotiate) to make such adjustments in the terms and conditions of this Agreement so that, in the case of a Superior Proposal, such Superior Proposal ceases to
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constitute a Superior Proposal, or, in the case of an Intervening Event, in order to obviate the need to make such Adverse Recommendation Change; and (iii) following the end of the Notice of Change Period, the Company Board shall have determined in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, taking into account any changes to this Agreement proposed in writing by Parent in response to the Notice of Change of Recommendation or otherwise, that (A) the Superior Proposal giving rise to the Notice of Change of Recommendation continues to constitute a Superior Proposal or (B) in the case of an Intervening Event, the failure of the Company Board to effect an Adverse Recommendation Change would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the trustees duties under applicable Law. Any amendment to the financial terms or any other material amendment of such a Superior Proposal shall require a new Notice of Change of Recommendation, and the Company shall be required to comply again with the requirements of this Section 5.6(e); provided, however, the Notice of Change Period shall be reduced to two (2) Business Days following receipt by Parent of any such new Notice of Change of Recommendation.
(f) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit the Company or the Company Board, directly or indirectly through its Representatives, from (i) taking and disclosing to the Companys shareholders a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a), Rule 14d-9 or Item 1012(a) of Regulation M-A promulgated under the Exchange Act or (ii) making any disclosure to the shareholders of the Company that is required by applicable Law or if the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that the failure to make such disclosure would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the trustees duties under applicable Law (for the avoidance of doubt, it being agreed that the issuance by the Company or the Company Board of a stop, look and listen or similar statement of the type contemplated by Rule 14d-9(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act shall not constitute an Adverse Recommendation Change); provided, however, that neither the Company nor the Company Board shall be permitted to recommend that the shareholders of the Company tender any securities in connection with any tender offer or exchange offer that is a Company Acquisition Proposal or otherwise effect an Adverse Recommendation Change with respect thereto, except as permitted by Section 5.6(d).
(g) The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Company Subsidiary to, terminate, waive, amend or modify any provision of any standstill or confidentiality agreement to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party, except solely to allow the applicable party to make a non-public Company Acquisition Proposal to the Company Board or to allow the disclosure of information to financing sources and/or teaming arrangements. The Company and the Company Board shall not take any actions to exempt any person from the Common Share Ownership Limit or Preferred Share Ownership Limit or establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit, as such terms are defined in the Company Charter unless such actions are taken concurrently with the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1(c)(i).
Section 5.7 Public Announcements. The Company and Parent shall consult with each other before issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statements with respect to this Agreement or the Mergers and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public statement without the prior consent of the other party; provided, however, that a party may, without the prior consent of the other party, issue such press release or make such public
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statement (a) as may be required by applicable Law or the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system if the party issuing such press release or making such public statement has provided the other party with an opportunity to review and comment (and the parties shall cooperate as to the timing and contents of any such press release or public statement) upon any such press release or public statement or (b) containing statements with respect to this Agreement or the Mergers that are substantially similar to those in the Proxy Statement or in previous press releases or public statements made by the Company or Parent in accordance with this Section 5.7; provided, further, that no such consultation or consent shall be required with respect to any release, communication, announcement or public statement in connection with an Adverse Recommendation Change made in accordance with this Agreement.
Section 5.8 Trustees and Officers Indemnification.
(a) From and after the Company Merger Effective Time, Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Company and the Surviving Partnership to, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each current or former trustee, director or officer of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries and each fiduciary under benefit plans of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries (each, an Indemnified Party and collectively, the Indemnified Parties) against (i) all losses, expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees and expenses), judgments, fines, claims, actions, suits, damages or liabilities or, subject to the proviso of the next sentence, amounts paid in settlement in connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the Company Merger Effective Time (and whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Company Merger Effective Time), including in connection with the consideration, negotiation and approval of this Agreement, to the extent that they are based on or arise out of the fact that such person is or was a trustee, director, officer or fiduciary under benefit plans, including payment on behalf of or advancement to the Indemnified Party of any expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with enforcing any rights with respect to such indemnification and/or advancement (the Indemnified Liabilities), and (ii) all Indemnified Liabilities to the extent they are based on or arise out of or pertain to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Company Merger Effective Time, and including any expenses incurred in enforcing such persons rights under this Section 5.8; provided, that (x) none of the Surviving Company or the Surviving Partnership shall be liable for any settlement effected without their prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) and (y) except for legal counsel engaged for one or more Indemnified Parties on the date hereof, none of the Surviving Company or the Surviving Partnership shall be obligated under this Section 5.8(a) to pay the fees and expenses of more than one legal counsel (selected by a plurality of the applicable Indemnified Parties) for all Indemnified Parties in any jurisdiction with respect to any single legal action except to the extent that, on the advice of any such Indemnified Partys counsel, two or more of such Indemnified Parties shall have conflicting interests in the outcome of such action. In the event of any such loss, expense, claim, damage or liability (whether or not asserted before the Company Merger Effective Time), the Surviving Company or the Surviving Partnership, as applicable, shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel selected by the Indemnified Parties promptly, and in any event within ten (10) days, after statements therefor are received and otherwise advance to such Indemnified Party upon request, reimbursement of documented expenses reasonably
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incurred (provided that, if legally required, the person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to repay such advance if it is determined by a final and non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that such person is not legally entitled to indemnification under applicable Law).
(b) Parent shall cause the Surviving Company to maintain the Companys officers and trustees liability insurance policies in effect on the date hereof (accurate and complete copies of which have been previously provided to Parent) (the D&O Insurance) for a period of not less than six (6) years after the Closing Date; provided that the Surviving Company may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage and amounts with reputable and financially sound carriers containing terms no less advantageous to such former trustees or officers so long as such substitution does not result in gaps or lapses of coverage with respect to matters occurring on or prior to the Company Merger Effective Time; provided, further, that in no event shall Parent or the Surviving Company be required to pay annual premiums in the aggregate of more than an amount equal to 300% of the current annual premiums paid by the Company for such insurance (the Maximum Amount) to maintain or procure insurance coverage pursuant hereto; provided further that if the amount of the annual premiums necessary to maintain or procure such insurance coverage exceeds the Maximum Amount, Parent and the Surviving Company shall procure and maintain for such six-year period the most advantageous policies as can be reasonably obtained for the Maximum Amount. In lieu of the foregoing, prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, Parent shall have the option to cause coverage to be extended under the Companys D&O Insurance by obtaining a six-year tail policy or policies on terms and conditions no less advantageous than the Companys existing D&O Insurance, subject to the limitations set forth in the provisos above in this Section 5.8(b), and such tail policy or policies shall satisfy the provisions of this Section 5.8(b).
(c) The obligations of Parent and the Surviving Company under this Section 5.8 shall survive the Closing and the consummation of the Mergers and shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect any Indemnified Party to whom this Section 5.8 applies (it being expressly agreed that the Indemnified Parties to whom this Section 5.8 applies shall be third party beneficiaries of this Section 5.8, each of whom (including his or her heirs, executors or administrators and his or her Representatives, successors and assigns) may enforce the provisions of this Section 5.8) without the consent of the Indemnified Party (including the successors, assigns and heirs of such Indemnified Party) affected thereby. In the event that the Surviving Company or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and is not the continuing or surviving company or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, or if Parent dissolves the Surviving Company, then, and in each such case, Parent shall cause proper provision to be made so that the successors and assigns of the Surviving Company shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 5.8.
(d) For a period of not less than six (6) years from the Company Merger Effective Time, the Surviving Company and the Surviving Partnership shall provide to the Indemnified Parties the same rights to exculpation, indemnification and advancement of expenses as provided to the Indemnified Parties under the provisions of the Companys and the Company Subsidiaries declaration of trust, charter, bylaws or similar organizational documents as in effect as of the date hereof, and the Surviving Companys and the Surviving Partnerships
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declaration of trust, charter, bylaws or similar organizational documents shall not contain any provisions inconsistent with such rights. The contractual indemnification rights set forth in Section 5.8(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter in existence on the date of this Agreement with any of the current or former directors, officers or employees of the Company or any Company Subsidiary shall be assumed by the Surviving Company and the Surviving Partnership without any further action, and shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with their terms following the Company Merger Effective Time.
(e) The provisions of this Section 5.8 are in addition to, and not in substitution for, any other rights to indemnification or contribution that any such person may have by contract or otherwise. Nothing in this Agreement, including this Section 5.8, is intended to, shall be construed to or shall release, waive or impair any rights to trustees and officers insurance claims under any policy that is or has been in existence with respect to the Company, any Company Subsidiaries or the Indemnified Parties, it being understood and agreed that the indemnification provided for in this Section 5.8 is not prior to, or in substitution for, any such claims under any such policies.
Section 5.9 Employee Matters.
(a) From and after the Company Merger Effective Time and for the period ending on the first anniversary of the Company Merger Effective Time (or, if shorter, during any applicable period of employment), Parent shall provide or cause its Subsidiaries to provide, to each individual who was employed by the Company or any Company Subsidiary as of immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time (each, a Company Employee), (i) a base salary or wage rate, as applicable, that is no less favorable than the base salary or wage rate in effect with respect to such Company Employee immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, (ii) an annual cash bonus opportunity that is no less favorable than the annual cash bonus opportunity provided to such Company Employee immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, and (iii) other compensation and benefits (including severance benefits, paid-time off, and health insurance, but excluding equity-based compensation and long-term incentive compensation) that are substantially comparable, in the aggregate, to the other compensation and benefits provided to such Company Employee immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time. Parent shall, or shall cause its designated Subsidiary to, assume and honor the terms of the severance arrangements set forth in Section 5.9(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, without amendment, in accordance with the terms of Section 5.9(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter. The foregoing shall not require that any Company Employee remain employed for any period after Closing nor that any compensation or benefits be provided after a Company Employee ceases to be employed (other than vested rights and benefits in effect at the time of such cessation of employment and the severance benefits set forth in Section 5.9(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter). For the employee benefit plans of Parent and its Subsidiaries providing any benefits to any Company Employee after the Company Merger Effective Time (the Parent Plans), each Company Employee shall be credited with his or her years of service with the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective predecessors as if such service were with Parent or an applicable Subsidiary, provided that the foregoing shall not apply for purposes of benefit accrual under defined benefit plans or to the extent that its application would result in a duplication of benefits or to the extent the Company did not provide such service credit under any comparable plan, program or benefit.
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(b) Parent shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries as the case may be, to (i) waive all limitations as to preexisting conditions, exclusions, actively at work requirements, waiting periods or any other restriction that would prevent immediate or full participation under the health and welfare plans of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries applicable to such Company Employee with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to all Company Employees and their dependents under any Parent Plan that is a welfare plan that such Company Employees may be eligible to participate in after the Closing Date, other than limitations, exclusions, actively at work requirements, waiting periods or other restrictions that are already in effect with respect to such employees and that have not been satisfied as of the Closing Date under any Company Employee Benefit Plan, (ii) waive any and all evidence of insurability requirements with respect to such Company Employees to the extent such evidence of insurability requirements were not applicable to the Company Employees under the comparable Company Employee Benefit Plans immediately prior to the Closing, and (iii) provide each such Company Employee and his or her dependents with full credit for any co-payments and deductibles satisfied prior to the Closing Date for the plan year within which the Company Merger Effective Time occurs in satisfying any applicable deductible or out-of-pocket requirements, and for any lifetime maximums, under any welfare plans that such employees are eligible to participate in after the Closing Date.
(c) From and after the Company Merger Effective Time, Parent and its Subsidiaries shall honor all Company Employee Benefit Plans and compensation arrangements and agreements in accordance with their terms as in effect immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time (subject to any rights to amend or modify such Company Employee Benefit Plans and compensation arrangements and agreements in accordance with their terms).
(d) Without limiting the generality of Section 8.6, no provision of this Section 5.9, express or implied, (i) is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person (including any Company Employee and any dependent or beneficiary thereof) other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, (ii) shall constitute an amendment of, or an undertaking to amend, any Company Employee Benefit Plan or any employee benefit plan, program or arrangement maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or (iii) is intended to prevent Parent or any of its Subsidiaries from amending or terminating any Company Employee Benefit Plan in accordance with its terms or terminating the employment of any Company Employee.
Section 5.10 Notification of Certain Matters.
(a) The Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt notice to the Company, of any notice or other communication received by such party from any Governmental Entity in connection with this Agreement, the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) The Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt notice to the Company, if (i) any representation or warranty made by it contained in this Agreement becomes untrue or inaccurate such that the applicable closing conditions would
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reasonably be expected to be incapable of being satisfied by the Outside Date or (ii) it fails to comply with or satisfy in any material respect any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it under this Agreement; provided, however, that no such notification shall affect the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of the parties or the conditions to the obligations of the parties under this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such notice.
Section 5.11 Dividends. During the Interim Period, the Company and any Company Subsidiary that is a REIT may make distributions to its shareholders and the Partnership may make distributions to the Company to allow the Company to make distributions to its shareholders, in each case (a) reasonably necessary for the Company or any such Company Subsidiary to (i) maintain its status as a REIT under the Code, or (ii) avoid the payment of income or excise tax under Sections 857 or 4981 of the Code (or any other entity-level Tax) or (b) in accordance with clause (ii)(B) of Section 5.1(c). If the Company declares a distribution to the Companys shareholders pursuant to clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Per Company Share Merger Consideration shall be decreased by an amount equal to the amount per Company Share of such distribution.
Section 5.12 Other Transactions; Parent-Approved Transactions. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide such cooperation and assistance as Parent may reasonably request to (a) convert or cause the conversion of one or more wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries that are organized as corporations into limited liability companies and one or more Company Subsidiaries that are organized as limited partnerships into limited liability companies, on the basis of organizational documents as reasonably requested by Parent, (b) sell or cause to be sold stock, partnership interests, limited liability company interests or other equity interests owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company in one or more wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries at a price and on such other terms as designated by Parent, (c) exercise any right of the Company or a Company Subsidiary to terminate or cause to be terminated any Contract to which the Company or a wholly-owned Company Subsidiary is a party and (d) sell or cause to be sold any of the assets of the Company or one or more wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries at a price and on such other terms as designated by Parent (any action or transaction described in clause (a) through (d), a Parent-Approved Transaction); provided, that (i) neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries shall be required to take any action in contravention of (A) any organizational document of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries, (B) any Company Material Contract, or (C) applicable Law, (ii) any such conversions, exercises of any rights of termination or other terminations, sales or transactions, including the consummation of any Parent-Approved Transaction or other obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries to incur any liabilities with respect thereto, shall be contingent upon all of the conditions set forth in Article VI having been satisfied (or, with respect to Section 6.2, waived) and receipt by the Company of a written notice from Parent to such effect and that Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II are prepared to proceed immediately with the Closing and any other evidence reasonably requested by the Company that the Closing will occur (it being understood that in any event the transactions described in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Closing), (iii) such actions (or the inability to complete such actions) shall not affect or modify in any respect the obligations of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II under this Agreement, including the amount of or timing of payment of the Merger Consideration, (iv) neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries shall be required to take any such
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action that could adversely affect the classification of the Company, or any Company Subsidiary that is classified as a REIT, as a REIT or could subject the Company or any such Subsidiary to any prohibited transactions Taxes or other material Taxes under Code Sections 857(b), 860(c) or 4981 (or other material entity-level Taxes) and (v) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall be required to take any such action that could result in any United States federal, state or local income Tax being imposed on any holder of Partnership Units other than the Company or any Company Subsidiary. Such actions or transactions shall be undertaken in the manner (including in the order) specified by Parent and, subject to the limits set forth above and except as agreed by Parent and the Company, such actions or transactions shall be implemented immediately prior to or concurrent with the Closing. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the representations, warranties or covenants of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries shall be deemed to apply to, or be deemed to be breached or violated by, the transactions or cooperation contemplated by this Section 5.12. The Company shall not be deemed to have made an Adverse Recommendation Change or entered into or agreed to enter an Alternative Acquisition Agreement as a result of providing any cooperation or taking any actions to the extent requested by Parent in connection with a Parent-Approved Transaction. The consummation of any Parent-Approved Transaction shall not constitute consummation of a Company Acquisition Proposal for purposes of Section 7.3(b)(iii), nor shall any Company Acquisition Proposal made in respect of a Parent-Approved Transaction constitute a Company Acquisition Proposal for purposes of Section 7.3(b)(iii). Parent shall, promptly upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Company or the Company Subsidiaries in performing their obligations under this Section 5.12, and Parent shall indemnify the Company and the Company Subsidiaries for any and all liabilities, losses, damages, claims, costs, expenses, interest, awards, judgments and penalties suffered or incurred by the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries arising therefrom (and in the event the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not consummated, Parent shall promptly reimburse the Company for any reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Company or the Company Subsidiaries not previously reimbursed).
Section 5.13 Taxes.
(a) REIT Matters. The Company shall take all reasonable actions as the Company determines are reasonably necessary to ensure that the Company and any Company Subsidiary that is a REIT (i) will qualify for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes for its current taxable year and, if the Closing Date occurs in 2019, its 2019 taxable year, and (ii) will not become liable for U.S. federal income Tax under Section 857(b) or 4981 of the Code. During the Interim Period, the Company shall cooperate and consult in good faith with Parent with respect to maintenance of the REIT status of the Company (and any Company Subsidiary that is a REIT) for the Companys 2018 taxable year and, if the Closing Date occurs in 2019, the Companys 2019 taxable year.
(b) Mitigation of Taxes. Parent and the Company shall, upon written request, use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any certificate or other document from any Governmental Entity or any other Person as may be necessary to mitigate, reduce or eliminate any Tax that could be imposed (including with respect to the transactions contemplated in this Agreement).
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(c) FIRPTA Certificate. On the Closing Date, prior to the Company Merger, the Company shall deliver to Merger Sub I a duly executed certificate of non-foreign status, dated as of the Closing Date, substantially in the form of the sample certification set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.1445-2(b)(2)(iv)(B). The Partnership shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and deliver to Merger Sub I at or prior to the Partnership Merger a duly executed certificate of non-foreign status, dated as of the Closing Date, from each holder of Partnership Units (other than the Company or any Company Subsidiary), substantially in the form of the sample certification set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.1445-2(b)(2)(iv)(A) or (B), as applicable.
(d) Transfer Taxes. Parent and the Company shall cooperate in the preparation, execution and filing of all returns, questionnaires, applications or other documents regarding any real property transfer or gains, sales, use, value added, stock transfer, stamp or similar Taxes, and any transfer, recording, registration and other similar fees that become payable in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (Transfer Taxes). From and after the Company Merger Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall pay or cause to be paid, without deduction or withholding from any consideration or amounts payable to holders of Company Shares, Company Series A Preferred Shares or Partnership Units, all Transfer Taxes.
Section 5.14 Rule 16b-3 Matters. Prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, the Company shall be permitted to take such steps as may be reasonably necessary or advisable to cause dispositions of Company equity securities (including derivative securities) pursuant to the Mergers by each individual who is a trustee or officer of the Company to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
Section 5.15 Preferred Share Redemptions.
(a) Promptly following Parents request after the date the Proxy Statement is mailed to the shareholders of the Company, the Company shall deliver a notice or notices of redemption (the Series A Redemption Notice) pursuant to Section 6 of the Articles Supplementary classifying the Company Series A Preferred Shares (the Series A Articles Supplementary) to the holders of record of Company Series A Preferred Shares. The Series A Redemption Notices shall be prepared by the Company and shall comply with the specifications and timing requirement of the Series A Articles Supplementary and be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent, and shall state that each Company Series A Preferred Share held by such holder immediately prior to the Company Merger Effective Time shall be redeemed by the Company effective as of the Closing Date, with the redemption price per share equal to an amount in cash equal to Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) plus accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but not including, the Closing Date (including any amounts contemplated by Section 6(d) of the Articles Supplementary), without interest (such amount, the Per Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption Price), with such redemption subject to and conditioned upon the occurrence of the Closing (the Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption). The Series A Redemption Notices shall include the other information required by the Series A Articles Supplementary. Prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, Parent shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Paying Agent funds sufficient to pay the aggregate Per Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption Price for the redemption of the Company Series A Preferred Shares
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pursuant to this Section 5.15. The aggregate amount of cash payable to holders of Company Series A Preferred Shares in the Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption is herein referred to as the Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount.
(b) In connection with the Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption, the Partnership shall redeem, effective as of the Closing Date, each of the Partnership Preferred Units held by the Company at a redemption price equal to the Per Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption Price, subject to and conditioned upon the occurrence of the Closing and the Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption.
Section 5.16 Cooperation Regarding Existing Loans.
(a) Promptly following Parents request, the Company shall deliver to each of the lenders under mortgage or mezzanine debt of any of the Company Subsidiaries (any such debt, Subject Mortgage Debt) or any agent or trustee acting on their behalf (each an Existing Lender), a notice prepared by Parent, in form and substance reasonably approved by the Company, requesting that such Existing Lender deliver to Parent and the Company a written statement or documents (the Assumption Documents) (i) confirming (A) the aggregate principal amount of the indebtedness outstanding under such Subject Mortgage Debt, (B) the date to which interest and principal has been paid in respect of such Subject Mortgage Debt, and (C) the amount of any escrows being held by such Existing Lender in respect of such Subject Mortgage Debt; and (ii) consenting to (A) the assumption of the Existing Indebtedness and the consummation of the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (B) to the modifications of the terms of such Subject Mortgage Debt that Parent may reasonably request after the date hereof; provided that the Company shall be informed of any such request or modification; provided, further, that, in the event Parent requests Assumption Documents in accordance with this Section 5.16, (x) the consummation of the Mergers shall not be conditioned on, or delayed or postponed as a result of the receipt of (or failure to receive) such Assumption Documents from all or any portion of the Existing Lenders and (y) the Assumption Documents will be effective as of or immediately prior to and conditioned on the occurrence of the Partnership Merger Effective Time. Without limiting the foregoing, in connection with any indebtedness that Parent intends not to repay or not to cause the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repay at the Closing, the Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries shall reasonably cooperate with Parent in connection with maintaining such continuing indebtedness. In furtherance of the foregoing, at the option of Parent, Parent shall have the right to discuss with any such lender maintaining the indebtedness (provided that the Company is provided a reasonable opportunity to participate in the discussions and Parent shall provide the Company with updates on the status of discussions upon the Companys reasonable request) and make all determinations and decisions regarding such indebtedness from and after the Closing and any payment of costs or fees relating thereto from or after the Closing. The Companys obligations pursuant to this Section 5.16 shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5.17.
(b) Parent shall pay all fees and expenses payable in connection with the Assumption Documents, including premiums for any endorsements to or re-date of the title insurance policy previously issued to the Existing Lenders, servicing fees, rating agency fees, assignment and assumption fees, attorneys fees and disbursements and processing fees required to be paid to the Existing Lenders as a condition to issuance of the Assumption Documents
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(collectively, the Assumption Expenses). Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries shall be obligated to pay any commitment or similar fee or incur any other expense, liability or obligation in connection with this Section 5.16 prior to the Closing, and Parent shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Company Subsidiaries for any and all liabilities, losses, damages, claims, costs, expenses, interest, awards, judgments and penalties suffered or incurred by them in connection with their actions and cooperation pursuant to this Section 5.16.
Section 5.17 Financing and Cooperation.
(a) Subject to applicable Law, prior to the Closing, the Company shall, and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries to, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its and the Company Subsidiaries Representatives to, provide all customary cooperation reasonably requested in writing by Parent in connection with Parent arranging financing with respect to the Company, the Company Subsidiaries or the Company Real Properties effective as of or after (and conditioned on the occurrence of) the Partnership Merger Effective Time (collectively, the Debt Financing), including by using commercially reasonable efforts to (i) furnish to Parent and its potential financing sources for the Debt Financing (the Lenders) as promptly as reasonably practicable following the delivery of a request therefor to the Company by Parent (which notice shall state with reasonable specificity the information requested) such financial, statistical and other pertinent information and projections relating to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries as may be reasonably requested by Parent and as is customarily delivered in connection with a financing of the applicable type, (ii) at reasonable times and with reasonable advance notice, make appropriate officers of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries available at reasonable times for a reasonable number of due diligence meetings and for participation in a reasonable number of meetings, presentations, road shows and sessions with rating agencies and prospective Lenders, (iii) assist Parent and its Lenders with the preparation of materials for rating agency presentations, offering documents, private placement memoranda, bank information memoranda, prospectuses and similar documents necessary, proper or advisable in connection with the Debt Financing, (iv) reasonably cooperate with the marketing efforts of Parent and its Lenders for any Debt Financing to be raised by Parent to complete the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (v) provide documentation and other information relating to the Company and any of the Company Subsidiaries requested by Parent in writing and required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable know-your-customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations in connection with the Debt Financing, (vi) facilitate, effective no earlier than the Partnership Merger Effective Time, the execution and delivery of definitive financing, pledge, security and guarantee documents relating to the Debt Financing, (vii) as may be reasonably requested by Parent, following the obtainment of the Company Requisite Vote, form new direct and indirect Company Subsidiaries pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to Parent and the Company, (viii) as may be reasonably requested by Parent, and no earlier than immediately prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time on the Closing Date and provided such actions would not adversely affect the Tax status of the Company or Company Subsidiaries or cause the Company to be subject to additional Taxes that are not indemnified by Parent under the last sentence of this Section 5.17(a), transfer or otherwise restructure its ownership of existing Company Subsidiaries, properties or other assets, in each case, pursuant to documentation reasonably acceptable to Parent and the Company, (ix) provide reasonably timely and customary
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access to diligence materials, appropriate personnel and properties during normal business hours and on reasonable advance notice to allow Lenders and their representatives to complete all reasonable and customary due diligence, (x) provide reasonable and customary assistance with respect to the review and granting of mortgages and security interests in collateral for the Debt Financing and attempting to obtain any consents associated therewith (effective no earlier than the Partnership Merger Effective Time), (xi) to the extent reasonably requested by a Lender, attempt to obtain estoppels and certificates from tenants, lenders, managers, franchisors, ground lessors and counterparties to REAs in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Lender, (xii) cooperate in connection with the repayment or defeasance of any existing indebtedness of the Company or any Company Subsidiaries as of the Partnership Merger Effective Time and the release of related Liens, including delivering such payoff, defeasance or similar notices under any existing loans of the Company or any of Company Subsidiaries as are reasonably requested by Parent (provided that the Company and the Company Subsidiaries shall not be required to deliver any notices that are not conditioned on the occurrence of the Partnership Merger Effective Time), (xiii) to the extent reasonably requested by Parent, obtain accountants comfort letters and consents to the use of accountants audit reports relating to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and (xiv) to the extent reasonably requested by a Lender, permit Parent and its Representatives to conduct appraisal and environmental and engineering inspections of each real estate property owned and, subject to obtaining required third party consents with respect thereto (which the Company shall use reasonable efforts to obtain), leased by the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries (provided, however, that (A) neither Parent, any Lender, their respective Representatives, nor any other Person shall have the right to take and analyze any samples of any environmental media (including soil, groundwater, surface water, air or sediment) or any building material or to perform any invasive testing procedure on any such property, (B) Parent shall schedule and coordinate all inspections with the Company in accordance with Section 5.2(a), and (C) the Company shall be entitled to have representatives present at all times during any such inspection); it being understood that, other than with respect to any obligation to deliver notice to or make a request of any Person, the Company shall have satisfied its obligations set forth in clauses (i)-(xiv) of this sentence if the Company shall have used its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with such obligations whether or not any applicable deliverables are actually obtained or provided. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in Section 5.16, nothing herein shall require the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives to take any action pursuant to Section 5.16 or this Section 5.17 to the extent it would (1) unreasonably interfere with the business or operations of the Company or the Company Subsidiaries, (2) except with respect to delivery of the notice specified in the first sentence of clause (a) of Section 5.16, or clauses (v), (vii) and (viii) of this Section 5.17(a), require the Company, the Company Subsidiaries or any Persons who are directors or officers of the Company or the Company Subsidiaries (other than directors or officers who will continue to be directors or officers following the Partnership Merger Effective Time and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and only in their capacities as such) to pass resolutions or consents to approve or authorize the execution of the Debt Financing or to execute any documents, agreements, certificates or other instruments in connection with the Debt Financing, (3) require the Company to pay any commitment, consent, transfer or other similar fee, incur or reimburse any other expense, liability or obligation prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time (except those fees and expenses that the Company is reimbursed for by Parent) or except with respect to clauses (vii) and (viii) of this Section 5.17(a),
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have any obligation of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries under any agreement, certificate, document or instrument be effective prior to the Partnership Merger Effective Time or if the Closing does not occur, (4) cause any trustee, director, officer, employee or shareholder of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries to incur any personal liability, (5) contravene the organizational documents of the Company or the Company Subsidiaries or any applicable Laws, (6) breach a Company Material Contract, (7) provide access to or disclose information that the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries determines would result in a loss or waiver of or jeopardize any attorney-client privilege, attorney work product or other legal privilege (provided that the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to allow for such access or disclosure in a manner that does not result in the events set out in this clause (7)) or (8) prepare any financial statements or information that are not reasonably available to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and prepared in the ordinary course of their financial reporting practice, or prepare any pro forma financial information or post-closing financial information. Nothing contained in this Section 5.17(a) or otherwise shall require the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries, prior to the Closing, to be an issuer or other obligor with respect to the Debt Financing. None of the representations, warranties or covenants of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall be deemed to apply to, or deemed breached or violated by, any of the actions taken by the Company, any Company Subsidiary, or any of their respective Representatives at the request of Parent pursuant to this Section 5.17(a). Parent shall, promptly upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs (including reasonable legal fees and disbursements) incurred by the Company or the Company Subsidiaries in connection with such cooperation and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Company Subsidiaries for any and all liabilities, losses, damages, claims, costs, expenses, interest, awards, judgments and penalties suffered or incurred by them in connection with the arrangement of the Debt Financing, any action taken by them at the request of Parent pursuant to Section 5.16 or this Section 5.17(a) and any information used in connection therewith (other than information provided in writing by the Company or the Company Subsidiaries specifically in connection with their obligations pursuant to this Section 5.17(a)).
(b) For the avoidance of doubt, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the provisions contained in Sections 5.16 and 5.17(a) represent the sole obligation of the Company, the Company Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives with respect to cooperation in connection with any indebtedness (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Subject Mortgage Debt) or the arrangement of any modifications thereto, or the arrangement of any financing (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Debt Financing) to be obtained by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and no other provision of this Agreement (including the Exhibits and Schedules hereto) shall be deemed to expand or modify such obligations. In no event shall the receipt or availability of any funds or financing (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Debt Financing) by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or any other financing or other transactions (including any consents, waivers, amendments or other modifications with respect to indebtedness of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries) be a condition to any of Parents, Merger Sub Is or Merger Sub IIs obligations under this Agreement.
(c) All nonpublic or otherwise confidential information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries obtained by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or their respective Representatives pursuant to this Section 5.17 shall be kept confidential in accordance with the
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Confidentiality Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Confidentiality Agreement, the Company agrees that Parent and its Representatives may initiate contact with and pursue potential Lenders in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in each case subject to the confidentiality and use restrictions applicable to Representatives (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) set forth in the Confidentiality Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, without the prior written consent of the Company, Parent and its affiliates and its and their Representatives to the extent acting on behalf of Parent will not enter into with any such potential Lenders any exclusivity, lock-up or other agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral, that may reasonably be expected to limit, restrict, restrain or otherwise impair in any manner, directly or indirectly, the ability of such potential Lender to provide financing or other assistance to any other Person in respect of a Company Acquisition Proposal (provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the establishment of customary tree arrangements).
ARTICLE VI.
CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGERS
Section 6.1 Conditions to Each Partys Obligations to Effect the Mergers. The respective obligations of each party hereto to consummate the Mergers are subject to the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions, any or all of which may be waived in whole or in part by the party being benefited thereby (which waiver shall be in such partys sole discretion), to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(a) Company Requisite Vote. The Company shall have obtained the Company Requisite Vote.
(b) No Injunctions, Orders or Restraints; Illegality. No Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) which is then in effect and has the effect of making the Mergers illegal or otherwise restricting, preventing or prohibiting consummation of the Mergers.
Section 6.2 Conditions to the Obligations of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II. The obligations of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II to effect the Mergers are further subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived in whole or in part by Parent at or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Representations and Warranties. (i) Except for the representations and warranties referred to in clauses (ii) or (iii) below, each of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Partnership contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (determined without regard to any qualification by any of the terms material or Material Adverse Effect therein) as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent a representation or warranty is made as of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct at and as of such date, without regard to any such qualifications therein), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct has not had, or would not, individually or in
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the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company and the Partnership contained in Section 3.2 (other than clauses (b), (d) and (e) thereof) (Capitalization) shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent a representation or warranty is made as of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of such date), and (iii) the representations and warranties of the Company and the Partnership contained in Section 3.7(b) (Absence of Certain Changes) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent a representation or warranty is made as of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of such date).
(b) Performance and Obligations of the Company. Each of the Company and the Partnership shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations, agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed by it or complied with on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) REIT Opinion. Parent and Merger Sub I shall have received a tax opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, tax counsel to the Company, or such other law firm as may be reasonably approved by Parent, dated as of the Closing Date in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (the REIT Opinion), which opinion concludes (subject to customary assumptions, qualifications and representations, including representations made by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries), that the Company has been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for all taxable periods commencing with the Companys taxable year ended December 31, 2004 through and including the Company Merger Effective Time.
(d) Absence of Material Adverse Change. From the date of this Agreement through the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred a change, event, state of facts or development that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Closing Certificate. Parent shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying that the conditions set forth in Section 6.2(a) and Section 6.2(b) are satisfied.
Section 6.3 Conditions to Obligations of the Company and the Partnership. The obligations of the Company and the Partnership to effect the Mergers are further subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived in whole or in part by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent a representation or warranty is made as
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of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of such date).
(b) Performance and Obligations of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II. Each of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations, agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed by it or complied with on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Closing Certificate. The Company shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of Parent by an executive officer of Parent, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying that the conditions set forth in Section 6.3(a) and Section 6.3(b) are satisfied.
Section 6.4 Frustration of Closing Conditions. No party may rely, either as a basis for not consummating the Mergers or the other transactions contemplated hereby or terminating this Agreement and abandoning the Mergers, on the failure of any condition set forth in this Article VI to be satisfied if such failure was caused by such partys failure to act in good faith or to use reasonable best efforts to consummate the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE VII.
TERMINATION
Section 7.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and abandoned at any time prior to the Closing Date, whether before or after the receipt of the Company Requisite Vote (except as otherwise provided below):
(a) by the mutual written consent of Parent and the Company; or
(b) by either of the Company, on the one hand, or Parent, on the other hand, by written notice to the other, if:
(i) any Governmental Entity of competent authority shall have issued an order, decree or ruling or taken any other action in each case permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Mergers substantially on the terms contemplated by this Agreement and such order, decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and non-appealable; provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(b)(i) shall not be available to a party if the issuance of such final, non-appealable order, decree or ruling or taking of such other action was primarily due to the failure of the Company or the Partnership, in the case of termination by the Company, or Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II, in the case of termination by Parent, to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement; or
(ii) the Mergers shall not have been consummated on or before November 6, 2018 (the Outside Date); provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(b)(ii) shall not be available to the Company, if the Company or the Partnership, or to Parent, if Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II, as applicable, shall have breached in any material respect its obligations under this Agreement in
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any manner that shall have caused or resulted in the failure to consummate the Mergers on or before such date; or
(iii) the Company Requisite Vote shall not have been obtained at a duly held Company Shareholders Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof at which the Company Merger is voted upon; or
(c) by written notice from the Company to Parent, if:
(i) prior to obtaining the Company Requisite Vote, the Company Board effects an Adverse Recommendation Change in accordance with Section 5.6(d) in connection with a Superior Proposal and the Company Board has approved, and, concurrently with the termination hereunder, the Company enters into a definitive agreement providing for the implementation of a Superior Proposal, but only if the Company is not then in breach of Section 5.6; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the Company has paid the Company Termination Fee in accordance with Section 7.3(b); or
(ii) Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in this Agreement such that a condition set forth in Section 6.3(a) or Section 6.3(b) would be incapable of being satisfied by the Outside Date, provided that neither the Company nor the Partnership shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in this Agreement in any material respect; or
(iii) (A) all of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1 and Section 6.2 shall have been satisfied or waived by Parent (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing; provided that such conditions to be satisfied at the Closing would be satisfied as of the date of the notice referenced in clause (B) of this Section 7.1(c)(iii) if the Closing were to occur on the date of such notice), (B) on or after the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to Section 1.5, the Company has delivered written notice to Parent to the effect that all of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1 and Section 6.2 have been satisfied or waived by Parent (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing; provided that such conditions to be satisfied at the Closing would be satisfied as of the date of such notice if the Closing were to occur on the date of such notice) and the Company and the Partnership are prepared to consummate the Closing, and (C) Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II fail to consummate the Closing on or before the third Business Day after delivery of the notice referenced in clause (B) of this Section 7.1(c)(iii), and the Company and the Partnership were prepared to consummate the Closing during such three Business Day period; or
(d) by written notice from Parent to the Company, if:
(i) the Company or the Partnership shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in this Agreement such that a condition set forth in Section 6.2(a) or Section 6.2(b) would be incapable of being satisfied by the Outside Date, provided that neither Parent, Merger Sub I nor
72
Merger Sub II shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in this Agreement in any material respect; or
(ii) (A) the Company Board shall have effected, or resolved to effect, an Adverse Recommendation Change, (B) the Company shall have failed to publicly recommend against any tender offer or exchange offer subject to Regulation 14D under the Exchange Act that constitutes a Company Acquisition Proposal (including, for these purposes, by taking no position with respect to the acceptance of such tender offer or exchange offer by the Companys shareholders) within ten (10) Business Days after the commencement of such tender offer or exchange offer, (C) the Company Board shall have failed to publicly reaffirm the Company Recommendation within ten (10) Business Days after the date a Company Acquisition Proposal shall have been publicly announced (or if the Company Shareholders Meeting is scheduled to be held within ten (10) Business Days from the date a Company Acquisition Proposal is publicly announced, promptly and in any event prior to the date on which the Company Shareholders Meeting is scheduled to be held) or (D) the Company enters into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement entered into in compliance with Section 5.6).
Section 7.2 Effect of the Termination. In the event of termination of this Agreement by either the Company or Parent as provided in Section 7.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability or obligation on the part of Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, the Company or the Partnership or their respective affiliates or Representatives, relating to, based on or arising under or out of this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or the subject matter hereof (including the negotiation and performance of this Agreement), except (a) as provided in Section 5.2(b) and for this Section 7.2, Section 7.3 and Article VIII, the provisions relating to the payment and reimbursement of Assumption Expenses in Section 5.16(b) and the indemnification, payment and reimbursement provisions contained in the last sentence of Section 5.12 and the last sentence of Section 5.17(a), (b) the Guaranty and the Confidentiality Agreement (provided that with respect to the Confidentiality Agreement, Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II shall each be treated as if they were a party thereto to the same extent as Blackstone Real Estate Advisors L.P.) shall each continue in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms (notwithstanding clause (i) of Section 16 of the Confidentiality Agreement) and (c) subject to Section 8.8, nothing herein shall relieve any party from any liability for any fraud or any willful and intentional breach by such party of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.
Section 7.3 Fees and Expenses.
(a) Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, whether or not the Mergers are consummated, all expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses.
(b) In the event that this Agreement is terminated:
(i) by Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(d)(ii),
(ii) by the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i), or
73
(iii) (A) by the Company or Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(ii) or Section 7.1(b)(iii) or by Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(d)(i) and (B)(x) a Company Acquisition Proposal shall have been received by the Company or its Representatives or any Person shall have publicly proposed or publicly announced an intention (whether or not conditional) to make a Company Acquisition Proposal (and, in the case of a termination pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iii), such Company Acquisition Proposal or publicly proposed or announced intention shall have been made prior to the Company Shareholders Meeting) and (y) within twelve (12) months after a termination referred to in this Section 7.3(b)(iii) the Company enters into a definitive agreement relating to, or consummates, any Company Acquisition Proposal (with, for purposes of this clause (y), the references to 15% in the definition of Company Acquisition Proposal being deemed to be references to 50%),
then the Company shall pay as directed by Parent the Company Termination Fee by wire transfer of same day funds to an account designated by Parent, (x) in the case of a payment pursuant to Section 7.3(b)(i), within two (2) Business Days after the date of such termination by Parent, (y) in the case of a payment pursuant to Section 7.3(b)(ii), prior to or concurrently with such termination by the Company and (z) in the case of a payment pursuant to Section 7.3(b)(iii), within two (2) Business Days after the earlier of entry into a definitive agreement relating to the Company Acquisition Proposal referred to in clause (y) of Section 7.3(b)(iii), or the consummation of, such Company Acquisition Proposal. Company Termination Fee means $138,000,000, except that the Company Termination Fee shall be $46,000,000 in the event that this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i) in order to enter into a definitive agreement with an Excluded Party providing for the implementation of a Superior Proposal.
(c) In the event that this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii) or Section 7.1(c)(iii), then Parent shall, within three (3) Business Days after the date of such termination, pay or cause to be paid to the Company, by wire transfer of same day funds to an account designated by the Company, an amount equal to $414,000,000 (the Parent Termination Amount).
(d) If the Company decides to apply for a ruling from the IRS with respect to the tax consequences of the receipt of the Parent Termination Amount, Parent shall cooperate with the Company and use commercially reasonable efforts to provide assistance (if any) requested by the Company with respect thereto.
(e) The Company and Parent agree that the agreements contained in this Section 7.3 are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that (x) the Company Termination Fee is not a penalty, but rather is liquidated damages in a reasonable amount that will compensate Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II in the circumstances in which the Company Termination Fee is payable for the efforts and resources expended and opportunities foregone while negotiating this Agreement and in reliance on this Agreement and on the expectation of the consummation of the Mergers, which amount would otherwise be impossible to calculate with precision and (y) the Parent Termination Amount is not a penalty, but rather is the amount that Parent has agreed to pay the Company, upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Parents breach or other failure to consummate the Mergers pursuant to
74
Section 7.1(c)(ii) or Section 7.1(c)(iii), for release from its agreement and settlement of its obligation to consummate the Mergers (and acquire, for U.S. federal, and applicable state and local, income tax purposes, all of the Companys assets) in accordance herewith and compensates the Company for the efforts and resources expended and opportunities foregone while negotiating this Agreement and in reliance on this Agreement and on the expectation of the consummation of the Mergers. If Parent receives the full payment of the Company Termination Fee from the Company pursuant to Section 7.3(b) under circumstances where a Company Termination Fee was payable, the receipt by Parent of the Company Termination Fee shall be the sole and exclusive remedy for any and all losses or damages suffered by Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives in connection with this Agreement (and the termination hereof), the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated hereby (and the abandonment thereof) or any matter forming the basis for such termination. In the event that Parent or the Company, as the case may be, is required to commence litigation to seek all or a portion of the amounts payable under this Section 7.3, and it prevails in such litigation, it shall be entitled to receive, in addition to all amounts that it is otherwise entitled to receive under this Section 7.3, all reasonable expenses (including attorneys fees) which it has incurred in enforcing its rights hereunder. The parties agree that in no event shall (i) Parent be required to pay the Parent Termination Amount on more than one occasion or (ii) the Company be required to pay the Company Termination Fee on more than one occasion.
ARTICLE VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1 Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties. None of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements in this Agreement or in any certificate, exhibit, schedule or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, including any rights arising out of any breach of such representations, warranties, covenants or agreements, shall survive beyond the Company Merger Effective Time, except for those covenants and agreements contained herein and therein that by their terms apply or are to be performed in whole or in part after the Company Merger Effective Time (including the covenants and agreements in Section 5.8, Section 5.9, and this Article VIII).
Section 8.2 Entire Agreement; Assignment.
(a) This Agreement (including the exhibits, schedules and other documents delivered pursuant hereto) constitutes, together with the Guaranty and the Confidentiality Agreement, the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by operation of Law (including by merger or consolidation) or otherwise by any of the parties hereto without the prior written consent of the other parties; provided, however, that, prior to the mailing of the Proxy Statement to the Companys shareholders, Parent may designate, by written notice to the Company, one or more wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiaries to be a party to the Mergers in lieu of Merger
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Sub I and/or Merger Sub II, in which event all references herein to Merger Sub I and/or Merger Sub II shall be deemed references to such other Subsidiary, except that all representations and warranties made herein with respect to Merger Sub I and/or Merger Sub II as of the date of this Agreement shall be deemed representations and warranties made with respect to such other Subsidiary as of the date of such designation; provided, further, that any such designation shall not impede or delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Any assignment in violation of this Section 8.2(b) shall be void. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
Section 8.3 Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made (a) as of the date delivered if delivered personally and (b) on the next Business Day if (i) sent by email of a .pdf attachment or (ii) sent by prepaid overnight carrier (providing proof of delivery), to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other addresses as shall be specified by the parties by like notice):
(a) if to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II:
BRE Glacier Parent L.P.
c/o The Blackstone Group
345 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10154
Attention: Tyler Henritze
Email:   ***@***
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
425 Lexington Ave.
New York, NY 10017
Attention: Brian M. Stadler
Email:   ***@***
(b) if to the Company or the Partnership:
Gramercy Property Trust
90 Park Avenue
32nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
Attention: President
Email:   ***@***
and
Gramercy Property Trust
90 Park Avenue
32nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
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Attention: General Counsel
Email:   ***@***
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Attention: Robin Panovka
Karessa L. Cain
Email:   ***@***
***@***
or to such other address as the Person to whom notice is given may have previously furnished to the other in writing in the manner set forth above.
Section 8.4 Governing Law and Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a) This Agreement and all disputes, claims or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the negotiation, validity or performance of this Agreement, or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Maryland (other than with respect to issues relating to the Company Merger and the Partnership Merger that are required to be governed by the DRULPA), in each case without regard to its rules of conflict of laws.
(b) Each of the parties hereto hereby (i) irrevocably submits to and agrees to be subject to the personal jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of Baltimore City, Maryland and/or the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (the Chosen Courts), for the purpose of any claim, action, suit or proceeding (whether based in contract, tort or otherwise), directly or indirectly, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the actions of the parties hereto in the negotiation, administration, performance and enforcement thereof, (ii) irrevocably agrees that all such claims, actions, suits or proceedings may and shall be brought before, and determined by, only a Chosen Court with subject matter jurisdiction over such claim(s), action(s), suit(s) or proceeding(s), (iii) agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court, and (iv) agrees that it will not (except for a suit on the judgment as expressly permitted by Section 8.4(d)) bring any claim, action, suit or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any court other than a Chosen Court. In any judicial proceeding, each of the parties further consents to the assignment of any proceeding in the Courts of the State of Maryland to the Business and Technology Case Management Program pursuant to Maryland Rule 16-205 (or any successor thereof).
(c) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the service of the summons and complaint and any other process in any other claim, suit, action or proceeding relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, on behalf of itself or its property, in the manner provided by Section 8.3, and nothing in this Section 8.4 shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by Law.
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(d) Each party hereto agrees that a final judgment in any claim, suit, action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by Law.
(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE), DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, OR THE ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT THEREOF. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (I) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY 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, (II) EACH SUCH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (III) EACH SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (IV) EACH SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 8.4(E).
Section 8.5 Interpretation; Certain Definitions. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. Consequently, in the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement. When a reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, Section, exhibit or schedule, such reference shall be to an Article or Section of, or an exhibit or schedule to, this Agreement, unless otherwise indicated. The table of contents and headings for 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 or including are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words without limitation. 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 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. All terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or other instrument made or delivered pursuant hereto unless otherwise defined therein. The definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the plural forms of such terms and to the masculine as well as to the feminine and neuter genders of such term. Any Law defined or referred to herein or in any agreement or instrument that is referred to herein means such Law as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, including (in the case of statutes) by succession of comparable successor Laws.
78
References to a Person are also to its successors and permitted assigns. All references to dollars or $ refer to currency of the United States of America.
Section 8.6 Parties In Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto and its successors and permitted assigns, and, except as provided in Section 5.8, nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any rights, benefits or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, including the right to rely upon the representations and warranties set forth herein. The parties hereto further agree that the rights of third party beneficiaries under Section 5.8 shall not arise unless and until the Company Merger Effective Time occurs. The representations and warranties in this Agreement are the product of negotiations among the parties hereto and are for the sole benefit of the parties hereto. Any inaccuracies in such representations and warranties may be subject to waiver by the parties hereto in accordance with Section 8.10 without notice or liability to any other Person. In some instances, the representations and warranties in this Agreement may represent an allocation among the parties hereto of risks associated with particular matters regardless of the knowledge of any of the parties hereto. Consequently, Persons other than the parties hereto may not rely upon the representations and warranties in this Agreement as characterizations of actual facts or circumstances as of the date of this Agreement or as of any other date.
Section 8.7 Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
Section 8.8 Specific Performance.
(a) The parties hereto agree that irreparable harm, for which monetary damages (even if available) would not be an adequate remedy, would occur in the event that the Company or the Partnership do not perform any of the provisions of this Agreement (including failing to take such actions as are required of them hereunder to consummate the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement) in accordance with the Agreements specified terms or otherwise breaches such provisions. Accordingly, the parties acknowledge and agree that Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II shall be entitled to an injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief to prevent and/or remedy a breach of this Agreement by the Company and the Partnership and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof, in addition to any other remedy to which Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II are entitled at Law or in equity. Each of the Company and the Partnership agrees that it will not oppose the granting of an injunction, specific performance, or other equitable relief on the basis that any of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II has an adequate remedy at Law or that any award of specific performance is not an appropriate remedy for any reason at Law or in equity. Any of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II seeking an injunction or injunctions to prevent a breach or
79
breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall not be required to provide any bond or other security in connection with the request for or grant of any such order or injunction. Each of the Company and the Partnership agree not to assert that a remedy of specific performance is unenforceable, invalid, contrary to Law or inequitable for any reason, nor to assert that a remedy of monetary damages would provide an adequate remedy. The parties hereto agree that neither the Company nor the Partnership shall be entitled to an injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief to prevent and/or remedy a breach of this Agreement by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof and that the Companys and the Partnerships sole and exclusive remedy relating to a breach of this Agreement by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or otherwise shall be the remedy set forth in Section 7.3(c), as set forth in the penultimate sentence of Section 7.3(e), payment or reimbursement of Assumption Expenses pursuant to Section 5.16(b), and indemnification, payment and reimbursement pursuant to the last sentence of Section 5.12 and the last sentence of Section 5.17(a); provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled to seek specific performance to prevent any breach by Parent of Section 5.2(b) or Section 7.3(d).
(b) The parties further agree (i) the seeking of remedies pursuant to Section 8.8(a) shall not in any respect constitute a waiver by any of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II seeking such remedies of its respective right to seek any other form of relief that may be available to it under this Agreement, including under Section 7.3, in the event that this Agreement has been terminated or in the event that the remedies provided for in Section 8.8(a) are not available or otherwise not granted and (ii) nothing set forth in this Agreement shall require Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to institute any proceeding for (or limit any of Parents, Merger Sub Is or Merger Sub IIs right to institute any proceeding for) specific performance under this Section 8.8 prior or as a condition to exercising any termination right under Article VII (and pursuing damages after such termination), nor shall the commencement of any legal proceeding by any of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II seeking remedies pursuant to Section 8.8(a) or anything set forth in this Section 8.8 restrict or limit Parents right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with the terms of Article VII or pursue any other remedies under this Agreement that may be available then or thereafter.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the maximum aggregate liability of Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II together for any losses, damages, costs or expenses of the Company or the Partnership or their affiliates relating to the failure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be consummated, or a breach of this Agreement by Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or otherwise in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereunder, shall be limited to an amount equal to (i) the Parent Termination Amount, plus (ii) amounts payable or reimbursable pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 7.3(e), plus (iii) the aggregate amount of Assumption Expenses payable or reimbursable pursuant to Section 5.16(b), plus (iv) Parents indemnification, payment and reimbursement obligations pursuant to the last sentence of Section 5.12 and the last sentence of Section 5.17(a) (collectively, the Liability Limitation), and in no event shall the Company or the Partnership or any of their affiliates seek any amount in excess of the Liability Limitation in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or in respect of any other document or theory of law or equity or in respect of any oral representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith or therewith, whether at law or in equity, in contract,
80
tort or otherwise. Each of the Company and the Partnership agrees that it has no right of recovery against, and no personal liability shall attach to, any of the Parent Parties (other than Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to the extent provided in this Agreement and Blackstone Real Estate Advisors L.P. to the extent provided in the Confidentiality Agreement), through Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or otherwise, whether by or through attempted piercing of the corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company veil, by or through a claim by or on behalf of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II against any Parent Party, by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, by virtue of any applicable Law, whether in contract, tort or otherwise, except for its rights to recover from the Guarantor (but not any other Parent Party) under and to the extent provided in the Guaranty and subject to the Liability Limitation and the other limitations described therein. Recourse against the Guarantor under the Guaranty shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Company, the Partnership and their respective affiliates against the Guarantor and any other Parent Party (other than Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II to the extent provided in this Agreement and Blackstone Real Estate Advisors L.P. to the extent provided in the Confidentiality Agreement) in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or in respect of any other document or theory of law or equity or in respect of any oral representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith or therewith, whether at law or in equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise. Without limiting the rights of the Company against Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II hereunder and Blackstone Real Estate Advisors L.P. under the Confidentiality Agreement, in no event shall the Company or its affiliates seek to enforce this Agreement against, make any claims for breach of this Agreement against, or seek to recover damages from, any Parent Party (other than the Guarantor to the extent provided in the Guaranty and subject to the Liability Limitation and the other limitations described therein).
Section 8.9 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by action taken by the Company, the Partnership, Parent, Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II at any time before or after approval of the Mergers by the Company Requisite Vote but, after such approval, no amendment shall be made which requires the approval of any such shareholders under applicable Law without obtaining such further approvals. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of all of the parties hereto.
Section 8.10 Extension; Waiver. At any time prior to the Closing Date, each party hereto may (a) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties, (b) waive any breaches or inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other parties contained herein or in any document, certificate or writing delivered pursuant hereto or (c) subject to Section 8.9, waive compliance by the other parties with any of the agreements or conditions contained herein. Any agreement on the part of any party hereto to any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no failure or delay by the Company, the Partnership, Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise of any other right hereunder.
Section 8.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall be considered
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one and the same agreement. The exchange of a fully executed Agreement (in counterparts or otherwise) by facsimile or by electronic delivery in .pdf format shall be sufficient to bind the parties to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Section 8.12 Definitions.
Defined Terms |
| Section |
|
|
|
Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement |
| Section 5.6(b) |
Adverse Recommendation Change |
| Section 5.6(d) |
Aggregate Preferred Share Redemption Amount |
| Section 5.15(a) |
Agreement |
| Preamble |
Alternative Acquisition Agreement |
| Section 5.6(a) |
Amended Partnership Agreement |
| Section 1.2(b) |
Assumption Documents |
| Section 5.16(a) |
Assumption Expenses |
| Section 5.16(b) |
Bankruptcy and Equity Exception |
| Section 3.3(a) |
Book-Entry Share |
| Section 2.4(b) |
Book-Entry Unit |
| Section 2.4(b) |
Cancelled Units |
| Section 2.2(d) |
Capital Expenditure Budget |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Capital Expenditures |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Cash-Out Limited Partner |
| Recitals |
Certificate |
| Section 2.4(b) |
Certificate of Limited Partnership |
| Section 1.2(b) |
Chosen Courts |
| Section 8.4(b) |
Class A Partnership Units |
| Recitals |
Closing |
| Section 1.5 |
Closing Date |
| Section 1.5 |
COBRA |
| Section 3.11(d) |
Company |
| Preamble |
Company Board |
| Preamble |
Company Bylaws |
| Section 3.1(b) |
Company Charter |
| Section 3.1(b) |
Company Disclosure Letter |
| Article III |
Company Employee |
| Section 5.9(a) |
Company Employee Benefit Plan or Company Employee Benefits Plans |
| Section 3.11(a) |
Company Financial Statements |
| Section 3.5 |
Company Intellectual Property Rights |
| Section 3.16(a) |
Company Leased Real Property |
| Section 3.14(c) |
Company Leases |
| Section 3.14(c) |
Company LTIP Unit |
| Section 2.3(d)(i) |
Company Material Contract |
| Section 3.17(b) |
Company Merger |
| Recitals |
Company Merger Articles of Merger |
| Section 1.4(b) |
Company Merger Certificate |
| Section 1.4(b) |
Company Merger Effective Time |
| Section 1.4(b) |
82
Company Option |
| Section 2.3(c) |
Company Permits |
| Section 3.9(a) |
Company Preferred Shares |
| Section 3.2(a) |
Company Recommendation |
| Section 5.4 |
Company Requisite Vote |
| Section 3.20 |
Company Restricted Share Award |
| Section 2.3(a) |
Company RSU Award |
| Section 2.3(b) |
Company SEC Documents |
| Section 3.5 |
Company Series A Preferred Shares |
| Section 3.2(a) |
Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption |
| Section 5.15 |
Company Share |
| Section 2.1(b) |
Company Share Merger Consideration |
| Section 2.1(b) |
Company Shareholders Meeting |
| Section 5.4 |
Company Space Leases |
| Section 3.14(e) |
Company Termination Fee |
| Section 7.3(b) |
Compensation Committee |
| Section 2.3(d)(ii) |
Confidentiality Agreement |
| Section 5.2(b) |
Continuing Units |
| Section 2.2(c) |
Current ESPP Offering Period |
| Section 2.3(e) |
Debt Financing |
| Section 5.17(a) |
Designated Closing Date |
| Section 1.5 |
Development Expenditure Budget |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Development Expenditures |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Development Projects |
| Section 3.14(d) |
D&O Insurance |
| Section 5.8(b) |
DRULPA |
| Recitals |
DSOS |
| Section 1.4(a) |
Election Date |
| Section 2.2(b)(i) |
Equity Commitment Letter |
| Section 4.8(a) |
Equity Financing |
| Section 4.8(a) |
Equity Investor |
| Section 4.8(a) |
ERISA |
| Section 3.11(a) |
Exchange Fund |
| Section 2.4(a) |
Excluded Shares |
| Section 2.1(c) |
Excluded Units |
| Section 2.2(d) |
Existing Indebtedness |
| Section 3.17(b)(iv) |
Existing Lender |
| Section 5.16(a) |
Existing Loan Documents |
| Section 3.17(b)(iv) |
Extension Notice |
| Section 1.5 |
FCPA |
| Section 3.9(c) |
Form of Election |
| Section 2.2(b)(i) |
GAAP |
| Section 3.5 |
Ground Lease or Ground Leases |
| Section 3.14(b) |
Ground Leased Real Property |
| Section 3.14(b) |
Guarantor |
| Recitals |
Guaranty |
| Recitals |
83
Indemnified Liabilities |
| Section 5.8(a) |
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Parties |
| Section 5.8(a) |
Inquiry |
| Section 5.6(a) |
Intellectual Property Rights |
| Section 3.16(a) |
Interim Period |
| Section 5.1 |
IRS |
| Section 3.11(c) |
JV Entity |
| Section 3.1(d) |
Lenders |
| Section 5.17(a) |
Liability Limitation |
| Section 8.8(c) |
Maximum Amount |
| Section 5.8(b) |
Merger Consideration |
| Section 2.2(a) |
Merger Sub I |
| Preamble |
Merger Sub I GP |
| Preamble |
Merger Sub II |
| Preamble |
Merger Sub II GP |
| Preamble |
Mergers |
| Recitals |
MRL |
| Recitals |
Multiemployer Plan |
| Section 3.11(b) |
Notice of Change of Recommendation |
| Section 5.6(e) |
Notice of Change Period |
| Section 5.6(e) |
Operating Budget |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Operating Expenses |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Outside Date |
| Section 7.1(b)(ii) |
Owned Real Property |
| Section 3.14(a) |
Parent |
| Preamble |
Parent-Approved Transaction |
| Section 5.12 |
Parent Plan |
| Section 5.9(a) |
Parent Termination Amount |
| Section 7.3(c) |
Participation Agreements |
| Section 3.14(f) |
Participation Interest |
| Section 3.14(f) |
Participation Party |
| Section 3.14(f) |
Partnership |
| Preamble |
Partnership Merger |
| Recitals |
Partnership Merger Certificate |
| Section 1.4(a) |
Partnership Merger Effective Time |
| Section 1.4(a) |
Partnership Preferred Units |
| Recitals |
Partnership Unit Merger Consideration |
| Section 2.2(a) |
Partnership Units |
| Recitals |
Paying Agent |
| Section 2.4(a) |
Per Company Series A Preferred Share Redemption Price |
| Section 5.15 |
Per Company Share Merger Consideration |
| Section 2.1(b) |
Per Partnership Unit Merger Consideration |
| Section 2.2(a) |
Permit |
| Section 3.9(a) |
Proxy Statement |
| Section 5.3(a) |
Qualified Proposal |
| Section 8.12(t) |
QRS |
| Section 3.13(b) |
84
REIT |
| Section 3.13(b) |
REIT Opinion |
| Section 6.2(c) |
Rent Rolls |
| Section 3.14(e) |
Roll-Over Limited Partner |
| Recitals |
Sarbanes-Oxley Act |
| Section 3.5 |
SDAT |
| Section 1.4(b) |
Series A Articles Supplementary |
| Section 5.15 |
Series A Redemption Notice |
| Section 5.15 |
Space Lease Commission Schedule |
| Section 3.14(d) |
Subject Mortgage Debt |
| Section 5.16(a) |
Surviving Company |
| Section 1.1(b) |
Surviving Partnership |
| Section 1.1(a) |
Takeover Statutes |
| Section 3.19 |
Third Party |
| Section 3.14(g) |
Transaction Litigation |
| Section 5.5(b) |
Transfer Taxes |
| Section 5.13(d) |
TRS |
| Section 3.13(b) |
Unit Election |
| Section 2.2(b) |
Vested LTIP Unit |
| Section 2.3(d)(i) |
WARN |
| Section 3.12(e) |
In addition to the other terms defined throughout this Agreement, which are listed above, the following terms shall have the following meanings when used in this Agreement:
(a) Additional Consideration means an amount, rounded to the nearest one-hundredth of a cent, equal to (a) $1.50 multiplied by (b) (i) the number of calendar days elapsed from and including October 15, 2018 until (but not including) the Closing Date divided by (ii) 365.
(b) affiliate means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the first-mentioned Person.
(c) Business Day means a day other than Saturday, Sunday or any day on which banks located in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by applicable Law to close.
(d) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(e) Company Acquisition Proposal means any inquiry, offer or proposal from any Person or group (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) regarding any of the following (other than the Mergers) involving any of the Company or the Partnership or any other Company Subsidiary: (i) any merger, consolidation, share exchange, recapitalization, dissolution, liquidation, business combination or other similar transaction involving the Company or the Partnership; (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by merger, consolidation, sale of equity interests, share
85
exchange, joint venture, business combination or otherwise, of 15% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and the Partnership and the other Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (as determined on a book-value basis (including Indebtedness secured solely by such assets)), in a single transaction or series of related transactions; (iii) any issue, sale or other disposition (including by way of merger, consolidation, sale of equity interests, share exchange, joint venture, business combination or otherwise) of securities (or options, rights or warrants to purchase, or securities convertible into, such securities) representing 15% or more of the voting power of the Company or 15% or more of the equity interests or general partner interests in the Partnership; (iv) any tender offer or exchange offer for 15% or more of any class of equity security of the Company or 15% or more of the equity interests or general partner interests in the Partnership; or the filing of a registration statement under the Securities Act in connection therewith; (v) any other transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which any third party proposes to acquire control of assets of the Company or the Partnership and any other Company Subsidiary having a fair market value equal to or greater than 15% of the fair market value of all of the assets of the Company and the Partnership and the other Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, immediately prior to such transaction; or (vi) any public announcement of a proposal, plan or intention to do any of the foregoing or any agreement to engage in any of the foregoing.
(f) Company Equity Awards means Company Restricted Share Awards, Company RSU Awards, Company Options and Company LTIP Units and options to purchase Company Shares pursuant to the Company ESPP.
(g) Company Equity Plan means the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2012 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, the Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan, the Directors Deferral Program, amended and restated as of January 1, 2015, and each other employee and director equity incentive plan of the Company.
(h) Company ESPP means the Company 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(i) Company Material Adverse Effect means any change, event, state of facts or development that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (i) the business, financial condition, assets or continuing results of operations of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) the ability of the Company or the Partnership to consummate the Mergers before the Outside Date; provided, however, that in the case of clause (i) no change, event, state of facts or development resulting from any of the following shall be deemed to be or taken into account in determining whether there has been or will be, a Company Material Adverse Effect: (a) the entry into or the announcement, pendency or performance of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or the consummation of any transactions contemplated hereby, including (i) the identity of Parent and its affiliates, (ii) by reason of any communication by Parent or any of its affiliates regarding the plans or intentions of Parent with respect to the conduct of the business of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries following the Company Merger Effective Time, (iii) the failure to obtain any third party consent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and (iv) the impact of any of the foregoing on any relationships with customers, suppliers, vendors, business
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partners, employees or any other Person, (b) any change, event or development in or affecting financial, economic, social or political conditions generally or the securities, credit or financial markets in general, including interest rates or exchange rates, or any changes therein, in the United States or other countries in which the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries conduct operations or any change, event or development generally affecting the industries in which the Company and the Company Subsidiaries operate, (c) any change in the market price or trading volume of the equity securities of the Company or of the equity or credit ratings or the ratings outlook for the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries by any applicable rating agency; provided, however, that the exception in this clause (c) shall not prevent the underlying facts giving rise or contributing to such change, if not otherwise excluded from the definition of Company Material Adverse Effect, from being taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred, (d) the suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, (e) any adoption, implementation, proposal or change after the date hereof in any applicable Law or GAAP or interpretation of any of the foregoing, (f) any action taken or not taken to which Parent has consented in writing, (g) any action expressly required to be taken by this Agreement or taken at the request of Parent (including pursuant to Section 5.12), (h) the failure of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to meet any internal or public projections, budgets, forecasts or estimates of revenues, earnings or other financial results for any period ending on or after the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the exception in this clause (h) shall not prevent the underlying facts giving rise or contributing to such failure, if not otherwise excluded from the definition of Company Material Adverse Effect, from being taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred; and provided, further, that this clause (h) shall not be construed as implying that the Company is making any representation or warranty with respect to any internal or public projections, budgets, forecasts or estimates of revenues, earnings or other financial results for any period, (i) the commencement, occurrence, continuation or escalation of any war, armed hostilities or acts of terrorism, (j) any actions or claims made or brought by any of the current or former shareholders or equityholders of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (or on their behalf or on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, but in any event only in their capacities as current or former shareholders or equityholders) arising out of this Agreement or the Mergers or (k) the existence, occurrence or continuation of any force majeure events, including any earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tropical storms, fires or other natural disasters or any national, international or regional calamity; provided, that (i) with respect to clauses (b), (e), (i), and (k), such changes, events, state of facts or developments may be taken into account to the extent they disproportionately adversely affect the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, compared to other companies operating in the United States in the industries in which the Company and the Company Subsidiaries operate and (ii) clause (a)(iii) and clause (j) shall not apply to the use of Company Material Adverse Effect in Section 3.4 (or Section 6.2(a) as it relates to Section 3.4).
(j) Company Real Property means, collectively, the Owned Real Property and the Ground Leased Real Property.
(k) Company Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of the Company, including the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.
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(l) Contract means any binding agreement, contract, lease (whether for real or personal property), commitment, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, loan or evidence of Indebtedness, to which a Person is a party or to which the properties or assets of such Person are subject.
(m) Copyrights means U.S. and non-U.S. copyrights and mask works (as defined in 17 U.S.C. § 901) and pending applications to register the same.
(n) Cut-Off Time means the Second Period Expiration Time; provided that, if the foregoing date would be a date that is during (x) a Notice of Change Period with respect to the Companys intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i) to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a Qualified Proposal that the Board has determined (in accordance with Section 5.6(d)) constitutes a Superior Proposal or (y) an Excluded Party Notice Period, then the Cut-Off Time shall be extended such that the date of the Cut-Off Time is the last day of such Notice of Change Period or the last Excluded Party Notice Period, as applicable (which, for the avoidance of doubt, could result in the Cut-Off Time being extended on multiple occasions in connection with multiple Notice of Change Periods and Excluded Party Notice Periods).
(o) delivered or made available or words of similar import mean, with respect to documents or information required to be provided by the Company or the Partnership to Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II, any documents or information (i) posted by the Company or any of its Representatives in the Companys electronic data room, (ii) filed or furnished by the Company with, and available through, the SECs Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval System or (iii) otherwise made reasonably available by the Company or its Representatives to Parent, in each case prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(p) Environmental Laws means all Laws which (a) regulate or relate to (i) the protection or clean-up of the environment, (ii) occupational safety and health in respect of Hazardous Substances or (iii) the treatment, storage, transportation, handling, exposure to, disposal or Release of Hazardous Substances or (b) impose liability with respect to any of the foregoing.
(q) Environmental Permits means any permit, registration, identification number, license and other authorization under any applicable Environmental Law.
(r) ERISA Affiliate means any entity, trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is considered a single employer together with the Company or any ERISA Affiliate under ERISA Section 4001(b) or part of the same controlled group with the Company or any ERISA Affiliate for purposes of Code Section 414.
(s) Exchange Act means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(t) Excluded Party means any Person or group of Persons that submitted a written bona fide Company Acquisition Proposal to the Company after the date hereof and prior to the Initial Period Expiration Time that the Company Board determines prior to the Initial Period Expiration Time, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors,
88
constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal and provides written notice to Parent promptly (and in any event within 48 hours) of such determination (such Company Acquisition Proposal, a Qualified Proposal); provided, that the Company commences, at or prior to the Second Period Expiration Time, a Notice of Change Period with respect to its intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i) to enter into a definitive agreement providing for the implementation of such Qualified Proposal that the Company Board has determined (in accordance with Section 5.6(d)) constitutes a Superior Proposal; provided, further, that any such Person or group of Persons shall cease to be an Excluded Party upon the earliest to occur of the following: (a) such time as such Persons or group of Persons Company Acquisition Proposal is withdrawn, terminated or expires, (b) the last Excluded Party Notice Period with respect to such Person or group of Persons expires, (c) in the case of a group, if the Persons in such group as of the time such group submitted the Qualified Proposal that most recently rendered such group an Excluded Party cease to constitute in the aggregate at least 75% of the equity financing (measured by voting power or value) of such group, unless the remainder of such equity financing is to be provided by Persons who were themselves in a group of Persons that was an Excluded Party prior to the Initial Period Expiration Time or (d) the Cut-Off Time.
(u) Excluded Party Notice Period means, with respect to an Excluded Party, a period of three (3) Business Days commencing upon the expiration of the first Notice of Change Period with respect to the Companys intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i) to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a Qualified Proposal which was submitted by such Excluded Party that the Company Board has determined (in accordance with Section 5.6(d)) constitutes a Superior Proposal, it being agreed that if a new Notice of Change Period is commenced, at or before the expiration of such three (3) Business Day period, with respect to the Companys intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(i) to enter into a definitive agreement providing for the implementation of such Superior Proposal, as materially revised, then a new Excluded Party Notice Period of two (2) Business Days shall commence upon the expiration of such new Notice of Change Period (and another new Excluded Party Notice Period of two (2) Business Days shall commence upon the expiration of any further such new Notice of Change Period that commences at or before the expiration of the prior Excluded Party Notice Period), it being understood that if any Excluded Party Notice Period expires without such a new Notice of Change Period having been commenced at or before such expiration, there shall be no further Excluded Party Notice Periods with respect to such Excluded Party.
(v) Governmental Entity means any court, tribunal or any government or political subdivision thereof, whether federal, state, county, local or foreign, or any agency, authority, official or instrumentality of such governmental or political subdivision, or any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of government.
(w) Hazardous Substances means any toxic, reactive, corrosive, ignitable or flammable chemical, or chemical compound, or hazardous substance, hazardous material or hazardous waste, whether solid, liquid or gas, that is subject to regulation, control or remediation, or for which liability or standards of care are imposed, under any Environmental Laws, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof), asbestos, radioactive materials and polychlorinated biphenyls, or toxic mold.
89
(x) Indebtedness means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries for borrowed money, including obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (b) all reimbursement obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries under letters of credit to the extent such letters of credit have been drawn, (c) obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries in respect of interest rate, currency or other swaps, hedges or similar derivative arrangements, (d) all capital lease obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries, (e) all obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries for guarantees of another Person in respect of any items set forth in clauses (a) through (d), and (f) all outstanding prepayment premium obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries, if any, and accrued interest, fees and expenses related to any of the items set forth in clauses (a) through (c). For the avoidance of doubt, Indebtedness shall not include any liability for Taxes and shall not include any Indebtedness from the Company to a wholly-owned Company Subsidiary (or vice versa) or between wholly-owned Company Subsidiaries.
(y) Initial Period Expiration Time means June 20, 2018.
(z) Intervening Event means a material event, development or change in circumstances with respect to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that occurred or arose after the date of this Agreement, which (a) was unknown to, nor reasonably foreseeable by, the Company Board as of or prior to the date of this Agreement and (b) becomes known to or by the Company Board prior to the receipt of the Company Requisite Vote; provided, however that none of the following will constitute, or be considered in determining whether there has been, an Intervening Event: (i) the receipt, existence of or terms of an Inquiry or Company Acquisition Proposal or any matter relating thereto or consequence thereof and (ii) changes in the market price or trading volume of the Company Shares or the fact that the Company meets or exceeds internal or published projections, budgets, forecasts or estimates of revenues, earnings or other financial results for any period (provided, however, that the underlying causes of such change or fact shall not be excluded by this clause (ii)).
(aa) Joint Venture Agreements means the organizational and other governing documents of a JV Entity.
(bb) know or knowledge means, with respect to the Company, the actual knowledge of such persons listed in Section 8.12(bb) of the Company Disclosure Letter, and with respect to Parent, the actual knowledge of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto.
(cc) Law means any federal, state, local or foreign law (including common law), statute, code, directive, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, writ, stipulation, award, injunction or decree of any Governmental Entity.
(dd) Lien means any lien, mortgage, pledge, conditional or installment sale agreement, restriction on transfer, purchase option, right of first refusal, easement, security interest, charge, encumbrance, deed of trust, right-of-way or other encumbrance of any nature, whether voluntarily incurred or arising by operation of Law.
(ee) Material Company Lease means any lease, sublease or occupancy agreement of real property (other than Ground Leases) under which the Company or any
90
Company Subsidiary is the tenant or subtenant or serves in a similar capacity and (x) that provides for annual rentals of $1,000,000 or more or (y) relates to real property comprising more than 25,000 square feet of space; provided that any such lease, sublease or occupancy agreement between the Company and any Company Subsidiary or between Company Subsidiaries shall not constitute a Material Company Lease.
(ff) Material Space Lease means any one or more leases, subleases, licenses or occupancy agreements of a particular real property (other than Ground Leases) under which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is the landlord or sub-landlord or serves in a similar capacity, (x) providing for annual rentals of $2,500,000 or more or (y) relating to an individual real property comprising more than 250,000 square feet of space.
(gg) Minority Limited Partner means (x) any holder of Class A Partnership Units, other than any such holder that is the Company, any Company Subsidiary, the Surviving Company, Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Surviving Company, Parent or Merger Sub II and (y) solely with respect to any Company LTIP Unit that will be converted, prior to the Closing, into Class A Partnership Units, any holder of such Company LTIP Unit.
(hh) New Partnership Preferred Unit means a Series B Cumulative Preferred Unit of the Surviving Partnership as defined in the form of Exhibit G thereto attached as Exhibit B hereto, which shall be added to the Partnership Agreement and become a part of the Amended Partnership Agreement immediately prior to the Closing Date.
(ii) Parent Parties means, collectively, Parent, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, the Guarantor or any of their respective former, current or future directors, officers, employees, agents, general or limited partners, managers, members, stockholders, affiliates, successors or assignees or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder, affiliate, successor or assignee of any of the foregoing.
(jj) Partners shall have the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
(kk) Partnership Agreement means the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, as amended by the First and Second Amendments to the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, and as may be further amended from time to time.
(ll) Partnership Approval means the approval of the Partnership Merger and the Company Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the Partners holding a majority or more of the then outstanding Percentage Interests (including the effect of any Partnership Units held by the general partner of the Partnership).
(mm) Patents means U.S. and non-U.S. patents, provisional patent applications, patent applications, continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions, divisions, reissues, patent disclosures, industrial designs, inventions (whether or not patentable or reduced to practice) and improvements thereto.
91
(nn) Percentage Interests shall have the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
(oo) Permitted Liens means (a) statutory Liens for Taxes, assessments or other charges by Governmental Entities not yet due and payable or the amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been established on the Company Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP (to the extent required by GAAP), (b) mechanics, workmens, repairmens, carriers, warehousemens or other like Liens, in each case of this clause (b) arising in the ordinary course for amounts not yet due and payable or the amount or validity of which are being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been established on the Company Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP (to the extent required by GAAP), (c) Liens for which title insurance coverage pursuant to a title policy held by the Company or a Company Subsidiary has been obtained, (d) easements whether or not shown by the public records, overlaps, encroachments and any matters not of record that would be disclosed by an accurate survey or a personal inspection of the property (other than such matters that, individually or in the aggregate, materially adversely impair the current use, operation or value of the subject real property), (e) Liens securing Indebtedness for borrowed money existing as of the date hereof or that the Company or a Company Subsidiary is permitted to enter into pursuant to the terms of Section 5.1 (provided in the case of real property, this clause (e) shall be limited to Subject Mortgage Debt), (f) (i) rights of tenants under Company Space Leases, as tenants only, and (ii) rights of other parties in possession , in the case of clause (ii), without any right of first refusal, right of first offer or other option to purchase any Company Real Property (or any portion thereof), (g) title to any portion of any owned or leased real property lying within the boundary of any public or private road, easement or right of way, (h) Liens created, imposed or promulgated by Law or by any Governmental Entities, including zoning regulations, use restrictions and building codes, (i) such other non-monetary Liens or imperfections of title, easements, covenants, rights of way, restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances disclosed in policies or commitments of title insurance that, individually or in the aggregate, do not, and would not reasonably be expected to, materially impair the existing use, operation or value of the property or asset affected by the applicable Lien, (j) Liens, rights or obligations created by or resulting from the acts or omission of Parent, Merger Sub I or Merger Sub II or any of their respective affiliates and their and their respective affiliates investors, lenders, employees, officers, directors, trustees, members, shareholders, agents, representatives, contractors, invitees or licensees or any Person claiming by, through or under any of the foregoing, and (k) any other non-monetary Liens that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to materially adversely impair the current use, operation or value of the subject real property or asset.
(pp) Person means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity.
(qq) Prior Sale Agreement means any purchase or sale Contract relating to any real property or leasehold interest in any Ground Lease conveyed, transferred, assigned or otherwise disposed of by the Company or any Company Subsidiaries since January 1, 2014, except for easements or similar interests.
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(rr) Release means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing into the environment.
(ss) Reportable Transaction shall have the meaning ascribed to the term reportable transaction in Section 1.6011-4(b) of the Treasury Regulations.
(tt) Representative means, with respect to any Person, such Persons trustees, directors, partners, managers, officers, employees, consultants, advisors (including counsel, accountants, investment bankers, experts, consultants and financial advisors), agents and other representatives and, in the case of Parent, its financing sources.
(uu) SEC means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
(vv) Second Period Expiration Time means July 5, 2018.
(ww) Securities Act means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(xx) Service Provider means any employee, director, trustee or individual independent contractor of the Company or any Company Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates.
(yy) Specified Properties means the Company Real Properties specified in Section 8.12(yy) of the Company Disclosure Letter.
(zz) Solvent when used with respect to any Person, means that, as of any date of determination, (a) the present fair saleable value of such Persons total assets exceeds the value of such Persons total liabilities, including a reasonable estimate of the amount of all contingent and other liabilities, as such quoted terms are generally determined in accordance with applicable Laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors, (b) such Person will not have an unreasonably small amount of capital for the operation of the businesses in which it is engaged or intends to engage and (c) such Person will be able to pay all of its liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they mature. For purposes of this definition, not have an unreasonably small amount of capital for the operation of the businesses in which it is engaged and able to pay all of its liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they mature mean that such Person will be able to generate enough cash from operations, asset dispositions, existing financing or refinancing, or a combination thereof, to meet its obligations as they become due.
(aaa) Subsidiary means, with respect to a Person, another Person at least a majority of the securities or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other Persons performing similar functions is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by such first Person and/or by one or more of its Subsidiaries or of which such first Person and/or one of its Subsidiaries serves as a general partner (in the case of a partnership) or a manager or managing member (in the case of a limited liability entity) or similar function; provided, that GPT P/H Morristown Office Holdings LLC shall not be considered a Subsidiary of the Company or the Partnership.
(bbb) Superior Proposal means a bona fide written Company Acquisition Proposal (except that, for purposes of this definition, the references in the definition of
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Company Acquisition Proposal to 15% shall be replaced by 50%) made by a third party on terms that the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with the Companys outside legal counsel and financial advisors, (A) would result, if consummated, in a transaction that is more favorable to the Companys shareholders (solely in their capacity as such) from a financial point of view than the Company Merger and (B) is reasonably likely to be consummated, after taking into account (x) the financial, legal, regulatory and any other aspects of such proposal, (y) the likelihood and timing of consummation (as compared to the Company Merger) and (z) any changes to the terms of this Agreement proposed by Parent and any other information provided by Parent (including pursuant to Section 5.6 of this Agreement).
(ccc) Tax and Taxes means any federal, state, local or foreign net income, gross income, gross receipts, windfall profit, severance, property, production, sales, use, license, excise, stamp, franchise, employment, payroll, withholding, social security (or similar), alternative or add-on minimum or any other tax, custom, duty, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge, together with any interest or penalty, addition to tax imposed by any Governmental Entity.
(ddd) Tax Protection Agreements means any Contract to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party pursuant to which: (a) any liability to holders of equity of a Company Subsidiary that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (including the Partnership Units, the Company Partnership Interests) relating to Taxes may arise and give rise to an indemnity obligation by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, whether or not as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (b) in connection with the deferral of income Taxes of a holder of a Company Partnership Interest, the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries have agreed to (i) maintain a minimum level of debt or continue a particular debt or allow a partner to guarantee any debt, (ii) retain or not dispose of assets for a period of time that has not since expired, (iii) make or refrain from making Tax elections, (iv) operate (or refrain from operating) in a particular manner, (v) only dispose of assets in a particular manner, (vi) use (or refrain from using) a specified method of taking into account book tax disparities under Section 704(c) of the Code with respect to one or more properties and/or (vii) use (or refrain from using) a particular method of allocating one or more liabilities of such party or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries under Section 752 of the Code; and/or (c) limited partners of the Partnership have guaranteed, indemnified or assumed debt of the Partnership.
(eee) Tax Return means any return, report, document, declaration or similar statement filed or required to be filed with respect to any Tax, including any information return, claim for refund, amended return or declaration of estimated Tax and including any schedule or attachment thereto.
(fff) Trade Secrets means trade secrets and confidential ideas, know-how, concepts, methods, processes, formulae, technology, algorithms, models, reports, data, customer lists, supplier lists, mailing lists, business plans and other proprietary information, all of which derive value, monetary or otherwise, from being maintained in confidence.
(ggg) Trademarks means U.S., state and non-U.S. trademarks, service marks, trade names, corporate names, designs, logos, slogans, social media identifiers, domain names
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and general intangibles of like nature, including all goodwill associated therewith, and any registrations and applications to register the foregoing.
(hhh) Transfer Right means, with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, a buy/sell, put option, call option, option to purchase, a marketing right, a forced sale, tag or drag right or a right of first offer, right of first refusal or right that is similar to any of the foregoing, pursuant to the terms of which the Company or any Company Subsidiary, on the one hand, or another Person, on the other hand, could be required to purchase or sell the applicable equity interests of any Person or any real property.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be duly executed on its behalf as of the day and year first above written.
| GRAMERCY PROPERTY TRUST | |
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| By: | /s/ Gordon F. DuGan |
| Name: | Gordon F. DuGan |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
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| GPT OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP | |
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| By: | /s/ Gordon F. DuGan |
| Name: | Gordon F. DuGan |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]
| BRE GLACIER PARENT L.P. | |
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| By: BRE Glacier Parent LLC, its general partner | |
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| By: | /s/ Tyler Henritze |
| Name: | Tyler Henritze |
| Title: | Senior Managing Director and Vice President |
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| BRE GLACIER L.P. | |
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| By: BRE Glacier LLC, its general partner | |
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| By: | /s/ Tyler Henritze |
| Name: | Tyler Henritze |
| Title: | Senior Managing Director and Vice President |
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| BRE GLACIER ACQUISITION L.P. | |
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| By: BRE Glacier Acquisition LLC, its general partner | |
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| By: | /s/ Tyler Henritze |
| Name: | Tyler Henritze |
| Title: | Senior Managing Director and Vice President |
[Signature page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]
Exhibit B
FORM OF
EXHIBIT G
DESIGNATION OF THE PREFERENCES, CONVERSION AND
OTHER RIGHTS, VOTING POWERS, RESTRICTIONS,
LIMITATIONS AS TO DISTRIBUTIONS, QUALIFICATIONS
AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF REDEMPTION
OF THE
5.75% SERIES B CUMULATIVE PREFERRED UNITS
1. Definitions
In addition to those terms defined in the Agreement or described in Section 2 of this Exhibit G, the following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in the Agreement and this Exhibit G.
Available Cash means, with respect to any period for which such calculation is being made,
(i) the sum of:
a. the Partnerships Net Income or Net Loss (as the case may be) for such period,
b. Depreciation and all other noncash charges deducted in determining Net Income or Net Loss for such period,
c. the amount of any reduction in reserves of the Partnership referred to in clause (ii)(f) below (including, without limitation, reductions resulting because the General Partner determines such amounts are no longer necessary),
d. the excess of the net proceeds from the sale, exchange, disposition, or refinancing of Partnership property for such period over the gain (or loss, as the case may be) recognized from any such sale, exchange, disposition, or refinancing during such period (excluding any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership or a related series of transactions that, taken together, result in the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership), and
e. all other cash received by the Partnership for such period that was not included in determining Net Income or Net Loss for such period;
(ii) less the sum of:
a. all principal debt payments made during such period by the Partnership,
b. capital expenditures made by the Partnership during such period,
c. investments in any entity (including loans made thereto) to the extent that such investments are not otherwise described in clauses (ii)(a) or (b) of this definition,
d. all other expenditures and payments not deducted in determining Net Income or Net Loss for such period,
e. any amount included in determining Net Income or Net Loss for such period that was not received by the Partnership during such period,
f. the amount of any increase in reserves established during such period which the General Partner determines are necessary or appropriate in its sole and absolute discretion,
g. the amount of any working capital accounts and other cash or similar balances which the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in its sole and absolute discretion, and
h. any amount paid in redemption of any Limited Partnership Interest or Partnership Units.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Available Cash shall not include any cash received or reductions in reserves, or take into account any disbursements made or reserves established, after commencement of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership.
Series B Preferred Units means the series of Partnership Units representing units of Limited Partnership Interest designated as 5.75% Series B Cumulative Preferred Units, with the preferences, liquidation and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of units as described herein.
2. Terms of the Series B Preferred Units.
A. Designation and Number
A series of Partnership Units in the Partnership designated as the 5.75% Series B Cumulative Preferred Units is hereby established, with the rights, priorities and preferences set forth herein. The number of Series B Preferred Units shall be []. The Series B Preferred Units shall be uncertificated.
B. Distributions
(i) Holders of Series B Preferred Units shall be entitled to receive cumulative preferential cash distributions in an amount equal to 5.75% per annum on the [$27.50 plus amount of Additional Consideration pursuant to the Merger Agreement] liquidation preference of each Series B Preferred Unit (the Distribution Rate). Such distributions shall accrue and be cumulative from the Closing Date (as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 6, 2018, by and among the Partnership and the other parties thereto (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the Merger Agreement)) and shall be payable when, as and if authorized by the General Partner in its sole discretion, out of Available Cash, quarterly in arrears on the last calendar day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding day that is a Business Day) of each March, June, September and December of each year (each a Distribution Payment Date), commencing on the first such date after the Closing Date. The period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the first Distribution Payment Date, and each subsequent period from and including a Distribution Payment Date to but excluding the next succeeding Distribution Payment Date, is hereinafter called a Distribution Period. Distributions shall be payable to holders of Series B Preferred Units of record as they appear in the books and records of the Partnership at the close of business on the applicable record date (each, a Record Date), which shall be the 15th day of the calendar month in which the applicable Distribution Payment Date falls or such other date designated by the General Partner for the payment of distributions on the Series B Preferred Units that is not more than thirty (30) nor less than ten (10) days prior to such Distribution Payment Date. The amount of any distribution payable for any Distribution Period, or portion thereof, shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
(ii) Distributions on the Series B Preferred Units which are due but unpaid will accumulate quarterly, whether or not there is sufficient Available Cash for such distributions, whether or not the
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Partnership has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such distributions and whether or not such distributions are authorized. Accrued but unpaid distributions on the Series B Preferred Units will accumulate as of the Distribution Payment Date on which they first become payable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Partnership shall make quarterly distributions of cash (the Tax Liability Distributions) to the holders of Series B Preferred Units, as distributions on the Series B Preferred Units, in an amount sufficient to enable such holders to pay, on a quarterly basis, U.S. federal, state and local income taxes arising from the allocations made (or estimated to be made) to such holders with respect to the cash distributions to such holder pursuant to this Section 2.B. of this Exhibit G, to the extent that distributions otherwise paid to the holders of Series B Preferred Units in such quarter and prior quarters in such fiscal year are not sufficient for such holders to pay such taxes, which payments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the close of each applicable quarter. Subject to the following sentence, the amount of any such Tax Liability Distribution shall equal the product of (x) the highest marginal combined U.S. federal, state and local income tax rate applicable to an individual holder of Series B Preferred Units residing in New York (after giving effect to income tax deductions (if allowable) for state and local income taxes and the character of the applicable income) for such fiscal period and (y) the aggregate amounts of net taxable income or gain of the Partnership that were actually allocated or are estimated to be allocated to such holder for federal income tax purposes for such fiscal period and any prior fiscal period with respect to the cash distributions made to such holder pursuant to this Section 2.B of this Exhibit G (only to the extent no Tax Liability Distribution or other distribution was previously made with respect to such fiscal period). For the avoidance of doubt, any Tax Liability Distributions shall reduce the amount of any accrued but unpaid distributions with respect to the Series B Preferred Units.
(iii) If any Series B Preferred Units are outstanding, if and so long as the Partnership is in arrears with regard to the payment of any distributions upon the Series B Preferred Units in respect of any completed Distribution Period, (a) no distributions (other than distributions made in Series B Junior Units (as defined below) or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase Series B Junior Units) shall be authorized or paid or set apart for payment nor shall any other distribution be authorized or made upon any Series B Junior Units unless distributions sufficient to make up such arrearage shall have been or contemporaneously are authorized and paid or authorized and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart in a separate account of the Partnership for payment for all past Distribution Periods, and (b) no Series B Junior Units shall be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of Series B Junior Units) by the Partnership (except by conversion into or exchange for Series B Junior Units or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase Series B Junior Units).
(iv) If any Series B Preferred Units are outstanding, if and so long as distributions are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series B Preferred Units and all other Partnership Interests ranking on parity with the Series B Preferred Units as to distributions, all distributions authorized upon the Series B Preferred Units shall be authorized and paid pro rata so that the amount of distributions authorized and paid per Series B Preferred Unit and any such other Partnership Interest shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accumulated distributions per Series B Preferred Unit and any such other Partnership Interest bear to each other. No interest shall be payable in respect of any distribution payment or payments on Series B Preferred Units which may be in arrears.
(v) No distributions on the Series B Preferred Units shall be authorized by the General Partner or paid or set apart for payment by the Partnership at such times as any agreement of the Partnership, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibits such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment or provides that such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such authorization or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
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(vi) Holders of Series B Preferred Units shall not be entitled to any distribution, whether payable in cash, property or Partnership Interests in excess of full cumulative distributions on the Series B Preferred Units as described above and the liquidation preference set forth in Section 2.C of this Exhibit G. Any distribution authorized on the Series B Preferred Units shall first be credited against the earliest accumulated but unpaid distribution due with respect to such Series B Preferred Units which remains unpaid.
(vii) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, so long as (a) the Partnership is not in arrears with regard to the payment of any distributions upon the Series B Preferred Units in respect of any completed Distribution Period and (b) the Partnership shall have made all redemption payments then due to be paid to holders of the Series B Preferred Units under Section 2.D of this Exhibit G, the Partnership shall be permitted at any time to make cash distributions and distributions in-kind of assets, properties or securities to holders of Partnership Interests other than Series B Preferred Units, and the holders of Series B Preferred Units shall not be entitled to participate in any such distributions.
C. Liquidation Preference
(i) Upon any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Partnership, before any distribution or payment shall be made to holders of Series B Junior Units, notwithstanding anything in the Agreement to the contrary, including Section 13.02 of the Agreement, each holder of Series B Preferred Units shall be entitled to receive and be paid out of the assets of the Partnership legally available for distribution to the Partners pursuant to the Agreement a liquidation preference per Series B Preferred Unit equal to [$27.50 plus amount of Additional Consideration pursuant to the Merger Agreement], plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid distributions to but excluding the date of payment on the Series B Preferred Units held by such holder.
(ii) In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up, the legally available assets of the Partnership are insufficient to pay the full amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding Series B Preferred Units and all other Partnership Interests ranking on parity with the Series B Preferred Units as to the liquidating distributions, then such assets shall be allocated pro rata among the holders of Series B Preferred Units and any such other Partnership Interest so that the amount of liquidating distributions paid per Series B Preferred Unit and any such other Partnership Interest shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that liquidating distributions to which holders of Series B Preferred Unit and any such other Partnership Interest would otherwise respectively be entitled pursuant to Section 2.C.(i) of this Exhibit G and the Agreement.
(iii) After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 2.C.(i) of this Exhibit G, the holders of Series B Preferred Units, as such, will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Partnership, shall cease to be Partners in respect of such Series B Preferred Units and the Series B Preferred Units shall be deemed cancelled.
(iv) The consolidation or merger of the Partnership with or into any other partnership, corporation, trust or entity or of any other partnership, corporation, trust or other entity with or into the Partnership or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of, the property or business of the Partnership, shall not be deemed to constitute a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Partnership for purposes of this Section 2.C of this Exhibit G.
D. Redemption at Holders Option for Cash
(i) Commencing on the earlier of (a) the date the amount of Total Capital as reflected in the Partnerships unaudited consolidated balance sheets for a calendar quarter is less than $100 million (a
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Total Capital Shortfall Event) and (b) December 31, 2019 (or at any earlier time that the Partnership is a Subsidiary of a Person that is subject to taxation as a REIT with Publicly Traded common stock, or upon the earlier death of a holder of Series B Preferred Units, solely in respect of such holders estate), each holder of Series B Preferred Units (or such deceased holders estate only, as applicable) shall have the right (the Preferred Redemption Right) to require the Partnership to redeem on the Preferred Redemption Date (as defined below) all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Units held by such holder at a redemption price per Series B Preferred Unit, payable in cash, equal to [$27.50 plus amount of Additional Consideration pursuant to the Merger Agreement] plus an amount equal to any accrued but unpaid distributions to but excluding the Preferred Redemption Date (the Redemption Price) to be paid by the Partnership. The Preferred Redemption Right shall be exercised pursuant to a Notice of Redemption (as defined below) delivered to the General Partner by the holder of Series B Preferred Units who is exercising the redemption right. Except in the event of a Total Capital Shortfall Event or in the event of the death of a holder of Series B Preferred Units (in which event the Preferred Redemption Right shall be exercisable solely by such holders estate), the Preferred Redemption Right shall only be available, and a Notice of Redemption in respect thereof may only be delivered, once per quarter during the first month of each fiscal quarter of the Partnership commencing January 2020. For purposes of this Exhibit G, (a) Preferred Redemption Date means the second to last Business Day of the fiscal quarter of the Partnership in which the General Partner receives the applicable Notice of Redemption pursuant to this Section 2.D of this Exhibit G or, if the second to last Business Day of such fiscal quarter is less than ten (10) Business Days from the date on which the General Partner receives the applicable Notice of Redemption pursuant to this Section 2.D of this Exhibit G, then the second to last Business Day of the next subsequent fiscal quarter of the Partnership and (b) Publicly Traded means listed or admitted to trading on New York Stock Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT LLC, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC or another national securities exchange, or any successor to the foregoing.
(ii) In the event any applicable redemption date shall not be a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Price need not be made on such redemption date but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such applicable redemption date and no interest, additional distributions or other sum shall accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after such redemption date to such next succeeding Business Day.
(iii) On and after the Preferred Redemption Date, all distributions on the Series B Preferred Units designated for redemption in the Notice of Redemption shall cease to accrue and all rights of the holder thereof, except the right to receive the Redemption Price, shall cease and terminate, such Series B Preferred Units shall not be deemed to be outstanding for any purpose whatsoever, and such holder shall cease to be a Limited Partner in respect of such Series B Preferred Units.
(iv) At its election, the Partnership, following its receipt of a Notice of Redemption and prior to a Preferred Redemption Date, may irrevocably deposit the Redemption Price of the Series B Preferred Units so called for redemption in trust for the holder thereof with a bank or trust company, in which case (a) the Partnership shall notify the applicable holder of such Series B Preferred Units in writing that the Redemption Price has been so deposited, (b) on and after the applicable Preferred Redemption Date, all distributions on the Series B Preferred Units designated for redemption in the Notice of Redemption shall cease to accrue and (c) on and after the date of such Notice of Redemption and the date such funds have been set aside, all rights of the holders of such Series B Preferred Units except the right to receive the Redemption Price, shall cease and terminate, such Series B Preferred Units shall not be deemed to be outstanding for any purpose whatsoever, and such holder shall cease to be a Limited Partner in respect of such Series B Preferred Units.
(v) In the event the General Partner (or its direct or indirect parent) is (as the result of any merger, acquisition or otherwise) a REIT with Publicly Traded equity securities, the General Partner shall
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have the right, without the consent of any Partner or other Person, notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, to amend this Section 2.D of this Exhibit G and any provision of the Agreement as necessary to provide the REIT the option, in lieu of paying the Redemption Price in cash, to issue an amount of Publicly Traded stock in such public REIT with a fair market value at the time of redemption, as determined by the General Partner in good faith, equal to the Redemption Price to any redeeming holders of Series B Preferred Units who consent to such substitution with respect to such particular redemption; provided that this right of substitution shall be available only if the shares of stock to be issued to such holder of Series B Preferred Units pursuant hereto are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission for immediate resale by the redeeming holder of Series B Preferred Units.
(vi) For purposes of this Exhibit G, Notice of Redemption means a notice substantially in the following form:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably (i) elects to redeem all of the undersigneds Series B Preferred Units in GPT Operating Partnership LP in accordance with the terms of Exhibit G of the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of GPT Operating Partnership LP, as amended, and as it may be further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and, the redemption right referred to in Section 2.D of Exhibit G thereof, (ii) surrenders such Series B Preferred Units and all right, title and interest therein, for redemption pursuant to such provisions, and (iii) directs that the Redemption Price deliverable upon exercise of such redemption right pursuant to Section 2.D of Exhibit G thereof be delivered to the undersigned at the address specified below.
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E. Redemption at Partnerships Option
(i) Commencing on the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date, the Partnership shall have the right, in its sole discretion and from time to time (the Partnership Redemption Right), to redeem all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Units then outstanding (provided, that the Partnership Redemption Right shall not be exercised for less than all of the Series B Preferred Units if, after the exercise of such Partnership Redemption Right, Series B Preferred Units with less than $5 million in aggregate liquidation preference would remain outstanding), for a cash redemption price per Series B Preferred Unit equal to the Redemption Price. The Partnership shall exercise the Partnership Redemption Right by providing each record holder of Series B Preferred Units not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior written notice of the applicable date of redemption. Such notice shall include (a) the number of Series B Preferred Units to be redeemed from each such holder, (ii) the applicable Redemption Price, (c)
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the applicable date of redemption and (d) that distributions on the Series B Preferred Units to be redeemed shall cease to accrue on and after such redemption date. No failure to give or defect in such notice or defect in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series B Preferred Units except as to any holder of Series B Preferred Units to whom notice was defective or not given.
(ii) If the Partnership redeems less than all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Units pursuant to any exercise of the Partnership Redemption Right under this Section 2.E of this Exhibit G, the Series B Preferred Units to be redeemed may be determined by the General Partner pro rata from the record holders of Series B Preferred Units (with any appropriate adjustments in the General Partners sole discretion to avoid redemption of fractions of Series B Preferred Units), or by any other equitable manner determined by the General Partner in its reasonable discretion.
(iii) In the event any applicable redemption date shall not be a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Price need not be made on such redemption date but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such applicable redemption date and no interest, additional distributions or other sum shall accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after such redemption date to such next succeeding Business Day.
(iv) On and after the redemption date (unless the Partnership defaults in payment of the Redemption Price), all distributions on the Series B Preferred Units designated for redemption in the notice of redemption shall cease to accrue and all rights of the holder thereof, except the right to receive the Redemption Price, shall cease and terminate, such Series B Preferred Units shall not be deemed to be outstanding for any purpose whatsoever, and such holder shall cease to be a Limited Partner in respect of such Series B Preferred Units.
(v) At its election, the Partnership, prior to the redemption date, may irrevocably deposit the Redemption Price of the Series B Preferred Units so called for redemption in trust for the holder(s) thereof with a bank or trust company, in which case (a) the Partnership shall notify the applicable holder of such Series B Preferred Units in writing that the Redemption Price has been so deposited, (b) on and after the applicable redemption date, all distributions on the Series B Preferred Units designated for redemption in the notice of redemption shall cease to accrue and (c) on and after the date of such notice of redemption and the date such funds have been set aside, all rights of the holder thereof, except the right to receive the Redemption Price, shall cease and terminate, such Series B Preferred Units shall not be deemed to be outstanding for any purpose whatsoever, and such holder shall cease to be a Limited Partner in respect of such Series B Preferred Units.
F. Ranking
Notwithstanding any provision of the Agreement, including any amendments made thereto or to this Exhibit G after the Closing Date, but subject to Section 2.G of this Exhibit G, the Series B Preferred Units shall, with respect to distribution rights and rights upon voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Partnership, rank senior to all other series or classes of Partnership Interests (all of which are referred to collectively as Series B Junior Units).
G. Voting Rights
(i) The holders of Series B Preferred Units shall have no voting rights whatsoever on any matter relating to the Partnership, whether under the Agreement, the Act, at law, in equity or otherwise, except as expressly set forth in this Exhibit G.
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(ii) So long as Series B Preferred Units with at least $5 million in aggregate liquidation preference remain outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least a majority of the Series B Preferred Units, outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, at a meeting (voting as a separate class) or in writing (without prior notice and without a vote) will be required to amend, alter or repeal the provisions of this Exhibit G or the Applicable Provisions, whether by merger or consolidation or otherwise (an Event), so as to permit the Partnership to either (a) authorize, create or issue any class or series of Partnership Interests ranking senior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Units with respect to rights to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets upon voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Partnership (Senior/Parity Units), (b) reclassify any authorized Partnership Interests into Senior/Parity Units, (c) authorize, create or issue any obligation or security convertible into or exchangeable for or evidencing the right to purchase any Senior/Parity Units or (d) materially and adversely affect any other special right, power or preference of the Series B Preferred Units or the holders thereof with respect to this Exhibit G or the Applicable Provisions; provided however, that so long as (I) the Series B Preferred Units remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged (taking into account that the Partnership may not be the surviving entity), or (II) the holders of the Series B Preferred Units receive equity securities of the surviving entity (taking into account that the surviving entity may not be a limited partnership or formed in Delaware), with special rights, powers and preferences substantially the same as those of the Series B Preferred Units, the occurrence of such Event shall not be deemed for purposes of clause (d) of this paragraph to materially and adversely affect such special rights, powers and preferences of holders of Series B Preferred Units, and in such case such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the occurrence of such Event so long as no such vote would be required under any of clauses (a), (b) or (c) of this paragraph. Holders of Series B Preferred Units shall not be entitled to vote with respect to (I) any amendment, supplement or modification of any term or provision of the Agreement, other than as expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, or (II) the creation, authorization or issuance of any Series B Junior Units. Except as set forth herein, holders of Series B Preferred Units, whether in their capacities as Partners or otherwise, shall not have any voting rights whatsoever, including any voting right that may otherwise arise under the Agreement, the Act, at law, in equity or otherwise, and the consent of the holders shall not be required for any action, including the taking of any partnership action, including an Event, regardless of the effect that such partnership action or Event may have upon the special rights, powers or preferences of the Series B Preferred Units. For purposes of this Exhibit G, Applicable Provisions means the following provisions of the Agreement: Section 4.01 (Capital Contribution of the Partners), Section 8.01 (Limitation of Liability), Section 8.02 (Management of Business), Section 8.03 (Outside Activities of Limited Partners), Section 9.01 (Records and Accounting), Section 9.03 (Reports), Article X (Tax Matters), Section 11.01 (Transfer), Section 11.03 (Limited Partners Right to Transfer), Section 11.04 (Substituted Limited Partners), Article XII (Admission of Partners) and Section 15.11 (Power of Attorney), and, in each case, the definitions relating thereto.
(iii) The foregoing voting provisions of this Section 2.G of this Exhibit G shall not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding Series B Preferred Units shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice pursuant to Section 2.D or Section 2.E of this Exhibit G and sufficient funds, in cash or securities, as applicable, shall have been deposited in trust for the holders thereof with a bank or trust company to effect such redemption in accordance with Section 2.D.(iv) or Section 2.E.(v) of this Exhibit G.
(iv) In any matter in which the holders of Series B Preferred Units may vote or act by written consent (as expressly provided herein), each Series B Preferred Unit shall be entitled to one vote.
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H. Transfer Restrictions
The Series B Preferred Units are subject to the restrictions on transfer contained in Article XI.
I. No Conversion Right
The Series B Preferred Units shall not be convertible into any other class or series of interest in the Partnership or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
J. No Sinking Fund
No sinking fund shall be established for the retirement or redemption of Series B Preferred Units.
K. Allocations
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Agreement to the contrary, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (a) each holder of Series B Preferred Units shall be deemed to have a Capital Account as of the Closing Date equal to the product of [$27.50 plus amount of Additional Consideration pursuant to the Merger Agreement] multiplied by the number of Series B Preferred Units held by such holder; (b) the Partnerships Net Income shall first be allocated to the holders of the Series B Preferred Units during each Partnership Year until the aggregate amount of Net Income allocated to each of the holders of Series B Preferred Units is equal to the sum of all distributions paid to such holder pursuant to Section 2.B of this Exhibit G from the Closing Date to the date of such allocation plus any Net Losses allocated to such holder pursuant to this Section 2.K of this Exhibit G from the Closing Date to the date of such allocation; (c) all remaining Net Income of the Partnership shall be allocated to the holders of Partnership Interests other than the Series B Preferred Units; (d) all Net Losses of the Partnership shall be allocated to the holders of the Partnership Interests other than the Series B Preferred Units until the Adjusted Capital Account Balance (as defined below) of each such holder of such Partnership Interests has been reduced to zero; (e) Net Losses of the Partnership next shall be allocated to the holders of Series B Preferred Units until the Adjusted Capital Account Balance of each such holder of such Series B Preferred Units has been reduced to zero; and (f) any remaining Net Losses of the Partnership shall be allocated to the General Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a holder of Series B Preferred Units receives a distribution pursuant to Section 2.B of this Exhibit G and after such distribution and allocations of Net Income pursuant to this Section 2.K of this Exhibit G for the then-current fiscal year, the Adjusted Capital Account Balance of such holder in the then-current fiscal period would be less than the amounts such holder would be entitled to receive upon a liquidation of the Partnership, items of gross income and gain will be allocated to match the distribution to the extent that the cumulative Net Income allocated pursuant to this Section 2.K of this Exhibit G for the then-current and prior fiscal periods and gross income and gain allocated pursuant to this Section 2.K of this Exhibit G for prior fiscal periods (both reduced by any Net Loss allocated under this Section 2.K of this Exhibit G that has offset such allocations) are less than cumulative distributions made under Section 2.B of this Exhibit G for the then-current and prior fiscal periods. Allocations to Partners in accordance with Article VI of the Agreement shall take into account allocations required to be made pursuant to this Section 2.K of this Exhibit G. For purposes of this Exhibit G, Adjusted Capital Account Balance means a positive balance in a Partners Capital Account, after giving effect to the adjustments described in clauses (i) and (ii) in the definition of Adjusted Capital Account.
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L. Miscellaneous
(i) The holders of Series B Preferred Units shall not have any preferences or other rights, powers (including voting powers), restrictions, rights as to distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption other than as expressly set forth in the Applicable Provisions and this Exhibit G.
(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement or this Exhibit G or otherwise applicable provision of law or equity, whenever in this Exhibit G the General Partner is permitted or required to make a decision in its (i) sole discretion, the General Partner shall be entitled to consider only such interests and factors as it desires, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, have no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting the holders of Series B Preferred Units or the holders thereof in their capacities as such, or (ii) good faith or under another expressed standard, the General Partner shall act under such express standard and shall not be subject to any other or different standards.
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