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As Of Filer Filing For·On·As Docs:Size Issuer Filing Agent 10/31/19 Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. 10-Q 9/26/19 89:15M Workiva Inc Wde… FA01/FA |
Document/Exhibit Description Pages Size 1: 10-Q Quarterly Report HTML 1.66M 2: EX-10.1 Material Contract HTML 65K 3: EX-10.2 Material Contract HTML 173K 4: EX-10.3 Material Contract HTML 314K 5: EX-31.1 Certification -- §302 - SOA'02 HTML 29K 6: EX-31.2 Certification -- §302 - SOA'02 HTML 29K 7: EX-32.1 Certification -- §906 - SOA'02 HTML 25K 8: EX-32.2 Certification -- §906 - SOA'02 HTML 25K 76: R1 Document and Entity Information HTML 77K 52: R2 Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) HTML 77K 22: R3 Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income HTML 49K (Unaudited) 67: R4 Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income HTML 31K (Unaudited) (Parentheticals) 73: R5 Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) HTML 156K 49: R6 Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) HTML 45K (Parenthetical) 21: R7 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) HTML 161K 64: R8 Condensed Statement of Changes in Stockholders' HTML 165K Equity Statement 77: R9 Organization and Basis of Interim Presentation HTML 31K 87: R10 Changes in Estimates HTML 77K 60: R11 Accounts Receivable, net HTML 40K 27: R12 Contract with customer, asset and liability HTML 49K (Notes) 36: R13 Revenue (Notes) HTML 85K 88: R14 Inventory HTML 39K 61: R15 Property, Plant and Equipment HTML 45K 28: R16 Leases (Notes) HTML 66K 37: R17 Other Assets HTML 52K 89: R18 Advance Payments and Deferred Revenue/Credits HTML 30K 58: R19 Fair Value Measurements HTML 56K 15: R20 Derivative and Hedging Activities HTML 37K 41: R21 Debt HTML 62K 71: R22 Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits HTML 78K 62: R23 Stock Compensation HTML 29K 16: R24 Income Taxes (Notes) HTML 31K 42: R25 Equity HTML 114K 72: R26 Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees HTML 47K 63: R27 Other Income (Expense), Net HTML 57K 14: R28 Segment Information HTML 83K 43: R29 Acquisition (Notes) HTML 29K 40: R30 Condensed Consolidating Financial Information HTML 702K 30: R31 Subsequent Event (Notes) HTML 30K 57: R32 New Accounting Pronouncements (Policies) HTML 28K 86: R33 Leases (Policies) HTML 28K 39: R34 Changes in Estimates Changes in Estimates (Tables) HTML 77K 29: R35 Accounts Receivable, net (Tables) HTML 33K 56: R36 Revenue (Tables) HTML 43K 85: R37 Inventory (Tables) HTML 27K 38: R38 Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables) HTML 40K 31: R39 Other Assets (Tables) HTML 51K 47: R40 Fair Value Measurements (Tables) HTML 55K 18: R41 Debt (Tables) HTML 47K 70: R42 Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits HTML 77K (Tables) 80: R43 Equity (Tables) HTML 112K 46: R44 Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees (Tables) HTML 32K 17: R45 Other Income (Expense), Net (Tables) HTML 55K 69: R46 Segment Information (Tables) HTML 76K 79: R47 Condensed Consolidating Financial Information HTML 754K (Tables) 44: R48 Adoption of New Standard (Details) HTML 28K 19: R49 Changes in Estimates (Details) HTML 46K 25: R50 Accounts Receivable, net (Details) HTML 40K 32: R51 Contract with customer, asset and liability HTML 106K (Details) 82: R52 Revenue (Details) HTML 98K 54: R53 Inventory (Details) HTML 45K 26: R54 Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) HTML 46K 33: R55 Property, Plant and Equipment (Details Textual) HTML 29K 84: R56 Leases (Details) HTML 120K 55: R57 Other Assets (Details) HTML 64K 24: R58 Advance Payments and Deferred Revenue/Credits HTML 26K (Details) 34: R59 Fair Value Measurements (Details) HTML 51K 74: R60 Derivative and Hedging Activities (Details 1) HTML 37K 66: R61 Derivative and Hedging Activities (Details HTML 31K Textual) 20: R62 Debt (Details) HTML 65K 50: R63 Debt (Details Textual) HTML 88K 75: R64 Pension and Other Post Retirement Benefits HTML 59K (Details) 68: R65 Stock Compensation (Details) HTML 51K 23: R66 Income Taxes (Details) HTML 29K 51: R67 Equity (Details) HTML 101K 78: R68 Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees HTML 50K (Details) 65: R69 Other Income (Expense), Net (Details) HTML 46K 53: R70 Segment Information (Details) HTML 61K 81: R71 Condensed Consolidating Financial Information HTML 387K (Details) 83: XML IDEA XML File -- Filing Summary XML 156K 48: XML XBRL Instance -- spr20190926-10q_htm XML 4.12M 35: EXCEL IDEA Workbook of Financial Reports XLSX 103K 10: EX-101.CAL XBRL Calculations -- spr-20190926_cal XML 283K 11: EX-101.DEF XBRL Definitions -- spr-20190926_def XML 1.01M 12: EX-101.LAB XBRL Labels -- spr-20190926_lab XML 2.60M 13: EX-101.PRE XBRL Presentations -- spr-20190926_pre XML 1.53M 9: EX-101.SCH XBRL Schema -- spr-20190926 XSD 305K 45: JSON XBRL Instance as JSON Data -- MetaLinks 484± 707K 59: ZIP XBRL Zipped Folder -- 0001628280-19-012985-xbrl Zip 469K
Exhibit |
1 | Definition and Interpretation | 5 |
2 | Sale and Purchase | 21 |
3 | Purchase Price Mechanism | 21 |
4 | Conditions
Precedent | 26 |
5 | Closing | 29 |
6 | Pre-Closing Covenant | 32 |
7 | Sellers’ Warranties | 38 |
8 | Indemnification | 39 |
9 | Limitations
on indemnification | 41 |
10 | Specific Indemnity | 45 |
11 | Third Party Claims | 47 |
12 | Purchaser’s Warranties | 50 |
13 | Guarantee By Guarantor | 51 |
14 | Guarantor’s
Warranties | 52 |
15 | Non-Competition | 52 |
16 | Non-Disposal | 53 |
17 | Confidentiality | 54 |
18 | Sellers’ Representative | 55 |
19 | Notices | 55 |
20 | Further
Assurances | 56 |
21 | Assignments | 57 |
22 | Payments | 57 |
23 | Nature of the Obligations of the Sellers | 57 |
24 | Costs and Expenses | 57 |
25 | General
Provisions | 58 |
26 | Governing Law and Competent Courts | 59 |
Schedule 1: THE SELLERS | 61 | |
Schedule 2: SELLERS’ REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 62 | |
Schedule 3:
DISCLOSED INFORMATION | 83 | |
Schedule 4: FURTHER EXCEPTIONS TO INTERIM COVENANTS | 85 | |
Schedule 5: DEBT TO BE REPAID AT CLOSING | 86 | |
Schedule 6: NET DEBT | 87 | |
Schedule 7: NET WORKING CAPITAL | 88 | |
Schedule 8:
RESIGNING DIRECTORS AND RESIGNING OFFICERS | 89 | |
Schedule 9: AGREED FORM OF ESCROW AGREEMENT | 95 | |
Schedule 10: ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE MADE UPON SIGNING | 105 | |
Schedule 11: THIRD PARTY CONSENTS | 108 | |
Schedule 12:
PENDING CLAIMS SUBJECT TO A SPECIFIC INDEMNITY | 110 | |
Schedule 13: EXISTING OPERATIONAL HEDGES | 112 | |
Schedule 14: CHECKLIST | 114 |
(1) | Christian Boas, having his domicile at XXXXXXX (“Christian Boas”), |
(2) | Emile
Boas, having his domicile at XXXXXXX (“Emile Boas”), |
(3) | DREDA, a general partnership without legal personality under Belgian law, having its seat at XXXXXXX, represented by Sylvie Boas (“Dreda”), |
(4) | Sylvie
Boas, having her domicile at XXXXXXX (“Sylvie Boas”), |
(5) | Spirit AeroSystems Belgium Holdings BVBA, a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of Belgium, having its registered office at Koningsstraat 97, 4th floor, 1000 Brussels, registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises under number 0695.554.435 (the “Purchaser”),
and |
(6) |
(A) | The
Sellers are together the owners of all issued shares of S.R.I.F. NV, a Belgian public limited liability company, with registered office at Weiveldlaan 2, 1930 Zaventem (Belgium), registered with the Crossroads Bank of Enterprises under number 0439.623.596 (“S.R.I.F.” or the “Company”). |
(B) | The Sellers wish to sell and the Purchaser wishes to purchase all 3,687 ordinary shares carrying voting rights of the Company (the “Shares”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in this Agreement. |
(C) | The
Guarantor is the ultimate holding company of the Purchaser and has agreed to guarantee the obligations of the Purchaser under this Agreement. |
(D) | Prior to October 28. 2019, the Parties entered into amendments to the Agreement dated March 19, 2019, March 27, 2019, May 3, 2019, May 14, 2019, June 3, 2019 and July 14, 2019. Effective October 28, 2019, the Parties have entered into an amended and restated
version of this Agreement to reflect such prior amendments. |
1 | DEFINITION AND INTERPRETATION |
3.1 | In this Agreement: |
a) | Long-term financial debt (statutory accounts - Code 170/4); |
b) | Part of the long-term debts falling due within one year (statutory accounts - Code 42) but excluding the short term portion of advances (statutory subaccounts 426); |
c) | Short term financial
debts (statutory accounts - Code 43); |
d) | The debt-like component, reported on the Closing Accounts, as agreed between the Parties: |
i. | Unpaid dividends - Any outstanding dividend liability at Closing, if any, payable to a shareholder other than a Group Company, is considered as a debt-like component. For the avoidance of doubt, at year-end, these are usually recorded under the following accounts: |
• | Legal
entity: Asco Industries NV - statutory account #480000 |
• | Legal entity: SRIF NV - statutory account #471001 |
ii. | Corporate taxes payable - Any accruals for corporate income taxes (CIT), as reported under statutory accounts 450 are considered as a debt-like component. In case, any of the Group Companies’ performed advance payments (statutory account 412) should be deducted from the debt-like components. For the avoidance of doubt,
this should include (at least) the corporate income tax for (i) FY17, (ii) the period from 1 January 2018 to Closing as well as (iii) any other corporate income taxes that would be notified to the Company before closing. |
iii. | Accrued interests - Any accrued interest (payables) on long- and short-term financing, as considered above, as reported under statutory accounts 492. At legal entity level, these are usually reported under the following local accounts: |
• | Asco
Industries NV: accounts #492020, # 492052, #492064, #492300, #492310 and #492400 |
• | Asco Aerospace Canada Ltd: account #2153 |
iv. | (Net) provision for pension and pre-pension
- Provision for Belgian and German (pre-) pension, as reported under statutory codes 165 (liability) and 285 (asset) are considered as a debt-like component. At legal entity level, these are usually reported under the following local accounts: |
• | Asco Industries NV: account #160001 and #160003 |
• | Asco Deutschland GmbH: account #951 and #1357 |
v. | Provision
for severance payments - Any outstanding liability with respect to severance payment is considered as a debt-like component. Such provisions are usually recorded under statutory accounts 165. |
vi. | Unpaid transaction costs - Any outstanding payable with respect to the Transaction, such as advisors’ remuneration, legal expenses, Transaction bonus but excluding potential changes in control fees are to be considered as a debt-like component. |
vii. | Overtime provision (in Belgium)
- The historical overtime provision for both blue and white workers is considered as a debt-like component. At legal entity level, these are usually reported under the following local accounts: |
• | Asco Industries NV: account #459620 and #459630 |
e) | Cash deposit and investment (Codes 50 and 51/53); |
f) | Cash
and cash equivalents (codes 54/58); |
g) | The cash-like items, reported in the Closing Accounts, as agreed between the Parties: |
• | Asco Industries NV: account #414001, #414012 and
#414300 |
h) | Elements of negotiation between Parties: |
ix. | Employee related liabilities - The Purchaser is of the opinion, on the basis of its own analysis, that some employee related liabilities that are not accounted for in the Group Companies balance sheet, should have been accounted for in accordance with US GAAP, such as: seniority days in Belgium, additional German pension plan, German jubilee plan, Belgian jubilee plan and Belgian pension plan. The Purchaser and the Sellers have negotiated
a lump-sum amount of EUR 6,500,000 (six million five hundred thousand euros) to cover these. If, in accordance with Belgian GAAP, the Belgian pension plan liability would exceed EUR 400,000 (four hundred thousand euros), the excess of liability would be added to this lump sum amount for purposes of calculating the Net Debt. For the avoidance of doubt, this adjustment results in a negative adjustment to the Initial Purchase Price (i.e., debt-like component). |
x. | Value of the Existing Operational Hedges - The Parties have agreed to consider 50% of the Value of the Existing Operational Hedges as a price adjustment. For the avoidance of doubt, and given the uncertainty about the
evolution of the foreign exchange rate, this element will impact on the Initial Purchase Price as follows: |
• | Any upward adjustment in case the Value of the Existing Operational Hedges would be positive (i.e., cash-like); |
• | Any downward adjustment in case the Value of the Existing Operational Hedges would be negative (i.e., debt-like). |
xi. | Break
up fee - The parties have agreed that at or immediately following Closing, the Purchaser is entitled to repay outstanding indebtedness of the Group towards financial institutions and any outstanding financial instruments listed in Schedule 5, and that make-whole amounts incurred in connection with such repayment will be treated as a debt-like component up to a maximum amount of EUR 3,304,400 (three million three hundred four thousand four hundred euros), to be decreased by the related tax effect. For the avoidance of doubt, this adjustment results in a negative adjustment to the Initial Purchase Price. |
xii. | Belfius factoring - The Parties have agreed that, to the extent the anticipated payment for such accounts receivable has not resulted in a decrease of Net Working Capital, Net Debt shall be increased by any accounts receivable for which the Group Companies have received anticipated payment from Belfius Commercial Finance pursuant to the Full Service Factoring Agreement, dated December 15, 2015 (and as the same may be amended from time to time), among Belfius Commercial Finance, Belairbus SA, Sonaca, Asco Industries NV and BMT Eurair NV and for which Belfius Commercial Finance prior to Closing has not received payment from Airbus SE. |
a) | Inventory
(statutory accounts - codes 30/37); |
b) | Trade receivables (statutory accounts - code 40); |
c) | Other receivables - long-term (statutory accounts - code 29); |
d) | Other receivables - short-term (statutory accounts - code 41); |
e) | Deferred
charges and accrued income (statutory accounts - code 490/1); |
f) | Long-term portion of advances received (statutory subaccount 176); |
g) | Short-term portion of advances received (statutory subaccount 426); |
h) | Trade payables (statutory accounts - code
44); |
i) | Taxes related balances (statutory subaccount 450/3); |
j) | Payroll accruals (statutory subaccount 454/9); |
k) | Other liabilities (statutory accounts - code 47/48); |
l) | Any of the Cash-Like Adjustments and Debt-Like Adjustments set out in Schedule 6; |
m) | Elements
of negotiation between Parties: |
i. | Provision LT Services - The Parties agreed to exclude the provision for long-term services from the Net Working Capital calculation. At legal entity level, these are usually reported under the following local accounts: |
• | Asco Industries NV: account #492024 |
ii. | LT
receivable A380 - The Parties agreed to exclude the long-term receivable for A380 from the Net Working Capital calculation. At legal entity level, these are usually reported under the following local accounts: |
• | Asco Industries NV: account #291022 |
1.2 | Where in this Agreement a Dutch or French term is given in italics or in italics and in brackets after an English term and there is any inconsistency between the Dutch or French and the English, the meaning of the Dutch or French term shall prevail. |
1.3 | References
to EUR mean the Euro currency. References to USD mean the US Dollar currency. |
1.4 | All periods of time set out in this Agreement shall be calculated from midnight to midnight in Belgium. They shall start on the day following the day on which the event triggering the relevant period of time has occurred. The expiration date shall be included in the period of time. If the expiration date is not a Business Day, the expiration date shall be postponed until the next Business Day. Unless otherwise provided herein, all periods of time shall be calculated in calendar days. |
1.5 | Article,
clause, schedule and annex headings and captions are for convenience only and shall not affect or limit the construction or interpretation of this Agreement. |
1.6 | A reference in this Agreement to a “person” shall include any individual, company, corporation, firm, government, state or agency of a state or any association, trust or partnership (whether or not having legal personality). |
1.7 | A reference in this Agreement to a company shall be construed so as to include any company, corporation or other body corporate
or other legal entity, wherever and however incorporated or established, and shall include any legal entity or entities into which such company may be merged by means of a statutory merger or into which it may be split by means of a statutory de-merger. |
1.8 | A reference in this Agreement to the singular shall, unless the context otherwise requires, include a reference to the plural and vice versa. |
1.9 | The words “include”, “including” and all forms and derivations thereof shall mean including but not limited
to. |
1.10 | When the words “shall cause” or “shall procure that” (or any similar expression or any derivations thereof) are used, the Parties refer to the Belgian legal concept of “sterkmaking” / “porte-fort” but this shall also include a guarantee by the relevant Party of the due and timely |
2 | SALE AND PURCHASE |
2.1 | On the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, each Seller hereby sells and the Purchaser hereby purchases the Shares set opposite each Seller’s name in Schedule 1. |
2.2 | The
Shares are sold free from any Encumbrances and together with all rights attaching thereto, including all rights to dividends relating to the current accounting year. |
2.3 | The ownership of the Shares will be transferred to the Purchaser on Closing against payment of the Final Purchase Price in accordance with Clause 3. |
3 | PURCHASE PRICE MECHANISM |
3.1 | Final
Purchase Price |
3.2 | Initial Purchase Price |
3.3 | Price Adjustment |
3.3.1 | The Initial Purchase Price will be adjusted based on the Closing Accounts, as follows (the “Price Adjustment”): |
• | the
Initial Purchase Price will be decreased by an amount equal to the Net Debt, converted into USD at the Best Estimate Spot Exchange Rate; |
• | If the amount of Net Working Capital as at Closing exceeds the Net Working Capital Ceiling, the Initial Purchase Price will be increased by an amount equal to such excess, converted into USD at the Best Estimate Spot Exchange Rate; |
• | If
the amount of Net Working Capital as at Closing is lower than the Net Working Capital Floor, the Initial Purchase Price will be decreased by an amount equal to such shortfall, converted into USD at the Best Estimate Spot Exchange Rate; and |
• | The Initial Purchase Price will be decreased by the amount, to the extent not included in the calculation of Net Debt and converted into USD at the Best Estimate Spot Exchange Rate, of all liabilities of the Group (but not of the Purchaser or the Guarantor), resulting or arising from the Cyberattack, incurred (but not paid) prior to Closing (even if such liability will not become due until after the Closing, to the extent that such liability is certain and of a fixed amount as of the Closing (collectively,
the “Cyber Adjustments”). The Cyber Adjustments shall include (but not be limited to): |
i. | all costs for support from IT or other experts and advisors and measures taken or to be taken (i) to restore the IT systems and the operations of the Group and (ii) to mitigate the impact of the Cyberattack on the business activities of the Group in general, in each case up to the status that existed prior to the Cyberattack. For the avoidance of doubt, such costs do not include any costs incurred as a result of enhancing the IT systems and the operations of the Group, (i.e. costs relating to improving the network architecture from a security perspective, upgrading to a significantly enhanced system and network administration framework, and increased
security monitoring and alerting, including advanced threat protection); |
ii. | all liabilities of the Group towards the Group’s employees, consultants, customers, suppliers or third parties (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Airbus) or towards any Regulatory Authority, whether arising contractually, in connection with a Proceeding, or otherwise, resulting or arising from the Cyberattack or the suspension of its production as a result thereof or any costs or expenses (including legal fees) of the Group incurred in connection with the negotiation on and/or defence against such liabilities; and |
iii. | all
liabilities of the Group and loss of revenue of the Group resulting from or in relation to any amendment or termination of, or exercise of any rights under, any commercial agreement entered into by the Group or termination of any existing business relationship of the Group (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Airbus), in each case resulting or arising from the Cyberattack or the suspension of its production as a result thereof; |
3.3.2 | Within one hundred eighty days (180) days of the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall cause to be prepared an audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the year-end adjustments that would be included if the Closing Date were a fiscal
year-end) as at Closing (without taking into account any circumstances resulting solely from the transactions contemplated hereby other than costs incurred as result of paying off the outstanding indebtedness of the Group and any outstanding financial instruments, listed in Schedule 5, up to a maximum amount of EUR 3,304,400 (three million three hundred four thousand four hundred euros), to be decreased by the related tax effect) and a statement calculating the adjustments referred to in Clause 3.3.1, prepared in accordance with Belgian GAAP, applied consistently in accordance with prior years (provided that if the application in prior periods is not reconcilable with Belgian GAAP, then Belgian GAAP takes precedence) (collectively, the “Closing Accounts”). All underlying calculations shall be made in EUR; the resulting adjustments to Net Debt, Net Working Capital or the Cyber Adjustments, if any, shall be expressed in USD
using the Best Estimate Spot Exchange Rate. The Purchaser shall provide details of any variance between the calculation of the Price Adjustment and the Final Purchase Price resulting therefrom based on the Closing Accounts and the Best Estimate. The Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Sellers’ Representative (for and on behalf of the Sellers) the Closing Accounts and the statement comprising the details of any variance between the Best Estimate and the calculation of the Price Adjustment and the Final Purchase Price resulting therefrom based on the Closing Accounts within one hundred eighty (180) days of the Closing Date, and the Purchaser shall, subject to appropriate confidentiality undertakings being entered into, provide the Sellers’ Representative (and its advisors) reasonable access to all relevant documents, books, records and working papers used in preparation of the Closing Accounts or useful for verifying the Closing Accounts and the calculation
of the Price Adjustment and the Final Purchase Price resulting therefrom, to the extent reasonably required for such review and will and shall cause the internal accounting personnel of the Group Companies to fully cooperate with and assist the Sellers’ Representative (and its advisors) with its review. |
3.3.3 | The
Sellers’ Representative shall have sixty (60) Business Days from the date it receives the Closing Accounts to review the Closing Accounts, and to inform the Purchaser in writing of its disagreement (an “Objection”) with the Closing Accounts or the calculation of the Price Adjustment and the Final Purchase Price resulting therefrom based on the Closing Accounts, if any. If the Sellers’ Representative raises no Objection within such sixty (60) Business Day period, the Closing Accounts shall be deemed to have been accepted by the Sellers’ Representative (for and on behalf of the Sellers) and shall become binding upon the Sellers and the Purchaser. If the Sellers’ Representative delivers an Objection to the Purchaser within such sixty (60) Business Day period, the Purchaser and the Sellers’ Representative, for and on behalf of the Sellers, shall then attempt in good faith to resolve their disagreement(s) within thirty (30) Business
Days from the time the Objection is received (the “Resolution Period”). If the Sellers’ Representative, for and on behalf of the Sellers, and the Purchaser are unable to resolve their disagreement(s) with respect to the Closing Accounts within the Resolution Period, such dispute shall be submitted to the Independent Auditor in accordance with Clause 3.4. |
3.3.4 | If the Closing Amount paid by the Purchaser to the Sellers at Closing is higher than the Final Adjusted Closing Amount, then the difference, converted into USD at the Best Estimate Spot Exchange Rate, shall be paid by the Sellers to the Purchaser through a distribution to the Purchaser by the Escrow Agent to the extent possible out of the Holdback
Amount (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, from the Escrow Amount) promptly and in any event within five (5) Business Days of the final determination of the Final Purchase Price as contemplated hereunder and from the Sellers, if the Holdback Amount is insufficient. The Sellers and the Purchaser shall take all actions and execute and deliver all documents to the Escrow Agent reasonably required pursuant to the Holdback Agreement to effect any release from the Holdback Account pursuant to the preceding sentence. If the Closing Amount paid by the Purchaser to the Sellers at Closing is lower than the Final Adjusted Closing Amount, then the difference shall be paid by the Purchaser to the Sellers promptly and in any event within five (5) Business Days of the final determination of the Final Purchase Price as contemplated hereunder. Any amount paid pursuant to this Clause 3.3.4 shall be referred to a “Post-Closing Adjustment”. |
3.3.5 | If
all or any portion of the Holdback Amount is not distributed to the Purchaser by the Escrow Agent pursuant to Clause 3.3.4 (whether because the Final Adjusted Closing Amount exceeded the Closing Amount or because the Closing Amount exceeded the Final Adjusted Closing Amount by an amount less than the Holdback Amount), then the Sellers and the Purchaser shall take all actions and execute and deliver all documents to the Escrow Agent reasonably required pursuant to the Holdback Agreement to effect the distribution by the Escrow Agent of the remainder of the Holdback Amount from the Holdback Account to the Escrow Account and such funds shall thereafter be included in the Escrow Amount and shall be available for the satisfaction of Claims pursuant to Clause 8, subject to the limitations of Clause 9. |
3.4 | Independent Auditor |
3.4.1. | If the Parties are unable to reach an agreement as set forth in Clause 3.3.3, the matters of contention shall be settled by an independent audit firm of good international repute not being the statutory auditor of the
Company or any of the Group Companies, the Sellers, the Purchaser or of any of their Affiliates and which has not provided services to any of these persons over the three (3) years preceding the Closing Date, as the Sellers and the Purchaser shall agree or, failing agreement, appointed by the Chairman of the “Institut des réviseurs d’entreprises” / “Instituut der bedrijfsrevisoren” (the “Independent Auditor”). In doing so, the Independent Auditor shall perform a mission within the meaning of section 1592 of the Belgian Civil Code. The Independent Auditor shall be requested to make its decision on the matters in dispute (excluding any other items) within twenty (20) Business Days of confirmation and acknowledgement by the Independent Auditor of its appointment. |
3.4.2. | The
Independent Auditor shall act on the following basis: |
• | the Independent Auditor shall determine the procedure to be followed in deciding the matter, it being understood that it shall allow the Parties to make written statements on the disputed matter; |
• | the Seller and the Purchaser shall each provide (and to the extent they are reasonably able to do so, shall procure that their respective accountants, employees or advisors provide) the Independent Auditor promptly with all information which it reasonably requires and the
Independent Auditor shall be entitled (to the extent considered appropriate by it) to base its opinion on such information and on the accounting and other records of the Company; |
• | in connection with an engagement pursuant to Clause 3.3.3, the Independent Auditor shall determine values of Net Debt and Net Working Capital within the range presented by the Parties, applying the definitions of Net Debt and Net Working Capital as set out in this Agreement and calculated in accordance with Schedule 6 and Schedule 7 respectively; and |
• | the
decision of the Independent Auditor shall (in the absence of manifest error or manifest breach of the principles set out in this Agreement) be final and binding upon the Parties. |
3.4.3. | In connection with an engagement pursuant to Clause 3.3.3, the fees and expenses of the Independent Auditor shall be borne by the Parties in the same proportion as the aggregate amount of the disputed matters submitted to the Independent Auditor bears to the matters successfully disputed by such Party (as finally determined by the Independent Auditor) or in such other proportions as the Independent Auditor shall determine. |
4 | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT |
4.1. | General |
4.1.1 | there
not being in effect on the Closing Date any (executive) order or judgment enacted or issued by a Regulatory Authority or court of competent jurisdiction restricting the Closing of the envisaged Transaction, it being understood that the Purchaser and Guarantor have waived this condition precedent to the extent as set forth in the letter agreement between the Parties dated March 19, 2019; and |
4.1.2 | the Regulatory Authorities of the European Union and of the United States of America competent to grant clearance to the Transaction having issued a clearance decision in compliance with the applicable Antitrust Laws (either unconditionally or under conditions acceptable to the Purchaser in accordance
with Clause 4.4.4), or the relevant periods after filing a complete notification having expired without the relevant Regulatory Authority issuing a decision with the result that the relevant Regulatory Authority is deemed, under the applicable Antitrust Laws, to have granted approval of the Transaction (the “Competition Condition”). For the avoidance of doubt and consistent with the Letter Agreement between the Parties dated March 19, 2019, the Competition Condition shall only be satisfied with respect to the European Union to the extent that the European Commission has (a) issued a clearance decision for the Transaction under conditions materially in line with those offered by Guarantor and Asco in the Commitments and (b) granted approval under paragraph 7(c) of those Commitments. |
4.2. | Conditions
to the Obligations of the Purchaser |
4.2.1 | the profit certificates issued by Asco Industries NV to the benefit of FPIM NV / SFPI SA having been fully and finally purchased by the Company (the price being paid
therefore and any other taxes, withholdings to be made, costs or expenses incurred as a result thereof being treated as a Net Debt item to the extent not already paid at the latest on Closing) and there shall be no further right for FPIM NV / SFPI SA nor any further obligation on the Group Companies towards FPIM NV / SFPI SA further to such profit certificates or the purchase agreement following such purchase (the “FPIM Condition”), it being understood that the Parties acknowledge that FPIM NV / SFPI SA and the Company have already agreed to such purchase under the condition precedent of Closing, so that the FPIM Condition is to be considered as satisfied for purposes of determining when Closing shall take place in accordance with Clause 5; and |
4.2.2 | with respect to the change of control clauses included in the commercial agreements listed in Schedule 11, third party consent to the change of control or a waiver by the third party of the benefit of the change of control clauses having been obtained by the Parties, it being understood that the Purchaser has partially waived the fulfilment of this condition precedent in the letter agreement between the Parties dated March 19, 2019, by limiting it to Airbus SE, on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries,
having provided its consent to the Transaction, as the case may be by means of a consent provided by Airbus SAS and Airbus Military SL. |
4.3. | Satisfaction of Conditions Precedent |
4.3.1. | The Parties shall (and, to the extent applicable, the Sellers shall cause the Group Companies to) use their Commercially Reasonable Efforts (save with respect to the Competition Condition, where Clause 4.4 hereafter will apply) to ensure that the Conditions Precedent are satisfied as soon as reasonably practicable and on the Long Stop Date
at the latest. Notwithstanding section 1179 of the Belgian Civil Code, the fulfilment of the Conditions Precedent set out in Clause 4.1 shall have no retroactive effect regarding this Agreement. |
4.3.2. | Where any Condition Precedent is capable of being waived (in whole or in part), the Parties may jointly (or, with respect to a Condition Precedent set out in Clauses 4.2.1 or 4.2.2, the Purchaser may) waive in writing that Condition Precedent at any time on or before the Closing Date and that Condition Precedent (or, where applicable, that part of it) will be deemed to have been satisfied by such waiver. |
4.4. | Conduct
of Competition filing |
4.4.1. | After execution of this Agreement the Purchaser shall be solely responsible for obtaining all consents, approvals, clearances, waivers or actions of the Regulatory Authorities required under applicable Antitrust Law to be made or obtained necessary to fulfil the Competition Condition as soon as possible. The Sellers undertake to reasonably cooperate with the Purchaser by providing all required information and to assist in such filings. |
4.4.2. | The Purchaser shall promptly notify the Sellers in
advance of any notification, submission, response or other communication which it proposes to make or submit to any Regulatory Authorities pursuant to Clause 4.4.1 (including, but not limited to the submission of pre-notifications, appearances, presentations, memoranda, definitive filings and any proposed understandings, undertakings or agreements with the Regulatory Authorities) and at the same time provide the Sellers with drafts and copies thereof and any supporting documentation or information reasonably requested by the Sellers, it being understood that such copies or documentation may be redacted in order to avoid the communication of business secrets of the Purchaser. The Purchaser undertakes to take due consideration of any reasonable comments which the Sellers may have and to use its reasonable efforts to provide the Sellers with sufficient time to make such comments. |
4.4.3. | The Purchaser agrees to keep the Sellers fully informed as to the progress of any enquiry by the Regulatory Authorities in the context of the Competition Condition. |
4.4.4. | Where necessary to remove any impediments, restrictions, or conditions that prevent the fulfilment of the Competition Condition, the Purchaser agrees to use
its Commercially Reasonable Efforts to offer and agrees to accept, in each of such jurisdictions, any remedies that are required to obtain such competition clearance that do not adversely impact the economic value of the Transaction to Purchaser (other than impacts that in the aggregate only have a De Minimis economic impact), it being stipulated for the avoidance of doubt that any remedy that includes a divestiture of any assets of the Group or the Purchaser’s Group shall be deemed to have a more than De Minimis economic impact. In this view and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, as soon as any Regulatory Authority reasonably expresses, formally or informally to Purchaser, any concerns about the impact of the Transaction, the Purchaser shall promptly inform the Sellers and their legal advisors and keep them informed in advance of the measures that the Purchaser is considering to take, or the commitments that it is considering to propose, in order
to resolve these concerns as the case may be. |
4.5. | Notification of satisfaction of Conditions Precedent |
4.5.1. | The Parties shall keep each other promptly informed of any progress towards the satisfaction of the Conditions Precedent and shall notify the other Parties immediately upon and not later than one (1) Business Day after becoming aware of the satisfaction of any of the Conditions Precedent. |
4.5.2. | The
Sellers shall notify the Purchaser immediately upon and not later than one (1) Business Day after becoming aware of any (executive) order or judgment restricting the Closing of the envisaged Transaction as set out in Clause 4.1.1. |
4.5.3. | The Purchaser shall, in reliance on the information provided by the Group Companies and the Sellers, investigate and decide whether the proposed Transaction will have to be notified to any Regulatory Authority in accordance with applicable Antitrust Law, and the Purchaser will be solely liable (subject to the immediately following sentence), including vis-à-vis the Sellers, for any liabilities or fines resulting from the lack of notification, the late notification and/or the lack of clearance in any jurisdiction,
subject to the Sellers, in accordance with their undertaking in Clause 4.4.1, having reasonably cooperated with, and having caused the Group Companies to reasonably cooperate with, the Purchaser by providing all reasonably required information to the extent reasonably able to produce and assisting the Purchaser in making its proper analysis. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent the analysis of the Purchaser is based on information provided by the Group Companies or the Sellers, the Sellers shall be liable vis-à-vis the Purchaser for any damage resulting from such information being materially incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete. |
4.6. | Failure to satisfy the Conditions Precedent |
4.6.1. | If any of the Conditions Precedent, which has not been waived in accordance with Clause 4.3.2, becomes impossible to satisfy before the Long Stop Date, each of the Parties shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving five (5) Business Days advance notice to the other Parties. Provided that the Conditions Precedent are not all waived or satisfied in accordance with this Agreement within such five (5) Business Days’ notice period, this Agreement
shall automatically terminate at the end of such five (5) Business Days period. If the Parties do not issue any notice pursuant to this Clause 4.6.1 and any of the Conditions Precedent remains unsatisfied on the Long Stop Date, this Agreement shall in any case automatically terminate on the Long Stop Date by force of law and without need for notice. |
4.6.2. | If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Clause 4.6.1 above, all rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder shall terminate except for this Clause 4.6.2 and Clauses 1 (Definition and Interpretation), 17 (Confidentiality), 19 (Notices), 24 (Costs and Expenses), 25 (General Provisions) and 26 (Governing Law and Competent Courts), which shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Such
termination shall occur without any liability of any Party to the other Party, provided the fact that a Condition Precedent has not been satisfied does not result from a breach of a Party’s obligations under this Clause 4 (in which case such Party will become liable towards the other Party). |
5 | CLOSING |
5.1. | General |
5.2. | Sellers’ obligations |
5.2.1. | record
the transfer of the Shares in the share register of the Company; |
5.2.2. | provide a receipt for the payment of the Closing Amount; |
5.2.3. | provide
the original letters of resignation of the Resigning Directors and the Resigning Officers that are set out in Schedule 8; |
5.2.4. | provide the share register of the Company; and |
5.2.5. | enter into the Escrow Agreement and the Holdback Agreement. |
5.3. | Purchaser’s
obligations |
5.3.1 | enter into the Escrow Agreement and the Holdback Agreement; |
5.3.2 | transfer the Closing Amount in immediately available funds on the Sellers’ bank accounts indicated in Schedule 1 with value as of Closing Date; |
5.3.3 | transfer
the Escrow Amount and the Holdback Amount to the Escrow Agent in its capacity as such pursuant to the Escrow Agreement and the Holdback Agreement; |
5.3.4 | countersign the share register of the Company; |
5.3.5 | hold special shareholders’ meetings or, as the case may be, special meetings of the (equivalent) competent corporate bodies of all Group Companies (except for Flabel Corporation NV and Belairbus NV, where such special meetings shall
be held as soon as possible after Closing), which shall: |
5.3.5.1. | acknowledge the resignation of the Resigning Directors and the Resigning Officers, it being understood that the resignation of the Resigning Officers shall be limited to their mandate listed in Schedule 8 and shall thus not include termination of any other function or position they may hold in any of the Group Companies or termination of their agreement with any of the Group Companies; |
5.3.5.2. | grant unconditional discharge to the Resigning Directors and
the Resigning Officers; |
5.3.5.3. | modify the articles of association to the extent necessary in view of the Transaction; and |
5.3.5.4. | appoint new directors and officers, to the extent required by Law; |
5.3.6 | deliver
to the Sellers: |
5.3.6.1 | a copy of (or extract from) the minutes of the meeting of the board of directors of the Purchaser authorising the Purchaser to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, |
5.3.6.2 | a
receipt for the share register of the Company. |
5.4. | Further actions |
5.5. | Breach of Closing Obligations |
5.5.1 | If a Party fails to
comply with its obligations under Clauses 5.2 and 5.3 such that the Closing has not occurred, the other, non-breaching Party shall have the right to terminate the Agreement by giving three (3) Business Days advance notice to the breaching Party. The Agreement will only terminate if the breaching Party fails to remedy the breach of its obligations under Clauses 5.2 and 5.3 within such notice period of three (3) Business Days. |
5.5.2 | The right of the non-breaching Party to terminate the Agreement pursuant to Clause 5.5.1 shall be without prejudice to the right of the non-breaching Party to seek specific performance of this Agreement and/or to exercise any other remedy available to it in accordance with this Agreement or by Law. |
5.6. | Simultaneous
occurrence |
5.7. | Waiver of Closing Obligations |
5.7.1 | The Purchaser may at any time waive or defer some or all of the Sellers’ Closing Obligations. |
5.7.2 | The
Seller may at any time waive or defer some or all of the Purchaser’s Closing Obligations. |
6 | PRE-CLOSING COVENANTS |
6.1 | Ordinary course of business |
6.1.1. | Except
as otherwise contemplated hereby or as required by Law, the Sellers shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to keep the business as presently conducted by the Group intact in all materials respects, including maintaining its present operations, physical facilities, working conditions and material relationships with suppliers and customers, consistent with Sellers’ policies and practices. |
6.1.2. | Nothing contained in this Agreement shall give the Purchaser, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the operations of the Group prior to the Closing. Prior to the Closing, the Sellers shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision over the Group’s operations in compliance with
this Agreement. |
6.1.3. | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, as from the Signing Date until the earlier of the Closing Date or the Long Stop Date, the Sellers shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to procure that the Group Companies shall refrain, except in the ordinary course of business, from any of the following actions without the Purchaser’s prior consent (which shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld): |
i. | declare, make or pay any dividend (unless to another Group Company); |
ii. | create,
issue or redeem any shares or other securities (other than a redemption or (re)purchase of the profit certificates issued by Asco Industries NV and of the shares of Group Companies held by the Sellers in accordance with Clause 6.2); |
iii. | increase or decrease its share capital or otherwise amend its articles of association; |
iv. | enter into a liquidation, a merger, a de-merger or otherwise enter into a material restructuring; |
v. | incur
any expenditure individually exceeding EUR 250,000 (two hundred fifty thousand euro), or incur expenditures in the aggregate exceeding EUR 1,000,000 (one million euro) or defer any capital expenditure currently in the budget of any Group Company; |
vi. | dispose of or acquire any assets with an individual or aggregate value in excess of EUR 250,000 (two hundred fifty thousand euro); |
vii. | incur any indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of EUR 250,000 (two hundred fifty thousand euro) or incur indebtedness for borrowed
money in the aggregate exceeding EUR 1,000,000 (one million euro), other than indebtedness owing to any Group Company or indebtedness arising in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; |
viii. | not amend nor terminate any Material Contract; |
ix. | enter
into any new hedge contract or modify the terms of any of the Existing Operational Hedges; |
x. | agree, conditionally or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing; |
A. | such action is provided for in the 2018 budget of Asco Industries NV and its subsidiaries, as approved by the board of directors
of Asco Industries NV (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any capital expenditure (but not any deferral) provided therein); |
B. | such action constitutes a transaction bonus or similar incentive payment that has become due and payable in connection with the Transaction; |
C. | such action is required by any applicable Law or is consistent with past practice; or |
D. | such
action has been made in view of a timely and proper performance of any of the Transaction Documents, including, for the avoidance of doubt, terminating the agreements with the Resigning Directors or Resigning Officers and any payments to any of the Resigning Directors, other than the Sellers and their Affiliated companies, in respect of the termination of their agreements; or |
E. | such action is disclosed in Schedule 4. |
6.1.4. | In
applying and enforcing Clause 6.1 the Sellers and the Purchaser shall act vis-à-vis each other in accordance with the principles of reasonableness and fairness giving due consideration to all relevant circumstances. The Purchaser shall reply within five (5) Business Days in writing to Sellers’ requests for consent under Clause 6.1.3(i-iv) and Clause 6.1.3(x) in so far as it intends to refer to Clause 6.1.3(i-iv), such consent not to be unreasonably withheld. If the Purchaser does not respond to the proposed action within such five (5) Business Day response period, it shall be deemed to have approved the Sellers’ request for consent. The Purchaser shall reply within two (2) Business Days in writing to Sellers’ requests for consent under the other provisions of this Clause 6.1.3, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld. If the Purchaser does not respond to the proposed action within such two (2) Business Day response period, it shall be deemed to have approved the
Sellers’ request for consent. |
6.2 | Shares held directly by the Sellers in Group Companies |
6.3 | Financing
Cooperation |
6.3.1 | The Sellers shall cause the Group Companies to provide to Guarantor, and shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to cause representatives of the Group Companies to provide to Guarantor, on a reasonably timely basis, all cooperation reasonably requested by Guarantor in connection with the arrangement and marketing of any debt financing (including any issuance of debt securities by Guarantor or Purchaser) incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder and the repayment of the indebtedness listed on Schedule 5, including by: (i) furnishing Guarantor and its financing sources as promptly as reasonably practicable with such financial and other pertinent information regarding the Group Companies as may be reasonably
requested by Guarantor or Guarantor’s financing sources, including access to and cooperation with the Company’s accountants, (ii) reasonably cooperating with Guarantor’s financing sources and their respective agents with respect to their due diligence, including by giving access to documents relating to the Group Companies for diligence in connection with capital markets transactions,(iii) furnishing Guarantor and Guarantor’s financing sources promptly with all documentation and other information required by any Governmental Authority under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act, (iv) arranging for customary payoff letters, lien terminations and instruments of discharge to be delivered at Closing providing for the payoff, discharge and termination on the Closing Date of the outstanding indebtedness of the Group
and any outstanding financial instruments, listed in Schedule 5, (v) facilitating the execution and delivery at the Closing of definitive documents related to any debt financing at the Closing (provided that no obligation of the Group Companies under any such document shall be effective prior to Closing) and (vi) assisting Guarantor in the satisfaction of conditions precedent set forth in any debt financing to the extent the satisfaction of such conditions requires the cooperation of or is within the control of the Group Companies. Nothing in this Clause 6.3.1 shall require such cooperation to an extent that would reasonably interfere with the business or operations of any Group Company; if, in the reasonable opinion of the Company, additional resources must be hired to allow any Group Company to do so, the reasonable expenses thereof shall be borne by the Purchaser. The
Company hereby consents to the use of the logos of the Group Companies in connection with the syndication or marketing of any debt financing, provided that such logos are not used in a manner that would reasonably be expected to harm or disparage the Group Companies or their marks and that such documentation explicitly states that Closing has not yet occurred. |
6.3.2 | Guarantor
shall (i) promptly, upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Group Companies in connection with the cooperation of the Group Companies contemplated by Clause 6.3.1 and (ii) indemnify and hold harmless the Group Companies and their respective directors, officers and representatives from, against and in respect of any losses imposed on, sustained, incurred or suffered by, or asserted against, any of them, directly or indirectly relating to, arising out of or resulting from the arrangement of any debt financing by Guarantor, any other cooperation pursuant to Clause 6.3, and/or the provision of information utilized in connection therewith to the fullest extent permitted
by applicable Law, except to the extent such losses arise out of fraud or willful misconduct of the Group Companies. |
6.3.3 | For the avoidance of doubt, none of the financing transactions referred to in this Clause 6.3 shall have any negative impact on the Net Debt or the Net Working Capital. |
6.4 | Works Council |
6.5 | Further
assurance with respect to the NMTC Loan Agreement |
6.6 | Asco Cyberattack |
6.6.1 | The
Sellers shall, to the extent permissible under applicable Law, including Antitrust Laws, cause the Group Companies to, as promptly as practicable after such information becomes available to the Sellers or the Group Companies, provide to the Purchaser, the Guarantor, and their advisors all information in the Group’s possession relating to the Cyberattack and its potential consequences, including status updates and all other information and data relating to the Cyberattack. |
6.6.2 | The Sellers shall, and shall cause the Group Companies to, provide updates to the Purchaser of the Group Companies’ customer claim exposure relating to the Cyberattack and its potential consequences on the form previously shared between the Parties (the “Customer
Claim Form”), on the 20th day of each month and for the last time together with the Best Estimate; provided, that at any time the Sellers or the Group Companies become aware of a material change to the Group Companies’ customer claim exposure relating to the Cyberattack and its potential consequences, the Sellers shall, and shall cause the Group Companies to, as promptly as practicable provide the Purchaser with an update regarding such customer claim exposure on the form set forth on the Claim Form. |
6.6.3 | As
part of the assessment above, the Parties shall work together to address the Cyberattack’s impact on the Group’s financial systems and financial controls, with a view to providing the Purchaser to the extent possible with adequate answers, prior the Closing, to the questions set out in Schedule 14, that shall serve as a basis for such analysis. The Purchaser acknowledges that, in view of the limited resources available within the Group (a.o. because the Group Companies’ employees necessary are heavily involved in (i) Cyberattack remediation workstreams, (ii) the year end closings and related financial reporting and (iii) Closing workstreams, along with their existing day-to-day tasks), such impact analysis will be limited to what is strictly required for the ability of the Purchaser to comply with its financial reporting obligations immediately post Closing. |
6.6.4 | Prior
to Closing, the Sellers shall engage in continued dialogue with the Purchaser regarding efforts to restore the IT systems and the operations of the Group and to mitigate the impact of the Cyberattack on the business activities of the Group and the effects of the Cyberattack on (i) Asco’s IT systems and the operations of the Group and (ii) on the business activities of the Group in general, in each case up to the status that existed prior to the Cyberattack as provided in Clause 3.3.1. The Sellers shall cause the Group Companies to implement the Purchaser’s reasonable suggestions in connection with such remediation efforts, provided, however, (a) that such suggestions shall not violate the Commitments or Sonaca Protocol and (b) the costs incurred by the Sellers for any products or services as a result of such reasonable suggestions that are certain and of a fixed amount as of the Closing shall, if unpaid prior to Closing, be included in the Cyber Adjustments. |
6.6.5 | The
Sellers’ obligations pursuant to Clauses 6.6.1 through 6.6.4 shall not require the Sellers or the Group Companies to provide any information to the Purchaser, the Guarantor or their advisors, or allow the Purchaser, the Guarantor or their advisors to access any information, to the extent that the providing or allowing access to such information would violate applicable Law, including Antitrust Laws, in each case unless appropriate protective measures have been taken (for example, by entering into clean team arrangements). The Parties agree to enter into any clean team arrangements necessary in order to comply with Clauses 6.6.1 through 6.6.4. |
6.7 | Airbus Claims |
6.8 | Financial Statements |
6.8.1 | The Sellers shall provide to the Purchaser: |
• | prior to the Closing, (a) the
audited balance sheet of the Group as of December 31, 2018, the related audited consolidated statements of income (loss) and consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity, and the unaudited consolidated statements of cash flows for the twelve (12) month period then ended (the “2018 Financial Statements”)and (b) the unaudited sub-consolidated balance sheet and statement of income (loss) of Asco Industries NV as of December 31, 2019 (the “2019 Financial Statements”), it being understood however that the 2019 Financial Statements cannot be provided prior to February 14, 2020; and |
• | prior
to December 1, 2019, the unaudited sub-consolidated statement of income (loss) of Asco Industries NV as of September 30, 2019 under the format of the management reporting as prepared in the usual course of business on month-ends during the year, it being understood that such statement does not include all entries that are usually performed on a year-end when producing the detailed consolidated statements for statutory audit purposes; |
6.8.2 | The 2018 Financial Statements and the 2019 Financial Statements (including
the related notes and schedules thereto, when available) provided to the Purchaser pursuant to Clause 6.8.1 shall have been prepared in accordance with Belgian GAAP and the valuation rules applied to the consolidated audited annual accounts of the Company for the financial year ending on December 31, 2017 (with the exception of any valuation rules that have changed for reasons as communicated in writing to the Purchaser) and present a true and fair view of the financial position, assets, liabilities, and results of operations of the Group for the periods set forth therein, in each case consistently applied in accordance with Belgian GAAP during the periods involved. The 2018 Financial Statements and the 2019 Financial Statements shall reflect all material liabilities, either accrued or contingent, that should be reflected therein in
accordance with Belgian GAAP and the valuation rules applied to the consolidated audited annual accounts of the Company for the financial year ending on December 31, 2016 (with the exception of any valuation rules that have changed for reasons as communicated in writing to the Purchaser). |
6.9 | Asco Brazil |
7 | SELLERS’ WARRANTIES |
7.1 | The Sellers represent and warrant to the Purchaser that the statements set out in Schedule 2 (the “Sellers’ Representations and Warranties”) are true and accurate on the Signing Date or on any such earlier date as of which any Sellers’ Representation or Warranty
is expressly made. |
7.2 | The Sellers represent and warrant to the Purchaser that the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties shall be true and accurate in all material respects on the Closing Date or on any such earlier date as of which any Sellers’ Representation or Warranty is expressly made. |
7.3 | Without prejudice to Clause 25.1 and 25.2, the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties are the only representations or assurances of any kind given by or on behalf of the Sellers and collectively and exhaustively reflect characteristics
that the Purchaser may reasonably expect the Shares, the Group and its business to have. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that it has not entered into this Agreement in reliance on any representation or warranty other than the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties and other than with respect to the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties waives to the fullest extent possible or permitted under any applicable Law all rights and remedies which might otherwise be available to it in respect of any such representations, warranties, other assurances, statements, promises or forecasts (whether written or oral). |
7.4 | In no event are any representations or warranties, express or implied, given by the Sellers with respect to forecasts, plans, expectations,
the feasibility of any business plans or the future development of the business of any Group Company and, more broadly, to any fact, circumstance or event dated after the Signing Date (other than with respect to the accuracy of the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties as of the Closing Date in Clause 7.2), or as the case may be, any such earlier date as of which any of the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties is expressly made, irrespective of whether these have been explicitly included in any disclosed document or information. |
7.5 | The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that it has performed, with the assistance of professional advisors, an extensive due diligence investigation with respect to the Shares, the Group Companies and their respective
businesses, activities, operation, assets, liabilities and financial condition during the period from 8 November 2017 until the Signing Date on the basis of the information provided by the Sellers and their advisers - amongst others - by way of data room documents in the Data Room, management presentations and expert calls and the related Q&A process (the “Due Diligence Investigation”). The Purchaser acknowledges that the Due Diligence Investigation was in a form, scope and substance to the Purchaser’s satisfaction and that it has raised with the Sellers any and all specific issues which it considered relevant in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and obtained satisfactory answers from the Sellers on all its queries. |
7.6 | The information contained in the Data Room (an index of which is included in Schedule 3), this Agreement including the Schedules hereto, the Information Memorandum and the written answers to questions raised by the Purchaser and its advisors (copies of which are also included in Schedule 3), any other information made available to the Purchaser and its advisors in writing, in interviews, in process letters, in (management or other) presentations (written records of these interviews; process letters and (management or other) presentations are also included
in Schedule 3) or in any other form, and all other information which is in the public domain in each case as of the Signing Date shall together be considered the disclosed information (the “Disclosed Information”). |
8 | INDEMNIFICATION |
8.1 | The Sellers shall indemnify and hold the Purchaser harmless from and against any Damage resulting from a breach of any of the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties or Clause 6.8.2 (a “Breach”),
it being understood that (without prejudice to Clause 9.11) (i) for purposes of computing the amount of any Damage indemnifiable to the Purchaser, both the Damages suffered by the Damages suffered by the Purchaser and/or any Group Company (as if they had been incurred by the Purchaser, but without duplication) shall be taken into account, (ii) any Damage incurred by a Group Company shall be deemed to be incurred by the Purchaser in the same amount, multiplied by the percentage of the (direct or indirect) shareholding of the Purchaser in the relevant Group Company acquired in the framework of this Transaction (save with respect to ASCO Finance USA NV, where the percentage shall deemed to be 100 %) and maintained up to the moment the Damages are finally determined, either by mutual agreement among the Parties or in a final, non-appealable decision in accordance with Clause 26. |
8.2 | In the
event of a Breach the Purchaser shall submit to the Sellers a claim for compensation (a “Claim”). |
8.3 | The Purchaser shall, after discovery of the circumstances giving rise to such Claim, promptly and in any event within ten (10) Business Days of the date on which the Purchaser becomes aware or should have become aware of the relevant fact, circumstance or matter, notify the Sellers giving such particulars of the underlying facts as may reasonably be required for a normally prudent seller to be able to understand the Claim and assess it on its merits to the extent then available (a “Claim Notice”). The Claim must also set out in reasonable detail the fact,
circumstance or matter giving rise to the Claim and the relevant provisions of this Agreement on which it is based, and specify the Purchaser’s best estimate of its likely |
8.4 | The
Sellers will respond to the Claim Notice (a “Claim Response”) within twenty (20) Business Days (the “Response Period”) after the date that the Claim Notice is given. |
8.5 | In connection with any Claim made by the Purchaser against the Sellers, the Purchaser shall, and shall cause the Group Companies, to make available to the Sellers on an ongoing basis all such information as the Sellers may reasonably require for assessing, disputing, resisting, appealing, compromising, defending, remedying or mitigating the Claim. If and to the extent reasonably required for the purposes of assessing, disputing, resisting, appealing, compromising, defending, remedying
or mitigating the Claim, the Purchaser shall, and shall cause the Group Companies, to grant reasonable access to the Group Companies’ management and premises, provided that the obligations of the Purchaser under this Clause 8.5 are limited to information required for the Sellers’ defence under the Claim (as the case may be a third party claim). |
8.6 | If the Sellers dispute the Claim, the Parties will meet promptly to try to amicably resolve the Claim. If the Parties fail to amicably resolve the Claim within twenty (20) Business Days of the Claim Response, then the Claim will be considered unresolved and will be resolved in accordance with Clause 26. The Purchaser will have until the later of (i) sixty (60) Business Days after giving the Claim Notice
and (ii) two (2) years after the Closing Date to submit the Claim to arbitration in accordance with Clause 26. If the Purchaser fails to submit the Claim to arbitration within this period, the Claim will be deemed dismissed and resolved, and will not be thereafter reasserted. |
8.7 | If the Sellers elect not to dispute a Claim described in a Claim Notice, whether by failing to give a timely Claim Response or otherwise, then the Sellers will be deemed to have agreed to pay the amount of such Claim to the Purchaser. The Escrow Agent shall release such amount from the Escrow Amount to the Purchaser pursuant to the terms of the Escrow Agreement, and to the extent that such Escrow Amount is not sufficient to satisfy the Claim, then the Sellers shall promptly
pay such required balance of such Claim to the Purchaser. |
8.8 | If any amount is to be released from the Escrow Account to the Purchaser in respect of Damages incurred in EUR, in order to determine the amount of USD to be released from the Escrow Account, such Damages will converted to USD at the relevant Spot Exchange Rate. If any Seller is to make a payment directly (as opposed to through a release of funds from the Escrow Account) to the Purchaser pursuant to such Seller’s indemnification obligations under this Agreement, such payment shall be made in the currency of the relevant Damages incurred by the Purchaser or the relevant Group Company. |
8.9 | Any payment made by a Seller in respect of a Breach shall be deemed to be a reduction of the part of the Final Purchase Price that such Seller has received hereunder. |
8.10 | The Purchaser acknowledges that the right to claim indemnification in accordance with this Clause 8 (subject to the limitations set out in this Agreement)
shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Purchaser in respect of any Breach under this Agreement. The Purchaser expressly and irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law, all rights and remedies it might have under Belgian law or otherwise in respect of any Breach, including the right to seek the termination of this Agreement in court (at any time, including after Closing) pursuant to section 1184 of the Belgian Civil Code. |
8.11 | If the receipt of any amount of Damages results in an effective Tax payment by the Purchaser, the amount payable shall be grossed up by such amount as will ensure that after effective payment of such Tax there shall be left a sum equal to the amount which would otherwise be payable, it being understood
that if at the time of payment of the Damages the exact amount of such Taxes cannot be determined, the Parties shall take into account a fair estimate of such Taxes in order to determine the amount of Damages. Such estimate shall be adjusted as soon as the actual amount of Taxes has been determined and paid. |
8.12 | The Sellers and the Purchaser shall take all actions and execute and deliver all documents to the Escrow Agent reasonably required pursuant to the Escrow Agreement to effect any release from the Escrow Account contemplated by this Agreement. |
9 | LIMITATIONS
ON INDEMNIFICATION |
9.1 | Disclosure |
9.1.1 | were Fairly Disclosed to the Purchaser on the basis of the Disclosed Information; or |
9.1.2 | have
been Fairly Disclosed, or excepted, in the Sellers’ Representations and Warranties themselves and/or otherwise in this Agreement and/or in the schedules hereto. |
9.2 | Minimum claims and basket |
9.2.1 | No
indemnification shall be due for any individual Breach in respect of which the amount of the Damages to which the Purchaser would otherwise be entitled is less than USD 100,000 (USD hundred thousand); provided, that, for the purpose of determining if such threshold is exceeded, Damages incurred in EUR shall be converted into USD at the relevant Spot Exchange Rate. Claims arising from similar related facts, matters or circumstances shall be aggregated for the purposes of this Clause 9.2.1. |
9.2.2 | The Purchaser shall not be entitled to recover any Damages in respect of any Breach unless the aggregate amount of Damages in respect of all Breaches for which indemnification is owed exceeds USD 1,000,000 (USD one million); provided, that, for the purpose
of determining if such threshold is exceeded, Damages incurred in EUR shall be converted into USD at the relevant Spot Exchange Rate (the “Basket”), it being understood that (i) in case the Basket is exceeded the full amount shall be due including the amount of the Basket and (ii) Breaches for which the Sellers are not held to indemnify the Purchaser pursuant to Clause 9.2.1 are not taken into account to calculate the Basket. |
9.3 | Maximum liability |
9.4 | Time limitations |
9.4.1 | for all Breaches other than for Breaches of the Title Warranties and the Tax Warranties, two (2) years after Closing; |
9.4.2 | for Breaches of the Title Warranties, ten (10) years and three (3) months after Closing; and |
9.4.3 | for
Breaches of the Tax Warranties, before or on the date on which the matter giving rise to the Claim is barred by applicable statute of limitation increased with three (3) months. |
9.5 | Contingent liabilities |
9.6 | Provisions for liabilities |
9.7 | Insurance proceeds and recoveries from third parties |
9.7.1 | The Sellers shall have no obligation to reimburse the Purchaser in respect of any Claim if and to the extent that the Damages in respect of which the Claim is made (i) are covered by an insurance policy in force at the level of a Group Company at the Closing Date, (ii) would have been covered if such an insurance policy had been maintained beyond the Closing Date or (iii) are effectively recovered from any other third party. |
9.7.2 | The
Purchaser shall use its Commercially Reasonable Efforts to obtain recovery in respect of any Damages from any third party indemnity which is available in respect of Damages as soon as possible. If the Purchaser receives such proceeds or indemnification recovery in connection with Damages for which it has been indemnified hereunder, the Purchaser shall notify the Sellers and refund to the Sellers the amount of such proceeds or indemnification recoveries when received. |
9.8 | Tax Savings |
9.8.1 | Any amount owed by the Sellers
in respect of any Claim shall be reduced by the amount of any Tax Savings for the relevant Group Company arising from the Damages in respect of which the Claim has been made. |
9.8.2 | If the amount of the Tax Savings is determined after payment by the Sellers of any amount in discharge of the Claim, the Purchaser shall pay, or shall procure that the relevant Group Company
pays, to the Sellers an amount equal to the difference between: |
i. | the amount paid by the Sellers to the Purchaser; and |
ii. | the amount that the Purchaser would have received if such Tax Savings had been taken into account in determining the amount due by the Sellers in accordance with this Clause 9.8. |
9.8.3 | For
the purposes of this Clause 9.8, “Tax Savings” means the amount by which any Tax for which the relevant Group Company would otherwise have been liable is or could in the future be reduced as a result of such Damage. |
9.9 | Changes in Laws and practice |
9.9.1 | any change in GAAP applicable to the relevant Group Company
after the Closing Date; |
9.9.2 | any change in the accounting policies or practice of the Purchaser’s Group or of a Group Company after the Closing Date, save where such change was required to remedy an illegality existing prior to Closing; |
9.9.3 | the passing of any Laws, or making of any subordinate Laws after the Closing Date; or |
9.9.4 | any
change in the interpretation or application of any Laws or in the (administrative) practice after the Closing Date of any Regulatory Authority, including, for the avoidance of doubt and without limitation, the application of the Tax Laws. |
9.10 | Matters arising subsequent to Closing |
9.11 | No
cumulation (non bis in idem) |
9.12 | Mitigation |
9.13 | Absence
of Limitation of Liability |
10 | SPECIFIC INDEMNITY |
10.1 | General |
A. | (i) any and all Taxes imposed on or with respect to the Group Companies, or for which any of the Group Companies may otherwise be liable, for any tax period (or portion thereof) ending at Closing, (ii) any and all Taxes of any other person for which any of the Group Companies is or has been liable as a transferee or successor, where such liability results from circumstances existing prior to the Closing, and (iii) any obligation or other liability of any of the Group Companies to indemnify any other person in respect of or relating to Taxes or for any amounts calculated by reference to Taxes or to pay an amount pursuant to any Tax sharing or Tax allocation agreement entered into prior to the Closing Date (other than any such
agreement solely among the Group Companies or that was entered into in the ordinary course of business and the principal purpose of which does not relate to Taxes); |
B. | any
environmental liabilities relating to the ownership or operation of the Business or any property by any of the Group Companies prior to Closing, including any release or presence of any Hazardous Substance in the Environment or in any structure prior to the Closing Date, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, including any liabilities or any remedial action (including, without limitation, soil investigations, clean-up and monitoring measures) relating to (known or unknown) soil or groundwater pollution existing prior to Closing which originated on the property owned, operated or leased by any of the Group Companies in Belgium, until the Flemish Soil Regulatory Authority (“OVAM”) confirms that no further remedial action is required because (i) the applicable standards for soil and groundwater are complied with; or (ii) the pollution no longer constitutes a risk for adverse effects on the environment or human
health and safety; |
C. | the claims referred to in Schedule 12; |
D. | the fact that the provision accounted for in accounts no. 459620 and 459630 of Asco Industries NV/SA is insufficient to cover the risk for which it has been reserved up to Closing; |
E. | the operations of Asco Brazil; |
F. | (i)
violations of certain transfer restrictions under foreign trade law committed by Asco Deutschland GmbH, as described in a voluntary self-denunciation declaration made by Asco Deutschland GmbH to the central custom office Gießen (Hauptzollamt Gießen) and (ii) the confirmation included in note 1.0 included in the Non-VDR USB Stick not being true and accurate; |
G. | the Cyberattack (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any additional Damages incurred by the Group following Closing with respect to matters that were taken into account for purposes of calculating the Cyber Adjustments), but only to the extent such Damages have not been taken into account for purposes of determining the Price Adjustment
in accordance with Clause 3.3.1; and |
H. | the termination of any agreement between Airbus and any Group Company due to the Cyberattack, but only to the extent such Damages have not been taken into account for purposes of determining the Price Adjustment in accordance with Clause 3.3.1. |
10.2 | Claims procedure |
10.3 | Claims period |
10.3.1. | in
relation to Clause 10.1(A), before or on the date on which on which the matter giving rise to the Claim is barred by applicable statute of limitation increased with three (3) months; |
10.3.2. | in relation to Clauses 10.1(B), 10.1(D), 10.1(E) and 10.1(F) five (5) years after Closing; or |
10.3.3. | in relation to Clause 10.1(C), until a final judgment that can no longer be appealed has been rendered or a final settlement has been reached with respect to the relevant claim. |
10.3.4. | in
relation to Clauses 10.1(G) and 10.1(H), two (2) years after Closing. |
10.4 | Limitations on indemnification |
i. | Clauses 9.1, 9.2, 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6 shall not apply to any of the Specific Indemnities; and |
ii. | Clauses
9.9.3 and 9.9.4 shall apply, except in relation to Clause 10.1(B) to the extent it relates to soil or groundwater pollution. |
11 | THIRD PARTY CLAIMS |
11.1 | Without prejudice to Clause 8.3, where a Claim of the Purchaser is based upon or relates to a claim by or a liability to a third party (a “Third Party Claim”), the Purchaser shall notify the Sellers of such Third Party Claim within five (5) Business Days after such Third Party Claim has been made, or sooner if this is reasonably
required in order to properly prepare the defence against such Third Party Claim or if urgent actions may be required. Failure to comply with any of the requirements set forth in this Clause 11.1 shall not result in the Purchaser forfeiting its right to claim Damages for a Breach, but limit such right to the extent the liability of the Sellers would have been increased as a result thereof. |
11.2 | The Purchaser shall, or shall cause the relevant Group Company to, provide the Sellers with copies of all documents and correspondence from that third party, and all other documents and correspondence relating to the Third Party Claim as the Sellers may reasonably request, it being understood that the Sellers hereby agree (i) to keep all such information
and documents confidential during a three (3) year period as of the receipt |
11.3 | The Sellers shall promptly and not later than twenty (20) Business Days after receipt of notice of the Third Party Claim notify to the Purchaser: (i) whether they dispute the Purchaser’s or the relevant
Group Company’s right to indemnification from the Sellers with respect to such Third Party Claim; and (ii) if they do not dispute such right of indemnification, whether or not they desire to defend the Purchaser or the relevant Group Company against such Third Party Claim. |
11.4 | Notwithstanding the above notice periods, the Purchaser is allowed to take any reasonable provisional measures, to the extent necessary, subject to informing the Sellers promptly thereof. |
11.5 | If, within the 20 (twenty) Business Days’ period provided
for under Clause 11.2, the Sellers notify the Purchaser that they do not dispute the Purchaser’s right to indemnification and desire to defend the Purchaser or the relevant Group Company against such Third Party Claim, the Sellers shall have the right to assume and control the defence of such Third Party Claim by appropriate proceedings with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser at the Sellers’ sole cost and expense; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if the resolution of such Third Party Claim could have a material impact on Guarantor’s reputation or materially interfere with Guarantor’s business or its relationships with its key customers, the Sellers shall not have the right to assume the control and defence of such Third Party Claim, subject to any increase in the amount of Damages indemnifiable by the Sellers further to this Agreement as a result of such defence to the extent it would be different from the defence that would have been
pursued by the Sellers, being disregarded for purposes of determining the amount of Damages indemnifiable. The Purchaser’s approval of counsel proposed by the Sellers shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Purchaser may retain separate co-counsel at its sole cost and expense and participate in, but not control, any such defence or settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to claims related to the matters listed in Schedule 12, the Purchaser and Christian Boas shall jointly control and direct the defence of such claims, it being understood that they shall, acting reasonably, (i) jointly select counsel with respect to each such claim and (ii) actively consult and cooperate with each other in directing the defence of such claims. |
11.6 | If
the Sellers: |
11.7 | The Party responsible for the defence of any Third Party
Claim (the “Responsible Party”) shall, to the extent reasonably requested by the other Parties, keep informed and, when appropriate, consult with the other Parties, on the status of any Third Party Claim for which such Party is not the Responsible Party, including, without limitation, all proposed settlement negotiations. With respect to a Third Party Claim for which the Sellers are the Responsible Party, the Purchaser shall make or cause the relevant Group Company to make available to the Sellers and their representatives all books and records relating to such Third Party Claim and shall render to the Sellers such assistance and access to the relevant Group Company as may be necessary or useful for purposes of the defence, as provided in this Clause 11. |
11.8 | The
Responsible Party shall promptly notify the other Parties of each settlement offer (including whether the Responsible Party is willing or not to accept the proposed settlement offer) with respect to a Third Party Claim. The other Parties agree to notify the Responsible Party in due course whether or not such Parties are willing to accept the proposed settlement offer. The Responsible Party shall not enter into any settlement of any Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the other Parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. |
11.9 | If the Purchaser or the relevant Group Company does not consent to any settlement offer of a Third Party Claim (whether or not the Purchaser is the Responsible Party) that the
Sellers agree to take responsibility for, the Purchaser or such Group Company may continue to contest or defend such Third Party Claim and, in such event, the maximum liability of the Seller with respect to such Third Party Claim shall not exceed the full amount of such settlement offer. |
11.10 | If the Sellers do not consent to any settlement offer of a Third Party Claim (whether or not the Sellers are the Responsible Party with respect to such Third Party Claim), the Sellers may continue to contest or defend such Third Party Claim and, in such event, the Sellers shall be liable to the Purchaser for the full amount of the Damage sustained by the Purchaser or the relevant Group Company as a result of such Third Party Claim (without prejudice, for
the avoidance of doubt, to the limitations set forth in Clause 9, which continue to apply). |
12 | PURCHASER’S WARRANTIES |
12.1 | The Purchaser represents and warrants to the Sellers that the statements set out in this Clause 12 (the “Purchasers’
Representations and Warranties”) are true and accurate (i) on the Signing Date and, (ii) unless the Purchasers’ Representation or Warranty is given with reference to the Signing Date or any earlier date, on the Closing Date: |
12.1.1. | the Purchaser is a company duly organised and validly existing under the laws of Belgium; |
12.1.2. | the Purchaser has the capacity and power to execute this Agreement and to purchase the Shares; |
12.1.3. | the
execution of this Agreement and the performance of the transactions contemplated therein by the Purchaser have been approved and authorised by all necessary corporate actions. No further action on the part of the Purchaser is necessary to authorise this Agreement or the performance of the transactions contemplated therein; |
12.1.4. | the obligations of the Purchaser under this Agreement and each document or instrument contemplated by this Agreement, constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Purchaser, in each case enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with their terms; |
12.1.5. | the
execution of this Agreement and the performance of the transactions contemplated therein do not and will not (i) violate the articles of association or other constitutive documents of the Purchaser, or (ii) violate any agreement, obligation, law, regulation, rule, covenant, judgement, injunction, order, decree or permits to which the Purchaser is subject or party; |
12.1.6. | at Closing the Purchaser will have all funds available to pay the Best Estimate in full and in cash in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and to consummate the Transaction, it being understood that receipt of financing by the Purchaser is not a condition to consummation of the
Transaction; |
12.1.7. | the Purchaser shall perform, observe and comply with all the obligations and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed; and |
12.1.8. | there are no actions, proceedings or claims pending (or, to the best of its knowledge, threatened) against the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates, the adverse determination of which may impair the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of its principal terms, materially adversely affect the financial condition of the Purchaser or otherwise negatively
affect the Purchaser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement. |
12.2 | Without prejudice to Clause 25.1 and 25.2, the Purchasers’ Representations and Warranties are the only representations or assurances of any kind given by or on behalf of the Purchaser. The Sellers acknowledge and agree that they have not entered into this Agreement in reliance on any representation or warranty other than the Purchasers’ Representations and Warranties and waives to the fullest extent possible or permitted under any applicable law all rights and remedies which might otherwise be available to it in respect of any such representations, warranties, other assurances, statements, promises or forecasts (whether written or oral). |
12.3 | The Purchaser shall indemnify and hold the Sellers harmless from and against any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred by the Sellers resulting from a breach of any of the Purchaser’s Representations and Warranties or any other covenant or obligation of the Purchaser hereunder. |
13 | GUARANTEE BY GUARANTOR |
13.1 | The
Guarantor, as primary obligor, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, by way of continuing guarantee to the Sellers the payment and performance by the Purchaser, when due, of all amounts and obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. This guarantee shall remain in full force and effect until all such amounts and obligations have been irrevocably paid and discharged in full. |
13.2 | The Guarantor’s obligations under this Clause 13: |
13.2.1. | constitute direct, primary and unconditional obligations
to pay on demand by the Sellers any sum which the Purchaser is liable to pay under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and to perform on demand any obligation of the Purchaser under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document without requiring the Sellers to first take any steps against the Purchaser or any other person; and |
13.2.2. | shall not be affected by any matter or thing which but for this provision might operate to affect or prejudice those obligations, including: |
i. | any time or indulgence granted
to, or composition with, the Purchaser or any other person; or |
ii. | the taking, variation, renewal or release of, or refusal or neglect to perfect or enforce, any right, remedy or security against the Purchaser or any other person; or |
iii. | any legal limitation, disability or other circumstance relating to the Purchaser or any unenforceability or invalidity of any obligation of the Purchaser under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. |
13.3 | Any
agreement, waiver, consent or release given by the Purchaser shall bind the Guarantor and in references to the “Parties” the Purchaser and the Guarantor shall be treated as being a single party. |
14 | GUARANTOR’S WARRANTIES |
14.1 | The
Guarantor represents and warrants to the Sellers that the statements set out in this Clause 14 (the “Guarantors’ Representations and Warranties”) are true and accurate (i) on the Signing Date and, (ii) unless the Guarantors’ Representation or Warranty is given with reference to the Signing Date or any earlier date, on the Closing Date: |
14.1.1 | the Guarantor is a company duly organised and validly existing under the laws of Delaware; |
14.1.2 | the Guarantor has the capacity and power
to execute this Agreement; |
14.1.3 | the execution of this Agreement and the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations thereunder have been approved and authorised by all necessary corporate actions. No further action on the part of the Guarantor is necessary to authorise this Agreement or the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations thereunder; |
14.1.4 | the obligations of the Guarantor under this Agreement and under each document or instrument contemplated by this Agreement, constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Guarantor, in each case enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with their terms; |
14.1.5 | the execution of this Agreement and the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations thereunder do not and will not (i) violate the articles of association or other constitutive documents of the Guarantor, or (ii) violate any agreement, obligation, law, regulation, rule, covenant, judgement, injunction, order, decree or permits to which the Guarantor is subject or party; |
14.1.6 | the
Guarantor has sufficient funds available to guarantee the payments of the Final Purchase Price in full and in cash by the Purchaser in accordance with the term of this Agreement; |
14.1.7 | the Guarantor shall perform, observe and comply with all the obligations and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed by it; and |
14.1.8 | there are no actions, proceedings or claims pending (or, to the best of its knowledge, threatened) against the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates, the adverse determination of which may impair
the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of its principal terms, materially adversely affect the financial conditions of the Guarantor or otherwise negatively affect the Guarantors ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement. |
15 | NON-COMPETITION |
15.1 | For the purposes of this Clause 15: |
15.1.1 | “Business”
shall mean the production, distribution and wholesale of high lift devices and large structural parts or mechanical assemblies made out of aluminum, titanium and steel for aircrafts; and |
15.1.2 | “Territory” shall mean the entire territory of any country in which a Group Company has conducted Business during the past five (5) years. |
15.2 | For
a period of three (3) years as of the Closing Date the Sellers shall not, on their own behalf or as owner, manager, shareholder, consultant, director, officer, partner or employee of any business entity or in any other capacity whatsoever (other than as the holder of not more than 1% of the combined voting power of the outstanding shares of a publicly held company), participate directly or indirectly, in any capacity, in any business or activity which (i) is in direct competition with the Business (as conducted immediately prior to Closing) in the Territory or (ii) intends to compete directly with the Business (as conducted immediately prior to Closing) in the Territory. |
15.3 | For a period of two (2) years as of the Closing Date the Sellers shall
not solicit, induce, and attempt to hire or entice away any Senior Employee of any Group Company, provided that (i) employing such person through general solicitations for employment not targeted to any Group Company by means of advertisements, public notices, or non-targeted searches placed on websites or job search engines, (ii) employing such person who has had his employment agreement with a Group Company terminated prior to the commencement of his/her employment discussions, or (iii) employing such person who has made an unsolicited approach at least 6 months following the Closing shall not be deemed to constitute a breach of this restriction. |
15.4 | Nothing
in this Clause 15 shall prohibit the Sellers (or any Affiliate thereof) from acquiring and holding shares in Asco Brazil and Asco Finance USA NV. |
15.5 | The restrictions in this Clause 15 are regarded by the Sellers as fair and reasonable. If any of the restrictions of Clause 15 were deemed to exceed the time or other limitations provided by applicable Law, these shall not be null and void but shall be construed, reformed and replaced to conform to the maximum permitted by applicable Law. |
16 | NON-DISPOSAL |
17 | CONFIDENTIALITY |
17.1 | Subject to Clause 17.3, no Party shall make or permit any person connected with it to make any disclosure to a third party or any announcement concerning this Transaction or any ancillary matter prior to the Closing, save for the announcement that will be made upon Signing of this Agreement in accordance with
the draft attached hereto as Schedule 10, the Parties’ oral public comments following announcement of the Transaction subject to them being non inconsistent with the messages contained in said announcement, the Guarantor’s filing pursuant to Form 8-K and the announcement that will be made upon Closing on the basis of wording to be agreed upon among the Parties in due course. |
17.2 | Each Party shall, and shall procure that: |
17.2.1 | prior to Closing each member of its Group from time to time shall keep confidential all information
provided to it by or on behalf of any other Party or otherwise obtained by or in connection with this Agreement which relates to another Party or any member of any other Party’s Group; and |
17.2.2 | if after Closing a Party or its Group holds Confidential Information relating to another Party or any person or entity Affiliated with that Party, it shall keep that information confidential and, to the extent reasonably practicable, shall return that information to each relevant Party or destroy it, in each case without retaining copies. |
17.3 | Nothing
in this Clause 17 prevents any announcement being made or any Confidential Information being disclosed: |
17.3.1 | with the written approval of the other Parties, which in the case of any announcement shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or |
17.3.2 | to the extent required by Law or a Regulatory Authority, provided that a Party required to disclose any Confidential Information shall promptly notify the other Parties, where practicable and lawful to do so, before disclosure occurs and co-operate with the other Parties
regarding the timing and content of such disclosure or any action which the other Parties may reasonably elect to take to challenge the validity of such requirement. |
17.4 | Nothing in this Clause 17 prevents disclosure of Confidential Information by any Party: |
17.4.1 | to the extent that the information is in or comes into the public domain other than as a result of a breach of any undertaking or duty of confidentiality by any person; or |
17.4.2 | to
that Party’s professional advisers, but before any disclosure to any such person the relevant Party shall procure that he is made aware of the terms of this Clause 17 and shall use its best endeavours to procure that such person adheres to those terms as if he were bound by the provisions of this Clause 17. |
17.5 | Nothing in this Clause 17 shall prevent the Purchaser’s Group from using Confidential Information relating
to a Group Company after Closing as permitted by applicable Law or to enforce its remedies hereunder. |
18 | SELLERS’ REPRESENTATIVE |
18.1 | Each of the Sellers, on behalf of itself and any of its successors and assigns, hereby irrevocably confirms, designates and appoints Christian Boas as its representative (the “Sellers’ Representative”). |
18.2 | The
Sellers’ Representative shall be the agent and attorney-in-fact of each Seller with full power and authority to perform all actions required or permitted to be performed by the Sellers under this Agreement. A decision, act, consent or instruction of the Sellers’ Representative shall constitute a decision, act, consent or instruction from all of the Sellers and shall be final, binding and conclusive upon each Seller. |
19 | NOTICES |
19.1 | Any notice or other formal communication given under this Agreement (which includes fax,
but not email) must be in writing and may be delivered in person, or sent by post or fax to the Party to be served at its address appearing in this Agreement, as follows: |
19.2 | Any notice or other communication shall be deemed to have been given: |
19.2.1. | if
delivered in person, at the time of delivery; or |
19.2.2. | if sent by post at 10.00 a.m. (local time at the place of destination) on the second (2nd) Business Day after it was put into the post or at 10.00 a.m. (local time at the place of destination) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after it was put into the post by overnight courier; or |
19.2.3. | if sent by fax, on the date of transmission,
if transmitted before 5.00 p.m. (local time at the place of destination) on any Business Day and in any other case on the Business Day following the date of transmission, provided the fax is confirmed by registered mail requesting a return receipt. |
19.2.4. | In proving the giving of a notice or other communication it shall be sufficient to prove that delivery in person was made or that the envelope containing the communication was properly addressed and posted, or that the fax was properly addressed and transmitted, as the case may be. |
20 | FURTHER
ASSURANCES |
21 | ASSIGNMENTS |
22 | PAYMENTS |
23 | NATURE OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLERS |
23.1 | Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, each of the Sellers undertakes individually, for itself, the applicable obligations set forth in this Agreement and each of the Sellers may individually for itself enforce all its rights under this Agreement. |
23.2 | Further to Clause 23.1 above, where any obligation, representation, warranty or undertaking in this Agreement is expressed to be made, undertaken or given by the Sellers they shall be severally, not jointly, responsible in respect of it, in proportion to their respective holdings of Shares immediately before Closing as set out in Schedule 1. For the avoidance of doubt, no Seller can be held liable for a Breach by another Seller, save with respect to the obligation to deliver the Shares upon Closing. |
24 | COSTS
AND EXPENSES |
25 | GENERAL PROVISIONS |
25.1 | For
the avoidance of doubt, none of the limitations set out in Clauses 7, 8 and 9 shall apply to a breach of any obligation of a Party resting on it further to this Agreement, other than a Breach, or in respect of any Specific Indemnity set out in Clause 10 to the extent applicable. |
25.2 | Save as explicitly provided in this Agreement, the Parties waive their rights, if any and whether in whole or in part, to annul, rescind, dissolve, terminate or cancel this Agreement,
or to request such annulment, rescission, dissolution, termination or cancellation after Closing, including on the basis of general provisions of contract law (including section 1184 of the Belgian Civil Code). This Clause 25.2 shall not exclude any liability for (or remedy in respect of) fraud nor prevent a party to seek enforcement in kind of any of its rights and/or indemnification in case of breach of an obligation by another Party. |
25.3 | The Purchaser shall not direct (and shall cause the Group Companies not to direct) any claim to any of the Resigning Directors or the Resigning Officers of the Group Companies referred to in Clause 5.2.3. The Purchaser
shall exercise its rights as a direct or indirect shareholder of the Group Companies in a way that avoids any personal liability of the Resigning Directors and the Resigning Officers referred to in Clause 5.2.3. In particular, to the extent legally permissible, the Purchaser agrees to vote against the enforcement of claims of any Group Company against the Resigning Directors or Resigning Officers referred to in Clause 5.2.3. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing is without prejudice to the Purchaser’s right to direct a claim against the Sellers in their capacity as Sellers under this Agreement (on the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement). |
25.4 | If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable by any court
or arbitral tribunal of competent jurisdiction, the other provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect. Any provision of this Agreement held invalid or unenforceable only in part or degree will remain in full force and effect to the extent not held invalid or unenforceable. The Parties undertake to replace the invalid or unenforceable provision by a provision which achieves the original purpose and intention of the Parties to the fullest possible extent. |
25.5 | The nullity or non-applicability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or applicability of other provisions of the Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect. |
25.6 | No
Party shall be deemed to have waived any rights or remedies arising out of this Agreement or out of any default or breach hereunder unless such Party executes the waiver in writing. If a Party waives a right or remedy arising out of this Agreement or out of any default or breach hereunder, such waiver shall not be construed to constitute a waiver of any other rights or remedies. |
25.7 | This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements among the Parties with respect to its subject matter and constitutes a complete and exclusive statement of the terms of the agreement among the Parties with respect to its
subject matter, except for the confidentiality agreement dated 3 July 2017 among Asco Industries NV and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. (the “Confidentiality Agreement”), as amended by (i) an agreement entered into by and among the Company, Asco Industries NV and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. on 14 November 2017 (the “First Addendum”), (ii) an agreement entered into by and among the Company, Asco Industries NV and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. on 12 March 2018 (the “Second Addendum”), (iii) an agreement entered into by and among the Company, Asco Industries NV and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. on
26 February 2018 (the “Third Addendum”), and (iii) an agreement entered into by and among the Company, Asco Industries NV and Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. on 26 April 2018 (the “Fourth Addendum”) and which will remain in full force up until Closing. |
25.8 | This Agreement may not be amended
except by a written agreement by and among the Parties. |
26 | GOVERNING LAW AND COMPETENT COURTS |
26.1 | This Agreement is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of Belgium, without giving effect to its principles or rules of conflict of laws, to the extent such principles or rules would permit or require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. |
26.2 | Any
disputes in connection with or arising out of this Agreement that are not settled amicably shall be conclusively settled by way of arbitration under the Rules of Conciliation and Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) (the “Rules”) by three arbitrators, whereby each Party shall appoint one (1) arbitrator in accordance with said Rules as in force at the time of the request for arbitration and the two (2) arbitrators so appointed shall jointly appoint a third arbitrator, who shall act as chairman, in accordance with said Rules. If the Party-appointed arbitrators do not agree on the identity of the third arbitrator he shall be appointed in accordance with said Rules. The place of the arbitration shall be London. The arbitral proceedings and all documents delivered to or by the arbitrators shall be conducted in English. The arbitrators’ decision shall be final
and binding on the Parties. The arbitrators must decide on which share of the costs each Party shall bear, which shares may not be equal as a consequence of the respective responsibility of each Party in the origin of the dispute or its continuation. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing is without prejudice to the right of a Party to seek injunctive relief in summary proceedings before any competent court and to submit a dispute in relation to the Price Adjustment to an Independent Auditor in accordance with Clauses 3.3.4 and 3.4. |
SELLERS | |
/s/ Christian Boas | /s/ Emile Boas |
Dreda general partnership /s/ Sylvie Boas | /s/ Sylvie
Boas |
PURCHASER | |
Spirit AeroSystems Belgium Holdings BVBA /s/ Kelly Gaide | |
Special proxyholder | |
GUARANTOR | |
Spirit
AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. /s/ Sam J. Marnick | |
Chief Administration Officer |
This ‘10-Q’ Filing | Date | Other Filings | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
4/4/20 | ||||
4/3/20 | 8-K | |||
2/14/20 | SC 13G/A | |||
12/31/19 | 10-K, SD | |||
12/1/19 | ||||
Filed on: | 10/31/19 | 8-K | ||
10/28/19 | ||||
9/30/19 | ||||
For Period end: | 9/26/19 | |||
7/14/19 | 8-K | |||
6/7/19 | ||||
6/3/19 | 4 | |||
5/14/19 | ||||
5/3/19 | 3, 8-K | |||
3/27/19 | 8-K | |||
3/19/19 | ||||
3/12/19 | ||||
3/8/19 | ||||
12/31/18 | 10-K, SD | |||
5/1/18 | 8-K | |||
12/31/17 | 10-K, SD | |||
12/31/16 | 10-K, SD | |||
12/15/15 | ||||
6/26/13 | ||||
List all Filings |
As Of Filer Filing For·On·As Docs:Size Issuer Filing Agent 2/22/24 Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. 10-K 12/31/23 127:21M Workiva Inc Wde… FA01/FA 2/17/23 Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. 10-K 12/31/22 117:21M Workiva Inc Wde… FA01/FA 2/15/22 Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. 10-K 12/31/21 116:22M Workiva Inc Wde… FA01/FA 2/25/21 Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. 10-K 12/31/20 113:27M Workiva Inc Wde… FA01/FA |