BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG PERIDOT ACQUISITION CORP., LI-CYCLE CORP. AND LI-CYCLE HOLDINGS CORP. DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 15, 2021
Exhibit 2.1
Execution Version
BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
LI-CYCLE CORP.
AND
LI-CYCLE HOLDINGS CORP.
DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 15, 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE | ||||||
ARTICLE 1 CERTAIN DEFINITIONS |
3 | |||||
Section 1.1 |
Definitions | 3 | ||||
ARTICLE 2 THE ARRANGEMENT; THE TRANSACTIONS; CLOSING |
24 | |||||
Section 2.1 |
The Arrangement | 24 | ||||
Section 2.2 |
The Interim Order | 24 | ||||
Section 2.3 |
The Company Shareholders Meeting | 25 | ||||
Section 2.4 |
The Company Information Circular | 26 | ||||
Section 2.5 |
The Final Order | 26 | ||||
Section 2.6 |
Court Proceedings | 27 | ||||
Section 2.7 |
Closing Transactions | 27 | ||||
Section 2.8 |
Sponsor Forfeiture | 28 | ||||
Section 2.9 |
The Class B Conversion | 28 | ||||
Section 2.10 |
Allocation Schedule | 28 | ||||
Section 2.11 |
Exchange Agent | 29 | ||||
Section 2.12 |
Withholding | 30 | ||||
ARTICLE 3 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE GROUP COMPANIES |
30 | |||||
Section 3.1 |
Organization and Qualification | 30 | ||||
Section 3.2 |
Capitalization of the Group Companies | 31 | ||||
Section 3.3 |
Authority | 32 | ||||
Section 3.4 |
Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities | 33 | ||||
Section 3.5 |
Consents and Requisite Governmental Approvals; No Violations | 34 | ||||
Section 3.6 |
Permits | 35 | ||||
Section 3.7 |
Material Contracts | 35 | ||||
Section 3.8 |
Absence of Changes | 37 | ||||
Section 3.9 |
Litigation | 38 | ||||
Section 3.10 |
Compliance with Applicable Law | 38 | ||||
Section 3.11 |
Employee Plans | 38 | ||||
Section 3.12 |
Environmental Matters | 40 | ||||
Section 3.13 |
Intellectual Property | 41 | ||||
Section 3.14 |
Labor Matters | 43 | ||||
Section 3.15 |
Insurance | 45 | ||||
Section 3.16 |
Tax Matters | 45 | ||||
Section 3.17 |
Brokers | 48 | ||||
Section 3.18 |
Real and Personal Property | 48 | ||||
Section 3.19 |
Transactions with Affiliates | 49 | ||||
Section 3.20 |
Customers and Suppliers | 49 | ||||
Section 3.21 |
Data Privacy and Security | 50 | ||||
Section 3.22 |
Compliance with Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws | 50 | ||||
Section 3.23 |
Information Supplied | 51 | ||||
Section 3.24 |
Investigation; No Other Representations | 51 | ||||
Section 3.25 |
EXCLUSIVITY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 52 |
i
ARTICLE 4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE PERIDOT PARTIES |
52 | |||||
Section 4.1 |
Organization and Qualification | 53 | ||||
Section 4.2 |
Capitalization. | 53 | ||||
Section 4.3 |
Authority | 54 | ||||
Section 4.4 |
Board Approval; Vote Required | 54 | ||||
Section 4.5 |
Consents and Requisite Governmental Approvals; No Violations | 55 | ||||
Section 4.6 |
SEC Filings | 55 | ||||
Section 4.7 |
Internal Controls; Listing; Financial Statements | 56 | ||||
Section 4.8 |
Trust Account | 57 | ||||
Section 4.9 |
Listing | 58 | ||||
Section 4.10 |
Contracts | 59 | ||||
Section 4.11 |
Absence of Changes | 59 | ||||
Section 4.12 |
Litigation | 59 | ||||
Section 4.13 |
Compliance with Applicable Law | 59 | ||||
Section 4.14 |
Compliance with Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws | 60 | ||||
Section 4.15 |
Employees | 60 | ||||
Section 4.16 |
Not an Investment Company | 61 | ||||
Section 4.17 |
Business Activities; Assets | 61 | ||||
Section 4.18 |
No Undisclosed Liabilities | 61 | ||||
Section 4.19 |
Tax Matters | 61 | ||||
Section 4.20 |
Brokers | 64 | ||||
Section 4.21 |
Transactions with Affiliates | 64 | ||||
Section 4.22 |
Information Supplied | 64 | ||||
Section 4.23 |
Investigation; No Other Representations | 64 | ||||
Section 4.24 |
EXCLUSIVITY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 65 | ||||
ARTICLE 5 COVENANTS |
66 | |||||
Section 5.1 |
Conduct of Business of the Company and Peridot | 66 | ||||
Section 5.2 |
Efforts to Consummate | 70 | ||||
Section 5.3 |
Confidentiality and Access to Information | 72 | ||||
Section 5.4 |
Public Announcements | 73 | ||||
Section 5.5 |
Tax Matters | 74 | ||||
Section 5.6 |
Exclusive Dealing | 75 | ||||
Section 5.7 |
Preparation of Registration Statement / Proxy Statement | 76 | ||||
Section 5.8 |
Peridot Shareholder Approval | 77 | ||||
Section 5.9 |
NYSE Listing | 78 | ||||
Section 5.10 |
Trust Account | 79 | ||||
Section 5.11 |
Peridot Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance | 79 | ||||
Section 5.12 |
Company Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance | 80 | ||||
Section 5.13 |
Resignations | 81 | ||||
Section 5.14 |
Post-Closing Governance | 81 | ||||
Section 5.15 |
Financials | 82 | ||||
Section 5.16 |
Amalco Equity Incentive Plan; Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 82 | ||||
Section 5.17 |
Continuance | 83 |
ii
Section 5.18 |
Newco Matters | 83 | ||||
Section 5.19 |
Subscription Agreements | 83 | ||||
Section 5.20 |
Amendment to Plan of Arrangement | 84 | ||||
ARTICLE 6 CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT |
85 | |||||
Section 6.1 |
Conditions to the Obligations of the Parties | 85 | ||||
Section 6.2 |
Other Conditions to the Obligations of Peridot | 86 | ||||
Section 6.3 |
Other Conditions to the Obligations of the Company | 87 | ||||
Section 6.4 |
Frustration of Closing Conditions | 88 | ||||
ARTICLE 7 TERMINATION |
88 | |||||
Section 7.1 |
Termination | 88 | ||||
Section 7.2 |
Effect of Termination | 90 | ||||
ARTICLE 8 ALTERNATE TRANSACTION |
90 | |||||
Section 8.1 |
Alternate Transaction | 90 | ||||
ARTICLE 9 MISCELLANEOUS |
91 | |||||
Section 9.1 |
Non-Survival | 91 | ||||
Section 9.2 |
Entire Agreement; Assignment | 91 | ||||
Section 9.3 |
Amendment | 91 | ||||
Section 9.4 |
Notices | 91 | ||||
Section 9.5 |
Governing Law | 92 | ||||
Section 9.6 |
Fees and Expenses | 92 | ||||
Section 9.7 |
Construction; Interpretation | 93 | ||||
Section 9.8 |
Exhibits and Schedules | 93 | ||||
Section 9.9 |
Parties in Interest | 94 | ||||
Section 9.10 |
Severability | 94 | ||||
Section 9.11 |
Counterparts; Electronic Signatures | 94 | ||||
Section 9.12 |
Knowledge of Company; Knowledge of Peridot | 94 | ||||
Section 9.13 |
No Recourse | 95 | ||||
Section 9.14 |
Extension; Waiver | 95 | ||||
Section 9.15 |
Waiver of Jury Trial | 95 | ||||
Section 9.16 |
Submission to Jurisdiction | 96 | ||||
Section 9.17 |
Remedies | 96 | ||||
Section 9.18 |
Trust Account Waiver | 97 |
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A | Company Arrangement Resolution | |
Exhibit B | Plan of Arrangement | |
Exhibit C | Form of Subscription Agreement | |
Exhibit D | Form of Investor and Registration Rights Agreement | |
Exhibit E | Form of Transaction Support Agreement | |
Exhibit F | Form of Newco Articles and By-laws | |
Exhibit G | Form of Amalco Equity Incentive Plan | |
Exhibit H | Form of Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan |
iii
BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT
This BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of February 15, 2021, is made by and among Peridot Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Peridot”), Li-Cycle Corp., a corporation existing under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada (the “Company”), and Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., a company incorporated under the Province of Ontario, Canada (“Newco”). Peridot, the Company and Newco shall be referred to herein from time to time collectively as the “Parties”. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in Section 1.1.
WHEREAS, the Company has incorporated Newco and Newco is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company as of the date hereof;
WHEREAS, Peridot is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on July 31, 2020 and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Governing Documents of Peridot, Peridot is required to provide an opportunity for its shareholders to have their outstanding Peridot Class A Shares redeemed on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein in connection with obtaining the Peridot Shareholder Approval;
WHEREAS, as of the date of this Agreement, Peridot Acquisition Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), owns 7,410,000 Peridot Class B Shares, representing approximately 98.8% of the issued and outstanding Peridot Class B Shares;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Sponsor, other holders of Peridot Class B Shares (the “Other Class B Holders”), Peridot, the Company and Newco are entering into the sponsor letter agreement (the “Sponsor Letter Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, (a) the Sponsor and the Other Class B Holders have agreed to waive any adjustment to the conversion ratio set forth in the Governing Documents of Peridot or any other anti-dilution or similar protection with respect to the Peridot Class B Shares (whether resulting from the transactions contemplated by the Subscription Agreements or otherwise) and (b) the Sponsor has agreed to forfeit a number of Peridot Class B Shares, if requested by the Company in the event that the Minimum Cash Condition is not met, in each case, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Sponsor Letter Agreement;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”) are each entering into a subscription agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Subscription Agreement” and collectively, the “Subscription Agreements”), with Peridot and Newco, pursuant to which, among other things, the PIPE Investors have agreed, subject to the Closing occurring, to subscribe for and purchase, and Peridot and Newco have agreed that Amalco will issue and sell to the PIPE Investors after completion of the Peridot Amalgamation but prior to the Closing, the number of Amalco Shares provided for in the applicable Subscription Agreement in exchange for the purchase price set forth therein (the aggregate purchase price under the Subscription Agreements, the “PIPE Financing Amount”, and the equity financing under the Subscription Agreements hereinafter referred to as the “PIPE Financing”), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Subscription Agreements;
WHEREAS, on or prior to the Continuance Date, Peridot shall complete the Peridot Shareholder Redemption prior to the Peridot Continuance;
WHEREAS, on or after the Continuance Date but prior to the Closing Date, Peridot shall be continued from the Cayman Islands to the Province of Ontario, Canada and domesticate as a company existing under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “OBCA”) (the “Peridot Continuance”), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, on the Closing Date, but prior to the Peridot Amalgamation and following any forfeiture of Peridot New Class B Shares as provided in the Sponsor Letter Agreement, each issued and outstanding Peridot New Class B Share shall become one Peridot Common Share (the “Class B Conversion”);
WHEREAS, on the Closing Date, after the Class B Conversion and prior to the closing of the PIPE Financing, Newco and Peridot will amalgamate in accordance with the terms of the Plan of Arrangement (the “Peridot Amalgamation” and Newco and Peridot as so amalgamated, “Amalco”), and pursuant to the Peridot Amalgamation, (i) all of the issued and outstanding Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants will be exchanged for equivalent Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants on a one-for-one basis, (ii) the Newco Share held by the Company will be exchanged for an Amalco Share on a one-for-one basis, and (iii) immediately thereafter, the Amalco Share held by the Company will be purchased for cancellation for cash equal to the subscription price for such Amalco Share, in each case upon and subject to the other terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Plan of Arrangement and in accordance with the provisions of applicable Law;
WHEREAS, on the Closing Date, after the Peridot Amalgamation, the PIPE Financing shall be consummated;
WHEREAS, on the Closing Date, after the closing of the PIPE Financing and prior to the Share Exchange, in accordance with the terms of the Plan of Arrangement, each issued and outstanding Company Preferred Share shall be converted into a Company Common Share (the “Company Share Conversion”);
WHEREAS, on the Closing Date after the Company Share Conversion, in accordance with the terms of the Plan of Arrangement, Amalco will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of the Company from the Company Shareholders in exchange for Amalco Shares (the “Share Exchange”) (together with the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Plan of Arrangement and the Ancillary Documents, the “Transactions”) and the Company will become a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Amalco, in each case, upon and subject to the Plan of Arrangement and the other terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance with the provisions of applicable Law;
2
WHEREAS, at the Closing, Amalco, the Sponsor and certain Company Shareholders will enter into an investor rights agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D (the “Investor and Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, (a) the Sponsor will have certain rights to nominate directors to the board of directors of Amalco following the Closing and (b) the Sponsor and such Company Shareholders will (i) agree not to effect any sale or distribution of any Equity Securities of Amalco held by any of them during the lock-up period described therein and (ii) be granted certain registration rights with respect to their respective Equity Securities of Amalco, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions therein;
WHEREAS, the board of directors of Peridot (the “Peridot Board”) has (a) determined that the Transactions are in the best interests of Peridot and its shareholders, (b) approved this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot is or will be a party and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the Peridot Continuance and the Peridot Amalgamation) and (c) resolved to recommend, among other things, approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Peridot Continuance and the Peridot Amalgmation) by the holders of Peridot Shares entitled to vote thereon;
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company has (a) determined that the Transactions are in the best interests of the Company and fair to the Company Shareholders, (b) approved this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which the Company is or will be a party and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the Transactions), and (c) resolved to recommend, among other things, that the Company Shareholders vote in favor of the Company Arrangement Resolution;
WHEREAS, the board of directors of Newco has unanimously (i) determined that the Transactions are fair to, and in the best interests of, its shareholder and (ii) approved this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which Newco is or will be a party and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the Transactions);
WHEREAS, the Company, as the sole shareholder of Newco, has determined that the Transactions are in the best interests of Newco and approved this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which Newco is or will be a party and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the Transactions); and
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, certain Company Shareholders (collectively, the “Supporting Company Shareholders”) will duly execute and deliver to Peridot a transaction support agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E (collectively, the “Transaction Support Agreements”), pursuant to which, among other things, each such Supporting Company Shareholder will approve the Transactions, consent to the entering into and execution by the Company of this Agreement and agree to, among other things, support and vote in favor of the Company Arrangement Resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual promises set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, each intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below.
3
“Additional Peridot SEC Reports” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.
“Adjournment Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person who directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. The term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlled” and “controlling” have meanings correlative thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, (a) the Affiliates of the Sponsor shall be deemed to include Carnelian and its Affiliates and (b) any portfolio company or entity managed or controlled by any investment vehicle owned or managed by Carnelian or any of its Affiliates shall not be considered an Affiliate of Peridot.
“Aggregate Closing PIPE Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds actually received by Amalco in respect of the PIPE Financing.
“Aggregate Exercise Price” means the aggregate exercise price of the Company Options that will not be cancelled and exchanged for Rollover Equity Awards, converted to its U.S. dollar equivalent based on the C$:U.S.$ Bank of Canada daily exchange rate on the Closing Date, and rounding the resulting exercise price up to the nearest whole cent.
“Aggregate Transaction Proceeds” means an amount equal to (a) the sum (without duplication) of (i) the aggregate cash proceeds available for release to Peridot from the Trust Account in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (after, for the avoidance of doubt, giving effect to all of the Peridot Shareholder Redemptions), (ii) the unrestricted cash on the balance sheet of Peridot as of the Closing Date, and (iii) the Aggregate Closing PIPE Proceeds, minus (b) the sum (without duplication) of the Unpaid Peridot Expenses and the Unpaid Peridot Liabilities.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Allocation Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.
“Amalco” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.16.
“Amalco Equity Incentive Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.16.
“Amalco Shares” means common shares of Amalco.
“Amalco Warrant Agreement” means the Warrant Agreement to be entered into by and between Amalco and the Trustee at Closing setting forth the terms and conditions of the Amalco Warrants.
4
“Amalco Warrants” means each warrant of Amalco to purchase one Amalco Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, upon the terms and conditions in the Amalco Warrant Agreement.
“Amalgamation Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Ancillary Documents” means the Plan of Arrangement, the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, the Sponsor Letter Agreement, the Subscription Agreements, the Letter of Transmittal, the Transaction Support Agreements, the Amalco Warrant Agreement, and each other agreement, document, instrument and/or certificate contemplated by this Agreement executed or to be executed by the Parties in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
“Anti-Corruption Laws” means, collectively, (a) the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), (b) the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada) and (c) any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption Laws related to combatting bribery, corruption and money laundering.
“Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means any applicable anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism Laws in all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity, including without limitation, the Criminal Code (Canada); the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956-1957, and regulations and guidance thereunder.
“Arrangement” means an arrangement under Section 182 of the OBCA on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Plan of Arrangement, subject to any amendments or variations to the Plan of Arrangement made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Plan of Arrangement or made at the direction of the Court in the Final Order with the prior written consent of Peridot and the Company, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
“Audited Company Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(a).
“BCA Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Business Day” means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which commercial banks in Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx are open for the general transaction of business.
“CARES Act” means Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Pub. L. 116-136) and any administrative or other guidance published with respect thereto by any Governmental Entity.
“Carnelian” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(b).
“Carnelian Funds” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(b).
“CBA” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.14(d).
5
“Change in Recommendation” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Change of Control Transaction” means any transaction or series of related transactions (a) under which any Person(s), directly or indirectly, acquires or otherwise purchases (i) another Person or any of its Affiliates or (ii) all or a material portion of assets, businesses or equity securities of another Person, (b) that results, directly or indirectly, in the shareholders of a Person as of immediately prior to such transaction holding, in the aggregate, less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting shares of such Person (or any successor or parent company of such Person) immediately after the consummation thereof (in the case of each of clause (a) and (b), whether by merger, consolidation, tender offer, recapitalization, purchase or issuance of equity securities, tender offer or otherwise), or (c) under which any Persons(s) makes any equity or similar investment in another Person.
“Class B Conversion” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.
“Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.
“Closing Filing” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
“Closing Press Release” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
“COBRA” means Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA, Section 4980B of the Code and any similar state Law.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Company Acquisition Proposal” means (a) any transaction or series of related transactions under which any Person(s), directly or indirectly, acquires or otherwise purchases (i) the Company or any of its controlled Affiliates or (ii) all or a material portion of the assets or business of the Company and its controlled Affiliates (in the case of each of clause (i) and (ii), whether by merger, consolidation, recapitalization, purchase or issuance of equity securities, tender offer or otherwise), or (b) any equity investment in the Company or any of its controlled Affiliates pursuant to which any such Person would own or control, directly or indirectly, twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power of the Company or any of its controlled Affiliates immediately following such transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, none of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the PIPE Financing) shall constitute a Company Acquisition Proposal.
“Company Arrangement Resolution” means a special resolution of the Company Shareholders in respect of the Arrangement to be considered at the Company Shareholders Meeting, in substantially the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
“Company Articles of Incorporation” means the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (including by those certain articles of amendment dated November 12, 2020).
6
“Company Certificates” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(a).
“Company Change of Control Payment” means (a) any success, change of control, retention, transaction bonus or other similar payment or amount to any Person as a result of or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or any other Change of Control Transaction (including any such payments or similar amounts that may become due and payable based upon the occurrence of one or more additional circumstances, matters or events) or (b) any payments made or required to be made pursuant to or in connection with or upon termination of, and any fees, expenses or other payments owing or that will become owing in respect of, any Company Related Party Transaction (in the case of each of clause (a) and (b), regardless of whether paid or payable prior to, at or after the Closing or in connection with or otherwise related to this Agreement or any Ancillary Document).
“Company Common Shares” means common shares of the Company.
“Company D&O Persons” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.12(a).
“Company Disclosure Schedules” means the disclosure schedules to this Agreement delivered to Peridot by the Company and Newco on the date of this Agreement.
“Company Equity Award” means, as of any determination time, each Company Option, restricted stock unit, stock appreciation, phantom equity, and each other award to any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider of any Group Company of rights of any kind to receive any Equity Security of any Group Company or benefits measured in whole or in part by reference to any Equity Security of any Group Company, in each case, under any Company Equity Plan or otherwise that is outstanding.
“Company Equity Plan” means, collectively, (a) the Li-Cycle Corp. Long-Term Incentive Plan, dated as of November 1, 2019, (b) the initial stock option plan of the Company, and (c) each other plan that provides for the award to any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider of any Group Company of rights of any kind to receive Equity Securities of any Group Company or benefits measured in whole or in part by reference to Equity Securities of any Group Company.
“Company Expenses” means, as of any determination time, the aggregate amount of fees, expense, commissions or other amounts incurred by or on behalf of, or otherwise payable by, whether or not due, any Group Company in connection with the negotiation, preparation or execution of this Agreement or any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its covenants or agreements in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including (a) the fees and expenses of outside legal counsel, accountants, advisors, brokers, investment bankers, consultants, or other agents or service providers of any Group Company, and (b) any other fees, expenses, commissions or other amounts that are expressly allocated to any Group Company pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Document; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, Company Expenses shall not include any Peridot Expenses or Peridot Liabilities.
“Company Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(b).
7
“Company Fully Diluted Shares” means the sum of (without duplication) (a) the aggregate number of Company Common Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Closing determined on an as-converted to Company Common Shares basis (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the number of Company Common Shares issuable upon conversion of any issued and outstanding Company Preferred Shares based on the then applicable conversion ratio) and (b) the aggregate number of Company Common Shares issued or issuable upon exercise or settlement of all issued and outstanding Company Equity Awards (whether vested or unvested), including Company Equity Awards exercised or settled prior to or in connection with the Closing, but excluding Company Equity Awards that will be cancelled and exchanged for Rollover Equity Awards.
“Company Fundamental Representations” means the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.1(a), and Section 3.1(b), Section 3.1(d) (Organization and Qualification), Section 3.2(b) through Section 3.2(e) (Capitalization of the Group Companies), Section 3.3 (Authority), Section 3.8(a) (No Company Material Adverse Effect) and Section 3.17 (Brokers).
“Company Information Circular” means the notice of the Company Shareholders Meeting to be sent to the Company Shareholders, and the accompanying management information circular to be prepared in connection with the Company Shareholders Meeting, together with any amendments thereto or supplements thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
“Company IT Systems” means all computer systems, Software and hardware, communication systems, servers and network equipment and databases (including those that are used to Process data), including any outsourced systems, in each case, to the extent owned, licensed or leased by a Group Company.
“Company Licensed Intellectual Property” means Intellectual Property Rights owned by any Person (other than a Group Company) that is licensed to any Group Company.
“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any change, event, effect or occurrence that, individually or in the aggregate with any other change, event, effect or occurrence, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations or financial condition of the Group Companies, taken as a whole, provided, however, that none of the following, either alone or in combination, shall constitute or be taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur: any adverse change, event, effect or occurrence arising after the date of this Agreement resulting from or related to (a) general business or economic conditions in or affecting the United States or Canada, or changes therein, or the global economy generally, (b) any outbreak or escalation of war or hostilities, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the occurrence in any place of any military or terrorist attack, sabotage, civil unrest, cyberterrorism, riots, prolonged demonstrations or public disorders, or changes in global, national, regional, provincial, state or local political conditions, or any escalation or worsening thereof, (c) changes in the financial, banking, capital or securities markets generally in the United States, Canada or any other country or region in the world, or changes therein, including changes in interest rates in the United States, Canada or any other country and changes in exchange rates for the currencies of any countries, (d) changes or proposed changes in, or changes or proposed
8
changes in the interpretation of, any applicable Laws, regulatory framework, IFRS or GAAP, (e) any change in the lithium-ion battery recycling market, any change in prices for commodities (including in the form of “black mass”) used in or generated by the Company’s business, or any change, event, effect or occurrence that is generally applicable to the industries or markets in which any Group Company operates, (f) the negotiation, execution or delivery of this Agreement, public announcement of this Agreement or the pendency or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (provided that the exception in this clause (f) shall not apply to the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.5(b) to the extent that its purpose is to address the consequences resulting from the public announcement or pendency or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the condition set forth in Section 6.2(a) to the extent it relates to such representations and warranties), (g) any failure by any Group Company to meet, or changes to, any internal or published budgets, projections, forecasts, estimates or predictions (although the underlying facts and circumstances resulting in such failure may be taken into account to the extent not otherwise excluded from this definition pursuant to clauses (a) through (f) or (h)), (h) any hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, tsunami, natural disaster, mudslides, wild fires, acts of God or other natural disasters or comparable events in the United States, Canada or any other country or region in the world, or any escalation of the foregoing, (i) any epidemics, pandemics, disease outbreaks or quarantines, including COVID-19 or any COVID-19 Measures or any change in such COVID-19 Measures or interpretations thereof following the date of this Agreement, (j) the taking of any action required by the terms of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document, (k) any actions taken or omitted to be taken by a Group Company at the written request or with the prior written consent of Peridot, (l) any material breach of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document by Peridot or (m) any matter set forth on Section 1.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedules; provided, however, that any change, event, effect or occurrence resulting from a matter described in any of the foregoing clauses (a) through (e) or (h) may be taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur to the extent such change, event, effect or occurrence has a disproportionate adverse effect on the Group Companies, taken as a whole, relative to other participants operating in the industries or markets in which the Group Companies operate.
“Company Non-Party Affiliates” means, collectively, each Company Related Party and each former, current or future Affiliates, Representatives, successors or permitted assigns of any Company Related Party (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company). As it relates to the Company, the term “Non-Party Affiliates” means “Company Non-Party Affiliates.”
“Company Option” means, as of any determination time, each option to purchase Company Common Shares that is outstanding and unexercised (whether vested or unvested), whether granted under a Company Equity Plan or otherwise.
“Company Owned Intellectual Property” means all Intellectual Property Rights that are owned by any of the Group Companies.
“Company Preferred Shares” means shares of preferred shares of the Company designated as “Class A Preferred Shares” or “Preference Shares” pursuant to the Company Articles of Incorporation.
9
“Company Product” means each product from which any Group Company has derived within the two (2) years preceding the date hereof, is currently deriving or is scheduled to derive within the next two (2) years, revenue from the sale, license, maintenance or other provision thereof, and each product candidate that is being researched, tested, developed or manufactured by or on behalf of the Group Companies.
“Company Registered Intellectual Property” means all Registered Intellectual Property owned by, or filed in the name of, any Group Company.
“Company Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 13, 2020, by and among the Company and the Company Shareholders party thereto.
“Company Related Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.19.
“Company Related Party Transactions” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.19.
“Company Required Approval” means approval by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the Company Shares, voting together as a single class, present in person or represented by proxy at the Company Shareholders Meeting.
“Company Share Conversion” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Company Shareholders” means, collectively, the holders of Company Shares as of any determination time prior to the Closing.
“Company Shareholders Agreement” means the Shareholder Agreement, as amended November 12, 2020, and as may be further amended, by and among the Company and the Company Shareholders party thereto.
“Company Shareholders Meeting” means the meeting of the Company Shareholders, including any adjournment or postponement thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, that is to be convened as provided by the Interim Order to consider, and if deemed advisable approve, the Company Arrangement Resolution.
“Company Shares” means, collectively, the Company Preferred Shares and the Company Common Shares.
“Confidentiality Agreement” means that certain Confidentiality Agreement, dated as of December 23, 2020, by and between the Company and Peridot.
“Consent” means any notice, authorization, qualification, registration, filing, notification, waiver, order, consent or approval to be obtained from, filed with or delivered to, a Governmental Entity or other Person.
“Continuance Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
10
“Continuance Date” means the date on which the Peridot Continuance is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of the requisite number of Peridot Shares necessary to approve the Peridot Continuance, whether in person or by proxy at the Peridot Shareholders Meeting (or any adjournment thereof), in accordance with the Governing Documents of Peridot and applicable Law.
“Contract” or “Contracts” means any agreement, contract, license, lease, obligation, undertaking or other commitment or arrangement that is legally binding upon a Person or any of his, her or its properties or assets.
“Copyrights” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Intellectual Property Rights.
“Court” means the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List).
“COVID-19” means SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19, and any evolutions, mutations or strains thereof or related or associated epidemics, pandemic or disease outbreaks.
“COVID-19 Measures” means any quarantine, “shelter in place,” “stay at home,” social distancing, delay, shut down (including, the shutdown of air cargo routes), closure, sequester, safety or similar Law, directive, guidelines or recommendations promulgated by the applicable Governmental Entity, in each case, in connection with or in response to COVID-19.
“COVID Program” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.14(j).
“Employee Benefit Plan” means each “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA) and each other benefit or compensatory plan, program, policy or Contract that any Group Company maintains, sponsors or contributes to, including for the benefit of its current or former employees, officers, directors or other individual service providers, or under or with respect to which any Group Company has any Liability, other than any plan sponsored or maintained by a Governmental Entity.
“Environmental Laws” means all Laws and Orders concerning pollution, the storage, use, treatment, transportation, handling, importation, exportation, sale, distribution, labeling, recycling, processing or testing of Hazardous Substance, the protection of the environment, or the protection of human health or safety (to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Substances).
“Equity Securities” means any share, share capital, capital stock, partnership, membership, joint venture or similar interest in any Person (including any stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or similar rights), and any option, warrant, right or security (including debt securities) convertible, exchangeable or exercisable therefor.
“Equity Value” means $975,000,000.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ESPP Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
11
“Ex-Im Laws” means all applicable Laws relating to export, re-export, transfer and import controls, including the Export and Import Permits Act and the regulations thereunder and the Export Administration Regulations and the customs and import Laws administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
“Exchange Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(a).
“Exchange Consideration” means an aggregate number of Amalco Shares (deemed to have a value of $10.00 per share) equal to (i) the sum of the Equity Value plus the Aggregate Exercise Price, divided by (ii) $10.00.
“Federal Securities Laws” means the Exchange Act, the Securities Act and the other U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder or otherwise.
“Final Order” means the final order of the Court pursuant to 182 of the OBCA, approving the Arrangement, as such order may be amended by the Court with the consent of Peridot and the Company, such consent to not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, at any time prior to the Closing or, if appealed, then, unless such appeal is withdrawn or denied, as affirmed or as amended, on appeal, provided that any such amendment is reasonably acceptable to each of Peridot and the Company.
“Foreign Antitrust Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5(a).
“Foreign Benefit Plan” means each Employee Benefit Plan maintained by any of the Group Companies for its current or former employees, officers, directors or other individual service providers located outside of the United States.
“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time.
“Governing Documents” means the legal document(s) by which any Person (other than an individual) establishes its legal existence or which govern its internal affairs. For example, the “Governing Documents” of a U.S. or Canadian corporation are its certificate or articles of incorporation and, as the case may be, its articles of amendments, articles of amalgamations and its by-laws, the “Governing Documents” of a U.S. or Canadian limited partnership are its limited partnership agreement and certificate of limited partnership, the “Governing Documents” of a U.S. limited liability company are its operating or limited liability company agreement and certificate of formation and the “Governing Documents” of a Cayman Islands exempted company are its memorandum and articles of association.
“Governing Documents Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Governmental Entity” means any United States, Canadian or other (a) federal, state, provincial, local, municipal or other government, (b) governmental or quasi-governmental entity of any nature (including any governmental agency, branch, department, official, or entity and any court or other tribunal) or (c) body exercising or entitled to exercise any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory, or taxing authority or power of any nature, including any arbitral tribunal (public or private), self-regulatory organization or stock exchange.
12
“Group Company” and “Group Companies” means, collectively, the Company and its Subsidiaries (including Newco).
“Hazardous Substance” means any material, substance, waste or other pollutant or contaminant that is regulated by, or for which standards of conduct may be imposed or may give rise to Liability pursuant to, any Environmental Law, including any petroleum products or byproducts, noise, odor, mold, asbestos, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or radon.
“HSR Act” means the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“IFRS” means the International Financial Reporting Standards, as adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board, as in effect from time to time.
“Incentive Plan Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Indebtedness” means, as of any time, without duplication, with respect to any Person, the outstanding principal amount of, accrued and unpaid interest on, fees and expenses arising under or in respect of (a) indebtedness for borrowed money, (b) other obligations evidenced by any note, bond, debenture or other debt security, (c) obligations for the deferred purchase price of property or assets, including “earn-outs” and “seller notes” (but excluding any trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business), (d) reimbursement and other obligations with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments, in each case, solely to the extent drawn, (e) leases required to be capitalized under IFRS or GAAP as applicable, (f) derivative, hedging, swap, foreign exchange or similar arrangements, including swaps, caps, collars, xxxxxx or similar arrangements, and (g) any of the obligations of any other Person of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above directly or indirectly guaranteed by such Person or secured by any assets of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person.
“Intellectual Property Rights” means all (a) patents and patent applications, industrial designs and design patent rights, including any continuations, divisionals, continuations-in-part and provisional applications and statutory invention registrations, and any patents issuing on any of the foregoing and any reissues, reexaminations, substitutes, supplementary protection certificates, extensions of any of the foregoing (collectively, “Patents”); (b) trademarks, service marks, trade names, service names, brand names, trade dress rights, logos, Internet domain names, corporate names and other source or business identifiers, together with the goodwill associated with any of the foregoing, and all applications, registrations, extensions and renewals of any of the foregoing (collectively, “Marks”); (c) copyrights, works of authorship, data, database and design rights, and mask work rights, whether or not registered or published, and all registrations, applications renewals, extensions and reversions of any of any of the foregoing (collectively, “Copyrights”); (d) trade secrets, know-how, confidential or proprietary information, including
13
invention disclosures, inventions, ideas, algorithms, formulae, processes, methods, techniques, and models, technologies, protocols, methodologies, formulations, layouts, specifications, discoveries, compositions, industrial models, architectures, drawings, plans, ideas, research and development, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information, and business and marketing plans and proposals, in each case whether patentable or not and whether reduced to practice or not (collectively, “Trade Secrets”); (e) rights in Software, and (f) any other intellectual or proprietary rights.
“Intended Tax Treatment” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a).
“Interim Order” means the interim order of the Court contemplated by Section 2.2 of this Agreement and made pursuant to 182 of the OBCA, providing for, among other things, the calling and holding of the Company Shareholders Meeting, as the same may be amended by the Court with the consent of Peridot and the Company, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, provided that any such amendment is reasonably acceptable to each of the Company and Peridot.
“Investment Company Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
“Investor and Registration Rights Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“IPO” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.18.
“JOBS Act” means the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012.
“Latest Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(a).
“Law” means any federal, state, provincial, local, foreign, national or supranational statute, law (including common law), act, statute, ordinance, treaty, rule, Order, code, regulation or other binding directive or guidance issued, promulgated or enforced by a Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over a given matter.
“Leased Real Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(b).
“Letter of Transmittal” means the letter of transmittal in the form or forms mutually agreed to by each of Newco, Peridot, the Exchange Agent and the Company (in any case, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
“Liability” or “liability” means any and all debts, liabilities and obligations, whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, known or unknown, matured or unmatured or determined or determinable, including those arising under any Law (including any Environmental Law), Proceeding or Order and those arising under any Contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment or undertaking.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien, license or sub-license, charge, or other similar encumbrance or interest (including, in the case of any Equity Securities, any voting, transfer or similar restrictions).
14
“Marks” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Intellectual Property Rights.
“Material Contracts” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.7(a).
“Material Customers” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20.
“Material Permits” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.6.
“Material Vendors” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20.
“Minimum Cash Condition” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(d).
“Misrepresentation” means an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it was made.
“Multiemployer Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Newco” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Newco Articles and By-laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.18.
“Newco Shares” means common shares of Newco.
“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.
“OBCA” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Off-the-Shelf Software” means any Software that is made generally and widely available to the public on a commercial basis and is licensed to any of the Group Companies on a non-exclusive basis under non-discriminatory terms and conditions.
“Order” means any writ, order, judgment, injunction, decision, determination, award, ruling, subpoena, verdict or decree entered, issued or rendered by any Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over such matter.
“Other Class B Holders” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Parties” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Patents” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Intellectual Property Rights.
“PCAOB” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
“Per Share Consideration” means the number of Amalco Shares equal to the Exchange Consideration divided by the number of Company Fully Diluted Shares.
“Peridot” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
15
“Peridot Acquisition Proposal” means (a) any transaction or series of related transactions under which Peridot or any of its controlled Affiliates, directly or indirectly, (i) acquires or otherwise purchases any other Person(s), (ii) engages in a business combination with any other Person(s) or (iii) acquires or otherwise purchases all or a material portion of the assets or businesses of any other Persons(s) (in the case of each of clause (i), (ii) and (iii), whether by merger, consolidation, recapitalization, purchase or issuance of equity securities, tender offer or otherwise) or (b) any equity, debt or similar investment in Peridot or any of its controlled Affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, none of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the PIPE Financing) shall constitute a Peridot Acquisition Proposal.
“Peridot Amalgamation” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Peridot Board” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Peridot Board Recommendation” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Peridot Certificates” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(a).
“Peridot Change of Control Payment” means (a) any success, change of control, retention, transaction bonus or other similar payment or amount to any Person as a result of or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or any other Change of Control Transaction (including any such payments or similar amounts that may become due and payable based upon the occurrence of one or more additional circumstances, matters or events) or (b) any payments made or required to be made pursuant to or in connection with or upon termination of, and any fees, expenses or other payments owing or that will become owing in respect of, any Peridot Related Party Transaction (in the case of each of clause (a) and (b), regardless of whether paid or payable prior to, at or after the Closing or in connection with or otherwise related to this Agreement or any Ancillary Document).
“Peridot Class A Shares” means Peridot’s Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value.
“Peridot Class B Shares” means Peridot’s Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value.
“Peridot Common Shares” means the Peridot New Class A Shares after giving effect to the Class B Conversion.
“Peridot Continuance” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Peridot D&O Persons” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.11(a).
“Peridot Disclosure Schedules” means the disclosure schedules to this Agreement delivered to the Company by Peridot on the date of this Agreement.
“Peridot Expenses” means, as of any determination time, the aggregate amount of fees, expense, commissions or other amounts incurred by or on behalf of, or otherwise payable by, whether or not due, Peridot in connection with the negotiation, preparation or execution of this Agreement or any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its covenants or agreements in this
16
Agreement or any Ancillary Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the PIPE Financing), including (a) the fees and expenses of outside legal counsel, accountants, advisors, brokers, investment bankers, consultants, or other agents or service providers of Peridot and (b) any other fees, expenses, commissions or other amounts that are expressly allocated to Peridot pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Document. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, Peridot Expenses shall not include any Company Expenses.
“Peridot Financial Statements” means all of the financial statements of Peridot included in the Peridot SEC Reports.
“Peridot Fundamental Representations” means the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.1 (Organization and Qualification), Section 4.2 (Capitalization), Section 4.3 (Authority), Section 4.8 (Trust Account), Section 4.11(a) (No Peridot Material Adverse Effect) and Section 4.20 (Brokers).
“Peridot Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(d).
“Peridot Liabilities” means, as of any determination time, the aggregate amount of Liabilities of Peridot that would be accrued on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, whether or not such Liabilities are due and payable as of such time. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, Peridot Liabilities shall not include any Peridot Expenses.
“Peridot Material Adverse Effect” means any change, event, effect or occurrence that, individually or in the aggregate with any other change, event, effect or occurrence, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations or financial condition of Peridot; provided, however, that none of the following, either alone or in combination, shall constitute or be taken into account in determining whether a Peridot Material Adverse Effect has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur: any adverse change, event, effect or occurrence arising after the date of this Agreement resulting from or related to (a) general business or economic conditions in or affecting the United States or Canada, or changes therein, or the global economy generally, (b) any outbreak or escalation of war or hostilities, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the occurrence in any place of any military or terrorist attack, sabotage, civil unrest, cyberterrorism, riots, prolonged demonstrations or public disorders, or changes in global, national, regional, provincial, state or local political conditions, or any escalation or worsening thereof, (c) changes in the financial, banking, capital or securities markets generally in the United States, Canada or any other country or region in the world, or changes therein, including changes in interest rates in the United States, Canada or any other country and changes in exchange rates for the currencies of any countries, (d) changes, or proposed changes in or changes or proposed changes in interpretation of any applicable Laws, regulatory framework, IFRS or GAAP, (e) any change, event, effect or occurrence that is generally applicable to the industries or markets in which Peridot operates, (f) the negotiation, execution or delivery of this Agreement, public announcement of this Agreement or the pendency or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (provided that the exception in this clause (f) shall not apply to the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.5(b) to the extent that its purpose is to address the consequences resulting from the public announcement or pendency or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the condition
17
set forth in Section 6.3(a) to the extent it relates to such representations and warranties), (g) any failure by Peridot to meet, or changes to, any internal or published budgets, projections, forecasts, estimates or predictions (although the underlying facts and circumstances resulting in such failure may be taken into account to the extent not otherwise excluded from this definition pursuant to clauses (a) through (f) or (h)), (h) any hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, tsunami, natural disaster, mudslides, wild fires, acts of God or other natural disasters or comparable events in the United States, Canada or any other country or region in the world, or any escalation of the foregoing, (i) any epidemics, pandemics, disease outbreaks or quarantines, including COVID-19 or any COVID-19 Measures or any change in such COVID-19 Measures or interpretations thereof following the date of this Agreement, (j) the taking of any action required by the terms of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document, (k) any actions taken or omitted to be taken by Peridot at the written request or with the prior written consent of the Company (l) any material breach of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document by the Company or (m) any matter set forth on Section 1.1 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules; provided, however, that any change, event, effect or occurrence resulting from a matter described in any of the foregoing clauses (a) through (e) or (h) may be taken into account in determining whether a Peridot Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur to the extent such change, event, effect or occurrence has a disproportionate adverse effect on Peridot relative to other “SPACs” operating in the industries in which Peridot operates.
“Peridot New Class A Shares” means Peridot’s Class A common shares after giving effect to the Peridot Continuance.
“Peridot New Class B Shares” means Peridot’s Class B common shares after giving effect to the Peridot Continuance.
“Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliates” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6(b).
“Peridot Non-Party Affiliates” means, collectively, each Peridot Related Party and each of the former, current or future Affiliates, Representatives, successors or permitted assigns of any Peridot Related Party (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, Peridot). As it relates to Peridot, the term “Non-Party Affiliates” means “Peridot Non-Party Affiliates.”
“Peridot Related Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.21.
“Peridot Related Party Transactions” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.21.
“Peridot SEC Reports” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.
“Peridot Shareholder Approval” means (i) with respect to the BCA Proposal, the Share Issuance Proposal, the Incentive Plan Proposal, the ESPP Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the Peridot Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, in each case, in accordance with the Governing Documents of Peridot and applicable Law; (ii) with respect to the Continuance Proposal, the Governing Documents Proposal and the Amalgamation Proposal, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Peridot Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, in each case, in accordance with the Governing Documents of Peridot and applicable Law; and (iii) in the
18
circumstances contemplated by Section 5.20, the approval of the Peridot Amalgamation by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Peridot Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, which vote shall be held following the Peridot Continuance, in accordance with the Governing Documents of Peridot and applicable Law, including the OBCA.
“Peridot Shareholder Redemption” means the redemption by the holders of Peridot Class A Shares of all or a portion of their Peridot Class A Shares (in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise), as set forth in Governing Documents of Peridot.
“Peridot Shareholders Meeting” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Peridot Shares” means (a) prior to the consummation of the Peridot Continuance, collectively, the Peridot Class A Shares and the Peridot Class B Shares, (b) from and after the consummation of the Peridot Continuance but prior to the Class B Conversion, collectively, the Peridot New Class A Shares and Peridot New Class B Shares and (c) from and after the Class B Conversion, Peridot Common Shares. Any reference to the Peridot Shares in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to refer to clause (a), clause (b) and/or clause (c) of this definition as the context so requires.
“Peridot Tax Counsel” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(b).
“Peridot Unit” means each outstanding unit consisting of one Peridot Class A Share and one-half of one Peridot Warrant.
“Peridot Warrants” means each warrant to purchase one Peridot Class A Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, upon the terms and conditions in the Warrant Agreement.
“Permits” means any approvals, authorizations, clearances, licenses, registrations, permits or certificates of a Governmental Entity.
“Permitted Liens” means (a) mechanic’s, materialmen’s, carriers’, repairers’ and other similar statutory Liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business for amounts that are not yet delinquent or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which sufficient reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP or IFRS, as applicable, (b) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges not yet due and payable as of the Closing Date or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which sufficient reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP or IFRS, as applicable, (c) encumbrances and restrictions on real property (including easements, covenants, conditions, rights of way and similar restrictions) that do not prohibit or materially interfere with any of the Group Companies’ use or occupancy of such real property, (d) zoning, building codes and other land use Laws regulating the use or occupancy of real property or the activities conducted thereon which are imposed by any Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over such real property and which are not violated by the use or occupancy of such real property or the operation of the businesses of the Group Company and do not prohibit or materially interfere with any of the Group Companies’ use or occupancy of such real property, (e) cash deposits or cash pledges to secure the payment of workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, social security benefits or
19
obligations arising under similar Laws or to secure the performance of public or statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business and which are not yet due and payable, (f) non-exclusive licenses to Intellectual Property Rights granted in the ordinary course of business, and (g) the Liens listed and described on Section 1.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedules.
“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint stock company, unincorporated organization or association, trust, joint venture or other similar entity, whether or not a legal entity.
“Personal Data” means, in addition to any definition for any similar term (e.g., “personally identifiable information” or “PII” or “personal data”) provided by or included in any applicable Law, any data or information that identifies an individual or natural person.
“PIPE Financing” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“PIPE Financing Amount” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“PIPE Investors” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Plan of Arrangement” means the Plan of Arrangement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, subject to any amendments or variations to such plan made in accordance with this Agreement (including Section 5.20) and the Plan of Arrangement or made at the direction of the Court in the Final Order with the prior written consent of the Company and Peridot, each acting reasonably.
“PPP Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.16(c).
“Pre-Closing Peridot Holders” means the holders of Peridot Shares at any time prior to the Peridot Amalgamation.
“Privacy and Security Requirements” means (i) any applicable Laws relating to the processing of Personal Data or otherwise relating to consumer protection and (ii) the Group Companies’ published internal and external facing privacy policies.
“Proceeding” means any lawsuit, litigation, action, audit, examination, claim, cause of action, complaint, charge, proceeding, investigation, inquiry, administrative enforcement proceeding, suit or arbitration (in each case, whether civil, criminal or administrative and whether public or private) pending by or before or otherwise involving any Governmental Entity.
“Process” (or “Processing” or “Processes”) means the collection, use, storage, processing, recording, distribution, transfer, import, export, protection (including security measures), disposal or disclosure, performance of operations or set of operations on data or on sets of data, or other activity regarding data (whether electronically or in any other form or medium).
“Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.18.
“Public Shareholders” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.18.
20
“Real Property Leases” means all leases, sub-leases, licenses or other agreements, in each case, pursuant to which any Group Company leases or sub-leases any real property.
“Registered Intellectual Property” means all issued Patents, pending Patent applications, registered Marks, pending applications for registration of Marks, registered Copyrights, pending applications for registration of Copyrights and Internet domain name registrations.
“Registration Statement / Proxy Statement” means a registration statement on Form F-4 relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents and containing a prospectus of Newco (as predecessor of Amalco) and proxy statement of Peridot.
“Representatives” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Subsidiaries and its and such Subsidiaries’ respective directors, managers, officers, employees, accountants, consultants, advisors, attorneys, agents and other representatives.
“Rollover Equity Awards” means an equity award with respect to Amalco Shares that is outstanding on the day following the Closing Date and that is received in exchange for a Company Equity Award upon disposition and cancellation of such Company Equity Award.
“Sanctions Laws” means any applicable economic or financial sanctions Laws, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, any other agency of the US government, the government of Canada or applicable anti-boycott measures.
“Sanctioned Person” means any person, organization or vessel (a) designated on the OFAC list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained by Her Majesty’s Treasury, and person listed by Canada under the regulations to the Special Economic Measures Act, the Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Law), the United Nations Act, the Criminal Code, or any other similar Canadian law, or on any list of targeted persons issued under the Sanctions Law of any other country, (b) that is, or is part of, a government of a Sanctioned Territory, (c) owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, any of the foregoing, (d) located within or operating from a Sanctioned Territory, or (e) otherwise targeted under any Sanctions Law.
“Sanctioned Territory” means any country or other territory subject to a general export, import, financial or investment embargo under Sanctions Law, which countries and territories, as of the date of this Agreement, are the Crimea territory, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria.
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act” means the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.
“Schedules” means, collectively, the Company Disclosure Schedules and the Peridot Disclosure Schedules.
“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933.
21
“Securities Laws” means Federal Securities Laws and other applicable foreign and domestic securities or similar Laws, including the Securities Act (Ontario) and any other applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws.
“Share Exchange” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Share Issuance Proposal” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Signing Filing” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
“Signing Press Release” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
“Software” shall mean any and all (a) computer programs and software, including any and all software implementations of algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in (and including all) source code or object code; and (b) all documentation related to any of the foregoing.
“Sponsor” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Sponsor Forfeiture Value” means an amount equal to the number of Forfeited Shares (as defined in the Sponsor Letter Agreement) multiplied by $10.00.
“Sponsor Letter Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Subscription Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other legal entity of which (a) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, or (b) if a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity (other than a corporation), a majority of the limited liability company, partnership or other similar ownership interests thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof and for this purpose, a Person or Persons own a majority ownership interest in such a business entity (other than a corporation) if such Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of such business entity’s gains or losses or shall be a, or control any, managing director or general partner of such business entity (other than a corporation). The term “Subsidiary” shall include all Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary.
“Supporting Company Shareholders” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Tax” means (a) any U.S., Canadian or other non-U.S. federal, state, local or provincial income, gross receipts, franchise, estimated, alternative minimum, sales, use, transfer, value added, excise, stamp, customs, duties, ad valorem, real property, personal property (tangible and intangible), capital stock, social security, unemployment, payroll, wage, employment, severance, occupation, registration, environmental, communication, mortgage, profits, license, lease, service, goods and services, withholding, premium, unclaimed property, escheat, turnover, windfall profits
22
or other taxes, duties, fees, charges, imposts, or assessments of any kind whatever, whether computed on a separate or combined, unitary or consolidated basis or in any other manner, together with any interest, deficiencies, penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any Governmental Entity with respect thereto, whether disputed or not, and (b) any Liability for any amounts of the type described in clause (a) of another Person by operation of Law (including under Treasury Regulations section 1.1502-6 or analogous U.S. state or local or non-U.S. Law), as a transferee or successor, by Contract or otherwise.
“Tax Act” means the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Tax Authority” means any Governmental Entity responsible for the collection or administration of Taxes or Tax Returns.
“Tax Contest” means any audit, hearing, proposed adjustment, arbitration, deficiency, assessment, suit, dispute, claim, or other Proceeding commenced, filed or otherwise initiated or convened to investigate or resolve the existence and extent of a Liability for Taxes.
“Tax Return” means returns, information returns, notices, designations, statements, declarations, claims for refund, and reports relating to Taxes filed or required to be filed with any Governmental Entity, including any schedules and attachments thereto and any amendments thereof.
“Termination Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(d).
“Transaction Proposals” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8.
“Transaction Support Agreements” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Transactions” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Treasury Regulations” means the U.S. Treasury Department regulations promulgated under the Code, as amended from time to time (including any successor regulations).
“Trust Account” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.18.
“Trust Account Released Claims” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.18.
“Trust Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8.
“Trustee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8.
“Unaudited Company Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(b).
“Unpaid Peridot Expenses” means the Peridot Expenses that are unpaid as of immediately prior to the Closing.
23
“Unpaid Peridot Liabilities” means the Peridot Liabilities as of immediately prior to the Closing.
“Unpaid Company Expenses” means the Company Expenses that are unpaid as of immediately prior to the Closing.
“WARN” means the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act of 1988, as well as similar applicable foreign, state or local Laws.
“Warrant Agreement” means the Warrant Agreement, dated as of September 23, 2020, by and between Peridot and the Trustee.
ARTICLE 2
THE ARRANGEMENT; THE TRANSACTIONS; CLOSING
Section 2.1 The Arrangement. On the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, the Company and Amalco shall proceed to effect the Arrangement under Section 182 of the OBCA beginning at the Arrangement Effective Time (as defined in the Plan of Arrangement), on the terms contained in the Plan of Arrangement.
Section 2.2 The Interim Order. No later than three (3) Business Days after the filing with the SEC of the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, the Company shall apply in a manner reasonably acceptable to Peridot pursuant to Section 182 of the OBCA and, in cooperation with Peridot, prepare, file and diligently pursue an application to the Court for the Interim Order in respect of the Arrangement, which shall provide, among other things:
(a) that the Transaction Support Agreements have been duly executed by each of the Supporting Company Shareholders;
(b) for the class of persons to whom notice is to be provided in respect of the Arrangement, the Company Shareholders Meeting and for the manner in which such notice is to be provided;
(c) that the required level of approval for the Company Arrangement Resolution shall be the Company Required Approval;
(d) that, in all other respects, the terms, restrictions and conditions of the Governing Documents of the Company, including quorum requirements and all other matters, shall apply in respect of the Company Shareholders Meeting;
(e) for the notice requirements with respect to the presentation of the application to the Court for the Final Order;
(f) that the Company Shareholders Meeting may be adjourned or postponed from time to time by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement without the need for additional approval of the Court;
24
(g) that the record date for the Company Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Company Shareholders Meeting will not change in respect of any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) of the Company Shareholders Meeting;
(h) subject to Section 5.20, that the Peridot Shareholder Approval can be obtained after the issuance of the Final Order; and
(i) for such other matters as the Parties may agree are reasonably necessary to complete the Transactions.
Section 2.3 The Company Shareholders Meeting.
(a) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Interim Order and the provision of the Peridot Information, the Company shall convene and conduct the Company Shareholders Meeting in accordance with the Governing Documents of the Company, applicable Laws and the Interim Order as soon as reasonably practicable (but acknowledging that the Company may apply to the Court for an Interim Order as late as three (3) Business Days after the filing with the SEC of the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement), and shall not adjourn, postpone or cancel (or propose the adjournment, postponement or cancellation of) the Company Shareholders Meeting without the prior written consent of Peridot (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), except in the case of an adjournment as required for quorum purposes. The Company shall consult with Peridot in fixing the record date for the Company Shareholders Meeting and the date of the Company Shareholders Meeting, give notice to Peridot of the Company Shareholders Meeting and allow Peridot’s representatives and legal counsel to attend the Company Shareholders Meeting. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Company Required Approval in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolution, including instructing the management proxyholders named in the Company Information Circular to vote any discretionary or blank proxy submitted by shareholders in favor of such action, and shall take all other action reasonably necessary or advisable to secure the Company Required Approval in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolution.
(b) The Company shall provide Peridot with (i) updates with respect to the aggregate tally of the proxies received by the Company in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolution, (ii) updates with respect to any communication (written or oral) from any Company Shareholder in opposition to the Arrangement, (iii) the right to demand postponement or adjournment of the Company Shareholders Meeting if, based on the tally of proxies, the Company will not receive the Company Required Approval in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolution; provided, that the Company Shareholders Meeting, so postponed or adjourned, shall not be later than (A) five (5) Business Days prior to the Termination Date or (B) ten (10) days from the date of the first Company Shareholders Meeting, and (iv) the right to review and comment on all communications sent to Company Shareholders in connection with the Company Shareholders Meeting.
25
Section 2.4 The Company Information Circular.
(a) The Company shall promptly prepare and complete, in good faith consultation with Peridot, the Company Information Circular together with any other documents required by applicable Law in connection with the Company Shareholders Meeting and the Arrangement, and the Company shall, as promptly as practicable after obtaining the Interim Order, cause the Company Information Circular and such other documents to be sent to each Company Shareholder and other person as required by the Interim Order and applicable Law.
(b) The Company shall ensure that the Company Information Circular (i) complies with the Governing Documents of the Company, the Interim Order and applicable Law, (ii) does not contain any Misrepresentation, except with respect to Peridot Information included in the Company Information Circular, which Peridot will ensure does not contain a Misrepresentation, (iii) provides the Company Shareholders with sufficient information (explained in sufficient detail) to permit them to form a reasoned judgement concerning the matters to be placed before the Company Shareholders Meeting and (iv) states any material interest of each director and officer, whether as director, officer, securityholder or creditor of the Company, as and to the extent required by applicable Law.
(c) The Company shall, subject to the terms of this Agreement, ensure that the Company Information Circular includes a statement that the board of directors of the Company has unanimously (i) determined that the Plan of Arrangement and the Transactions are in the best interests of the Company and fair to the Company Shareholders and (ii) recommended that the Company Shareholders vote in favor of the Company Arrangement Resolution.
(d) Peridot shall assist the Company in the preparation of the Company Information Circular, including obtaining and furnishing to the Company any information with respect to Peridot required to be included under applicable Laws in the Company Information Circular (the “Peridot Information”), and ensuring that the Peridot Information does not contain any Misrepresentation. The Company shall give Peridot and its legal counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on drafts of the Company Information Circular and other related documents, and shall accept the reasonable comments made by Peridot and its counsel, and agrees that all information relating to Peridot included in the Company Information Circular must be in a form and content reasonably satisfactory to Peridot.
(e) Each Party shall promptly notify the other Parties if it becomes aware that the Company Information Circular contains a Misrepresentation, or otherwise requires an amendment or supplement. The Parties shall cooperate in the preparation of any such amendment or supplement as required or appropriate, and the Company shall promptly deliver or otherwise disseminate any such amendment or supplement to the Company Shareholders as required by the Court or applicable Law.
Section 2.5 The Final Order. The Company shall take all steps necessary or desirable to submit the Arrangement to the Court and diligently pursue an application for the Final Order pursuant to Section 182 of the OBCA, as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event not later than three (3) Business Days after the date on which the Company Arrangement Resolution is passed at the Company Shareholders Meeting as provided for in the Interim Order.
26
Section 2.6 Court Proceedings.
(a) In connection with all Court proceedings relating to obtaining the Interim Order and the Final Order, the Company shall: (i) diligently pursue the Interim Order and the Final Order; (ii) provide Peridot’s legal counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon drafts of all material to be filed with the Court in connection with the Arrangement, and accept the reasonable comments of Peridot and its legal counsel; (iii) provide Peridot copies of any notice of appearance, evidence or other documents served on it or its legal counsel in respect of the application for the Interim Order or the Final Order or any appeal from them, and any notice, written or oral, indicating the intention of any person to appeal, or oppose the granting of, the Interim Order or the Final Order; (iv) ensure that all material filed with the Court in connection with the Arrangement is consistent with this Agreement and the Plan of Arrangement; (v) not file any material with the Court in connection with the Arrangement or serve any such material, and will not agree to modify or amend any materials so filed or served, except as contemplated by this Agreement or with Peridot’s prior written consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, provided that Peridot is not required to agree or consent to any increase or variation in the form of the Exchange Consideration or other modification or amendment to such filed or served materials that expands or increases its obligations, or diminishes or limits its rights, set forth in any such filed or served materials or under this Agreement or the Arrangement; (vi) subject to this Agreement, oppose any proposal from any person that the Final Order contain any provision inconsistent with the Arrangement or this Agreement, and if at any time after the issuance of the Final Order and prior to the Closing, the Company is required by the terms of the Final Order or by applicable Law to return to Court with respect to the Final Order, it will do so only after notice to, and in good faith consultation and cooperation with, Peridot; and (vii) not object to legal counsel to Peridot making such submissions on the hearing of the motion for the Interim Order and the application for the Final Order as such counsel considers appropriate, provided Peridot advises the Company of the nature of any such submissions prior to the hearing and such submissions are consistent with this Agreement and the Plan of Arrangement.
(b) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Peridot will cooperate with, and assist the Company, in seeking the Interim Order and the Final Order, including by providing the Company on a timely basis any information reasonably required or requested to be supplied by Peridot in connection therewith.
(c) If, despite its diligent efforts, the Company is unable to obtain (A) the Interim Order containing the orders set out in Section 2.2 as a result, at the Company’s determination, acting reasonably, of the inclusion of the order set out in Section 2.2(h), or (B) the Final Order, as a result, at the Company’s determination, acting reasonably, that the Peridot Shareholder Approval has not yet been obtained, then the Company will, as applicable, diligently pursue (A) an Interim Order, that does not include the order set out in Section 2.2(h) (and, in such circumstances, such order will not be required pursuant to Section Section 2.2(i) or otherwise), or (B) a Final Order, in connection with the Plan of Arrangement as amended, in each case in accordance with Section 5.20.
Section 2.7 Closing Transactions. The Share Exchange shall occur upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan of Arrangement. The closing of the Share Exchange (the “Closing”) shall take place electronically by exchange of the closing deliverables by the means provided in Section 9.11 as promptly as reasonably practicable, but in no event shall the Closing occur on a date which is later than the third (3rd) Business Day following the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waiver) of the conditions set forth in Article 6 (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to satisfaction or waiver of such conditions) (the date on which the Share Exchange occurs, the “Closing Date”) or at such other place, date and/or time as Peridot and the Company may agree in writing.
27
Section 2.8 Sponsor Forfeiture. Two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Peridot shall deliver written notice to the Company setting forth its good faith estimate of the Aggregate Transaction Proceeds as of the Closing Date, together with reasonably detailed support for the calculation of such Aggregate Transaction Proceeds. If the Aggregate Transaction Proceeds are estimated to be less than $300,000,000, and the Company informs Peridot in writing that it waives the Minimum Cash Condition as of the Closing, then, immediately prior to the Class B Conversion on the Closing Date, the Sponsor shall automatically be deemed to have irrevocably transferred to Peridot, surrendered, and forfeited for no consideration the number of Peridot New Class B Shares as provided in the Sponsor Letter Agreement, and such Peridot New Class B Shares shall, by virtue of the Transactions, be deemed to have been canceled and extinguished.
Section 2.9 The Class B Conversion. On the Closing Date, after any forfeiture of Peridot New Class B Shares as provided in the Sponsor Letter Agreement and prior to the Peridot Amalgamation, the Class B Conversion shall occur.
Section 2.10 Allocation Schedule.
(a) No later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to Peridot and Newco (and Newco shall thereafter deliver to the Exchange Agent) an allocation schedule (the “Allocation Schedule”) setting forth (i) the number of Company Shares held by each Company Shareholder and the number of Company Shares subject to each Company Equity Award held by each holder thereof and, in the case of each Company Option, the exercise price thereof, (ii) (x) the number of Amalco Shares that will be subject to each Rollover Equity Award, which shall be determined by multiplying the number of Company Shares subject to the corresponding Rollover Equity Award immediately prior to the Closing by the Per Share Consideration and rounding the resulting number down to the nearest whole number of Amalco Shares and (y) in the case of each Company Equity Award, the number of Company Shares subject to the corresponding Company Company Equity Award in effect immediately prior to the Closing and in the case of each Company Option, the exercise price immediately before Closing, (iii) the portion of the Exchange Consideration allocated to each Company Shareholder and each holder of Company Options that will not receive Rollover Equity Awards, respectively, determined in the manner determined under the Plan of Arrangement, and (iv) a certification, duly executed by an authorized officer of the Company, that the information delivered pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) is, and will be as of immediately prior to the Closing, true and correct in all respects and in accordance with the last sentence of this Section 2.10. The Company will review any comments to the Allocation Schedule provided by Peridot or any of its Representatives and consider and incorporate in good faith any reasonable comments proposed by Peridot or any of its Representatives. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, (A) the aggregate number of Amalco Shares that each Company Shareholder will have a right to receive pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement will be rounded down to the nearest whole share, (B) in no event shall the aggregate number of Amalco Shares set forth on the Allocation Schedule that are allocated in respect of Company Shares and Company Equity Awards (other than those allocated in respect of Rollover Equity Awards) exceed the Exchange Consideration and (C) the Allocation
28
Schedule (and the calculations or determinations therein) shall be prepared in accordance with any applicable Law, the Governing Documents of the Company, the Company Shareholders Agreement, the Company Equity Plan and any other Contract to which the Company is a party or bound to the extent applicable thereto.
(b) Peridot, the Exchange Agent and their respective Affiliates and Representatives shall be entitled to rely, without any independent investigation or inquiry, on the names, amounts, and other information set forth in the Allocation Schedule. None of Peridot, the Exchange Agent and their respective Affiliates or Representatives shall have any liability to any Company Shareholder or any of its Affiliates for relying on the Allocation Schedule. The Allocation Schedule may not be modified after delivery to Peridot and Newco except pursuant to a written instruction from the Company, with certification from an authorized representative of the Company that such modification is true and correct. Peridot, the Exchange Agent and their respective Affiliates and Representatives shall be entitled to rely, without any independent investigation or inquiry, on such modified Allocation Schedule.
Section 2.11 Exchange Agent.
(a) As promptly as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, but in no event later than ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Newco shall appoint an exchange agent reasonably acceptable (such acceptance, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) to Peridot and the Company (the “Exchange Agent”) and enter into an exchange agent agreement with the Exchange Agent for the purpose of exchanging (i) certificates, if any, representing the Company Common Shares (“Company Certificates”) and each Company Share held in book-entry form on the stock transfer books of the Company immediately prior to the Closing, in either case, for the portion of the Exchange Consideration issuable in respect of such Company Shares pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement and on the terms and subject to the other conditions set forth in this Agreement, and (ii) certificates, if any, representing the Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants (“Peridot Certificates”) and each Peridot Share or Peridot Warrant held in book-entry form on the stock transfer books of Peridot immediately prior to the Closing, in either case, for such Amalco Shares or Amalco Warrants issuable in the Peridot Amalgamation and on the terms and subject to the other conditions set forth in this Agreement.
(b) At least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall mail or otherwise deliver, or shall cause to be mailed or otherwise delivered, a Letter of Transmittal to the Company Shareholders. At least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Peridot shall mail or otherwise deliver, or shall cause to be mailed or otherwise delivered, a Letter of Transmittal to the holders of Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants.
(c) In accordance with the Plan of Arrangement, Amalco shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, with the Exchange Agent, (i) for the benefit of the Company Shareholders and for exchange in accordance with this Section 2.11 through the Exchange Agent, evidence of Amalco Shares in book-entry form representing the portion of the Exchange Consideration issuable pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement, and (ii) for the benefit of the holders of Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants and for exchange in accordance with this Section 2.11 through the Exchange Agent, evidence of Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants in book-entry form representing the Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants issuable in the Peridot Amalgamation in exchange for the Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants outstanding immediately prior to the Peridot Amalgamation.
29
Section 2.12 Withholding. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Peridot, Amalco, the Group Companies and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to take such actions as are reasonably necessary to deduct and withhold (or cause to be deducted and withheld) from any amounts payable or otherwise deliverable to any Person pursuant to the Arrangement or this Agreement such Taxes, source deductions and other amounts as are required to be deducted and withheld under applicable Tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so deducted and withheld and timely remitted to the applicable Governmental Entity, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made. Each of Peridot, Amalco, the Group Companies and the Exchange Agent, as applicable, is hereby authorized to sell or otherwise dispose of, on behalf of such Person, such portion of any share or other security deliverable to such Person as is necessary to provide sufficient funds to Peridot, Amalco, a Group Company or the Exchange Agent, as the case may be, to enable it to comply with such deduction and withholding requirement and Peridot, Amalco, the Group Company or the Exchange Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to notify such Person thereof and remit the applicable portion of the net proceeds of such sale to the appropriate Governmental Entity and, if applicable, any portion of such net proceeds that is not required to be so remitted shall be paid to such Person. The Parties shall cooperate in good faith to eliminate or reduce any such deduction or withholding (including through the request and provision of any statements, forms or other documents to reduce or eliminate any such deduction or withholding).
ARTICLE 3
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE GROUP COMPANIES
Subject to Section 9.8, except as set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby represents and warrants to Peridot as follows:
Section 3.1 Organization and Qualification.
(a) Each Group Company is a corporation, limited liability company or other applicable business entity duly organized or formed, as applicable, validly existing and in good standing (or the equivalent thereof, if applicable, in each case, with respect to the jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good standing or any equivalent thereof) under the Laws of its jurisdiction of formation, incorporation or organization (as applicable). Section 3.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth the jurisdiction of formation or organization (as applicable) for each Group Company. Each Group Company has the requisite corporate, limited liability company or other applicable business entity power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its businesses as presently conducted, except where the failure to have such power or authority would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to timely consummate the Transactions.
30
(b) True, complete and correct copies of the Governing Documents of the Company and the Company Shareholders Agreement and the Company Registration Rights Agreement have been made available to Peridot, in each case, as amended and in effect as of the date of this Agreement. The Governing Documents of the Company and the Company Shareholders Agreement are in full force and effect, and the Company is not in breach or violation of any provision set forth in its Governing Documents or in material breach of the Company Shareholders Agreement or the Company Registration Rights Agreement.
(c) Each Group Company is duly qualified or licensed to transact business and is in good standing (or the equivalent thereof, if applicable, in each case, with respect to the jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good standing or any equivalent thereof) in each jurisdiction in which the property and assets owned, leased or operated by it, or the nature of the business conducted by it, makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good standing would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to timely consummate the Transactions.
(d) Newco was incorporated solely for purposes of entering into the Transactions and, since the date of its incorporation, Newco has not owned any assets, carried on any business, conducted any operations or incurred any liabilities or obligations or has not hired any employee or independent contractor, other than the execution of this Agreement and any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its obligations hereunder and matters ancillary thereto.
Section 3.2 Capitalization of the Group Companies.
(a) Section 3.2(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct statement as of the date of this Agreement of (i) the number and class or series (as applicable) of all of the Equity Securities of the Company issued and outstanding, (ii) the identity of the Persons that are the registered owners thereof and (iii) with respect to each Company Equity Award, (A) the date of grant, (B) any applicable exercise (or similar) price, (C) the expiration date, and (D) any applicable vesting schedule (including acceleration provisions). All of the Equity Securities of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. Except for the Company Equity Awards set forth on Section 3.2(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules or as set forth in the Governing Documents of the Company, as of the date of this Agreement, the Company has no outstanding (x) equity appreciation, phantom equity or profit participation rights or (y) options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, phantom stock, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, calls, puts, rights of first refusal or first offer or other Contracts to which the Company is a party that require the Company to issue, sell or otherwise cause to become outstanding or to acquire, repurchase or redeem any Equity Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Securities of the Company.
(b) The outstanding Equity Securities of the Company (1) were not issued in violation of the Governing Documents of the Company or the Company Shareholders Agreement, (2) were not issued in violation of any preemptive rights, call option, right of first refusal or first offer, subscription rights or similar rights of any Person granted by the Company and (3) have been offered, sold and issued in compliance with applicable Law, including applicable Securities Laws. Except for the Company Shareholders Agreement, there are no voting trusts, proxies or other Contracts to which the Company is a party with respect to the voting or transfer of the Company’s Equity Securities.
31
(c) Section 3.2(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct statement of (i) the number and class or series (as applicable) of all of the Equity Securities of each Subsidiary of the Company issued and outstanding and (ii) the identity of the Persons that are the registered owners thereof. There are no outstanding (A) equity appreciation, phantom equity, or profit participation rights or (B) options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, phantom stock, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, calls, puts, rights of first refusal or first offer or other Contracts to which any Subsidiary of the Company is a party that require any Subsidiary of the Company to issue, sell or otherwise cause to become outstanding or to acquire, repurchase or redeem any Equity Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Securities of the Subsidiaries of the Company.
(d) As of the date hereof, the authorized share capital of Newco consists of an unlimited number of Newco Shares, of which one is issued and outstanding. Immediately following the Closing, all of the issued and outstanding Amalco Shares (i) will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) will have been issued in compliance in all material respects with applicable Law and (iii) will not have been issued in breach or violation of any preemptive rights or Contract to which Newco is a party or bound.
(e) None of the Group Companies owns or holds (of record, beneficially, legally or otherwise), directly or indirectly, any Equity Securities in any other Person or the right to acquire any such Equity Security, and none of the Group Companies are a partner or member of any partnership, limited liability company or joint venture.
Section 3.3 Authority. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each Ancillary Document to which it is or will be a party, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Subject to the Company Required Approval of the Company Arrangement Resolution, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which the Company is or will be a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been (or, in the case of any Ancillary Document entered into after the date of this Agreement, will be upon execution thereof) duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. This Agreement and each Ancillary Document to which the Company is or will be a party has been or will be, upon execution thereof, as applicable, duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes or will constitute, upon execution and delivery thereof, as applicable, a valid, legal and binding agreement of the Company (assuming that this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which the Company is or will be a party are or will be, upon execution thereof, as applicable, duly authorized, executed and delivered by the other Persons party hereto or thereto), enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights and subject to general principles of equity).
32
Section 3.4 Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) The audited consolidated balance sheets of the Group Companies as of October 31, 2019 and October 31, 2020 (the “Latest Balance Sheet”) and the related audited consolidated statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Group Companies for each of the periods then ended, including the notes thereto (the “Audited Company Financial Statements”), when delivered following the date of this Agreement in accordance with Section 5.15, (A) will be prepared in accordance with IFRS applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), (B) will fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Group Companies as of the dates thereof and for the periods indicated therein, except as otherwise specifically noted therein, (C) will have been audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and contain an unqualified report of the Company’s auditors, and (D) will comply in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements and with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Exchange Act and the Securities Act in effect as of the respective dates thereof (including Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K, as applicable).
(b) The unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the Group Companies as of January 31, 2020 and January 31, 2021 and the related unaudited consolidated statements of operations and changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Group Companies for each of the three-month periods then ended (the “Unaudited Company Financial Statements” and together with the Audited Company Financial Statements, the “Company Financial Statements”), when delivered following the date of this Agreement in accordance with Section 5.15, (i) will be prepared in accordance with IFRS applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), (ii) will fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Group Companies as of the dates thereof and for the periods indicated therein (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments (none of which is expected to be material) and the absence of footnotes), except as otherwise specifically noted therein and (iii) will comply in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements and with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Exchange Act and the Securities Act in effect as of the respective dates thereof (including Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K, as applicable).
(c) The accounts receivable of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected on the Latest Balance Sheet arose in the ordinary course of business from bona fide transactions and in accordance with IFRS and none of such accounts receivable are subject to any set offs, counterclaims, credits or other offsets, and are current and collectible and will be collected in accordance with their terms and their recorded amounts, subject only to the reserve for bad debts set forth in the Company Financial Statements. The accounts payable of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected on the Latest Balance Sheet arose in the ordinary course of business from bona fide transactions and in accordance with IFRS. Since the date of the Latest Balance Sheet, the accounts receivable and accounts payable of the Company and its Subsidiaries have arisen in the ordinary course of business from bona fide transactions.
(d) Except for Liabilities (i) set forth in Section 3.4(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedules, (ii) incurred in connection with the negotiation, preparation or execution of this Agreement or any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its covenants or agreements in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company Expenses and any
33
Liabilities arising out of, or related to, any Proceeding related to this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including any shareholder demand or other shareholder Proceedings (including derivative claims) arising out of, or related to, any of the foregoing), (iii) set forth or disclosed in the Company Financial Statements, (iv) that have arisen since the Latest Balance Sheet in the ordinary course of business (and not as a result of a breach of any Contract by any Group Company), (v) that are incurred with the consent of Peridot or (vi) that are not, and would not reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole, the Company does not have any Liabilities that would be required to be included in a balance sheet prepared in accordance with IFRS or disclosed in the notes thereto.
(e) The Group Companies have established and maintain systems of internal accounting controls that are designed to provide, in all material respects, reasonable assurance that (i) all transactions are executed in accordance with management’s authorization and (ii) all transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of proper and accurate financial statements in accordance with IFRS and to maintain accountability for the Group Companies’ assets. The Group Companies maintain and, for all periods covered by the Company Financial Statements, have maintained books and records of the Group Companies in the ordinary course of business that are accurate and complete and reflect the revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities of the Group Companies, in each case in all material respects.
(f) Since November 1, 2018, no Group Company has received any written complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that there is (i) to the Company’s knowledge, “significant deficiency” in the internal controls over financial reporting of the Group Companies, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, a “material weakness” in the internal controls over financial reporting of the Group Companies or (iii) fraud or corporate misappropriation, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees of the Group Companies who have a significant role in the internal controls over financial reporting of the Group Companies.
Section 3.5 Consents and Requisite Governmental Approvals; No Violations.
(a) No consent, approval or authorization of, or designation, declaration or filing with, any Governmental Entity is required on the part of the Company with respect to the Company’s execution, delivery or performance of its obligations under this Agreement or the Ancillary Documents to which the Company is or will be party or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or by the Ancillary Documents, except for (i) compliance with and filings under the HSR Act or under any applicable antitrust or other competition Laws of any non-U.S. jurisdictions (collectively, “Foreign Antitrust Laws”), (ii) the filing with the SEC of (A) the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement and the declaration of the effectiveness thereof by the SEC and (B) such reports under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (iii) the filing of any documents required by the Final Order, the Interim Order, and filings required pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement, (iv) the Company Required Approval in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolutions, or (v) any other consents, approvals, authorizations, designations, declarations, waivers or filings, the absence of which would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
34
(b) Neither the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement nor the Ancillary Documents to which the Company is or will be a party nor the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby will, directly or indirectly (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) (i) result in any breach of any provision of the Company’s Governing Documents or the Company Shareholders Agreement, (ii) result in a violation or breach of, or constitute a default or give rise to any right of termination, Consent, cancellation, amendment, modification, suspension, revocation or acceleration under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of (A) any Material Contract to which any Group Company is a party or (B) any Material Permits, (iii) violate, or constitute a breach under, any Order or applicable Law to which any Group Company or any of its properties or assets are bound, or (iv) result in the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of the assets or properties of any Group Company, except, in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv) above, as would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to timely consummate the Transactions.
Section 3.6 Permits. Each of the Group Companies has all Permits (the “Material Permits”) that are required to own, lease or operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as currently conducted, except where the failure to hold the same would not result in a Company Material Adverse Effect. (i) Each Material Permit is in full force and effect in accordance with its terms and (ii) no written notice of revocation, cancellation or termination of any Material Permit has been received by the Group Companies, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole.
Section 3.7 Material Contracts.
(a) Section 3.7(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a list of the following Contracts to which a Group Company is, as of the date of this Agreement, a party (the Contracts required to be set forth on Section 3.7(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules, collectively, the “Material Contracts”):
(i) any Contract relating to Indebtedness of any Group Company or to the placing of a Lien (other than any Permitted Lien) on any material assets or properties of any Group Company;
(ii) any Contract under which any Group Company is lessee of or holds or operates, in each case, any tangible property (other than real property), owned by any other Person, except for any lease or agreement under which the aggregate annual rental payments do not exceed $500,000;
(iii) any Contract under which any Group Company is lessor of or permits any third party to hold or operate, in each case, any tangible property (other than real property), owned or controlled by such Group Company, except for any lease or agreement under which the aggregate annual rental payments do not exceed $500,000;
(iv) any joint venture, profit-sharing, partnership, collaboration, co-promotion, commercialization or research or development Contract;
35
(v) any material Contract with respect to any Company Licensed Intellectual Property or Company Owned Intellectual Property, including any (A) material license, royalty, indemnification, covenant not to xxx, escrow, co-existence, concurrent use, consent to use, assignment, development or other Contract relating to any Intellectual Property Rights (including any Contracts relating to the licensing of material Intellectual Property Rights by any of the Group Companies to a third party or by a third party to the Company) and (B) other Contracts have any material effect on any of the Group Companies’ ability to own, enforce, use, license or disclose any Intellectual Property Rights, in each case, other than Off-the-Shelf-Software licenses;
(vi) any Contract that (A) limits in any material respect the freedom of any Group Company to engage or compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any area or that would so limit, in any material respect, the operations of any Group Company, or following the Closing, Peridot, (B) contains any exclusivity, “most favored nation” or similar provisions, obligations or restrictions or (C) contains any other provisions restricting the ability of any Group Company to sell, manufacture, develop, commercialize, test or research products, directly or indirectly through third parties, or to solicit any potential employee or customer in any material respect or that would so limit, in any material respect, the operations of the Company, other than in respect of non-disclosure agreements entered into by any Group Company in the ordinary course of business;
(vii) any Contract requiring any future capital commitment or capital expenditure (or series of capital expenditures) by any Group Company in an amount in excess of (A) $500,000 annually or (B) $1,000,000 over the term of the agreement;
(viii) any Contract requiring any Group Company to guarantee the Liabilities of any Person (other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) or pursuant to which any Person (other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) has guaranteed the Liabilities of a Group Company, in each case in excess of $500,000;
(ix) any Contract under which any Group Company has, directly or indirectly, made or agreed to make any loan, advance, or assignment of payment to any Person or made any capital contribution to, or other investment in, any Person (other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company);
(x) any Contract required to be disclosed on Section 3.19 of the Company Disclosure Schedules;
(xi) any Contract (A) governing the terms of, or otherwise related to, the employment, engagement or services of any current director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider of a Group Company whose annual base salary (or, in the case of an individual independent contractor, annual base compensation) is in excess of $200,000, or (B) providing for any Company Change of Control Payment;
(xii) any CBA;
36
(xiii) any Contract for the disposition of any portion of the assets or business of any Group Company or for the acquisition by any Group Company of the assets or business of any other Person (other than acquisitions or dispositions made in the ordinary course of business), or under which any Group Company has any continuing obligation with respect to an “earn-out”, contingent purchase price or other contingent or deferred payment obligation;
(xiv) any settlement, conciliation or similar Contract (A) the performance of which would be reasonably likely to involve any payments in excess of $500,000 after the date of this Agreement, (B) with a Governmental Entity or (C) that imposes or is reasonably likely to impose, at any time in the future, any material, non-monetary obligations on any Group Company;
(xv) any Contract regarding any material indemnification obligations incurred or provided by any Group Company other than in the ordinary course of business; and
(xvi) any other Contract the performance of which requires either (A) annual payments to or from any Group Company in excess of $500,000 or (B) aggregate payments to or from any Group Company in excess of $1,000,000 over the term of the agreement and, in each case, that is not terminable by the applicable Group Company without penalty upon less than thirty (30) days’ prior written notice.
(b) (i) Each Material Contract is valid and binding on the applicable Group Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the counterparty thereto, and is in full force and effect, (ii) the applicable Group Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the counterparties thereto are not in material breach of, or material default under, any Material Contract, (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, no event or omission has occurred that, through the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default in any material respect thereunder (including as a result of COVID-19) or cause the acceleration of any Group Company’s obligations thereunder or result in the creation of any Lien, other than Permitted Liens, (iv) the Company has delivered or made available to Peridot true, complete and accurate copies of each Material Contract, including all material amendments, schedules, ancillary documents, annexes, exhibits or certificates related thereto, and (v) as of the date hereof, no Group Company has received written, or to the Company’s knowledge, oral, notice of termination, cancellation or non-renewal of any Material Contract.
Section 3.8 Absence of Changes. During the period beginning on November 1, 2020 and ending on the date of this Agreement, (a) no Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred, and (b) except as otherwise reflected in the Company Financial Statements, for actions or omissions taken as a result of COVID-19 or COVID-19 Measures or as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, any Ancillary Document or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, (i) the Company has conducted its business in the ordinary course in all material respects and (ii) no Group Company has taken any action that would require the consent of Peridot if taken during the period from the date of this Agreement until the Closing pursuant to Section 5.1(b).
37
Section 3.9 Litigation. There is (and since November 1, 2018, there has been) no Proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by or against any Group Company that, if adversely decided or resolved, has been or would reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to timely consummate the Transactions. Neither the Group Companies nor any of their respective properties or assets is subject to any material Order (including any Order that would prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to timely consummate the Transactions). As of the date of this Agreement, there are no material Proceedings by a Group Company pending against any other Person.
Section 3.10 Compliance with Applicable Law. Each Group Company (a) conducts, and since November 1, 2018 has conducted, its business in accordance with all Laws and Orders applicable to such Group Company and is not in violation of any such Law or Order, including any Law or Order related to COVID-19, and (b) has not received any written communications from a Governmental Entity that alleges that such Group Company is not in compliance with any such Law or Order, except in the case of each of clauses (a) and (b), as is not and would not reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole.
Section 3.11 Employee Plans.
(a) Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct list of all material Employee Benefit Plans (including, for each such Employee Benefit Plan, its jurisdiction). With respect to each material Employee Benefit Plan, the Group Companies have provided Peridot with true, complete and correct copies of the material documents pursuant to which the plan is maintained, funded and administered including, for each Employee Benefit Plan, (i) the most recent plan text and amendments, (ii) the most recent funding agreement (including any trust Contract or insurance Contract), (iii) the most recent service provider Contracts (including third-party administrative services, record-keeper, investment management and other services Contracts), (iv) the most recently prepared actuarial valuation report, (v) all material correspondence with any applicable Governmental Entity for the current year and the previous three (3) years, and (vi) the most recent employee booklet.
(b) No Group Company has any Liability with respect to or under: (i) a Multiemployer Plan; (ii) a “defined benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA) or a plan that is or was subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code; (iii) a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Section of 413(c) of the Code or Section 210 of ERISA; or (iv) a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” as defined in Section 3(40) of ERISA. No Group Company has any Liabilities to provide any retiree, post-ownership or post-termination health or life insurance or other welfare-type benefits to any Person other than (A) health continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA for which the recipient pays the full cost of coverage, and (B) to the minimum extent required by any applicable employment standards Laws of Canada. No Group Company has any Liabilities by reason of at any time being considered a single employer under Section 414 of the Code with any other Person.
(c) Each Employee Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code (i) has timely received a favorable determination or opinion or advisory letter from the Internal Revenue Service, (ii) has been established under a standardized master and prototype or volume submitter plan for which a current favorable Internal Revenue Service
38
advisory letter or opinion letter has been obtained by the plan sponsor and is valid as to the adopting employer or (iii) has time remaining under applicable Laws to apply for a determination or opinion letter or to make any amendments necessary to obtain a favorable determination or opinion letter, and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the qualified status of such Employee Benefit Plan. None of the Group Companies has incurred (whether or not assessed), or is reasonably expected to incur or be subject to, any liability, penalty or Tax under Section 4980H, 4980B, 4980D, 6721 or 6722 of the Code.
(d) There are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened claims or Proceedings with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits). There have been no material non-exempt “prohibited transactions” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Sections 406 or 407 of ERISA and no breaches of fiduciary duty (as determined under ERISA) with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan. With respect to each Employee Benefit Plan, all contributions, distributions, reimbursements and premium payments that are due have been timely made in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Employee Benefit Plan and in all material respects in compliance with the requirements of applicable Law; and all such contributions, distributions, reimbursements and premium payments for any period ending on or before the Closing Date that are not yet due have been made or properly accrued.
(e) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not materially (alone or in combination with any other event) (i) result in any payment or benefit becoming due to or result in the forgiveness of any indebtedness of any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service providers of any of the Group Companies, (ii) increase the amount or value of any compensation or benefits payable to any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service providers of any of the Group Companies or (iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting, or trigger any payment or funding of any compensation or benefits to any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service providers of any of the Group Companies.
(f) No amount that could be received (whether in cash or property or the vesting of property) by any “disqualified individual” of any of the Group Companies under any Employee Benefit Plan or otherwise as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement could, separately or in the aggregate, be nondeductible under Section 280G of the Code or subjected to an excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code.
(g) The Group Companies have no material obligation to make a “gross-up” or similar payment in respect of any taxes that may become payable under Section 4999 or 409A of the Code.
(h) Each Employee Benefit Plan that constitutes in any part a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as defined under Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code) subject to Section 409A of the Code has been operated and administered in all material respects in operational compliance with, and is in all material respects in documentary compliance with, Section 409A of the Code and its purpose, and no amount under any such plan, agreement or arrangement is or has been subject to the interest and additional Tax set forth under Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Code.
39
(i) Each Foreign Benefit Plan that is required to be registered or intended to be tax exempt has been registered (and, where applicable, accepted for registration) and is tax exempt and has been maintained in good standing, to the extent applicable, with each Governmental Entity. To the knowledge of the Company, no fact or circumstance exists that could adversely affect the preferential tax treatment ordinarily accorded to any such Foreign Benefit Plan.
(j) No Foreign Benefit Plan is (A) a “defined benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA); (B) a “registered pension plan” (within the meaning of subsection 248(1) of the Tax Act); (C) a “retirement compensation arrangement” (within the meaning of subsection 248(1) of the Tax Act); or (D) has any material unfunded or underfunded Liabilities. No Foreign Benefit Plan is intended to be, or has ever been determined or alleged by a Governmental Entity to be, a “salary deferral arrangement” within the meaning of subsection 37 248(1) of the Tax Act.
(k) All material contributions required to have been made by or on behalf of the Group Companies with respect to plans or arrangements maintained or sponsored a Governmental Entity (including severance, termination indemnities or other similar benefits; Canada Pension Plan and Quebec Pension Plan contributions; unemployment insurance premiums; workers’ compensation premiums and assessments; maintained for employees outside of the U.S.) have been timely made or fully accrued.
Section 3.12 Environmental Matters.
(a) None of the Group Companies have received any written notice, report, Order, communication or other information from any Governmental Entity or any other Person regarding any actual, alleged, or potential violation in any material respect of, failure to comply in any material respect with, or material Liability under, any Environmental Laws.
(b) Except as would not be material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole:
(i) The Group Companies are (and, since November 1, 2018, have been) in compliance with all Environmental Laws, which compliance has included obtaining, maintaining and complying with all Permits that are required pursuant to Environmental Laws for the ownership or occupation of their facilities and the operation of their business.
(ii) There is no Proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against any Group Company pursuant to Environmental Laws.
(iii) There has been no manufacture, release, treatment, storage, disposal, arrangement for disposal, transport or handling of, contamination by, or exposure of any Person to, any Hazardous Substances, in each case in a manner that has given or would give rise to Liabilities of the Group Companies under Environmental Law.
40
(iv) The Group Companies have not assumed, undertaken, provided an indemnity with respect to or otherwise knowingly become subject to any Liabilities of any other Person under Environmental Law.
(c) The Group Companies have made available to Peridot copies of all written environmental reports, audits, and assessments and all other material environmental, health and safety documents that are in any Group Company’s possession or control relating to the current or former operations, properties or facilities of the Group Companies.
Section 3.13 Intellectual Property.
(a) Section 3.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct list of all currently issued or pending Company Registered Intellectual Property. Section 3.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules lists, for each item of Company Registered Intellectual Property (A) the owner(s) of such item, (B) the jurisdictions in which such item has been issued or registered or filed, (C) the issuance, registration or application date, as applicable, for such item and (D) the issuance, registration or application number, as applicable, for such item.
(b) No issuance or registration obtained and no application filed by the Group Companies for any Company Registered Intellectual Property has been cancelled, abandoned, allowed to lapse or not renewed, except to the extent commercially reasonable in the Company’s business judgment. The Company has not received written notice of any Proceedings pending, including litigations, interference, re-examination, inter parties review, reissue, opposition, nullity, or cancellation proceedings pending that relate to any of the Company Registered Intellectual Property and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such Proceedings are threatened by any Governmental Entity or any other Person.
(c) A Group Company exclusively owns all right, title and interest in and to the Company Owned Intellectual Property free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens). For all Patents listed in Section 3.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules, each inventor of the Patent has assigned their rights to a Group Company. No Group Company has (i) transferred ownership of, or granted any exclusive license with respect to, any material Company Owned Intellectual Property to any other Person or (ii) granted any customer the right to use any material Company Product or service on anything other than a non-exclusive basis. To the Company’s knowledge, the Group Companies have sufficient rights to all Intellectual Property Rights used in or necessary for the operation of the businesses of the Group Companies as currently conducted. The Company Registered Intellectual Property is subsisting, and to the Company’s knowledge, valid and enforceable. To the Company’s knowledge, no Company Owned Intellectual Property is subject to any outstanding Order that restricts in any manner the use, sale, transfer, licensing or exploitation thereof by the Group Companies or affects the validity, use or enforceability of any such Company Owned Intellectual Property.
(d) All employees and independent contractors who independently or jointly contributed to or otherwise participated in the authorship, invention, creation, improvement, modification or development of any material Intellectual Property Right for or on behalf of any Group Company have executed and delivered to the Group Company a written contract providing
41
for (i) the non-disclosure by such Person of all Trade Secrets of the Group Companies, and (ii) the assignment by such Person to a Group Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights authored, invented, created, improved, modified or developed, as applicable, by such Person in the course of their employment or other engagement with such Group Company.
(e) Each Group Company has taken commercially reasonable steps to safeguard and maintain the secrecy of any Trade Secrets owned by any Group Company. To the Company’s knowledge, each Group Company has not disclosed any material Trade Secrets to any other Person unless such disclosure was under an appropriate written non-disclosure agreement containing appropriate limitations on use, reproduction and disclosure. To the Company’s knowledge, there has been no violation or unauthorized access to or disclosure of any material Trade Secrets of or in the possession of or Processed by any Group Company, or of any written obligations with respect to such.
(f) Since November 1, 2018, to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Group Companies, or any of the Company Products infringes, constitutes or results from an unauthorized use or misappropriation of or otherwise violates or has infringed, used without authorization, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights of any other Person.
(g) There is no Proceeding pending currently and there has been no such Proceeding since November 1, 2018, and no Group Company has received any written communications (i) alleging that a Group Company infringed, used without authorization, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property Rights of any other Person, (ii) challenging the validity, enforceability, patentability, registrability, use or exclusive ownership of any Company Owned Intellectual Property, or (iii) inviting any Group Company to take a license under any Patent or consider the applicability of any Patents to any products or services of the Group Companies or to the conduct of the business of the Group Companies.
(h) To the Company’s knowledge, since November 1, 2018, no Person is or was infringing, misappropriating, misusing, diluting or violating any Company Owned Intellectual Property in any material respect. No Group Company has made any written claim against any Person alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any Company Owned Intellectual Property.
(i) Except as listed on Schedule 3.13(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, none of the material Company Owned Intellectual Property has been developed with the assistance or use of any funding from third parties or third-party agencies, including funding from any Governmental Entity.
(j) To the Company’s knowledge, the Group Companies possess all source code and other documentation and materials necessary to compile and operate the Group Companies’ material proprietary Software owned by the Group Companies.
42
Section 3.14 Labor Matters.
(a) The Group Companies are and since November 1, 2018 have been in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws respecting labor, employment and employment practices, including, without limitation, all laws respecting terms and conditions of employment, health and safety, COVID-19, wages and hours (including the classification of individual independent contractors and exempt and non-exempt employees), immigration (including the completion of I-9s for all applicable employees and the proper confirmation of employee visas), harassment, discrimination and retaliation, disability rights or benefits, equal opportunity (including compliance with any affirmative action plan obligations), plant closures and layoffs (including WARN), workers’ compensation, labor relations, employee leave issues, affirmative action and affirmative action plan requirements and unemployment insurance.
(b) Since November 1, 2018, (i) none of the Group Companies (A) has or has had any material Liability for any arrears of or unpaid wages or other compensation for services to their current or former officer, directors, employees and individual independent contractors (including salaries, overtime, wage premiums, commissions, fees or bonuses) under applicable Law, Contract or company policy, or any penalty, fines, Taxes, interest or other sums for failure to comply with any of the foregoing, or (B) has or has had any material Liability for any payment to any trust or other fund governed by or maintained by or on behalf of any Governmental Entity with respect to unemployment compensation benefits, social security, social insurances or other benefits or obligations for any current or former employees of any Group Company (other than routine payments to be made in the normal course of business and consistent with past practice); and (ii) the Group Companies have withheld all amounts required by applicable Law or by agreement to be withheld from wages, salaries and other payments to employees or individual independent contractors or other individual service providers of each Group Company, except as has not resulted in material Liability to the Group Companies, taken as a whole.
(c) Since November 1, 2018, there has been no “mass layoff”, “mass termination” or “plant closing” as defined by applicable Laws, including WARN related to any Group Company, and the Group Companies have not incurred any material Liability under WARN nor will they incur any Liability under WARN as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) No Group Company is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreement or other agreement with any labor organization, labor union, works council or other employee representative or any other Contract with a labor union, labor organization, works council, employee delegate, representative or other employee collective group (each, a “CBA”) nor is there any duty on the part of any Group Company to bargain with any labor union, labor organization, works council, employee delegate, representative or other employee collective group. There are no CBAs or any other labor-related agreements or arrangements that pertain to any of the employees of the Group Companies, and no employees of the Group Companies are represented by any labor union, labor organization, works council, employee delegate, representative or employee collective group with respect to their employment with the Group Companies.
(e) Since November 1, 2018, there has been no actual or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened unfair labor practice complaints or charges, material grievances, arbitrations, strikes, lockouts, work stoppages, slowdowns, picketing, hand billing or other material labor disputes against any Group Company. No trade union, council of trade unions, employee bargaining agency or affiliated bargaining agent holds bargaining rights with respect to any of the employees of any Group Company by way of certification, interim certification, voluntary recognition, or succession rights, or has applied or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to apply to be certified as the bargaining agent of any employees of any Group Company.
43
(f) To the Company’s knowledge, since November 1, 2018, (i) no labor union, works council, other labor organization, or group of employees of any Group Company has made a demand for recognition, and there are no representation proceedings presently pending, to the knowledge of the Company, or threatened to be brought or filed with the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no labor organizing activities with respect to any employees of any Group Company. No trade union has applied to have any Group Company declared a common or related employer pursuant to the Labour Relations Act (Ontario) or any similar legislation in any jurisdiction in which any Group Company carries on business.
(g) To the knowledge of the Company, no current or former employee or individual independent contractor of any Group Company is in any material respect in violation of any term of any employment agreement, nondisclosure agreement, common law nondisclosure obligation, fiduciary duty, noncompetition agreement, restrictive covenant or other similar obligation: (i) owed to any Group Company; or (ii) owed to any third party with respect to such person’s right to be employed or engaged by the applicable Group Company.
(h) To the knowledge of the Company, no current employee with aggregate annual compensation in excess of $75,000, intends to terminate his or her employment prior to the one (1) year anniversary of the Closing Date.
(i) No employee layoff, facility closure or shutdown (whether voluntary or by Order), reduction-in-force, furlough, temporary layoff, material work schedule change or reduction in hours, or reduction in salary or wages, or other material workforce changes affecting employees of the Group Companies has occurred within the past twelve (12) months or is currently contemplated, planned or announced by the Group Companies, including as a result of COVID-19 or any Law, Order, directive, guidelines or recommendations by any Governmental Entity in connection with or in response to COVID-19. The Group Companies have not otherwise experienced any material employment-related liability with respect to or arising out of COVID-19 or any Law, Order, directive, guidelines or recommendations by any Governmental Entity in connection with or in response to COVID-19.
(j) Section 3.14(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedules contains a true, correct and complete list of each of the business support measures or government programs (including any supplemental employment plan or wage subsidy program) any Group Company has, as of the date of this Agreement, applied for with any Governmental Entity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (each a “COVID Program”), including the date of the application and status of the application. Each Group Company has performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it in all material respects and is entitled to all benefits pursuant to such COVID Program.
44
(k) The Group Companies have promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated all sexual harassment, or other discrimination, retaliation or policy violation allegations of which they are aware. With respect to each such allegation with potential merit, the Group Companies have taken prompt corrective action that is reasonably calculated to prevent further improper conduct. The Group Companies do not reasonably expect any material Liability with respect to any such allegations and are not aware of any allegations relating to officers, directors, employees, contractors, or agents of any Group Company, that, if known to the public, would bring such Group Company into material disrepute.
(l) No employee of any Group Company has any agreement as to length of notice or severance payment required to terminate his or her employment, other than such as results by Law from the employment of an employee without an agreement as to notice or severance.
(m) No audit of a Group Company by a Governmental Entity is being conducted, or to the knowledge of the Company is pending, in respect of any foreign workers.
(n) There are no outstanding assessments, penalties, fines, liens, charges, surcharges, or other amounts due or owing pursuant to any workplace safety and insurance legislation and no Group Company has been reassessed in any material respect under such legislation since November 1, 2018 and, to the knowledge of the Company, no audit of any Group Company is currently being performed pursuant to any applicable workplace safety and insurance legislation. There are no claims or potential claims which may materially adversely affect any Group Company’s accident cost experience in respect of its business.
(o) The Company has provided to Peridot all orders and inspection reports under applicable occupational health and safety legislation (“OHSA”) together with the minutes of the joint health and safety committee meetings of the Group Companies for the period beginning on November 1, 2018 and ending on the date of this Agreement. There are no charges pending under OHSA. Each Group Company has complied in all material respects with any orders issued under OHSA and there are no appeals of any orders under OHSA currently outstanding.
Section 3.15 Insurance. Section 3.15 of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a list of all material policies of fire, liability, workers’ compensation, property, casualty and other forms of insurance owned or held by any Group Company as of the date of this Agreement. All such policies are in full force and effect, all premiums due and payable thereon as of the date of this Agreement have been paid in full as of the date of this Agreement, and true, complete and correct copies of all such policies have been made available to Peridot. As of the date of this Agreement, no claim by any Group Company is pending under any such policies as to which coverage has been denied or disputed, or rights reserved to do so, by the underwriters thereof, except as is not and would not reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole.
Section 3.16 Tax Matters.
(a) Each Group Company has prepared and filed all material Tax Returns required to have been filed by it, all such Tax Returns are true, complete and correct in all material respects and prepared in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws and Orders, and each Group Company has paid all material Taxes required to have been paid or deposited by it regardless of whether shown on a Tax Return.
45
(b) Each Group Company has timely withheld, collected and paid to the appropriate Tax Authority all material amounts required to have been withheld, collected and paid.
(c) No Group Company (i) has made an election to defer the payment of any “applicable employment taxes” (as defined in Section 2302(d)(1) of the CARES Act) pursuant to Section 2302 of the CARES Act nor has any Group Company made any such deferral or election pursuant to the presidential memorandum regarding Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations in Light of the Ongoing COVID-19 Disaster signed on August 8, 2020 or (ii) has applied for a loan under 15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36) (a “PPP Loan”).
(d) No Group Company is currently the subject of a Tax Contest. No Group Company has been informed in writing of the commencement or anticipated commencement of any Tax audit or examination that has not been resolved or completed.
(e) No Group Company has consented to extend or waive the time in which any material Tax may be assessed or collected by any Tax Authority, other than any such extensions or waivers that are no longer in effect or that were extensions of time to file Tax Returns obtained in the ordinary course of business.
(f) No “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of U.S., Canadian or other non-U.S. state, local or provincial income Tax Law), private letter rulings, technical advice memoranda or similar agreements or rulings have been entered into or issued by any Tax Authority with respect to a Group Company which agreement or ruling would be effective after the Closing Date.
(g) No Group Company will be required to include any item in taxable income, or exclude any item of deduction, for any period ending after the Closing Date by reason of (i) a change in method of accounting for any period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, (ii) a use of an improper method of accounting for any period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, (iii) an installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date, (iv) an election made pursuant to Section 965(h) of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law), (v) any prepaid amount received or deferred revenue accrued on or prior to the Closing Date or (vi) any intercompany item under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13 (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law) or excess loss account under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-19 (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law).
(h) The unpaid Taxes of the Group Companies (i) for all periods ending on or before the date of the Latest Balance Sheet do not, in the aggregate, materially exceed the reserve for Tax liability (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the Company Financial Statements and (ii) will not, in the aggregate, materially exceed that reserve as adjusted for operations and transactions through the Closing Date that occur in the ordinary course of business.
46
(i) No Group Company is or has been a party to any “listed transaction” as defined in Section 6707A of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4 (or any corresponding or similar provision of U.S. state or local or non-U.S. Tax Law).
(j) There are no Liens for Taxes on any assets of the Group Companies or any Equity Securities of any Group Company other than Permitted Liens.
(k) No Group Company was a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation,” each within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code, in a distribution intended to qualify under Section 355 of the Code (i) within the past two (2) years or (ii) as part of a “plan” or “series of related transactions” (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) in conjunction with the Transactions.
(l) No Group Company (i) has been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated U.S. federal income Tax Return (other than a group the common parent of which was a Group Company or any of its current Affiliates) or (ii) has any Liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than another Group Company) under Section 160 of the Tax Act or Section 1.1502-6 of the Treasury Regulations (or any similar provision of U.S. state or local or non-U.S. Law), or as a transferee or successor.
(m) No written claims have ever been made by any Tax Authority in a jurisdiction where a Group Company does not file Tax Returns that such Group Company is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction, which claims have not been resolved or withdrawn.
(n) No Group Company is a party to any Tax allocation, Tax sharing or Tax indemnity or similar agreements (other than a Contract entered into in the ordinary course of business the principal purpose of which does not relate to Taxes) and no Group Company is a party to any joint venture, partnership or other arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income Tax purposes.
(o) Each Group Company is tax resident only in its jurisdiction of organization, incorporation or formation, as applicable.
(p) The Company is, and has been since its formation, (i) organized under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada and (ii) treated as a foreign corporation for United States federal income tax purposes.
(q) The Company has not been at any time during the five (5) year period ending on the Closing Date, a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code.
(r) No Group Company has a permanent establishment (within the meaning of an applicable Tax treaty) or otherwise has an office or fixed place of business in a country other than the country in which it is organized.
(s) To the knowledge of the Company, there are no facts, circumstances or plans that, either alone or in combination, could reasonably be expected to prevent the Transactions from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.
47
(t) No Group Company has, or has ever been deemed to have, for purposes of the Tax Act or any relevant provincial legislation, acquired or had the use of property for proceeds greater than the fair market value thereof from, or disposed of property for proceeds less than the fair market value thereof to, or received or performed services or had the use of property for other than the fair market value from or to, or paid or received interest or any other amount other than at a fair market value rate to or from, any Person with whom it does not deal at arm’s length within the meaning of the Tax Act. Each Group Company has complied in all material respects with the transfer pricing provisions of applicable Tax Laws.
(u) The Company Shares are not “taxable Canadian property” within the meaning of the Tax Act.
(v) There are no circumstances or situations existing, or that have existed, which have resulted, or which could result in the application of sections 17, 78 or 80 to 80.04 of the Tax Act or any equivalent provincial provision to a Group Company.
Section 3.17 Brokers. Except for fees (including the amounts due and payable assuming the Closing occurs) set forth on Section 3.17 of the Company Disclosure Schedules (which fees shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.6), no broker, finder, investment banker or other Person is entitled to any brokerage fee, finders’ fee or other commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Affiliates for which any of the Group Companies has any obligation.
Section 3.18 Real and Personal Property.
(a) Owned Real Property. No Group Company owns any real property other than real property acquired by a Group Company after the date of this Agreement that is either permitted pursuant to Section 5.1(b) or entered into in accordance with Section 5.1(b).
(b) Leased Real Property. Section 3.18(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct list (including street addresses) of all real property leased and sub-leased by any of the Group Companies (the “Leased Real Property”) and all Real Property Leases pursuant to which any Group Company is a tenant or landlord as of the date of this Agreement. True, complete and correct copies of all such Real Property Leases, together with all amendments, have been made available to Peridot. Each Real Property Lease is in full force and effect and is a valid, legal and binding obligation of the applicable Group Company party thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms against such Group Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each other party thereto (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights and subject to general principles of equity). There is no material breach or default by any Group Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any third party under any Real Property Lease, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred which (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) would constitute a material breach or default or would permit termination of, or a material modification or acceleration thereof by any party to such Real Property Leases.
48
(c) Personal Property. Each Group Company has good, marketable and indefeasible title to, or a valid leasehold interest in or license or right to use, all of the material assets and properties of the Group Companies reflected in the Company Financial Statements as owned by the Group Companies or thereafter acquired by the Group Companies, except for assets disposed of in the ordinary course of business.
Section 3.19 Transactions with Affiliates. Section 3.19 of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth all Contracts between (a) any Group Company, on the one hand, and (b) any officer, director, partner, member, manager, registered equityholder or Affiliate of any Group Company (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, any other Group Company) or any immediate family member of any of the foregoing Persons, on the other hand (each Person identified in this clause (b), a “Company Related Party”), other than (i) Contracts with respect to a Company Related Party’s employment with any of the Group Companies entered into in the ordinary course of business (including benefit plans, indemnification arrangements and other ordinary course compensation), (ii) the Company Shareholders Agreement, (iii) any Ancillary Document, and (iv) Contracts entered into after the date of this Agreement that are either permitted pursuant to Section 5.1(b) or entered into in accordance with Section 5.1(b). No Company Related Party (A) owns any interest in any material asset used in any Group Company’s business, (B) possesses, directly or indirectly, any material financial interest in, or is a director or executive officer of, any Person which is a supplier, lender, partner, lessor, lessee or other material business relation of any Group Company or (C) owes any material amount to, or is owed any material amount by, any Group Company (other than ordinary course accrued compensation, employee benefits, employee or director expense reimbursement or other transactions entered into after the date of this Agreement that are either permitted pursuant to Section 5.1(b) or entered into in accordance with Section 5.1(b)). All Contracts, arrangements, understandings, interests and other matters that are required to be disclosed pursuant to this Section 3.19 are referred to herein as “Company Related Party Transactions”.
Section 3.20 Customers and Suppliers. Section 3.20 of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct list of (a) the top ten customers of the Group Companies (the “Material Customers”) based on the gross sales for the fiscal year ended on October 31, 2020, attributable thereto and (b) the suppliers of the Group Companies for the fiscal year ended on October 31, 2020, from whom the Group Companies made gross purchases of at least $500,000 (the “Material Vendors”). No Material Customer has provided written, or to the Company’s knowledge, oral, notice to the Group Companies that such Material Customer intends to cease being a customer or materially reduce the amount of or change the terms with respect to goods or services such Material Customer purchases from the Group Companies and no Material Vendor has provided written, or to the Company’s knowledge, oral, notice to the Group Companies that such Material Vendor intends to cease doing business with or materially reduce or change the terms of such business with any member of the Group Companies. There are no suppliers of products or services to the Group Companies that are material to the business of the Group Companies with respect to which practical alternative sources of supply are not generally available on comparable terms and conditions in the marketplace.
49
Section 3.21 Data Privacy and Security.
(a) Each Group Company has implemented policies relating to the Processing of Personal Data as and to the extent required by applicable Privacy and Security Requirements.
(b) There is no pending, and since November 1, 2018, there has not been any Proceedings asserted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against any Group Company initiated by (i) any Person; (ii) the United States Federal Trade Commission, any state attorney general or similar state official; (iii) any other Governmental Entity, foreign or domestic; or (iv) any regulatory or self-regulatory entity alleging that any Processing of Personal Data by or on behalf of a Group Company is or was in violation of any Privacy and Security Requirements.
(c) To the Company’s knowledge, since November 1, 2018 (i) there has been no unauthorized access, use or disclosure, or other Processing, of Personal Data in the possession or control of any Group Company or any of its contractors with regard to any Personal Data obtained from or on behalf of a Group Company, (ii) there have been no unauthorized intrusions or breaches of security into, or other cyber or security incidents with respect to, any Group Company systems, and (iii) none of the Group Companies has notified or been required to notify any Person of any (A) loss, theft or damage of, or (B) other unauthorized or unlawful access to, or use, disclosure or other Processing of, Personal Data.
(d) Each Group Company owns or has a license to use the Company IT Systems as necessary to operate the business of each Group Company as currently conducted. To the Company’s knowledge, the Group Companies have taken commercially reasonable precautions to protect the confidentiality, integrity and security of the material Company IT Systems. All Company IT Systems are to the knowledge of the Company, (i) free from any “Trojan horse”, “virus”, “ransomware”, or other malicious code, material defect, bug, or programming, design or documentation error and (ii) in sufficiently good working condition to effectively perform all material information technology operations necessary for the operation of the business (except for ordinary wear and tear). To the Company’s knowledge, since November 1, 2018, there have not been any material failures or breakdowns of any Company IT Systems.
Section 3.22 Compliance with Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(a) For the past five years, neither the Group Companies nor any of their directors or officers, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their employees, agents, or other third-party representatives acting for or on behalf of any of the foregoing is or has been a Sanctioned Person or otherwise is engaging or has engaged in dealings with a Sanctioned Person.
(b) For the past five years, the Group Companies have not violated in any material respect any Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Ex-Im Laws, or Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(c) For the past five years, neither the Group Companies nor any of their directors or officers nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their employees, agents, or any third-party representatives acting for or on behalf of any of the foregoing has, in contravention of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (i) made, offered, promised, paid or received any unlawful bribes, kickbacks or other similar payments to or from any Person, (ii) made or paid any contributions, directly or indirectly, to a domestic or foreign political party or candidate which was not in compliance with domestic Law or (iii) otherwise made, offered, received, authorized, promised or paid any improper payment under any Anti-Corruption Laws.
50
(d) For the past five years, none of the Group Companies has, to the Company’s knowledge, been the subject of any allegation, voluntary disclosure, investigation, prosecution or enforcement action related to any Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Ex-Im Laws, or Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement, including but not limited to the representations made under Section 3.22 of this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall require the Company or its Affiliates, or any director, officer, employee or agent of the foregoing, to commit an act or omissions that contravenes the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (Canada), or any Order promulgated thereunder.
Section 3.23 Information Supplied. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of the Group Companies in writing expressly for inclusion or incorporation by reference prior to the Closing in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement will, when the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement is declared effective or when the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement is mailed to the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders or at the time of the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, and in the case of any amendment thereto, at the time of such amendment, contain any Misrepresentation; provided, however, that the Company makes no representation with respect to any forward looking statements supplied by or on behalf of the Group Companies for inclusion in, or relating to information to be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement.
Section 3.24 Investigation; No Other Representations.
(a) The Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Representatives, acknowledges, represents, warrants and agrees that (i) it has conducted its own independent review and analysis of, and, based thereon, has formed an independent judgment concerning, the business, assets, condition, operations and prospects of, Peridot and (ii) it has been furnished with or given access to such documents and information about Peridot and its business and operations as it and its Representatives have deemed necessary to enable it to make an informed decision with respect to the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(b) In entering into this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which it is or will be a party, the Company has relied solely on its own investigation and analysis and the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article 4 and in the Ancillary Documents to which it is or will be a party and no other representations or warranties of Peridot, any Peridot Non-Party Affiliate or any other Person, either express or implied, and the Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Representatives, acknowledges, represents, warrants and agrees that, except for the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article 4 and in the Ancillary Documents to which it is or will be a party, none of Peridot, any Peridot Non-Party Affiliate or any other Person makes or has made any representation or warranty, either express or implied, in connection with or related to this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
51
Section 3.25 EXCLUSIVITY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. NOTWITHSTANDING THE DELIVERY OR DISCLOSURE TO PERIDOT OR ANY OF ITS REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY DOCUMENTATION OR OTHER INFORMATION (INCLUDING ANY FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS OR OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL DATA), EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE 3 OR THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS, NONE OF THE COMPANY, ANY COMPANY NON-PARTY AFFILIATE OR ANY OTHER PERSON MAKES, AND THE COMPANY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS, ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, INCLUDING AS TO THE MATERIALS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS AND AFFAIRS OR HOLDINGS OF THE GROUP COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO PERIDOT OR ANY OF ITS REPRESENTATIVES OR IN ANY PRESENTATION OF THE BUSINESS AND AFFAIRS OF THE GROUP COMPANIES BY THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY OR OTHERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS, AND NO STATEMENT CONTAINED IN ANY OF SUCH MATERIALS OR MADE IN ANY SUCH PRESENTATION SHALL BE DEEMED A REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY HEREUNDER OR OTHERWISE OR DEEMED TO BE RELIED UPON BY PERIDOT OR ANY PERIDOT NON-PARTY AFFILIATE IN EXECUTING, DELIVERING AND PERFORMING THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EXCEPT FOR THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN ARTICLE 3 OR THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS, IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT ANY COST ESTIMATES, PROJECTIONS OR OTHER PREDICTIONS, ANY DATA, ANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION OR ANY MEMORANDA OR OFFERING MATERIALS OR PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING ANY OFFERING MEMORANDUM OR SIMILAR MATERIALS MADE AVAILABLE BY ANY GROUP COMPANY ARE NOT AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE OR TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY, ANY COMPANY NON-PARTY AFFILIATE OR ANY OTHER PERSON, AND ARE NOT AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE RELIED UPON BY PERIDOT OR ANY PERIDOT NON-PARTY AFFILIATE IN EXECUTING, DELIVERING OR PERFORMING THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
ARTICLE 4
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE PERIDOT PARTIES
(a) Subject to Section 9.8, except as set forth on the Peridot Disclosure Schedules, or (b) except as set forth in any Peridot SEC Reports (excluding any disclosures in any “risk factors” section that do not constitute statements of fact, disclosures in any forward-looking statements disclaimers and other disclosures that are generally cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature), Peridot hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:
52
Section 4.1 Organization and Qualification.
(a) Peridot is an exempted company, duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing (or the equivalent thereof, if applicable, in each case, with respect to the jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good standing or any equivalent thereof) under the Laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. Peridot has the requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its businesses as presently conducted, except where the failure to have such power or authority would not have a Peridot Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of Peridot to timely consummate the Transactions.
(b) True, complete and correct copies of the Governing Documents of Peridot and the Peridot Registration Rights Agreement have been made available to the Company, in each case, as amended and in effect as of the date of this Agreement. The Governing Documents of Peridot are in full force and effect, and Peridot is not in breach or violation of any provision set forth in its Governing Documents or in material breach of the Peridot Registration Rights Agreement.
(c) Peridot is duly qualified or licensed to transact business and is in good standing (or the equivalent thereof, if applicable, in each case, with respect to the jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good standing or any equivalent thereof) in each jurisdiction in which the property and assets owned, leased or operated by it, or the nature of the business conducted by it, makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good standing would not have a Peridot Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of Peridot to timely consummate the Transactions.
Section 4.2 Capitalization.
(a) Section 4.2(a) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, complete and correct statement of the number and class or series (as applicable) of the issued and outstanding Peridot Shares and the Peridot Warrants as of the date hereof. All outstanding Equity Securities of Peridot (except to the extent such concepts are not applicable under the applicable Law of Peridot’s jurisdiction of incorporation or other applicable Law) as of the date hereof and as of immediately prior to the consummation of the Peridot Amalgamation are or will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Except for the Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants set forth on Section 4.2(a) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules (taking into account, for the avoidance of doubt, any changes or adjustments to the Peridot Shares and the Peridot Warrants as a result of, or to give effect to, the Peridot Continuance and assuming that no Peridot Shareholder Redemptions are effected and no Peridot Class B Shares are forfeited by the Sponsor pursuant to Section 2.8), as of the date hereof and as of immediately prior to the Peridot Amalgamation, there are and shall be no other outstanding Equity Securities of Peridot.
(b) The outstanding Equity Securities of Peridot (1) were not issued in violation of the Governing Documents of Peridot, (2) were not issued in violation of any preemptive rights, call option, right of first refusal or first offer, subscription rights or similar rights of any Person granted by Peridot and (3) have been offered, sold and issued in compliance with applicable Law, including applicable Securities Laws. Except as set forth on Section 4.2(b) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules, there are no voting trusts, proxies or other Contracts to which Peridot is a party with respect to the voting or transfer of Peridot’s Equity Securities.
53
(c) Other than the Peridot Warrants and Peridot Shareholder Redemptions, there are no outstanding (A) equity appreciation, phantom equity or profit participation rights or (B) options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, phantom stock, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, calls, puts, rights of first refusal or first offer or other Contracts that could require Peridot to issue, sell or otherwise cause to become outstanding or to acquire, repurchase or redeem any Equity Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Securities of Peridot.
(d) Peridot does not own or hold (of record, beneficially, legally or otherwise), directly or indirectly, any Equity Securities in any other Person or the right to acquire any such Equity Security, and Peridot is not a partner or member of any partnership, limited liability company or joint venture.
(e) Peridot does not directly or indirectly own any equity or similar interest in, or any interest convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interest in, any other Person.
Section 4.3 Authority. Peridot has the requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each Ancillary Document to which it is or will be a party, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Subject to the receipt of the Peridot Shareholder Approval, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot is or will be a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been (or, in the case of any Ancillary Document entered into after the date of this Agreement, will be upon execution thereof) duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of Peridot. This Agreement and each Ancillary Document to which Peridot is or will be a party has been or will be, upon execution thereof, as applicable, duly and validly executed and delivered by Peridot and constitutes or will constitute, upon execution and delivery thereof, as applicable, a valid, legal and binding agreement of Peridot (assuming that this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot is or will be a party are or will be, upon execution thereof, as applicable, duly authorized, executed and delivered by the other Persons party hereto or thereto, as applicable), enforceable against Peridot in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights and subject to general principles of equity).
Section 4.4 Board Approval; Vote Required. The Peridot Board (including any required committee or subgroup of such board), by resolutions duly adopted by unanimous vote of those voting at a meeting duly called and held and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has (a) determined that the Transactions are in the best interests of Peridot and its shareholders and declared it advisable, to enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot and to consummate the Transactions, (b) approved the execution, delivery and performance by Peridot of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot is or will be a party and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the Peridot Continuance and the Transactions) and (c) resolved to recommend, among other things, the holders of Peridot Shares vote in favor of the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Peridot Continuance and the Transactions), and directed that this Agreement and the Transactions be submitted for consideration by the shareholders of Peridot at the Peridot Shareholders Meeting. The Peridot Shareholder Approval is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of Peridot necessary to approve the Transactions.
54
Section 4.5 Consents and Requisite Governmental Approvals; No Violations.
(a) No consent, approval or authorization of, or designation, declaration or filing with, any Governmental Entity is required on the part of Peridot with respect to Peridot’s execution, delivery or performance of its obligations under this Agreement or the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot is or will be party or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or by the Ancillary Documents, except for (i) compliance with and filings under the HSR Act or under any Foreign Antitrust Laws, (ii) the filing with the SEC of (A) the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement and the declaration of the effectiveness thereof by the SEC and (B) such reports under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (iii) such filings with and approvals of NYSE to permit the Amalco Shares to be issued in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Ancillary Documents to be listed on NYSE, (iv) such filings and approvals required in connection with the Peridot Continuance, (v) the Peridot Shareholder Approval or (vi) any other consents, approvals, authorizations, designations, declarations, waivers or filings, the absence of which would not have a Peridot Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Neither the execution, delivery or performance by Peridot of this Agreement nor the Ancillary Documents to which Peridot is or will be a party nor the consummation by Peridot of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby will, directly or indirectly (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) (i) result in any breach of any provision of Peridot’s Governing Documents, (ii) result in a violation or breach of, or constitute a default or give rise to any right of termination, Consent, cancellation, amendment, modification, suspension, revocation or acceleration under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any Contract to which Peridot is a party, (iii) violate, or constitute a breach under, any Order or applicable Law to which Peridot or any of its properties or assets are bound or (iv) result in the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of the assets or properties of Peridot, except in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv) above, as would not have a Peridot Material Adverse Effect or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of Peridot to timely consummate the Transactions.
(c) Peridot is a trade agreement investor within the meaning of the Investment Canada Act.
Section 4.6 SEC Filings. Peridot has timely filed or furnished all statements, forms, reports and documents required to be filed or furnished by it prior to the date of this Agreement with the SEC pursuant to Federal Securities Laws since its initial public offering (collectively, including all of the statements, forms, reports and documents filed or furnished by it in connection with and subsequent to its initial public offering, and together with any exhibits and schedules thereto and other information incorporated therein, and as they have been supplemented, modified or amended since the time of filing, the “Peridot SEC Reports”), and, as of the Closing, will have filed or furnished all other statements, forms, reports and other documents required to be filed or furnished by it subsequent to the date of this Agreement with the SEC pursuant to Federal
55
Securities Laws through the Closing (collectively, and together with any exhibits and schedules thereto and other information incorporated therein, and as they have been supplemented, modified or amended since the time of filing, but excluding the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, the “Additional Peridot SEC Reports”). Each of the Peridot SEC Reports, as of their respective dates of filing, and as of the date of any amendment or filing that superseded the initial filing, complied and each of the Additional Peridot SEC Reports, as of their respective dates of filing, and as of the date of any amendment or filing that superseded the initial filing, will comply, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Federal Securities Laws (including, as applicable, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) applicable to the Peridot SEC Reports or the Additional Peridot SEC Reports (for purposes of the Additional Peridot SEC Reports, assuming that the representation and warranty set forth in Section 3.23 is true and correct in all respects with respect to all information supplied by or on behalf of Group Companies expressly for inclusion or incorporation by reference therein). As of their respective dates of filing, the Peridot SEC Reports did not contain any Misrepresentation (for purposes of the Additional Peridot SEC Reports, assuming that the representation and warranty set forth in Section 3.23 is true and correct in all respects with respect to all information supplied by or on behalf of Group Companies expressly for inclusion or incorporation by reference therein). As of the date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters received from the SEC with respect to the Peridot SEC Reports. To the knowledge of Peridot, none of the Peridot SEC Reports or the Additional Peridot SEC Reports is subject to ongoing SEC review or investigation.
Section 4.7 Internal Controls; Listing; Financial Statements.
(a) Except as is not required in reliance on exemptions from various reporting requirements by virtue of Peridot’s status as an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, or “smaller reporting company” within the meaning of the Exchange Act, since its initial public offering, (i) Peridot has established and maintained a system of internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of Peridot’s financial reporting and the preparation of Peridot’s financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and (ii) Peridot has established and maintained disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that material information relating to Peridot is made known to Peridot’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within Peridot.
(b) Peridot has not taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
(c) Since its initial public offering, Peridot has complied in all material respects with all applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of NYSE. The classes of securities representing issued and outstanding Peridot Class A Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on NYSE. As of the date of this Agreement, there is no Proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of Peridot, threatened against Peridot by NYSE or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister Peridot Class A Shares or prohibit or terminate the listing of Peridot Class A Shares on NYSE. Peridot has not taken any action that is designed to terminate the registration of Peridot Class A Shares under the Exchange Act.
56
(d) The Peridot SEC Reports contain true and complete copies of the applicable Peridot Financial Statements. The Peridot Financial Statements (i) fairly present in all material respects the financial position of Peridot as at the respective dates thereof, and the results of its operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the respective periods then ended (subject, in the case of any unaudited interim financial statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments (none of which is expected to be material) and the absence of footnotes), (ii) were prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except, in the case of any audited financial statements, as may be indicated in the notes thereto and subject, in the case of any unaudited financial statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments (none of which is expected to be material) and the absence of footnotes), (iii) in the case of the audited Peridot Financial Statements, were audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements and with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Exchange Act and the Securities Act in effect as of the respective dates thereof (including Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K, as applicable).
(e) Peridot has established and maintains systems of internal accounting controls that are designed to provide, in all material respects, reasonable assurance that (i) all transactions are executed in accordance with management’s authorization and (ii) all transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of proper and accurate financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for Peridot’s assets. Peridot maintains and, for all periods covered by the Peridot Financial Statements, has maintained books and records of Peridot in the ordinary course of business that are accurate and complete and reflect the revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities of Peridot in all material respects.
(f) Since its incorporation, Peridot has not received any written complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that there is (i) to Peridot’s knowledge, “significant deficiency” in the internal controls over financial reporting of Peridot to Peridot’s knowledge, (ii) to Peridot’s knowledge, a “material weakness” in the internal controls over financial reporting of Peridot or (iii) fraud or corporate misappropriation, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees of Peridot who have a significant role in the internal controls over financial reporting of Peridot.
Section 4.8 Trust Account. As of February 12, 2021, Peridot has an amount in cash in the Trust Account equal to at least $300,132,176.13. The funds held in the Trust Account are (a) invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, having a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations and (b) held in trust pursuant to, and in accordance with, that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of September 23, 2020 (the “Trust Agreement”), between Peridot and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Trust Agreement has not been amended or modified and is valid and in full force and effect and is enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other Laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles.
57
There are no separate agreements, side letters or other agreements or understandings (whether written or unwritten, express or implied) that would cause the description of the Trust Agreement in the Peridot SEC Reports or the Additional Peridot SEC Reports to be inaccurate in any material respect or, to Peridot’s knowledge, that would entitle any Person to any portion of the funds in the Trust Account (other than (i) in respect of deferred underwriting commissions or Taxes, (ii) the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders who shall have elected to redeem their Peridot Class A Shares pursuant to the Governing Documents of Peridot or (iii) if Peridot fails to complete a business combination within the allotted time period set forth in the Governing Documents of Peridot and liquidates the Trust Account, subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Peridot (in limited amounts to permit Peridot to pay the expenses of the Trust Account’s liquidation, dissolution and winding up of Peridot) and then the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders). Prior to the Closing, none of the funds held in the Trust Account are permitted to be released, except in the circumstances described in the Governing Documents of Peridot and the Trust Agreement. Peridot has performed all material obligations required to be performed by it to date under, and is not in material default or delinquent in performance or any other respect (claimed or actual) in connection with the Trust Agreement, and, to the knowledge of Peridot, no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a material default thereunder. As of the date of this Agreement, there are no claims or proceedings pending with respect to the Trust Account. Since September 23, 2020, Peridot has not released any money from the Trust Account (other than interest income earned on the funds held in the Trust Account as permitted by the Trust Agreement). Upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the distribution of assets from the Trust Account (A) in respect of deferred underwriting commissions or Taxes or (B) to the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders who have elected to redeem their Peridot Class A Shares pursuant to the Governing Documents of Peridot, each in accordance with the terms of and as set forth in the Trust Agreement, Peridot shall have no further obligation under either the Trust Agreement or the Governing Documents of Peridot to liquidate or distribute any assets held in the Trust Account, and the Trust Agreement shall terminate in accordance with its terms. As of the date hereof, assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in any Ancillary Document and the compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder, Peridot has no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the use of funds in the Trust Account will not be satisfied or funds available in the Trust Account will not be available to Peridot on the Closing Date.
Section 4.9 Listing. The issued and outstanding Peridot Units are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the NYSE under the symbol “PDAC.U.” The issued and outstanding Peridot Class A Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the NYSE under the symbol “PDAC.” As of the date hereof, Peridot has no reason to believe that the Peridot Class A Shares will not continue to be listed on the NYSE following the Closing. The issued and outstanding Peridot Warrants are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the NYSE under the symbol “PDAC WS.” There is no Proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of Peridot, threatened in writing against Peridot by the NYSE or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the Peridot Units, the Peridot Class A Shares or the Peridot Warrants or terminate the listing of Peridot on the NYSE. None of Peridot or any of its Affiliates has taken any action in an attempt to terminate the registration of the Peridot Units, the Peridot Class A Shares or the Peridot Warrants under the Exchange Act. Peridot is not in violation of any of the rules and regulations or applicable continuing listing requirements of the NYSE.
58
Section 4.10 Contracts. Section 4.10 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules lists all material Contracts to which Peridot is a party or by which Peridot or any of its assets or properties is bound, including without limitation any Contract requiring any future capital commitment or capital expenditure (or series of capital expenditures) by Peridot, any Contract relating to Indebtedness of Peridot, any Contract requiring Peridot to guarantee the Liabilities of any Person and any Contract regarding any material indemnification obligations incurred or provided by Peridot, and full and accurate copies of all such Contracts have been provided to the Company, including any Contract providing for any Peridot Change of Control Payment of the type described in clause (a) of the definition thereof. (a) Each Contract required to be listed in Section 4.10 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules is valid and binding on Peridot and, to the knowledge of Peridot, the counterparty thereto, and is in full force and effect, (b) Peridot and, to the knowledge of Peridot, the counterparties thereto are not in material breach of, or material default under, any such Contract, (c) to Peridot’s knowledge, no event or omission has occurred that, through the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default in any material respect thereunder (including as a result of COVID-19) or cause the acceleration of Peridot’s obligations thereunder or result in the creation of any Lien, other than Permitted Liens, (d) Peridot has delivered or made available to the Company true, complete and accurate copies of such Contracts, including all material amendments, schedules, ancillary documents, annexes, exhibits or certificates related thereto, and (e) as of the date hereof, Peridot has not received written, or, to Peridot’s knowledge, oral notice of termination, cancellation or non-renewal of any such Contract.
Section 4.11 Absence of Changes. Since the IPO to the date of this Agreement, (a) no Peridot Material Adverse Effect has occurred and (b) except as otherwise reflected in the Peridot Financial Statements, actions or omissions taken as a result of COVID-19 and COVID-19 Measures or as expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, (i) Peridot has conducted its business in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice in all material respects and (ii) Peridot has not taken any action that would require the consent of the Company if taken during the period from the date of this Agreement until the Closing pursuant to Section 5.1(b).
Section 4.12 Litigation. There is (and since Peridot’s incorporation, there has been) no Proceeding pending or, to Peridot’s knowledge, threatened by or against Peridot that, if adversely decided or resolved, has been or would reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to Peridot, taken as a whole or prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of Peridot to timely consummate the Transactions. None of Peridot nor any of its properties or assets is subject to any material Order (including any Order that would prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of Peridot to timely consummate the Transactions). As of the date of this Agreement, there are no material Proceedings by Peridot pending against any other Person.
Section 4.13 Compliance with Applicable Law. Peridot (a) conducts, and since its incorporation has conducted, its business in accordance with all Laws and Orders applicable to Peridot and is not in violation of any such Law or Order, including any Law or Order related to COVID-19, and (b) has not received any written communications from a Governmental Entity that alleges that Peridot is not in compliance with any such Law or Order, except in the case of each of clauses (a) and (b), as is not and would not reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to Peridot, taken as a whole.
59
Section 4.14 Compliance with Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(a) Since its incorporation, neither Peridot nor any of its directors or officers, nor, to Peridot’s knowledge, any of its employees, agents, or other third-party representatives acting for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, is or has been a Sanctioned Person or otherwise is engaging or has engaged in dealings with a Sanctioned Person.
(b) Since its incorporation, Peridot has not violated in any material respect any Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Ex-Im Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(c) Since its incorporation, neither Peridot nor any of its directors or officers, nor, to Peridot’s knowledge, any of its employees, agents, or any third-party representatives acting for or on behalf of any of the foregoing has, in contravention of any Anti-Corruption Laws (i) made, offered, promised, paid or received any unlawful bribes, kickbacks or other similar payments to or from any Person, (ii) made or paid any contributions, directly or indirectly, to a domestic or foreign political party or candidate which was not in compliance with domestic Law or (iii) otherwise made, offered, received, authorized, promised or paid any improper payment under any Anti-Corruption Laws.
(d) Since its incorporation, Peridot has not, to Peridot’s knowledge, been the subject of any allegation, voluntary disclosure, investigation, prosecution or enforcement action related to any Sanctions Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Ex-Im Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement, including but not limited to the representations made under Section 4.14 of this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall require Peridot or its Affiliates, or any director, officer, employee or agent of the foregoing, to commit an act or omissions that contravenes the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (Canada), or any Order promulgated thereunder.
Section 4.15 Employees. Other than as set forth in Section 4.15 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules, Peridot has never employed any employees or retained any contractors. Other than reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Peridot’s officers and directors in connection with activities on Peridot’s behalf in an aggregate amount not in excess of the amount of cash held by Peridot outside of the Trust Account, Peridot has no unsatisfied liabilities with respect to any employee. Peridot does not currently maintain or have any liability under any employment or employee benefit plan, program, agreement, policy or arrangement, and neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the Ancillary Documents nor the consummation of the Transactions will (a) result in any payment (including severance, unemployment compensation, golden parachute, bonus or otherwise) becoming due to any director, officer or employee of Peridot, or (b) result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any such benefits. The Transactions shall not be the direct or indirect cause of any amount paid or payable by Peridot being classified as an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code.
60
Section 4.16 Not an Investment Company. Peridot is not an “investment company” or a Person directly or indirectly “controlled” by or acting on behalf of an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Section 4.17 Business Activities; Assets. Since its incorporation, Peridot has not conducted any business activities other than activities (a) in connection with or incident or related to its incorporation or continuing corporate (or similar) existence, (b) directed toward the accomplishment of a business combination, including those incident or related to or incurred in connection with the negotiation, preparation or execution of this Agreement or any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its covenants or agreements in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or (c) those that are administrative, ministerial or otherwise immaterial in nature. Except as set forth in Peridot’s Governing Documents, there is no Contract binding upon Peridot or to which Peridot is a party which has or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing any business practice of it or its Subsidiaries, any acquisition of property by it or its Subsidiaries or the conduct of business by it or its Subsidiaries (including, in each case, following the Closing). Peridot does not own any real property. Peridot does not own any material property or assets, other than its interest in the Trust Account. All property and assets owned by Peridot is owned free and clear of any Lien.
Section 4.18 No Undisclosed Liabilities. Except for Liabilities (a) set forth in Section 4.18 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules, (b) incurred in connection with the negotiation, preparation or execution of this Agreement or any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its covenants or agreements in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Peridot Expenses and any Liabilities arising out of, or related to, any Proceeding related to this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including any shareholder demand or other shareholder Proceedings (including derivative claims) arising out of, or related to, any of the foregoing), (c) set forth or disclosed in the Peridot Financial Statements included in the Peridot SEC Reports, (d) that have arisen since the date of the most recent balance sheet included in the Peridot SEC Reports in the ordinary course of business (and not as a result of a breach of any Contract by Peridot), (e) that are incurred with the consent of the Company or (f) that are not, and would not reasonably be expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to Peridot, Peridot does not have any Liabilities that would be required to be included in a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP or disclosed in the notes thereto. Immediately prior to the Closing, Peridot shall have no Indebtedness outstanding other than Indebtedness incurred as permitted under Section 5.1(b).
Section 4.19 Tax Matters.
(a) Peridot has prepared and filed all material Tax Returns required to have been filed by it, all such Tax Returns are true, complete and correct in all material respects and prepared in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws and Orders, and Peridot has paid all material Taxes required to have been paid or deposited by it regardless of whether shown on a Tax Return.
61
(b) Peridot has timely withheld, collected and paid to the appropriate Tax Authority all material amounts required to have been withheld, collected and paid.
(c) Peridot is not currently the subject of a Tax Contest. Peridot has not been informed in writing of the commencement or anticipated commencement of any Tax audit or examination that has not been resolved or completed.
(d) Peridot has not consented to extend or waive the time in which any material Tax may be assessed or collected by any Tax Authority, other than any such extensions or waivers that are no longer in effect or that were extensions of time to file Tax Returns obtained in the ordinary course of business.
(e) No “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of U.S., Canadian or other non-U.S. state, local or provincial income Tax Law), private letter rulings, technical advice memoranda or similar agreements or rulings have been entered into or issued by any Tax Authority with respect to Peridot which agreement or ruling would be effective after the Closing Date.
(f) Peridot will not be required to include any item in taxable income, or exclude any item of deduction, for any period ending after the Closing Date by reason of (i) a change in method of accounting for any period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, (ii) a use of an improper method of accounting for any period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, (iii) an installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date, (iv) an election made pursuant to Section 965(h) of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law), (v) any prepaid amount received or deferred revenue accrued on or prior to the Closing Date or (vi) any intercompany item under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13 (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law) or excess loss account under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-19 (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law).
(g) Peridot is not and has not been a party to any “listed transaction” as defined in Section 6707A of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4 (or any corresponding or similar provision of U.S. state or local or non-U.S. income Tax Law).
(h) There are no Liens for Taxes on any assets of Peridot other than Permitted Liens.
(i) Peridot was not a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation,” each within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code, in a distribution intended to qualify under Section 355 of the Code (i) within the past two (2) years or (ii) as part of a “plan” or “series of related transactions” (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) in conjunction with the Transactions.
(j) Peridot is tax resident only in its jurisdiction of organization, incorporation or formation, as applicable.
(k) Peridot is, and has been since its formation, (i) organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands and (ii) treated as a foreign corporation for United States federal income tax purposes.
62
(l) Peridot has not been at any time during the five (5) year period ending on the Closing Date, a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code.
(m) No written claims have ever been made by any Tax Authority in a jurisdiction where Peridot does not file Tax Returns that Peridot is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction, which claims have not been resolved or withdrawn.
(n) Peridot does not have a permanent establishment (within the meaning of an applicable Tax treaty) nor otherwise have an office or fixed place of business in a country other than the country in which it is organized.
(o) Peridot (i) has not been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated, combined or unitary United States federal, state, local or foreign income Tax Return (other than a group the common parent of which was Peridot or any of its current Affiliates) and (ii) does not have any Liability for the Taxes of any Person under Section 160 of the Tax Act or Section 1.1502-6 of the Treasury Regulations (or any similar provision of U.S. state or local or non-U.S. Law), or as a transferee or successor.
(p) Peridot has not, and has never been deemed to have, for purposes of the Tax Act or any relevant provincial legislation, acquired or had the use of property for proceeds greater than the fair market value thereof from, or disposed of property for proceeds less than the fair market value thereof to, or received or performed services or had the use of property for other than the fair market value from or to, or paid or received interest or any other amount other than at a fair market value rate to or from, any Person with whom it does not deal at arm’s length within the meaning of the Tax Act. Peridot has complied in all material respects with the transfer pricing provisions of applicable Tax Laws.
(q) Peridot is not a party to any Tax allocation, Tax sharing or Tax indemnity or similar agreements (other than a Contract entered into in the ordinary course of business the principal purpose of which does not relate to Taxes) and Peridot is not a party to any joint venture, partnership or other arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income Tax purposes.
(r) There are no circumstances or situations existing, or that have existed, which have resulted, or which could result in the application of sections 17, 78 or 80 to 80.04 of the Tax Act or any equivalent provincial provision to Peridot.
(s) On the Closing Date, Peridot will be a “taxable Canadian corporation” for purposes of the Tax Act.
(t) To the knowledge of Peridot, there are no facts, circumstances or plans that, either alone or in combination, could reasonably be expected to prevent the Transactions from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.
63
Section 4.20 Brokers. Except for fees (including the amounts due and payable assuming the Closing occurs) set forth on Section 4.20 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules (which fees shall be the sole responsibility of Peridot), no broker, finder, investment banker or other Person is entitled to any brokerage fee, finders’ fee or other commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Peridot or any of its Affiliates for which Peridot has any obligation.
Section 4.21 Transactions with Affiliates. Section 4.21 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules sets forth all Contracts between (a) Peridot, on the one hand, and (b) any officer, director, partner, member, manager, registered equityholder (including the Sponsor) or Affiliate of either Peridot or the Sponsor, on the other hand (each Person identified in this clause (b), a “Peridot Related Party”), other than (i) Contracts with respect to a Peridot Related Party’s employment with, or the provision of services to, Peridot entered into in the ordinary course of business (including benefit plans, indemnification arrangements and other ordinary course compensation), (ii) Contracts with respect to a Pre-Closing Peridot Holder’s or a holder of Peridot Warrants’ status as a holder of Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants, as applicable, (iii) any Ancillary Document, and (iv) Contracts entered into after the date of this Agreement that are either permitted pursuant to Section 5.1(b) or entered into in accordance with Section 5.1(b). No Peridot Related Party (A) owns any interest in any material asset used in Peridot’s business, (B) possesses, directly or indirectly, any material financial interest in, or is a director or executive officer of, any Person which is a material client, supplier, lender, partner, lessor or lessee or other material business relation of Peridot or (C) owes any material amount to, or is owed any material amount by, Peridot. All Contracts, arrangements, understandings, interests and other matters that are required to be disclosed pursuant to this Section 4.21 are referred to herein as “Peridot Related Party Transactions”.
Section 4.22 Information Supplied. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of Peridot in writing expressly for inclusion or incorporation by reference prior to the Closing in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement will, when the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement is declared effective or when the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement is mailed to the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders or at the time of the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, and in the case of any amendment thereto, at the time of such amendment, contain any Misrepresentation; provided, however, that Peridot makes no representation with respect to any forward looking statements supplied by Peridot for inclusion in, or relating to information to be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement.
Section 4.23 Investigation; No Other Representations.
(a) Peridot, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Representatives, acknowledges, represents, warrants and agrees that (i) it has conducted its own independent review and analysis of, and, based thereon, has formed an independent judgment concerning, the business, assets, condition, operations and prospects, of the Group Companies and (ii) it has been furnished with or given access to such documents and information about the Group Companies and their respective businesses and operations as it and its Representatives have deemed necessary to enable it to make an informed decision with respect to the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
64
(b) In entering into this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which it is or will be a party, Peridot has relied solely on its own investigation and analysis and the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article 3 and in the Ancillary Documents to which it is or will be a party and no other representations or warranties of the Company, any Company Non-Party Affiliate or any other Person, either express or implied, and Peridot, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Representatives, acknowledges, represents, warrants and agrees that, except for the representations and warranties expressly set forth in Article 3 and in the Ancillary Documents to which it is or will be a party, none of the Company, any Company Non-Party Affiliate or any other Person makes or has made any representation or warranty, either express or implied, in connection with or related to this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
Section 4.24 EXCLUSIVITY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. NOTWITHSTANDING THE DELIVERY OR DISCLOSURE TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY DOCUMENTATION OR OTHER INFORMATION (INCLUDING ANY FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS OR OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL DATA), EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE 4 AND THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS, NONE OF PERIDOT, ANY PERIDOT NON-PARTY AFFILIATE OR ANY OTHER PERSON MAKES, AND PERIDOT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS, ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, INCLUDING AS TO THE MATERIALS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS AND AFFAIRS OR HOLDINGS OF PERIDOT THAT HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS REPRESENTATIVES OR IN ANY PRESENTATION OF THE BUSINESS AND AFFAIRS OF PERIDOT BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE MANAGEMENT OF PERIDOT OR OTHERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS, AND NO STATEMENT CONTAINED IN ANY OF SUCH MATERIALS OR MADE IN ANY SUCH PRESENTATION SHALL BE DEEMED A REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY HEREUNDER OR OTHERWISE OR DEEMED TO BE RELIED UPON BY THE COMPANY OR ANY COMPANY NON-PARTY AFFILIATE IN EXECUTING, DELIVERING AND PERFORMING THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EXCEPT FOR THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE 4 OR THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS, IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT ANY COST ESTIMATES, PROJECTIONS OR OTHER PREDICTIONS, ANY DATA, ANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION OR ANY MEMORANDA OR OFFERING MATERIALS OR PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY OFFERING MEMORANDUM OR SIMILAR MATERIALS MADE AVAILABLE BY OR ON BEHALF OF PERIDOT ARE NOT AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE OR TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF PERIDOT, ANY PERIDOT NON-PARTY AFFILIATE OR ANY OTHER PERSON, AND ARE NOT AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE RELIED UPON BY THE COMPANY OR ANY COMPANY NON-PARTY AFFILIATE IN EXECUTING, DELIVERING OR PERFORMING THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
65
ARTICLE 5
COVENANTS
Section 5.1 Conduct of Business of the Company and Peridot.
(a) From and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing and the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, each of the Company and Peridot shall, and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries (including, in the case of the Company, Newco) to, except (w) as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document, (x) as required by applicable Law or any Governmental Entity (including in respect of any applicable COVID Measures), (y) in the case of the Company only, as set forth on Section 5.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules, or (z) as consented to in writing by, in the case of the Group Companies, Peridot and in the case of Peridot, the Company (it being agreed that any request for a consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), (i) operate their respective business (including, in the case of the Company, that of the Group Companies) in the ordinary course and consistent with past practice and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain and preserve intact their respective business organization, assets, properties and material business relations (including, in the case of the Company, those of the Group Companies), taken as a whole.
(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, from and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, each of the Company and Peridot shall, and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries (including, in the case of the Company, Newco) to, except (v) as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document, (w) as required by applicable Law or any Governmental Entity (including in respect of any applicable COVID Measures), (x) in the case of the Company, as set forth on Section 5.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedules or (y) as consented to in writing by, in the case of the Group Companies, Peridot and in the case of Peridot, the Company (it being agreed that any request for a consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) not to do any of the following:
(i) declare, set aside, make or pay a dividend on, or make any other distribution or payment in respect of, any Equity Securities of any Group Company or repurchase any outstanding Equity Securities of any Subsidiary, other than, in the case of the Company only, (A) dividends or distributions, declared, set aside or paid by any of the Company’s Subsidiaries to the Company or any Subsidiary that is, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by the Company, and (B) the withholding of shares of the applicable class of capital stock of the Company in connection with the payment of taxes or the exercise price upon the exercise or conversion of any Company Equity Awards outstanding on the date of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Equity Plan and the underlying grant, award or similar agreement;
(ii) (A) merge, consolidate, combine or amalgamate with any Person or (B) purchase or otherwise acquire (whether by merging or consolidating with, purchasing any Equity Security in or a substantial portion of the assets of, or by any other manner) any corporation, partnership, association or other business entity or organization or division thereof;
66
(iii) adopt any amendments, supplements, restatements or modifications to any (A) Governing Documents, (B) in the case of the Company, the Company Shareholders Agreement, the Company Registration Rights Agreement or, other than amendments of solely an administrative nature which will not impact the terms of any Rollover Equity Award, any Company Equity Plan, or (C) in the case of Peridot, the Trust Agreement or the Warrant Agreement;
(iv) (A) sell, assign, abandon, let lapse, lease, license or otherwise dispose of any material assets or properties, other than (x) inventory or obsolete equipment in the ordinary course of business, (y) non-exclusive licenses to Intellectual Property Rights granted in the ordinary course of business, or (z) any non-material Intellectual Property Rights abandoned or allowed to lapse in the ordinary course of business to the extent commercially reasonable in the Company’s business judgment, (B) create, subject to or incur any Lien on any material assets or properties (other than Permitted Liens) or (C) disclose any material Trade Secrets of the Group Companies (other than pursuant to a written confidentiality agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business with reasonable protections of such Trade Secrets) or any source code;
(v) (A) issue, sell or grant (1) any Equity Securities of itself or any Subsidiary or (2) any options, warrants, rights of conversion or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments obligating itself or any Subsidiary to issue, deliver or sell any Equity Securities of itself or any Subsidiary, other than, in the case of the Company only, the issuance of shares of the applicable class of capital stock of the Company upon the exercise, vesting or conversion of any Company Equity Awards outstanding on the date of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Equity Plan and the underlying grant, award or similar agreement (provided, however, that, prior to the Company Required Approval having been obtained, the Company shall be prohibited from accelerating to an earlier date the vesting of any Company Equity Awards under the terms of the applicable Company Equity Plan), (B) in the case of the Company only, consent to the transfer of any Company Shares, or (C) transfer or otherwise directly or indirectly dispose of, agree or consent to the transfer of, or subject to a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien), (1) any Equity Securities of any Subsidiary or (2) any options, warrants, rights of conversion or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments obligating itself or any Subsidiary to issue, deliver or sell any Equity Securities of any of its Subsidiaries;
(vi) incur, create or assume any Indebtedness, other than, in the case of the Company only, ordinary course trade payables;
(vii) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or guarantees for the benefit of, or any investments in, any Person, other than, (A) in the case of the Company only, intercompany loans or capital contributions between the Company and any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries and (B) the reimbursement of expenses of employees in the ordinary course of business;
67
(viii) in the case of the Group Companies only, except as required under the terms of any Employee Benefit Plan of any Group Company that is set forth on Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules, (A) establish, amend, modify, adopt, enter into or terminate any Employee Benefit Plan or any other benefit or compensation plan, policy, program, agreement, arrangement or Contract that would be an Employee Benefit Plan if in effect as of the date of this Agreement, other than amendments of health or welfare benefit plans in connection with the annual renewal and reenrollment of such plans in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice that would not increase the aggregate cost to the Group Companies of maintaining all Employee Benefit Plans that are health or welfare plans by more than 5% in the aggregate for all such amendments, (B) make, promise or grant any salary, bonus, benefit, incentive or any other compensation increase or decrease payable to any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider receiving annual compensation equal to or greater than $200,000, other than salary increases to such individuals that, in the aggregate, represent an increase of less than $200,000 on an annual basis, or (C) take any action to accelerate any payment, right to payment, or benefit, or the funding of any payment, right to payment or benefit, payable or to become payable to any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider;
(ix) waive or release any noncompetition, non-solicitation, no-hire, nondisclosure, noninterference, non-disparagement or other restrictive covenant obligation of any current or former director, manager, officer, employee, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider;
(x) in the case of the Company only, modify, extend, or enter into any CBA, or recognize or certify any labor union, labor organization, works council, or group of employees of any Group Company as the bargaining representative for any employees of any Group Company.
(xi) in the case of the Company only, implement any employee layoffs, plant closings, reductions in force, furloughs, temporary layoffs, salary or wage reductions, work schedule changes or other such actions that could implicate WARN;
(xii) in the case of the Company only, in any calendar year (A) increase the total number of employees of the Group Companies by more than 10% on a net basis, taking into account all employees hired during such calendar year and all employees who separate from employment for any reason during such calendar year; or (B) terminate (other than for cause), the employment of a number of employees of the Group Companies that exceeds 10% of the total number of employees of the Group Companies as of the first day of such calendar year;
(xiii) in the case of Peridot and Newco only, hire any employees or retain any contractors or establish, amend, modify, adopt, enter into or terminate any employee benefit plan, program, agreement, policy or arrangement;
(xiv) make, change or revoke any material election concerning Taxes, amend any Tax Return that is reasonably likely to result in a material increase to a Tax liability, enter into any material Tax closing agreement, settle or compromise any material Tax Contest, or consent to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to or relating to any material Tax Contest, other than any such extension or waiver that is an extension of time to file a Tax Return obtained in the ordinary course of business;
68
(xv) enter into any settlement, conciliation or similar Contract other than, in the case of the Company only, any settlement, conciliation or similar Contract the performance of which would involve the payment by the Group Companies of less than $500,000 in the aggregate, or that imposes, or by its terms will impose at any point in the future, any material, non-monetary obligations on any Group Company (or Peridot or any of its Affiliates after the Closing), in the case of the Company, or on Peridot, in the case of Peridot;
(xvi) waive, release or assign, compromise or settle any Proceeding, other than, in the case of the Company only, the settlement of any proceeding involving only the payment of money (not covered by insurance) by any Group Company of any amount not exceeding $500,000 in the aggregate;
(xvii) authorize or incur any capital expenditures or commitments other than, in the case of the Company only, capital expenditures or commitments not exceeding $1,000,000 individually;
(xviii) authorize, recommend, propose or announce an intention to adopt, or otherwise effect, a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization, reorganization or similar transaction;
(xix) change any method of accounting in any material respect, other than changes that are made in accordance with GAAP or IFRS, as the case may be;
(xx) enter into any Contract with any broker, finder, investment banker or other Person under which such Person is or will be entitled to any brokerage fee, finders’ fee or other commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(xxi) make or promise any Company Change of Control Payment or Peridot Change of Control Payment, other than, in the case of the Company only, those set forth on Section 1.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedules;
(xxii) (A) in the case of the Company only, (1) amend, modify or terminate any Material Contract (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any expiration or automatic extension or renewal of any such Material Contract pursuant to its terms), (2) waive any material benefit or right under any Material Contract or (3) other than in the ordinary course of business, enter into any Contract that would constitute a Material Contract, and (B) in the case of Peridot only, (1) amend, modify or terminate any material Contract (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any expiration or automatic extension or renewal of any such material Contract pursuant to its terms), (2) waive any material benefit or right under any material Contract or (3) other than in the ordinary course of business, enter into any Contract;
(xxiii) in the case of the Company only, fail to maintain in full force and effect in all material respects, or fail to replace or renew, the material insurance policies of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the extent commercially reasonable in the Company’s business judgment in light of prevailing conditions in the insurance market; or
(xxiv) agree to take any of the actions set forth in this Section 5.1(b).
69
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.1 or this Agreement to the contrary, (a) nothing set forth in this Agreement shall give any Party, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the operations of any other Party or its respective Affiliates prior to the Closing, (b) any action taken, or omitted to be taken, by either Party or its respective Subsidiaries to the extent such act or omission is necessary, based on the advice of outside legal counsel, to comply with any Law, Order, directive, pronouncement or guideline issued by a Governmental Entity providing for business closures, “sheltering-in-place” or other restrictions that relates to, or arises out of, COVID-19 (including any COVID-19 Measure) shall in no event be deemed to constitute a breach of Section 5.1 and (c) any action taken, or omitted to be taken, by any either Party or its respective Subsidiaries to the extent that the board of directors of such Party reasonably determines that such act or omission is necessary in response to COVID-19 to maintain and preserve in all material respects the business organization, assets, properties and material business relations of such Party and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall not be deemed to constitute a breach of Section 5.1; provided, however, (i) in the case of a material action or omission taken in reliance on either clause (b) or (c), the Party taking or refraining from taking such action shall give the other Parties prompt written notice of any such act or omission, which notice shall describe in reasonable detail the act or omission and the reason(s) that such act or omission is being taken, or omitted to be taken, pursuant to clause (b) or (c) and in no event shall clause (b) or (c) be applicable to any act or omission of the type described in Section 5.1(b)(i), Section 5.1(b)(ii), Section 5.1(b)(iii), Section 5.1(b)(iv), Section 5.1(b)(v), Section 5.1(b)(vi), Section 5.1(b)(viii), Section 5.1(b)(xi), Section 5.1(b)(xiv), Section 5.1(b)(xviii), Section 5.1(b)(xx), Section 5.1(b)(xxi), Section 5.1(b)(xxii) or Section 5.1(b)(xxiv) (to the extent related to any of the foregoing).
Section 5.2 Efforts to Consummate.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions herein provided, each of the Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary or advisable to consummate and make effective as promptly as reasonably practicable the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including (i) the satisfaction, but not waiver, of the closing conditions set forth in Article 6 and, in the case of any Ancillary Document to which such Party will be a party after the date of this Agreement, to execute and deliver such Ancillary Document when required pursuant to this Agreement, (ii) using reasonable best efforts to obtain the PIPE Financing on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Subscription Agreements and (iii) the Company taking, or causing to be taken, all actions necessary or advisable to cause the agreements set forth on Section 5.2(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules to be terminated effective as of the Closing without any further obligations or liabilities to the Company or any of its Affiliates (including the other Group Companies and, from and after the Closing Date, Peridot)). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each of the Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to obtain, file with or deliver to, as applicable, any Consents of any Governmental Entities or other Persons necessary, proper or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Documents. The Company shall bear the costs incurred in connection with obtaining such Consents; provided, however, that (x) each Party shall bear its out-of-pocket costs and expenses in connection with the preparation of any such Consents and (y) each Party shall bear 50% of the HSR Act filing fee and any filing or similar fees with respect to any Foreign Antitrust Laws. Each Party shall (i) make any appropriate filings pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days) following the date of
70
this Agreement, (ii) make any appropriate filings or take, or cause to be taken, any required actions pursuant to any Foreign Antitrust Laws with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement promptly following the date of this Agreement and (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any requests by any Governmental Entity for additional information and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act or under any Foreign Antitrust Laws. Peridot shall promptly inform the Company of any substantive communication between Peridot, on the one hand, and any Governmental Entity, on the other hand, and the Company shall promptly inform Peridot of any substantive communication between the Company, on the one hand, and any Governmental Entity, on the other hand, in either case, regarding any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document. Without limiting the foregoing, (x) the Parties agree to request early termination of the applicable waiting period under the HSR Act, and (y) each Party and their respective Affiliates shall not extend any waiting period, review period or comparable period under the HSR Act or under any applicable Foreign Antitrust Laws or enter into any agreement with any Governmental Entity not to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Ancillary Documents, except with the prior written consent of Peridot and the Company. Nothing in this Section 5.2 obligates any Party or any of its Affiliates to agree to (i) sell, license or otherwise dispose of, or hold separate and agree to sell, license or otherwise dispose of, any entities, assets or facilities of any Group Company or any entity, facility or asset of such Party or any of its Affiliates, (ii) terminate, amend or assign existing relationships and contractual rights or obligations, (iii) amend, assign or terminate existing licenses or other agreements, or (iv) enter into new licenses or other agreements. No Party shall agree to any of the foregoing measures with respect to any other Party or any of its Affiliates, except with Peridot’s and the Company’s prior written consent.
(b) From and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing or termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, Peridot, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, shall give counsel for the Company (in the case of Peridot) or Peridot (in the case of the Company), a reasonable opportunity to review in advance, and consider in good faith the views of the other in connection with, any proposed written substantive communication to any Governmental Entity relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Documents. Any materials exchanged in connection with this Section 5.2 may be redacted or withheld as necessary to address reasonable privilege or confidentiality concerns of legal counsel (including in-house counsel) of any Party, and to remove competitively sensitive material; provided, that such Party may, as it deems advisable and necessary, designate any materials provided to under this Section 5.2 as “outside counsel only.” Each of the Parties agrees not to participate in any substantive meeting or discussion, either in person or by telephone with any Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement unless it consults with, in the case of Peridot, the Company, or, in the case of the Company, Peridot in advance and, to the extent reasonably practicable and not prohibited by such Governmental Entity, gives, in the case of Peridot, the Company, or, in the case of the Company, Peridot, the opportunity to attend and participate in such meeting or discussion.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement, in the event that this Section 5.2 conflicts with any other covenant or agreement in this Article 5 that is intended to specifically address any subject matter, then such other covenant or agreement shall govern and control solely to the extent of such conflict.
71
(d) From and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing or termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, Peridot, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, shall each notify the other in writing promptly after learning of any shareholder demands or other shareholder Proceedings (including derivative claims) relating to this Agreement, any Ancillary Document or any matters relating thereto (collectively, the “Transaction Litigation”) commenced against, in the case of Peridot, Peridot or any of its Representatives (in their capacity as a representative of Peridot) or, in the case of the Company, any Group Company or any of their respective Representatives (in their capacity as a representative of a Group Company). Peridot and the Company shall each (i) keep the other reasonably informed regarding any Transaction Litigation, (ii) give the other the opportunity to, at its own cost and expense, participate in the defense, settlement and compromise of any such Transaction Litigation and reasonably cooperate with the other in connection with the defense, settlement and compromise of any such Transaction Litigation, (iii) consider in good faith the other’s advice with respect to any such Transaction Litigation, (iv) reasonably cooperate with each other and (v) refrain from settling or compromising any Transaction Litigation without the prior written consent of, in the case of the Group Companies, Peridot and in the case of Peridot, the Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
Section 5.3 Confidentiality and Access to Information.
(a) The Parties acknowledge and agree that as of the date hereof, and continuing through the Closing Date and terminating thereafter, the Parties and each of their respective Affiliates and Representative remain bound to the Confidentiality Agreement, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that this Section 5.3(a) or either Confidentiality Agreement conflicts with any other covenant or agreement contained herein or any Ancillary Document that contemplates the disclosure, use or provision of information or otherwise, then such other covenant or agreement contained herein shall govern and control to the extent of such conflict.
(b) From and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing Date and the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, upon reasonable advance written notice, each Party shall provide, or cause to be provided, to each other Party and its Representatives during normal business hours reasonable access to its and its Subsidiaries properties, directors, officers, books and records (in a manner so as to not interfere with normal business operations). Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither Party nor its Subsidiaries shall be required to provide to each other Party or any of its Representatives any information (i) if and to the extent doing so would (A) violate any Law to which such Party is subject, (B) result in the disclosure of any trade secrets of third parties in breach of any Contract with such third party, (C) violate any legally-binding obligation of any Party with respect to confidentiality, non-disclosure or privacy or (D) jeopardize protections afforded to either Party or its Subsidiaries under the attorney-client privilege or the attorney work product doctrine (provided that, in case of each of clauses (A) through (D), the so affected Party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use commercially reasonable efforts to (x) provide such access as can be provided (or otherwise convey such information regarding the applicable matter as can be conveyed) without violating such privilege, doctrine, Contract, obligation or Law and (y) provide such information in a manner without violating such privilege, doctrine, Contract, obligation or Law), or (ii) if any Group Company, on the one hand, and Peridot, any Peridot Non-Party Affiliate or any of their respective
72
Representatives, on the other hand, are adverse parties in a litigation and such information is reasonably pertinent thereto; provided that each Party shall, in the case of clause (i) or (ii), provide prompt written notice of the withholding of access or information on any such basis. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 5.3 shall not permit any Party to conduct invasive sampling or other invasive or intrusive environmental testing of any real property of another Party without the prior written consent of, in the case of the Group Companies, Peridot and in the case of Peridot, the Company (which may be withheld, conditioned or delayed by such Party in its sole discretion); provided, that, subject to any restrictions arising out of, or in connection with COVID-19 Measures, this Section 5.3(b) shall not restrict a Party’s right to conduct a non-invasive environmental review consistent with the basic assessment requirements set forth under the current American Society for Testing and Material Standard Practice for Phase I environmental site assessments (Designation E1257-13).
Section 5.4 Public Announcements.
(a) Subject to Section 5.4(b), Section 2.4, Section 5.7 and Section 5.8, none of the Parties or any of their respective Representatives shall issue any press releases or make any public announcements with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby prior to the Closing without the prior written consent of, in the case of the Group Companies, Peridot and in the case of Peridot, the Company; provided, however, that each Party may make any such announcement or other communication (i) if such announcement or other communication is required by applicable Law, in which case the disclosing Party and its Representatives shall use reasonable best efforts to consult with the Company, if the disclosing party is Peridot, or Peridot, if the disclosing party is the Company, to review such announcement or communication and the opportunity to comment thereon and the disclosing Party shall consider such comments in good faith, (ii) to the extent such announcements or other communications contain only information previously disclosed in a public statement, press release or other communication previously approved in accordance with this Section 5.4 and (iii) subject to and in accordance with Section 5.2(b), to Governmental Entities in connection with any Consents required to be made under this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.4 or otherwise in this Agreement, the Parties agree that, following the Closing, Carnelian, the Carnelian Funds and their respective Representatives and Affiliates may provide general information about the subject matter of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby to any direct or indirect current investor or potential investors who enter into a separate confidentiality agreement with the Company or in connection with informational or reporting activities.
(b) The initial press release concerning this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be a joint press release in the form agreed by the Company and Peridot prior to the execution of this Agreement and such initial press release (the “Signing Press Release”) shall be released as promptly as reasonably practicable after the execution of this Agreement on the day thereof. Promptly after the execution of this Agreement, Peridot shall file a current report on Form 8-K (the “Signing Filing”) with the Signing Press Release and a description of this Agreement as required by, and in compliance with, the Securities Laws, which the Company shall have the opportunity to review and comment upon prior to filing and Peridot shall consider such comments in good faith. The Company, on the one hand, and Peridot, on the other hand, shall mutually agree upon (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld,
73
conditioned or delayed by either the Company or Peridot, as applicable) a press release announcing the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing Press Release”) prior to the Closing, and, on the Closing Date, the Parties shall cause the Closing Press Release to be released. Promptly after the Closing (but in any event within four (4) Business Days after the Closing), Peridot shall file a current report on Form 8-K (the “Closing Filing”) with the Closing Press Release and a description of the Closing as required by Securities Laws. In connection with the preparation of each of the Signing Press Release, the Signing Filing, the Closing Press Release and the Closing Filing, each Party shall, upon written request by any other Party, furnish such other Party with all information concerning itself, its directors, officers and equityholders, and such other matters as may be reasonably necessary for such press release or filing.
Section 5.5 Tax Matters.
(a) Tax Treatment.
(i) For U.S. federal income tax purpose, the Parties intend that (A) the Peridot Continuance shall constitute a transaction treated as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, (B) the Class B Conversion shall constitute a transaction treated as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(E) of the Code, (C) the Peridot Amalgamation shall constitute a transaction treated as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, and (D) the Share Exchange shall constitute a transaction treated as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code (collectively, the “Intended Tax Treatment”), and each Party shall, and shall cause its respective Affiliates to, use reasonable best efforts to so qualify. The Parties shall file all U.S. Tax Returns consistent with, and take no position inconsistent with (whether in U.S. audits, U.S. Tax Returns or otherwise with respect to U.S. federal income tax matters), the treatment described in this Section 5.5(a)(i) unless required to do so pursuant to a “determination” that is final within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Code.
(ii) Peridot and the Company hereby adopt this Agreement as a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.368-2(g) and 1.368-3(a). From the date hereof through the Closing, and following the Closing, the Parties shall not, and shall not permit or cause their respective Affiliates to, take any action, or knowingly fail to take any action, which action or failure to act prevents or impedes, or would reasonably be expected to prevent or impede, the Transactions from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.
(b) If, in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, the SEC requests or requires that tax opinions be prepared and submitted with respect to the Tax treatment of (i) the Peridot Continuance or the Peridot Amalgamation for the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders or Peridot, then Peridot will procure Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP or other counsel to Peridot (“Peridot Tax Counsel”) to deliver such tax opinions or (ii) the Share Exchange for the Company Shareholders or the Company, then Peridot will procure Freshfields Bruckhaus Xxxxxxxx US LLP or other counsel to the Company (“Company Tax Counsel”) to deliver such tax opinions and, in either case, Peridot and the Company shall deliver to Peridot Tax Counsel or Company Tax Counsel, as applicable, customary Tax representation letters reasonably satisfactory to Peridot Tax Counsel or Company Tax Counsel, as applicable, at such time or times as may be reasonably requested by Peridot Tax Counsel or Company Tax Counsel, as applicable, in connection with the delivery of any such tax opinions with respect to the Tax treatment of the Transactions.
74
(c) For Canadian income tax purposes, the Parties intend that (i) the Share Exchange be subject to section 85.1 of the Tax Act, and (ii) subsection 7(1.4) of the Tax Act apply to the exchange of certain employee options as described in the Plan of Arrangement.
Section 5.6 Exclusive Dealing.
(a) From the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Company shall not, and shall cause the other Group Companies, its controlled Affiliates and its and their respective Representatives not to, directly or indirectly: (i) solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage (including by means of furnishing or disclosing information), knowingly facilitate, directly or indirectly, any inquiry, proposal or offer (written or oral) with respect to a Company Acquisition Proposal; (ii) furnish or disclose any non-public information to any Person in connection with, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to, a Company Acquisition Proposal; (iii) discuss or negotiate with any Person a Company Acquisition Proposal (other than to inform such Person of the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.6), (iv) enter into any Contract or other arrangement or understanding regarding a Company Acquisition Proposal; (v) take meaningful steps in preparation for, or conduct, a public offering of any Equity Securities of any Group Company (or any Affiliate or successor of any Group Company); or (vi) otherwise cooperate in any way with, or knowingly assist or participate in, or knowingly facilitate or encourage any effort or attempt by any Person to do or seek to do any of the foregoing. The Company agrees to (A) notify Peridot promptly upon receipt of any Company Acquisition Proposal by any Group Company, and to describe the material terms and conditions of any such Company Acquisition Proposal in reasonable detail (including the identity of the Persons making such Company Acquisition Proposal) and (B) keep Peridot reasonably informed on a current basis of any modifications to such offer or information. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.6(a), this Agreement shall not prevent the Company or its board of directors from, prior to obtaining the Company Required Approval in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolution, disclosing to Company Shareholders the receipt, existence or terms of a bona fide Company Acquisition Proposal received after the date hereof that did not result from a material breach of this Section 5.6(a).
(b) From the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, Peridot shall not, and shall cause its Representatives and Affiliates not to, directly or indirectly: (i) solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage (including by means of furnishing or disclosing information), knowingly facilitate, directly or indirectly, any inquiry, proposal or offer (written or oral) with respect to a Peridot Acquisition Proposal; (ii) furnish or disclose any non-public information to any Person in connection with, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to, a Peridot Acquisition Proposal; (iii) discuss or negotiate with any Person a Peridot Acquisition Proposal (other than to inform such Person of the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.6), (iv) enter into any Contract or other arrangement or understanding regarding a Peridot Acquisition Proposal; (v) take meaningful steps in preparation for, or conduct, an offering of any securities of Peridot (or any Affiliate or successor of Peridot); or (vi) otherwise cooperate in any way with, or knowingly assist or participate in, or
75
knowingly facilitate or encourage any effort or attempt by any Person to do or seek to do any of the foregoing. Peridot agrees to (A) notify the Company promptly upon receipt of any Peridot Acquisition Proposal by Peridot, and to describe the material terms and conditions of any such Peridot Acquisition Proposal in reasonable detail (including the identity of any person or entity making such Peridot Acquisition Proposal) and (B) keep the Company reasonably informed on a current basis of any modifications to such offer or information. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, none of the provisions of this Section 5.6(b) (including without limitation any of the foregoing regarding exclusivity) shall in any way apply to or limit the activities of any non-controlled affiliate of Peridot, including Carnelian Energy Capital Management, L.P. (“Carnelian”), any investment funds managed by Carnelian (“Carnelian Funds”) and the direct or indirect portfolio companies of the Carnelian Funds (each, a “Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliate”), but only if Confidential Information (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) of the Company has not been, and is not, made available to any such Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliate. Should any individual who is employed by a Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliate receive Confidential Information (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) of the Company in his or her capacity as a director, officer or other representative of Peridot, such individual will be bound by the terms of this Agreement applicable to Peridot, but the activities of such Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliate may continue without limitation as set forth herein and this Agreement shall not apply to such Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliate so long as such Peridot Non-Controlled Affiliate does not disclose or use any such Confidential Information (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) in connection with such activities and is not otherwise directed to take, or refrain from taking such actions, but such individuals.
Section 5.7 Preparation of Registration Statement / Proxy Statement.
(a) As promptly as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, the Parties shall prepare and Newco (as predecessor of Amalco) shall file with the SEC, the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement (it being understood that the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement shall include a prospectus of Newco (as predecessor of Amalco) and a proxy statement of Peridot which will be used for the Peridot Shareholders Meeting to adopt and approve the Transaction Proposals and other matters reasonably related to the Transaction Proposals, all in accordance with and as required by Peridot’s Governing Documents, applicable Law, and any applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and NYSE). Each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to (a) cause the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement to comply in all material respects with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC (including, with respect to the Group Companies, the provision of financial statements of, and any other information with respect to, the Group Companies for all periods, and in the form, required to be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement under Securities Laws (after giving effect to any waivers received) or in response to any comments from the SEC); (b) promptly notify the others of, reasonably cooperate with each other with respect to and respond promptly to any comments of the SEC and its staff; (c) have the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as reasonably practicable after it is filed with the SEC; and (d) keep the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement effective through the Closing in order to permit the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Peridot, on the one hand, and the Company and Newco, on the other hand, shall promptly furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the other all information concerning such Party, its Non-Party Affiliates and their respective Representatives that may be required or reasonably requested in connection with
76
any action contemplated by this Section 5.7 or for including in any other statement, filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of Peridot or Newco to the SEC or NYSE in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Documents, including delivering customary tax representation letters to counsel to enable counsel to deliver any tax opinions requested or required by the SEC to be submitted in connection therewith as described in Section 5.5(b). The Company and Newco shall allow Peridot and its counsel to review the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement and any amendment thereto a reasonable amount of time prior to filing the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto and shall consider for inclusion in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement and/or any amendment or supplement thereto any reasonable comments proposed by Peridot. If any Party becomes aware of any information that should be disclosed in an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, then (i) such Party shall promptly inform, in the case of Peridot, the Company and Newco, or, in the case of the Company and Newco, Peridot, thereof; (ii) the Parties shall prepare an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement; (iii) Newco (as predecessor of Amalco) shall file such amendment or supplement with the SEC; and (iv) Peridot shall mail, if appropriate, such amendment or supplement to the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders. Newco shall as promptly as reasonably practicable advise Peridot of the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, the issuance of any stop order relating thereto or the suspension of the qualification of Amalco Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, and the Parties shall each use its reasonable best efforts to have any such stop order or suspension lifted, reversed or otherwise terminated. Each of the Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to ensure that none of the information related to it or any of its Non-Party Affiliates or its or their respective Representatives, supplied by or on its behalf for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement will, at the time the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement is initially filed with the SEC, at each time at which it is amended, or at the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act contain any Misrepresentation.
(b) The Parties shall prepare and Newco (as predecessor of Amalco) shall file with the Ontario Securities Commission, a preliminary and final non-offering prospectus in sufficient time for Newco to become a reporting issuer in the Province of Ontario by the Closing Date. Each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause each of the preliminary and final non-offering prospectus to comply as to form in all material respects with applicable Canadian securities Laws. The Company and Newco shall allow Peridot and its counsel to review the preliminary and final non-offering prospectus a reasonable amount of time prior to their respective filings and shall consider for inclusion in the preliminary and final non-offering prospectus and/or any amendment or supplement thereto any reasonable comments proposed by Peridot.
Section 5.8 Peridot Shareholder Approval. As promptly as reasonably practicable following the time at which the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act, Peridot shall (a) duly give notice of and (b) use reasonable best efforts to duly convene and promptly hold a meeting of its shareholders (the “Peridot Shareholders Meeting”) in accordance with the Governing Documents of Peridot, for the purposes of obtaining the Peridot Shareholder Approval and, if applicable, any approvals related thereto and providing its shareholders with the opportunity to elect to effect a Peridot Shareholder Redemption. Peridot shall, through unanimous approval of the Peridot Board, recommend to its shareholders (the “Peridot Board Recommendation”), (i) the adoption and approval of this Agreement and the
77
transactions contemplated hereby (including the Transactions) (the “BCA Proposal”); (ii) the approval of the Peridot Continuance (the “Continuance Proposal”); (iii) the approval and adoption of the Newco Articles and By-laws (the “Governing Documents Proposal”); (iv) the approval of the Plan of Arrangement (including the Peridot Amalgamation) (the “Amalgamation Proposal”); (v) the approval of the issuance of the Amalco Shares in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as required by NYSE listing requirements (the “Share Issuance Proposal”); (vi) the adoption and approval of the Amalco Equity Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan Proposal”); (vii) the adoption and approval of the Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP Proposal”); and (viii) the adoption and approval of a proposal for the adjournment of the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies because there are not sufficient votes to approve and adopt any of the foregoing (the “Adjournment Proposal”) (such proposals in clauses (i) through (v) together, the “Transaction Proposals”); provided, that Peridot may postpone or adjourn the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, after reasonable consultation with the Company (and after taking into account the Company’s good faith input), (A) to solicit additional proxies for the purpose of obtaining the Peridot Shareholder Approval, (B) for the absence of a quorum, (C) to allow reasonable additional time for the filing or mailing of any supplemental or amended disclosures that Peridot has determined, based on the advice of outside legal counsel, is reasonably likely to be required under applicable Law and for such supplemental or amended disclosure to be disseminated and reviewed by the Pre-Closing Peridot Holders prior to the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, (D) if the holders of Peridot Class A Shares have elected to redeem a number of Class A Shares as of such time that would reasonably be expected to result in the condition set forth in Section 6.3(d) not being satisfied or or (E) to approve the amalgamation contemplated by Section 5.20 after completion of the Peridot Continuance; provided that, without the consent of the Company, in no event shall Peridot adjourn the Peridot Shareholders Meeting for more than ten (10) Business Days later than the original date of the Peridot Shareholders Meeting or to a date that is beyond the Termination Date. The Peridot Board Recommendation shall be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement. The Peridot Board shall not (and no committee or subgroup thereof shall) change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify, or publicly propose to change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify, the Peridot Board Recommendation (a “Change in Recommendation”); provided, that the Peridot Board may make a Change in Recommendation if it determines in good faith after consultation with Peridot’s outside legal counsel and financial advisors that a failure to make a Change in Recommendation would be inconsistent with its fiduciary obligations under applicable Law. Peridot acknowledges that its obligations hereunder to furnish the Proxy Statement, convene the Peridot Shareholders Meeting and solicit the Peridot Shareholder Approval as provided hereunder shall apply notwithstanding any withdrawal or modification of the Peridot Board Recommendation in accordance with the terms hereof.
Section 5.9 NYSE Listing. Each of Peridot and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause: (a) Newco’s initial listing application with the NYSE in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to have been approved; (b) Newco to satisfy all applicable initial and continuing listing requirements of the NYSE; and (c) the Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants issuable in accordance with this Agreement to be approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance, in each case, as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date of this Agreement, and in any event prior to the Closing. From the date hereof through the Closing, each Party shall notify the other Parties of any communications or correspondence from the NYSE with respect to the listing of Amalco Shares, Amalco Warrants or other securities of Amalco, compliance with the rules and regulations of the NYSE, and any potential suspension of listing or delisting action contemplated or threatened by the NYSE.
78
Section 5.10 Trust Account. Upon satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waiver of the conditions set forth in Article 6 and provision of notice thereof to the Trustee, (a) Peridot shall make all appropriate arrangements to cause the Trustee to pay as and when due all amounts, if any, payable to the Public Shareholders of Peridot pursuant to the Peridot Shareholder Redemption prior to the Peridot Shareholder Redemption, (b) at the Closing, Peridot shall (i) cause the documents, certificates and notices required to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement to be so delivered, and (ii) make all appropriate arrangements to cause the Trustee to (A) pay the amounts due to the underwriters of Peridot’s initial public offering for their deferred underwriting commissions as set forth in the Trust Agreement and (B) immediately thereafter, pay all remaining amounts then available in the Trust Account to Peridot (or its successor, as applicable) in accordance with the Trust Agreement, and (c) thereafter, the Trust Account shall terminate, except as otherwise provided therein.
Section 5.11 Peridot Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance.
(a) Each Party agrees that (i) all rights to indemnification or exculpation now existing in favor of the directors and officers of Peridot, as provided in the applicable Peridot Governing Documents or otherwise in effect as of immediately prior to the Closing as disclosed in Section 5.11 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules, in either case, solely with respect to any matters occurring on or prior to the Closing shall survive the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall continue in full force and effect from and after the Closing for a period of six (6) years and (ii) Newco will perform and discharge, or cause to be performed and discharged, all obligations to provide such indemnity and exculpation during such six (6)-year period, in each case to the extent permitted by applicable Law. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, during such six (6)-year period, Newco shall advance, or cause to be advanced, expenses in connection with such indemnification as provided in the applicable Peridot Governing Documents or other applicable agreements disclosed in Section 5.11 of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules as in effect immediately prior to the Closing. The indemnification and liability limitation or exculpation provisions of Peridot’s Governing Documents shall not, during such six (6)-year period, be amended, repealed or otherwise modified after the Closing in any manner that would materially and adversely affect the rights thereunder of individuals who, as of immediately prior to the Closing, or at any time prior to such time, were directors or officers of Peridot (the “Peridot D&O Persons”) entitled to be so indemnified, have their liability limited or be exculpated with respect to any matters occurring on or prior to the Closing and relating to the fact that such Peridot D&O Person was a director or officer of Peridot immediately prior to the Closing, unless such amendment, repeal or other modification is required by applicable Law.
(b) Newco shall not have any obligation under this Section 5.11 to any Peridot D&O Person when and if a court of competent jurisdiction shall ultimately determine (and such determination shall have become final and non-appealable) that the indemnification of such Peridot D&O Person in the manner contemplated hereby is prohibited by applicable Law.
79
(c) For a period of six (6) years after the Closing, Newco shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, without any lapses in coverage, a “tail” policy providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage for the benefit of those Persons who are currently covered by any comparable insurance policies of Peridot as of the date of this Agreement with respect to matters occurring on or prior to the Closing. Such “tail” policy shall provide coverage on terms (with respect to coverage and amount) that are substantially the same as (and no less favorable in the aggregate to the insured than) the coverage provided under Peridot’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies as of the date of this Agreement; provided that Newco shall not be obligated to pay a premium for such “tail” policy in excess of three hundred percent (300%) of the most recent annual premium paid by Peridot prior to the date of this Agreement and, in such event, Newco shall purchase the maximum coverage available for three hundred percent (300%) of the most recent annual premium paid by Peridot prior to the date of this Agreement.
(d) If Newco or any of its successors or assigns (i) shall merge or consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or entity and shall not be the surviving or continuing corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) shall transfer all or substantially all of their respective properties and assets as an entity in one or a series of related transactions to any Person, then in each such case, proper provisions shall be made so that the successors or assigns of Peridot shall assume all of the obligations set forth in this Section 5.11.
(e) The Peridot D&O Persons entitled to the indemnification, liability limitation, exculpation and insurance set forth in this Section 5.11 are intended to be third-party beneficiaries of this Section 5.11. This Section 5.11 shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall be binding on all successors and assigns of the Company and Newco (including Amalco), respectively.
Section 5.12 Company Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance.
(a) Each Party agrees that (i) all rights to indemnification or exculpation now existing in favor of the directors and officers of the Group Companies, as provided in the Group Companies’ Governing Documents or otherwise in effect as of immediately prior to the Closing as disclosed in Section 5.12 of the Company Disclosure Schedules, in either case, solely with respect to any matters occurring on or prior to the Closing, shall survive the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall continue in full force and effect from and after the Closing for a period of six (6) years and (ii) Newco will cause the applicable Group Companies to perform and discharge all obligations to provide such indemnity and exculpation during such six (6)-year period to the extent permitted by applicable Law. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, during such six (6)-year period, Newco shall cause the applicable Group Companies to advance expenses in connection with such indemnification as provided in the Group Companies’ Governing Documents or other applicable agreements in effect as of immediately prior to the Closing as disclosed in Section 5.12 of the Company Disclosure Schedules. The indemnification and liability limitation or exculpation provisions of the Group Companies’ Governing Documents shall not, during such six (6)-year period, be amended, repealed or otherwise modified after the Closing in any manner that would materially and adversely affect the rights thereunder of individuals who, as of immediately prior to the Closing, or at any time prior to such time, were directors or officers of the Group Companies (the “Company D&O Persons”) entitled to be so indemnified, have their liability limited or be exculpated with respect to any matters occurring on or prior to the Closing and relating to the fact that such Company D&O Person was a director or officer of any Group Company immediately prior to the Closing, unless such amendment, repeal or other modification is required by applicable Law.
80
(b) None of the Group Companies shall have any obligation under this Section 5.12 to any Company D&O Person when and if a court of competent jurisdiction shall ultimately determine (and such determination shall have become final and non-appealable) that the indemnification of such Company D&O Person in the manner contemplated hereby is prohibited by applicable Law.
(c) The Company shall purchase, at or prior to the Closing, and Newco shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, in effect for a period of six (6) years after the Closing Date, without any lapses in coverage, a “tail” policy providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage for the benefit of those Persons who are currently covered by any comparable insurance policies of the Group Companies as of the date of this Agreement with respect to matters occurring on or prior to the Closing. Such “tail” policy shall provide coverage on terms (with respect to coverage and amount) that are substantially the same as (and no less favorable in the aggregate to the insured than) the coverage provided under the Group Companies’ directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies as of the date of this Agreement; provided that none of the Company, Newco or any of their respective Affiliates shall pay a premium for such “tail” policy in excess of three hundred percent (300%) of the most recent annual premium paid by the Group Companies prior to the date of this Agreement and, in such event, the Company, Newco or one of their respective Affiliates shall purchase the maximum coverage available for three hundred percent (300%) of the most recent annual premium paid by the Group Companies prior to the date of this Agreement.
(d) If Newco or any of its successors or assigns (i) shall merge or consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or entity and shall not be the surviving or continuing corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) shall transfer all or substantially all of their respective properties and assets as an entity in one or a series of related transactions to any Person, then in each such case, proper provisions shall be made so that the successors or assigns of Newco shall assume all of the obligations set forth in this Section 5.12.
(e) The Company D&O Persons entitled to the indemnification, liability limitation, exculpation and insurance set forth in this Section 5.12 are intended to be third-party beneficiaries of this Section 5.12. This Section 5.12 shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall be binding on all successors and assigns of Peridot and Newco (including Amalco).
Section 5.13 Resignations. Prior to the Closing, all of the directors and officers of Peridot shall have executed written resignations effective as of the Closing in form and substance satisfactory to each Party.
Section 5.14 Post-Closing Governance. The Parties shall take all such action within its power as may be necessary or appropriate such that effective immediately after the Closing (a) the members of the board of directors of Amalco shall initially be comprised of the individuals set forth on Section 5.14(a) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedule, (b) the officers of Amalco are the individuals set forth on Section 5.14(b) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedule and (c) all other actions set forth on Section 5.14(c) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedule are taken.
81
Section 5.15 Financials.
(a) The Company will (i) within twenty (20) Business Days of the date of this Agreement deliver to Newco and Peridot the Audited Company Financial Statements, and (ii) as promptly as reasonably practicable, the Company shall deliver to Newco and Peridot (A) the Unaudited Company Financial Statements, and (B) any other audited or unaudited consolidated balance sheets and the related audited or unaudited consolidated statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Group Companies that are required to be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement. All such financial statements that are required to be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement (w) will fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Group Companies as of the date thereof, and the results of its operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the respective periods then ended (subject, in the case of any unaudited interim financial statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes), (x) will be prepared in conformity with IFRS applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except, in the case of any audited financial statements, as may be indicated in the notes thereto and subject, in the case of any unaudited financial statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes), (y) in the case of any audited financial statements, will be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and contain an unqualified report of the Company’s auditor and (z) will comply in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements and with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Exchange Act and the Securities Act in effect as of the respective dates thereof (including Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K, as applicable).
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts (i) to assist, upon advance written notice, during normal business hours and in a manner such as to not unreasonably interfere with the normal operation of any member of such Group Company, Newco and Peridot in causing to be prepared in a timely manner any other financial information or statements (including customary pro forma financial statements) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement and any other filings to be made by Newco or Peridot with the SEC in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document and (ii) to obtain the consents of its auditors with respect thereto as may be required by applicable Law or requested by the SEC.
Section 5.16 Amalco Equity Incentive Plan; Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, the Newco board of directors shall approve and adopt an equity incentive plan, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit G and with any changes or modifications thereto as the Company and Peridot may mutually agree (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed by either the Company or Peridot, as applicable) (the “Amalco Equity Incentive Plan”), in the manner prescribed under applicable Laws, effective as of the Closing Date, reserving an amount of Amalco Shares for grant thereunder equal to seven percent (7%) to ten percent (10%) of the fully diluted equity of the post-Closing parent company, which shall include Amalco Shares subject to any Rollover Equity Awards. The Amalco Equity Incentive Plan will provide that the number of Amalco Shares reserved for issuance thereunder will automatically increase annually on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the 2022 fiscal year in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the Amalco Shares outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year or such lesser amount as determined by the Amalco board of directors. The Rollover Equity Awards
82
corresponding to the Company Equity Awards shall reduce the number of Amalco Shares reserved for issuance thereunder. Prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, the Newco board of directors shall approve and adopt an employee stock purchase plan, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit H and with any changes or modifications thereto as the Company and Peridot may mutually agree (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed by either the Company or Peridot, as applicable) (the “Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan”), in the manner prescribed under Section 423 of the Code and other applicable Laws, effective as of the Closing Date, reserving an amount of Amalco Shares for grant thereunder equal to two percent (2%) of the fully diluted equity of the post-Closing parent company. The Amalco Employee Stock Purchase Plan will provide that the number of Amalco Shares reserved for issuance thereunder will automatically increase annually on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the 2022 fiscal year in an amount equal to one half percent (0.5%) of the Amalco Shares outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year or such lesser amount as determined by the Amalco board of directors.
Section 5.17 Continuance. On the Continuance Date, Peridot shall cause the Peridot Continuance to occur in accordance with Section 180 of the OBCA and Part XII of the Cayman Islands Companies Law (2020 Revision). In connection with the Peridot Continuance, (i) each Peridot Class A Share and each Peridot Class B Share that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Peridot Continuance shall become one Peridot New Class A Share or Peridot New Class B Share, respectively, and (ii) each Peridot Warrant that is outstanding immediately prior to the Peridot Continuance shall, from and after the Peridot Continuance, represent the right to purchase one Peridot New Class A Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement.
Section 5.18 Newco Matters. The Company has caused Newco (i) to be incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada solely for the purpose of entering into the Transactions and (ii) to not own any assets other than the $10 received as the subscription price for the Newco Share issued to the Company, carry on any business, conduct any operations, incur any liabilities or obligations, or hire any employee or independent contractor since the date of its formation, other than the execution of this Agreement and any Ancillary Documents, the performance of its obligations hereunder and matters ancillary thereto. The Company and Peridot shall take, and shall cause Newco to take, all requisite action to cause the articles and by-laws of Newco to be amended in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F (the “Newco Articles and By-laws”), which Newco Articles and By-laws shall also be used, with the necessary (and mutually agreed (each Party acting reasonably)) adaptations, for the purposes of the the articles and by-laws of Amalco following completion of the Peridot Amalgamation.
Section 5.19 Subscription Agreements. Peridot shall not permit any amendment or modification to be made to, or any waiver of any provision or remedy under, or any replacements or terminations of, the Subscription Agreements in any manner other than (a) as expressly provided for by the terms of the Subscription Agreements or (b) to reflect any permitted assignments or transfers of the Subscription Agreements by the PIPE Investors pursuant to the Subscription Agreements, without the prior written consent of the Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided that the parties acknowledge that any proposed amendment, modification or waiver of the Subscription Agreements that affects the offering price of the Amalco Shares pursuant to the Subscription Agreements, that reduces the
83
PIPE Financing Amount or that adds additional conditions to the obligations of the PIPE Investors to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Subscription Agreements may be rejected by the Company in its sole discretion). Peridot shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Subscription Agreements on the terms and conditions described therein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Peridot shall give the Company prompt (and, in any event within three (3) Business Days) written notice: (i) of any proposed amendment to any Subscription Agreement; (ii) of any breach or default (or any event or circumstance that, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, could give rise to any breach or default) by any party to any Subscription Agreement known to Peridot; and (iii) of the receipt of any written notice or other written communication from any party to any Subscription Agreement with respect to any actual, potential or claimed expiration, lapse, withdrawal, breach, default, termination or repudiation by any party to any Subscription Agreement or any provisions of any Subscription Agreement. If any Subscription Agreement expires or is terminated, withdrawn or repudiated by any party thereto prior to the Closing, such that the aggregate amount of the PIPE Financing as of the Closing is expected to be below $150,000,000, Peridot shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, prior to the Closing, to procure one or more investors to enter into Subscription Agreements with Peridot for the PIPE Financing in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company and on the same terms and in an amount at least equal to the amount of the PIPE Financing under the Subscription Agreement(s) that have expired or been terminated, withdrawn or repudiated.
Section 5.20 Amendment to Plan of Arrangement. If, despite its diligent efforts, the Company is unable to obtain (A) the Interim Order containing the orders set out in Section 2.2 as a result, at the Company’s determination, acting reasonably, of the inclusion of the order set out in Section 2.2(h), or (B) the Final Order, as a result, at the Company’s determination, acting reasonably, that the Peridot Shareholder Approval has not yet been obtained, then, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document but subject to receipt by the Company of Peridot’s prior written consent to amend the Plan of Arrangement in accordance with the terms hereof, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed:
(i) the Company will forthwith amend the Plan of Arrangement to (A) remove the steps contemplated at subsections 3.1(b), (c) and (d) of the Plan of Arrangement, (B) remove provisions relating to the exchange of Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants pursuant to the Peridot Amalgamation, (C) remove references to Peridot and Newco as parties bound by the Plan of Arrangement, and (D) remove references to the Peridot Shareholders Meeting;
(ii) the Company will, as applicable, diligently pursue (A) an Interim Order without the order set out in Section 2.2(h) in connection with the Plan of Arrangement so amended, or (B) a Final Order in connection with the Plan of Arrangement so amended;
(iii) Peridot will include in the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement (A) the amalgamation of Peridot and Newco in accordance with section 175 and section 176 of the OBCA as a proposal (which proposal will be deemed to be a Transaction Proposal for the purposes of this Agreement) for adoption and approval at the Peridot Shareholder Meeting, (B) a recommendation that its shareholders approve such amalgamation, and (C) a statement that a holder of Peridot Shares dissenting in respect of such amalgamation is entitled to be paid the fair value of its Peridot Shares in accordance with section 185 of the OBCA; and
84
(iv) if the Peridot Shareholder Approval of such amalgamation is obtained, each Party shall otherwise use reasonable best efforts to effect such amalgamation on the Closing Date, but prior to the Arrangement Effective Time (as defined in the Plan of Arrangement); pursuant to such amalgamation, (i) all of the issued and outstanding Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants will be exchanged for equivalent Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants on a one-for-one basis, (ii) the Newco Shares held by the Company will be exchanged for Amalco Shares on a one-for-one basis, and (iii) immediately thereafter, the Amalco Shares held by the Company will be purchased for cancellation for cash equal to the subscription price for such Amalco Share.
ARTICLE 6
CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT
Section 6.1 Conditions to the Obligations of the Parties. The obligations of each Party to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the satisfaction or, if permitted by applicable Law, waiver by such Party of the following conditions:
(a) the Company Required Approval of the Company Arrangement Resolution shall have been approved at the Company Shareholders Meeting in accordance with the Interim Order and applicable Law and a certified copy of such Company Arrangement Resolution shall have been delivered to Peridot;
(b) the Final Order shall have been granted in form and substance satisfactory to the Parties, acting reasonably, and the Final Order shall not have been set aside or modified in a manner unacceptable to the Parties, acting reasonably, on appeal or otherwise;
(c) each applicable waiting period or Consent under the HSR Act and under each Foreign Antitrust Law set forth on Section 6.1(c) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document, and any agreement with any Governmental Entity not to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document, shall have expired, been terminated or obtained (or deemed, by applicable Law, to have been obtained), as applicable;
(d) no Order or Law issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Entity or other legal restraints or prohibition preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be in effect;
(e) the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement shall have become effective in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act, no stop order shall have been issued by the SEC and shall remain in effect with respect to the Registration Statement / Proxy Statement, and no proceeding seeking such a stop order shall have been threatened or initiated by the SEC and remain pending;
(f) the Peridot Shareholder Approval shall have been obtained;
85
(g) after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby (including the PIPE Financing), Amalco shall have at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) of the Exchange Act) immediately after the Peridot Amalgamation;
(h) Newco’s initial listing application with the NYSE in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been approved and, immediately following the Closing, Amalco shall satisfy any applicable initial and continuing listing requirements of the NYSE, and no Party shall have received any notice of non-compliance therewith that has not been cured or would not be cured at or immediately following the Closing, and the Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants to be issued pursuant to the Transactions shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE; and
(i) the (A) Peridot Continuance and (B) as applicable, the amalgamation of Peridot and Newco as contemplated by Section 5.20.
Section 6.2 Other Conditions to the Obligations of Peridot. The obligations of Peridot to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the satisfaction or, if permitted by applicable Law, waiver by Peridot of the following further conditions:
(a) (i) the Company Fundamental Representations and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 3.16(s) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), (ii) the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2(a) shall be true and correct in all respects (except for de minimis inaccuracies) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects (except for de minimis inaccuracies) as of such earlier date), and (iii) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Article 3 (other than the Company Fundamental Representations and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 3.2(a) and Section 3.16(s)) shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Company Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth herein) in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects as of such earlier date), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct, taken as a whole, does not cause a Company Material Adverse Effect;
(b) the Company shall have performed and complied in all material respects with the covenants and agreements required to be performed or complied with by the Company under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing;
86
(c) since the date of this Agreement, no Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred that is continuing;
(d) the Transaction Support Agreements shall continue to be in full force and effect; and
(e) at or prior to the Closing, the Company shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Peridot the following documents:
(i) a certificate duly executed by an authorized officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the conditions specified in Section 6.2(a), Section 6.2(b) and Section 6.2(c) are satisfied, in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Peridot; and
(ii) the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the applicable Company Shareholders.
Section 6.3 Other Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The obligations of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the satisfaction or, if permitted by applicable Law, waiver by the Company of the following further conditions:
(a) (i) the Peridot Fundamental Representations and the representations and warranties of Peridot set forth in Section 4.19(t) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), (ii) the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.2(a) shall be true and correct in all respects (except for de minimis inaccuracies) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects (except for de minimis inaccuracies) as of such earlier date), (iii) the representations and warranties of Peridot contained in Article 4 (other than the Peridot Fundamental Representations and the representations and warranties of Peridot set forth in Section 4.2(a) and Section 4.19(t) of this Agreement) shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Peridot Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth herein) in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct, taken as a whole, does not cause a Peridot Material Adverse Effect;
(b) Peridot shall have performed and complied in all material respects with the covenants and agreements required to be performed or complied with by them under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing;
(c) since the date of this Agreement, no Peridot Material Adverse Effect has occurred that is continuing;
87
(d) the Aggregate Transaction Proceeds shall be equal to or greater than $300,000,000 (the “Minimum Cash Condition”); provided, that if Sponsor is deemed to have forfeited any Peridot New Class B Shares pursuant to Section 2.8 and the Sponsor Letter Agreement, then the amount necessary to satisfy the Minimum Cash Condition shall be an amount equal to $300,000,000 minus the Sponsor Forfeiture Value;
(e) the Sponsor Letter Agreement shall continue to be in full force and effect;
(f) at or prior to the Closing, Peridot shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, the following documents to the Company:
(i) a certificate duly executed by an authorized officer of Peridot, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the conditions specified in Section 6.3(a), Section 6.3(b) and Section 6.3(c) are satisfied in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company; and
(ii) the Investors and Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by Peridot and the Sponsor.
Section 6.4 Frustration of Closing Conditions. The Company may not rely on the failure of any condition set forth in this Article 6 to be satisfied if such failure was proximately caused by the Company’s failure to use reasonable best efforts to cause the Closing to occur, as required by Section 5.2 or a breach of this Agreement. Peridot may not rely on the failure of any condition set forth in this Article 6 to be satisfied if such failure was proximately caused by Peridot’s failure to use reasonable best efforts to cause the Closing to occur, as required by Section 5.2 or a breach of this Agreement.
ARTICLE 7
TERMINATION
Section 7.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement may be abandoned at any time prior to the Closing, notwithstanding any requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions by the Company or Peridot, as follows:
(a) by mutual written consent of Peridot and the Company;
(b) by Peridot, if any of the representations or warranties set forth in Article 3 shall not be true and correct or if the Company has failed to perform any covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement (including an obligation to consummate the Closing) such that the condition to Closing set forth in either Section 6.2(a) or Section 6.2(b) could not be satisfied and the breach or breaches causing such representations or warranties not to be true and correct, or the failures to perform any covenant or agreement, as applicable, is (or are) not cured or cannot be cured within the earlier of (i) thirty (30) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the Company by Peridot, and (ii) the Termination Date; provided, however, that Peridot is not then in breach of this Agreement so as to prevent the condition to Closing set forth in either Section 6.3(a) or Section 6.3(b) from being satisfied;
88
(c) by the Company, if any of the representations or warranties set forth in Article 4 shall not be true and correct or if Peridot has failed to perform any covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement (including an obligation to consummate the Closing) such that the condition to Closing set forth in either Section 6.3(a) or Section 6.3(b) could not be satisfied and the breach or breaches causing such representations or warranties not to be true and correct, or the failures to perform any covenant or agreement, as applicable, is (or are) not cured or cannot be cured within the earlier of (i) thirty (30) days after written notice thereof is delivered to Peridot by the Company and (ii) the Termination Date; provided, however, the Company is not then in breach of this Agreement so as to prevent the condition to Closing set forth in Section 6.2(a) or Section 6.2(b) from being satisfied;
(d) by either Peridot or the Company, if the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall not have been consummated on or prior to August 16, 2021 (the “Termination Date”); provided, that (i) the Termination Date shall be automatically extended for three months in the event the Court refuses to issue a Final Order in respect of the Plan of Arrangement (for any reason or no reason other than as a result of a material breach of Peridot’s covenants or obligations under this Agreement or the Peridot Shareholder Approval having not been obtained), (ii) the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(d) shall not be available to Peridot if Peridot’s breach of any of its covenants or obligations under this Agreement shall have proximately caused the failure to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement on or before the Termination Date, and (iii) the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(d) shall not be available to the Company if the Company’s or any Group Company’s breach of its covenants or obligations under this Agreement shall have proximately caused the failure to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement on or before the Termination Date;
(e) by either Peridot or the Company, if any Governmental Entity shall have issued an Order permanently enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and such Order shall have become final and nonappealable, except that, for greater certainty, this termination right shall not apply as a result of the refusal (for any reason or no reason) of the Court to issue a Final Order in respect of the Plan of Arrangement;
(f) by either Peridot or the Company if the Peridot Shareholders Meeting has been held (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), has concluded, Peridot’s shareholders have duly voted and the Peridot Shareholder Approval was not obtained;
(g) by either Peridot or the Company, if the Company Required Approval in respect of the Company Arrangement Resolution shall not have been obtained at the Company Shareholders Meeting in accordance with the Interim Order and applicable Law; or
(h) by the Company prior to receipt of the Peridot Shareholder Approval, in the event of a Change in Recommendation.
89
Section 7.2 Effect of Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1, this entire Agreement shall forthwith become void (and there shall be no Liability or obligation on the part of the Parties and their respective Non-Party Affiliates) with the exception of (a) Section 5.3(a), this Section 7.2, Article 9 and any corresponding definitions set forth in Article 1 (to the extent related to the foregoing), each of which shall survive such termination and remain valid and binding obligations of the Parties and (b) the Confidentiality Agreement, which shall survive such termination and remain valid and binding obligations of the Parties thereto in accordance with its terms. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1 shall not affect any Liability on the part of any Party for any willful or material breach of any covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement or fraud (involving scienter) prior to such termination.
ARTICLE 8
ALTERNATE TRANSACTION
Section 8.1 Alternate Transaction. In the event that the Court refuses to issue a Final Order in respect of the Plan of Arrangement (for any reason or no reason other than (i) as a result of (A) Peridot having not performed and complied in all material respects with the covenants and agreements required to be performed by or complied with by Peridot under this Agreement or (B) the Sponsor having not performed and complied in all material respects with the covenants and agreements required to be performed by or complied with by the Sponsor under the Sponsor Letter Agreement, or (ii) the Peridot Shareholder Approval having not been obtained), the Parties agree:
(a) to take all actions reasonably required, and execute and deliver all related documentation (which documentation shall, in all material respects, be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement (except that it will not include as a condition to closing the condition contemplated by Section 6.1(b)) and shall not impose any Liability on any security holder of the Company in addition to those imposed under any Ancillary Document to which such security holder is a party had the Transactions been completed other than pursuant to this Article 8) as may be mutually agreed by the Parties, each acting reasonably, in order to complete the Transactions by way of merger, amalgamation, share exchange or other form of transaction or series of transactions with Peridot, the Company and the Company’s security holders in respect of which the Supporting Company Shareholders exercise the drag-along right set out under Section 4.3 of the Company Shareholders Agreement in accordance with the Transaction Support Agreements; and
(b) notwithstanding Section 8.1(a), no Party shall be required to comply with Section 8.1(a) if such Party in good faith, and after consultation with the other Parties, determines that such compliance would result in a material adverse Tax treatment, with respect to the Company, to the Company Shareholders (in their capacity as such) and with respect to the other Parties hereto, to each such Party’s direct or indirect owners, in each case, as compared to the Tax treatment that is expected to result from the Transactions contemplated in this Agreement (other than under Section 8.1(a)).
90
ARTICLE 9
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1 Non-Survival. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants in this Agreement or in any certificate, statement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall terminate at the Closing, except for (a) those covenants and agreements that by their terms expressly contemplate performance in whole or in part after the Closing and (b) this Article 9 and any corresponding definitions set forth in Article 1.
Section 9.2 Entire Agreement; Assignment. This Agreement (together with the Ancillary Documents including any exhibits and schedules attached hereto or thereto) constitutes the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be assigned by any Party (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other Party. Any attempted assignment of this Agreement not in accordance with the terms of this Section 9.2 shall be void.
Section 9.3 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written agreement executed and delivered by Peridot and the Company. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except as provided in the immediately preceding sentence and any purported amendment by any Party or Parties effected in a manner which does not comply with this Section 9.3 shall be void, ab initio.
Section 9.4 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given) by delivery in person, by e-mail (having obtained electronic delivery confirmation thereof), or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) (upon receipt thereof) to the respective Parties at the following addresses:
(a) If to Peridot, to:
0000 Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx; Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
E-mail: xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxx; Xxxx Xxxxx; Xxxxx Xxxx
Email: xxxxxx.xxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx; xxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
91
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Stikeman Elliot LLP
0000 Xxxx-Xxxxxxxx Xxxx.
West, 41st Floor,
Montréal, QC H3B 3VQ
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxx
Email: xxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
(b) If to the Company, to:
Li-Cycle Corp.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xx. Xxxx 00,
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX X0X 0X0
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Email: xxxx.xxxxxxx@xx-xxxxx.xxx
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
XxXxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xx X Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, XX X0X 0X0
Attn: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx and Fraser Bourne
Email: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xx; xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xx
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Freshfields Bruckhaus Xxxxxxxx US LLP
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxx X. Tiger; Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Email: xxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
or to such other address as the Party to whom notice is given may have previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.
Section 9.5 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed in that State, except to the extent mandatorily governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, including the provisions relating to the Arrangement and the Plan of Arrangement (except that the Cayman Islands Act shall also apply to the Peridot Continuance).
Section 9.6 Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants, shall be paid by the Party incurring such fees or expenses;
92
provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, (a) if this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, the Company shall pay, or cause to be paid, all Unpaid Company Expenses and Peridot shall pay, or cause to be paid, all Unpaid Peridot Expenses and (b) if the Closing occurs, then Amalco shall pay, or cause to be paid, all Unpaid Peridot Expenses and all Unpaid Company Expenses.
Section 9.7 Construction; Interpretation. The term “this Agreement” means this Business Combination Agreement together with the Schedules and Exhibits hereto, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated in accordance with the terms hereof. The headings set forth in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. No Party, nor its respective counsel, shall be deemed the drafter of this Agreement for purposes of construing the provisions hereof, and all provisions of this Agreement shall be construed according to their fair meaning and not strictly for or against any Party. Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary herein by the context or use thereof: (a) the words, “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole, including the Schedules and Exhibits, and not to any particular section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or clause set forth in this Agreement; (b) masculine gender shall also include the feminine and neutral genders, and vice versa; (c) words importing the singular shall also include the plural, and vice versa; (d) the words “include,” “includes” or “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (e) unless otherwise indicated, references to “$” or “dollar” or “US$” shall be references to United States dollars; (f) the word “or” is disjunctive but not necessarily exclusive; (g) the words “writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form; (h) the word “day” means calendar day unless Business Day is expressly specified; (i) the word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” means the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply “if”; (j) all references to Articles, Sections, Exhibits or Schedules are to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules of this Agreement; (k) the words “provided” or “made available” or words of similar import (regardless of whether capitalized or not) shall mean, when used with reference to documents or other materials required to be provided or made available to Peridot, any documents or other materials posted to the electronic data room located at xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx under the name “Li-Cycle Data Room” as of 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, at least one (1) day prior to the date of this Agreement; (l) all references to any Law will be to such Law as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or re-enacted from time to time; and (m) all references to any Contract are to that Contract as amended or modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof (subject to any restrictions on amendments or modifications set forth in this Agreement). If any action under this Agreement is required to be done or taken on a day that is not a Business Day, then such action shall be required to be done or taken not on such day but on the first succeeding Business Day thereafter.
Section 9.8 Exhibits and Schedules. All Exhibits and Schedules, or documents expressly incorporated into this Agreement, are hereby incorporated into this Agreement and are hereby made a part hereof as if set out in full in this Agreement. The Schedules shall be arranged in sections and subsections corresponding to the numbered and lettered Sections and subsections set forth in this Agreement. Any item disclosed in the Company Disclosure Schedules or in the Peridot Disclosure Schedules corresponding to any Section or subsection of Article 3 (in the case of the Company Disclosure Schedules) or Article 4 (in the case of the Peridot Disclosure
93
Schedules) shall be deemed to have been disclosed with respect to every other section and subsection of Article 3 (in the case of the Company Disclosure Schedules) or Article 4 (in the case of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules), as applicable, where the relevance of such disclosure to such other Section or subsection is reasonably apparent on the face of the disclosure. The information and disclosures set forth in the Schedules that correspond to the section or subsections of Article 3 or Article 4 may not be limited to matters required to be disclosed in the Schedules, and any such additional information or disclosure is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily include other matters of a similar nature.
Section 9.9 Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each Party and its successors and permitted assigns and, except as provided in Section 5.11, Section 5.12 and the subsequent sentence of this Section 9.9, nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any rights, benefits or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement. Each of the Non-Party Affiliates shall be an express third-party beneficiary of Section 9.13 and this Section 9.9 (to the extent related to the foregoing).
Section 9.10 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any term or other provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable under applicable Law, all other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any Party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable under applicable Law, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
Section 9.11 Counterparts; Electronic Signatures. This Agreement and each Ancillary Document (including any of the closing deliverables contemplated hereby) may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement or any Ancillary Document (including any of the closing deliverables contemplated hereby) by e-mail, or scanned pages shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart to this Agreement or any such Ancillary Document.
Section 9.12 Knowledge of Company; Knowledge of Peridot. For all purposes of this Agreement, the phrase “to the Company’s knowledge” and “known by the Company” and any derivations thereof shall mean as of the applicable date, the actual knowledge of the individuals set forth on Section 8.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules. For all purposes of this Agreement, the phrase “to Peridot’s knowledge” and “to the knowledge of Peridot” and any derivations thereof shall mean as of the applicable date, the actual knowledge of the individuals set forth on Section 8.12(b) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the individuals set forth on Section 8.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules or Section 8.12(b) of the Peridot Disclosure Schedules shall have any personal Liability or obligations regarding such knowledge.
94
Section 9.13 No Recourse. This Agreement may only be enforced against, and any action for breach of this Agreement may only be made against, the Parties, and none of the Representatives of Peridot (including the Sponsor) or the Company (including directors, officers, employees and shareholders) shall have any Liability arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, including with respect to any claim (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) for breach of this Agreement or in respect of any written or oral representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith, as expressly provided herein.
Section 9.14 Extension; Waiver. At any time prior to the Closing (and in the case of Peridot, prior to receipt of the Peridot Stockholder Approval), (a) the Company may (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of Peridot set forth herein, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of Peridot set forth herein or in any document delivered by Peridot or (iii) waive compliance by Peridot with any of the agreements or conditions set forth herein and Peridot may (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the Company set forth herein, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the Company set forth herein or in any document delivered by the Company or (iii) waive compliance by the Company with any of the agreements or conditions set forth herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in a written instrument signed by the Party to be bound thereby. Any waiver of any term or condition shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or a subsequent waiver of the same term or condition, or a waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any Party to assert any of its rights hereunder shall not constitute a waiver of such rights.
Section 9.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. THE PARTIES EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY PROCEEDING (I) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR UNDER ANY ANCILLARY DOCUMENT OR (II) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY ANCILLARY DOCUMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO OR THERETO OR ANY FINANCING IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY, IN EACH CASE, WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH PROCEEDING SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, (B) EACH SUCH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (C) EACH SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY AND (D) EACH SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.15.
95
Section 9.16 Submission to Jurisdiction. Except as it relates to the Arrangement and the Plan of Arrangement, each of the Parties irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (or, if the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware declines to accept jurisdiction, any other state or federal court located in the State of Delaware), for the purposes of any Proceeding (a) arising under this Agreement or under any Ancillary Document or (b) in any way connected with or related or incidental to the dealings of the Parties in respect of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or any of the transactions contemplated thereby, and irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such Proceeding in any such court, and further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such Proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion or as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any Proceeding against such Party (i) arising under this Agreement or under any Ancillary Document or (ii) in any way connected with or related or incidental to the dealings of the Parties in respect of this Agreement or any Ancillary Document or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, (A) any claim that such Party is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts as described in this Section 9.16 for any reason, (B) that such Party or such Party’s property is exempt or immune from the jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (C) that (x) the Proceeding in any such court is brought against such Party in an inconvenient forum, (y) the venue of such Proceeding against such Party is improper or (z) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced against such Party in or by such courts. Each Party agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by registered mail or internationally recognized courier service to such party’s respective address set forth in Section 9.4 shall be effective service of process for any such Proceeding.
Section 9.17 Remedies. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any and all remedies provided herein will be deemed cumulative with and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred hereby, or by law or equity upon such Party, and the exercise by a Party of any one remedy will not preclude the exercise of any other remedy. The Parties agree that irreparable damage for which monetary damages, even if available, would not be an adequate remedy, would occur in the event that the Parties do not perform their respective obligations under the provisions of this Agreement (including failing to take such actions as are required of them hereunder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) in accordance with their specific terms or otherwise breach such provisions. It is accordingly agreed that the Parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions, specific performance and other equitable relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement, in each case, without posting a bond or undertaking and without proof of damages and this being in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity. Each of the Parties agrees that it will not oppose the granting of an injunction, specific performance and other equitable relief when expressly available pursuant to the terms of this Agreement on the basis that the other parties have an adequate remedy at law or an award of specific performance is not an appropriate remedy for any reason at law or equity.
96
Section 9.18 Trust Account Waiver. Reference is made to the final prospectus of Peridot, filed with the SEC (File No. 333-248608) on September 23, 2020 (the “Prospectus”). The Company acknowledges and agrees and understands that Peridot has established a trust account (the “Trust Account”) containing the proceeds of its initial public offering (the “IPO”) and from certain private placements occurring simultaneously with the IPO (including interest accrued from time to time thereon) for the benefit of Peridot’s public shareholders (including overallotment shares acquired by Peridot’s underwriters, the “Public Shareholders”), and Peridot may disburse monies from the Trust Account only in the express circumstances described in the Prospectus. For and in consideration of Peridot entering into this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company hereby agrees on behalf of itself and its Representatives that, notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement, none of the Company, nor any of its Representatives does now or shall at any time hereafter have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account or distributions therefrom, or make any claim against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom), regardless of whether such claim arises as a result of, in connection with or relating in any way to, this Agreement or any proposed or actual business relationship between Peridot or any of its Representatives, on the one hand, and, the Company or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, or any other matter, and regardless of whether such claim arises based on contract, tort, equity or any other theory of legal liability (any and all such claims are collectively referred to hereafter as the “Trust Account Released Claims”). The Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its controlled Affiliates and Representatives, as applicable, hereby irrevocably waives any Trust Account Released Claims that it or any of its Representatives may have against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) now or in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, or Contracts with Peridot or its Representatives and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) for any reason whatsoever (including for an alleged breach of any agreement with Peridot or its Affiliates).
* * * * *
97
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has caused this Business Combination Agreement to be duly executed on its behalf as of the day and year first above written.
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
LI-CYCLE CORP. |
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: | President and CEO, Co-Founder | |
LI-CYCLE HOLDINGS CORP. |
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: | CEO |
[Signature Page to Business Combination Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
FINAL FORM
Arrangement Resolution
BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. | The arrangement (the “Arrangement”) under Section 182 of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “OBCA”) involving Li-Cycle Corp. (the “Corporation”) and an entity to be formed by the amalgamation between Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (“LCHC”) and Peridot Acquisition Corp. (“Peridot”) pursuant to the business combination agreement dated February 15, 2021, between the Corporation, Peridot and LCHC (as it may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”) all as more particularly described and set forth in the management information circular of the Corporation dated [•], 2021 accompanying the notice of this meeting as it may be amended, modified or supplemented in accordance with the Business Combination Agreement, is hereby authorized, approved and adopted. |
2. | The (i) Business Combination Agreement and the Ancillary Documents (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) to which the Corporation is or will be a party; (ii) actions of the directors of the Corporation in approving the Arrangement, the Business Combination Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which the Corporation is or will be a party; and (iii) actions of the directors and officers of the Corporation in executing and delivering the Business Combination Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which the Corporation is or will be a party (and any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) and causing the performance by the Corporation of its obligations thereunder, in each case be, and they are hereby confirmed, ratified, authorized and approved. |
3. | The plan of arrangement (as it may be modified or amended in accordance with the Business Combination Agreement and its terms, the “Plan of Arrangement”), the full text of which is set out in Appendix [•] to the Circular, is hereby authorized, approved and adopted. |
4. | The Corporation is hereby authorized to apply for a final order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) to approve the Arrangement on the terms set forth in the Business Combination Agreement and the Plan of Arrangement (as they may be amended, modified or supplemented). |
5. | Notwithstanding that this resolution has been passed (and the Arrangement approved) by the shareholders of the Corporation or that the Arrangement has been approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), the directors of the Corporation be, and they are hereby, authorized and empowered without further notice to, or approval of, the shareholders of the Corporation (i) to amend the Business Combination Agreement or the Plan of Arrangement (or both); and (ii) not to proceed with the Arrangement and any related transactions, in each case, subject to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement. |
6. | Any officer or director of the Corporation be, and is hereby, authorized, empowered and directed, acting for, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, to execute or cause to be executed, under the seal of the Corporation or otherwise, and to deliver or to cause to be delivered, for filing with the Director under the OBCA, articles of arrangement and such other documents as are necessary or desirable to give effect to the Arrangement in accordance with the Business Combination Agreement or the Plan of Arrangement, such determination to be conclusively evidenced by the execution and delivery of such articles of arrangement and any such other documents. |
7. | Any officer or director of the Corporation be, and is hereby, authorized, empowered and directed, acting for, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, to execute or cause to be executed, under the seal of the Corporation or otherwise, and to deliver or to cause to be delivered, all such other documents and instruments and to perform or cause to be performed all such other acts and things as such person determines may be necessary or desirable to give full effect to the foregoing resolutions and the matters authorized thereby, such determination to be conclusively evidenced by the execution and delivery of such document or instrument or the doing of any such act or thing. |
EXHIBIT B
Final Form
SCHEDULE A
PLAN OF ARRANGEMENT
UNDER SECTION 182 OF THE
BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT (ONTARIO)
ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION
1.1 | In this Plan of Arrangement, any capitalized term used herein and not defined in this Section 1.1 will have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Business Combination Agreement. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases used in this Plan of Arrangement will have the meanings hereinafter set out: |
“Affected Securities” means, collectively, the Company Shares, the Company RSUs, the Company Options and the Amalco Arrangement Options;
“Affected Securityholders” means, collectively, the Company Shareholders, the Company RSU Holders, the Company Optionholders, the Amalco Arrangement Optionholders, holders of Peridot Shares and holders of Peridot Warrants;
“Aggregate Exercise Price” means the aggregate exercise price of the Company Options that will not be cancelled and exchanged for Rollover Equity Awards, converted to its U.S. dollar equivalent based on the C$:U.S.$ Bank of Canada daily exchange rate on the Effective Date, and rounding the resulting exercise price up to the nearest whole cent;
“Amalco” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.1(b) of this Plan of Arrangement;
“Amalco Arrangement Optionholder” means the Persons who are holders of Amalco Arrangement Options immediately after the completion of the transactions in Section 3.1(h);
“Amalco Arrangement Options” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.1(h)(i) of this Plan of Arrangement;
“Amalco Optionholder Consideration” means, in respect of any Amalco Arrangement Option outstanding immediately prior to effecting the steps in Section 3.1(k) , the number of Amalco Shares (if any) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the product of (x) the amount (if any) by which $10 exceeds the exercise price per Amalco Share of such Amalco Arrangement Option, multiplied by (y) the number of Amalco Shares subject to the Amalco Arrangement Option, by (ii) $10 (rounded down to the nearest whole number of Amalco Shares);
“Amalco Shares” means the common shares of Amalco;
“Amalgamation” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.1(b) of this Plan of Arrangement;
“Arrangement” means the arrangement under Section 182 of the OBCA on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in this Plan of Arrangement, subject to any amendments or variations thereto made in accordance with the terms of the Business Combination Agreement or Article 6 of this Plan of Arrangement or made at the direction of the Court in the Final Order with the consent of the Company and Peridot, each acting reasonably;
“Arrangement Effective Time” means [● a.m.] (Toronto time) on the Effective Date or such other time as the Company and Peridot may agree upon in writing;
“Arrangement Resolution” means the special resolution of the Company Shareholders approving the Plan of Arrangement which is to be considered at the Company Meeting;
“Business Combination Agreement” means the business combination agreement made as of February 15, 2021 by and among the Company, Newco and Peridot, including all exhibits and schedules annexed thereto, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof;
“Company” means Li-Cycle Corp., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario;
“Company Common Shares” means the common shares of the Company;
“Company Common Shareholder” means, at any time, the holders of Company Common Shares issued and outstanding at such time and “Company Common Shareholder” means any one of them.
“Company Long-Term Incentive Plan” means the long-term incentive plan of the Company effective November 1, 2019;
“Company Meeting” means the special meeting of the Company Shareholders, including any adjournment or postponement thereof in accordance with the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, to be called and held in accordance with the Interim Order for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, approving the Arrangement Resolution;
“Company Optionholders” means, at any time, the holders of Company Options granted under a Company Plan outstanding at such time and “Company Optionholder” means any one of them;
“Company Options” means the outstanding options to purchase Company Common Shares granted pursuant to a Company Plan;
“Company Plans” means, collectively, the Company Long-Term Incentive Plan and the Company Stock Option Plan, each as amended from time to time;
“Company Preferred Shareholders” means, at any time, the holders of Company Preferred Shares issued and outstanding at such time and “Company Preferred Shareholder” means any one of them;
“Company Preferred Shares” means the Class A Preferred Shares of the Company;
“Company RSUs” means the outstanding restricted share units granted under the Company Long-Term Incentive Plan;
“Company RSU Holders” means, at any time, the holders of Company RSUs outstanding at such time and “Company RSU Holder” means any one of them;
- 2 -
“Company Shareholder Consideration” means the Amalco Shares to be issued to Company Common Shareholders pursuant to the Arrangement and in accordance with and subject to the terms of this Plan of Arrangement;
“Company Shareholders” means, at any time, the holders of Company Common Shares, Company Preferred Shares or both, in each case issued and outstanding at such time and “Company Shareholder” means any one of them;
“Company Shares” means, collectively, Company Common Shares and Company Preferred Shares;
“Company Stock Option Plan” means the stock option plan of the Company;
“Company Transmittal Letter” means the letter of transmittal to be provided by the Company to the Company Shareholders which provides a means for the delivery of any certificates representing Company Shares to the Exchange Agent and for instructions to be given by such Company Shareholder to the Exchange Agent for the delivery of the Company Shareholder Consideration;
“Court” means the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List);
“Effective Date” means the date upon which the Arrangement becomes effective as provided in this Plan of Arrangement;
“Escrowed Exercise Price” means the aggregate exercise price of the Amalco Arrangement Options held by Exercising Amalco Arrangement Optionholders paid by the Exercising Amalco Arrangement Optionholders to the Company in escrow pending release pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement;
“Exchange Agent” means [•];
“Exchange Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of (A) 97,500,000, and (B) the Aggregate Exercise Price divided by $10, by (ii) the Company Fully Diluted Shares;
“Exercising Amalco Arrangement Optionholders” means the Amalco Arrangement Optionholders identified in the Exercising Optionholder List;
“Exercising Optionholder List” means a list to be delivered by the Company to Peridot and the Exchange Agent at least two Business Days prior to the Effective Date setting out (i) the Persons who have elected to exercise their Amalco Arrangement Options pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement and (ii) the number of Amalco Shares to which they will each be entitled pursuant to Section 3.1(j)(i);
“holder”, when used with reference to any securities of the Company, means the holder of such securities shown from time to time in the central securities register maintained by or on behalf of Company in respect of such securities;
- 3 -
“Interim Order” means the interim order of the Court contemplated by Section 2.2 of the Business Combination Agreement and made pursuant to Section 182(5) of the OBCA, in a form acceptable to each of the Company and Peridot (each acting reasonably), providing for, among other things, the calling and holding of the Company Meeting, as the same may be amended by the Court with the consent of the Company and Peridot, each acting reasonably;
“Newco” means Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario;
“OBCA” means the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) and the regulations made thereunder, as now in effect and as they may be promulgated or amended from time to time;
“Peridot” means Peridot Acquisition Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company, and any successor thereof continued under the OBCA;
“Peridot Transmittal Letter” means the letter of transmittal to be provided by Peridot to the holders of Peridot Shares and holders of Peridot Warrants which provides a means for the delivery of any certificates representing Peridot Shares and Peridot Warrants to the Exchange Agent and for instructions to be given by such holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants to the Exchange Agent for the delivery of the Amalco Shares or Amalco Warrants issuable to such holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants pursuant to Section 3.1(b);
“Plan of Arrangement” means this plan of arrangement and any amendments, supplements, modifications or variations hereto made in accordance with this Plan of Arrangement, the applicable provisions of the Business Combination Agreement, or upon the direction of the Court in the Final Order with the consent of the Company and Peridot, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed;
“RSU Share Consideration” means, for each Company RSU, one Company Common Share;
“Shareholders’ Agreement” means the Shareholders’ Agreement dated on or about January 30, 2018 between the Company and the Company Shareholders, as amended from time to time;
“Surrendering Amalco Arrangement Optionholders” means the Amalco Arrangement Optionholders identified in the Surrendering Optionholder List;
“Surrendering Optionholder List” means a list to be delivered by the Company to Peridot and the Exchange Agent at least two Business Days prior to the Effective Date setting out (i) the Persons who have elected to surrender their Amalco Arrangement Options pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement and (ii) the number of Amalco Shares to which they will each be entitled pursuant to Section 3.1(k); and
“Tax Act” means the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the regulations made thereunder, as now in effect and as they may be promulgated or amended from time to time.
1.2 | In this Plan of Arrangement, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires: |
(a) | the division of this Plan of Arrangement into Articles and Sections and the further division thereof into subsections and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only and will not affect the construction or interpretation of this Plan of Arrangement. Unless otherwise indicated, any reference in this Plan of Arrangement to an Article, Section or subsection refers to the specified Article, Section or subsection to this Plan of Arrangement; |
- 4 -
(b) | time periods within or following which any payment is to be made or act is to be done will be calculated by excluding the day on which the period commences and including the day on which the period ends. Where the last day of any such time period is not a Business Day, such time period will be extended to the next Business Day following the day on which it would otherwise end; |
(c) | the terms “hereof”, “herein”, “hereunder” and similar expressions refer to this Plan of Arrangement and not to any particular section or other portion hereof and include any agreement or instrument supplementary or ancillary hereto; |
(d) | words importing the singular number only will include the plural and vice versa and words importing the use of any gender will include all genders; |
(e) | the word “including” means “including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing”; |
(f) | a reference to a statute is to that statute as now enacted or as the statute may from time to time be amended, re-enacted or replaced and includes any regulation, rule or policy made thereunder; and |
(g) | all references to cash or currency in this Plan of Arrangement are to United States dollars unless otherwise indicated. |
ARTICLE 2
BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT
2.1 | This Plan of Arrangement is made pursuant to and subject to the provisions of the Business Combination Agreement and constitutes an arrangement as referred to in Section 182 of the OBCA. If there is any inconsistency or conflict between the provisions of this Plan of Arrangement and the provisions of the Business Combination Agreement, the provisions of this Plan of Arrangement will govern. |
2.2 | This Plan of Arrangement and the Arrangement will become effective as of the Arrangement Effective Time and will be binding without any further authorization, act or formality on the part of the Court or any Person, on the Affected Securityholders, Peridot, Newco, the Company, Amalco and the Exchange Agent from and after the Arrangement Effective Time. |
ARTICLE 3
ARRANGEMENT
3.1 | Commencing at the Arrangement Effective Time, the following transactions will occur and will be deemed to occur at the times and in the order set out below without any further authorization, act or formality required on the part of any Person, except as otherwise expressly provided herein: |
(a) | at the Arrangement Effective Time, notwithstanding the terms of the Shareholders’ Agreement, the Shareholders’ Agreement will be terminated and the parties to the Shareholders’ Agreement will cease to have any rights or obligations under the Shareholders’ Agreement; |
- 5 -
(b) | one minute after the step in Section 3.1(a), Peridot and Newco will amalgamate to continue as one corporate entity (as so amalgamated, “Amalco”), with the same effect as if they were amalgamated under section 176 of the OBCA (the “Amalgamation”). For greater certainty, the Parties intend that the Amalgamation qualify as an “amalgamation” for purposes of subsection 87(1) of the Tax Act. On and after the Amalgamation: |
(i) | Each Peridot Share outstanding immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time will be exchanged for one Amalco Share, each holder of Peridot Share(s) so exchanged will be added to the register of holders of Amalco Shares and each Peridot Share so exchanged will be cancelled without any repayment of capital; |
(ii) | Each Newco Share outstanding immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time will be exchanged for one Amalco Share, the holder of the Newco Shares so exchanged will be added to the register of holders of Amalco Shares and each Newco Share so exchanged will be cancelled without any repayment of capital; |
(iii) | Each Peridot Warrant outstanding immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time will be exchanged for one Amalco Warrant, each holder of Peridot Warrant(s) so exchanged will be added to the register of holders of Amalco Warrants and each Peridot Warrant so exchanged will be cancelled without any repayment of capital; |
(iv) | the name of Amalco will be Li-Cycle Holdings Corp.; |
(v) | the registered office of Amalco will be the same registered office as Newco; |
(vi) | the articles of amalgamation of Amalco will be in the form of the articles of incorporation of Newco, as amended1; |
(vii) | the by-laws of Amalco will be in the form of the by-laws of Newco; |
(viii) | the first directors of Amalco will be Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx; |
(ix) | the stated capital of Amalco will be the sum of the stated capital of Peridot and Newco; |
(x) | Amalco will own and hold all property of Peridot and Newco, and, without limiting the provisions hereof, all rights of creditors or others will be unimpaired by such Amalgamation, and all obligations of Peridot and Newco, whether arising by contract or otherwise, may be enforced against Amalco to the same extent as if such obligations had been incurred or contracted by it; |
1 | Newco articles to be amended in accordance with Section 5.18 of the Business Combination Agreement. |
- 6 -
(xi) | Amalco will continue to be liable for the obligations of Peridot and Newco; |
(xii) | all rights, contracts, permits and interests of Peridot and Newco will continue as rights, contracts, permits and interests of Amalco and, for greater certainty, the Amalgamation will not constitute a transfer or assignment of the rights or obligations of Peridot and Newco under any such rights, contracts, permits and interests; |
(xiii) | any existing cause of action, claim or liability to prosecution will be unaffected; |
(xiv) | a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding pending by or against Peridot or Newco may be continued by or against Amalco; and |
(xv) | a conviction against, or ruling, order or judgment in favour of or against, Peridot or Newco may be enforced by or against Amalco; |
(c) | one minute after the steps in Section 3.1(b), the Amalco Share held by the Company will be purchased for cancellation by Amalco for cash equal to the subscription price for the Newco Share for which such Amalco Share was exchanged pursuant to Section 3.1(b)(ii); |
(d) | one minute after the step in 3.1(c), Amalco will, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Subscription Agreements, issue such number of Amalco Shares contemplated by the Subscription Agreements; |
(e) | one minute after the step in Section 3.1(d): |
(i) | each Company Preferred Share held by a Company Preferred Shareholder immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time will be converted into and exchanged for one (1) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Company Common Share; |
(ii) | such Company Preferred Shareholder will cease to have any rights as the registered holder of Company Preferred Shares (other than the right to receive the consideration contemplated by Section 3.1(e)(i)); and |
(iii) | the name of such Company Preferred Shareholder will be removed as the registered holder of such Company Preferred Shares from the applicable securities register of the Company maintained by or on behalf of the Company and added as a registered holder of Company Common Shares on the applicable securities register of the Company maintained by or on behalf of the Company, and such Company Preferred Shares will be cancelled; |
(f) | one minute after the steps in Section 3.1(e): |
(i) | each Company RSU outstanding immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time (whether vested or unvested and notwithstanding the terms of any Company Plan) will be deemed to be vested to the fullest extent and will be surrendered to the Company and cancelled in exchange for the RSU Share Consideration; and |
- 7 -
(ii) | with respect to each Company RSU surrendered and cancelled pursuant to Section 3.1(f)(i), the holder of such Company RSU will cease to be the holder thereof or to have any rights as a holder thereof (other than the right to receive the RSU Share Consideration such holder is entitled to receive pursuant to Section 3.1(f)(i)) and the name of the holder thereof will be removed as the registered holder of such Company RSUs from the applicable securities register of the Company and added as a registered holder of Company Common Shares on the applicable securities register of the Company and all agreements relating to any such Company RSU will be terminated and will be of no further force and effect; |
(g) | one minute after the steps in Section 3.1(f): |
(i) | each Company Common Share (including any Company Common Shares issued to Company Preferred Shareholders pursuant to Section 3.1(e)(i), and any Company Common Shares issued as RSU Share Consideration pursuant to Section 3.1(f)(i)), held by a Company Common Shareholder immediately prior to effecting the steps in this Section 3.1(g) will be transferred to Amalco in consideration for that number of Amalco Shares which is equal to the Exchange Ratio; |
(ii) | such Company Common Shareholder will cease to have any rights as a registered holder of Company Common Shares other than the right to receive (A) the consideration contemplated by Section 3.1(g)(i), and (B) any dividends and other distributions payable in respect of the Company Common Shares as of the Arrangement Effective Time, in each case less any amounts required to be withheld in accordance with Section 5.2; |
(iii) | the name of such Company Common Shareholder will be removed as the registered holder of such Company Common Shares from the applicable securities register of the Company maintained by or on behalf of the Company and added as a registered holder of Amalco Shares on the applicable securities register of Amalco maintained by or on behalf of Amalco; and |
(iv) | Amalco will be recorded as the registered holder of such Company Common Shares so transferred and acquired in accordance with this Section 3.1(g) and will be deemed to be the legal and beneficial owner thereof free and clear of all Liens; |
- 8 -
(h) | one minute after the steps in Section 3.1(g): |
(i) | (A) Each Company Option outstanding immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time (whether vested or unvested and notwithstanding the terms of any Company Plan) will be exchanged for an option to purchase Amalco Shares (an “Amalco Arrangement Option”). The Amalco Arrangement Option that so replaces the Company Option may be exercised solely for Amalco Shares. The number of Amalco Shares subject to the Amalco Arrangement Option will be equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest whole number on a per Company Option certificate basis) of (x) the number of Company Common Shares subject to such Company Option immediately prior to such time and (y) the Exchange Ratio. The per share exercise price for the Amalco Shares issuable upon exercise of such Amalco Arrangement Option will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the exercise price per Company Common Share of such Company Option immediately prior to such time by (B) the Exchange Ratio, converting the resulting amount to its U.S. dollar equivalent based on the C$:U.S.$ Bank of Canada daily exchange rate on the Effective Date, and rounding the resulting exercise price up to the nearest whole cent. |
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined in good faith that the excess of the aggregate fair market value of the Amalco Shares subject to an Amalco Arrangement Option immediately after the issuance of the Amalco Arrangement Option over the aggregate option exercise price for such shares pursuant to the Amalco Arrangement Option (such excess referred to herein as the “In the Money Amount” of the Amalco Arrangement Option) would otherwise exceed the excess of the aggregate fair market value of the Company Common Shares subject to the Company Option in exchange for which the Amalco Arrangement Option was issued immediately before the issuance of the Amalco Arrangement Option over the aggregate option exercise price for such shares pursuant to the Company Option (such excess referred to as the “In the Money Amount” of the Company Option), the previous provisions will be modified so that the In the Money Amount of the Amalco Arrangement Option does not exceed the In the Money Amount of the Company Option in accordance with subsection 7(1.4) of the Tax Act but only to the extent necessary;
(C) Except as specifically provided above, following such time, each Amalco Arrangement Option will, mutatis mutandis, continue to be governed by the terms of the applicable Company Plan and the terms of the stock option agreement by which such Company Option is evidenced, any restriction on the exercise of any Company Option so replaced will continue in full force and effect and the term, exercisability, vesting schedule and other provisions that applied to such Company Option will otherwise remain unchanged as a result of the replacement of such Company Option; provided however that (x) Amalco’s board of directors or a committee thereof will succeed to the authority and responsibility of the Company Board or any committee thereof with respect to each Amalco Arrangement Option; and (y) each Amalco Arrangement Option will be subject to administrative procedures consistent with those in effect under Amalco’s equity compensation plan; and
- 9 -
(ii) | with respect to each Company Option exchanged pursuant to Section 3.1(h)(i), the holder of such Company Option will cease to be the holder thereof or to have any rights as a holder thereof (other than the right to receive the consideration such holder is entitled to receive pursuant to Section 3.1(h)(i)), and the name of the holder thereof will be removed from the applicable securities register of the Company and added as a registered holder of Amalco Arrangement Options on the applicable securities register of Amalco maintained by or on behalf of Amalco; |
(i) | immediately after the steps in Section 3.1(h), each Amalco Arrangement Option outstanding (whether vested or unvested and notwithstanding the terms of any Company Plan) will be deemed to be vested to the fullest extent; |
(j) | five minutes after the step in Section 3.1(i): |
(i) | each Amalco Arrangement Option received in exchange for a Company Option pursuant to Section 3.1(h)(i), held by an Exercising Amalco Arrangement Optionholder and outstanding immediately following the steps in Section 3.1(h) will be exercised by the Exercising Amalco Arrangement Optionholder, the Escrowed Exercise Price will be released to the Company from escrow, and each Exercising Amalco Arrangement Optionholder will be issued such number of Amalco Shares to which such exercised Amalco Option is subject (as determined pursuant to Section 3.1(h)(i), and each such exercised Amalco Arrangement Option will immediately be cancelled; and |
(ii) | with respect to each Amalco Arrangement Option exercised pursuant to Section 3.1(j)(i), the holder of such Amalco Arrangement Option will cease to be the holder thereof or to have any rights as a holder thereof and the name of the holder thereof will be removed as a registered holder of Amalco Arrangement Options from the applicable securities register of Amalco maintained by or on behalf of Amalco and added as a registered holder of Amalco Shares on the applicable securities register of Amalco maintained by or on behalf of Amalco; |
(k) | five minutes after the steps in Section 3.1(j): |
(i) | each Amalco Arrangement Option received by a Surrendering Amalco Arrangement Optionholder in exchange for a Company Option pursuant to Section 3.1(h)(i) will be disposed of by the Surrendering Amalco Arrangement Optionholder to Amalco in exchange for the Amalco Optionholder Consideration, and each such Amalco Arrangement Option will immediately be cancelled; and |
(ii) | with respect to each Amalco Arrangement Option surrendered pursuant to Section 3.1(k)(i), the holder of such Amalco Arrangement Option will cease to be the holder thereof or to have any rights as a holder thereof (other than the right to receive the consideration such holder is entitled to receive, if any, pursuant to Section 3.1(k)(i)) and the name of the holder thereof will be removed as the registered holder of Amalco Arrangement Options from the applicable securities register of Amalco maintained by or on behalf of Amalco and added as a registered holder of Amalco Shares on the applicable securities register of Amalco maintained by or on behalf of Amalco. |
- 10 -
The transactions provided for in this Section 3.1 will be deemed to occur on the Effective Date notwithstanding that certain of the procedures related hereto are not completed until after the Effective Date (and provided that none of the foregoing will occur or will be deemed to occur unless all of the foregoing occur and, if they occur, all of the foregoing will be deemed to occur without further act or formality).
ARTICLE 4
CERTIFICATES AND PAYMENTS
4.1 | On the Closing Date (i) immediately prior to the Arrangement, Peridot will deposit or cause to be deposited with the Exchange Agent for the benefit of and to be held on behalf of the holders of Peridot Shares and holders of Peridot Warrants entitled to receive Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants pursuant to Section 3.1(b), certificates representing, or evidence in book-entry form of, the Amalco Shares and Amalco Warrants issuable pursuant to Section 3.1(b), and (ii) promptly following the Amalgamation, Amalco will deposit or cause to be deposited with the Exchange Agent (a) for the benefit of and to be held on behalf of the Company Shareholders entitled to receive Amalco Shares pursuant to Section 3.1(g), certificates representing, or evidence in book-entry form of, the Company Shareholder Consideration, and (b) for the benefit of and to be held on behalf of the Company Optionholders entitled to receive Amalco Shares pursuant to Section 3.1(j)(i) or Section 3.1(k)(i), that number of Amalco Shares issuable pursuant to Section 3.1(j)(i) and Section 3.1(k)(i). |
4.2 | On or prior to the Business Day preceding the Arrangement Effective Time, the Company will deposit or cause to be deposited with the Exchange Agent, (i) for the benefit of and to be held on behalf of the Company Preferred Shareholders, certificates representing or evidence in book-entry form of, the Company Common Shares issuable to Company Preferred Shareholders pursuant to Section 3.1(e)(i), and (ii) for the benefit of and to be held on behalf of the holders of Company RSUs, certificates representing or evidence in book-entry form of the RSU Share Consideration (if any) payable to Company RSU Holders pursuant to Section 3.1(f)(i). |
4.3 | Following the deposit with the Exchange Agent of the certificates or other evidence specified in Section 4.1, Amalco will be fully and completely discharged from its obligation to pay the Company Shareholder Consideration to the Company Shareholders, and Amalco Shares to Amalco Arrangement Optionholders pursuant to Section 3.1(j)(i) and Section 3.1(k)(i), and to issue the Amalco Shares to holders of Peridot Shares and the Amalco Warrants to holders of Peridot Warrants, in each case, pursuant to Section 3.1(b), and the rights of such holders will be limited to receiving, from the Exchange Agent, the Amalco Shares or Amalco Warrants, as applicable, to which they are entitled in accordance with this Plan of Arrangement. |
4.4 | Following the deposit with the Exchange Agent of the certificates or other evidence specified in Section 4.2, the Company will be fully and completely discharged from its obligation to issue Company Common Shares to Company Preferred Shareholders pursuant to Section 3.1(e)(i), and to pay the RSU Share Consideration to former Company RSU Holders, and the rights of such holders will be limited to receiving, from the Exchange Agent, the Company Shareholder Consideration or RSU Share Consideration to which they are entitled in accordance with this Plan of Arrangement. |
- 11 -
4.5 | Until such time as a Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants deposits with the Exchange Agent a duly completed Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal Letter, as applicable, documents, certificates and instruments contemplated by the Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal, as applicable, and such other documents and instruments as the Exchange Agent, the Company or Peridot (or Amalco, as the case may be) reasonably require, the payment or delivery to which such Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants is entitled will, in each case, be delivered or paid to the Exchange Agent to be held as agent on behalf of and for the benefit of such Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants for delivery to such Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants, without interest and net of all applicable withholdings and other taxes, if any, upon delivery of the Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal Letter, as applicable, documents, certificates and instruments contemplated by the Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal Letter, as applicable, and such other documents, certificates and instruments as the Exchange Agent, the Company or Peridot (or Amalco, as the case may be) reasonably require. |
4.6 | Upon surrender to the Exchange Agent for cancellation of a certificate that immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time represented one or more Company Shares, Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants, a duly completed and executed Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal Letter, as applicable, and such additional documents, certificates and instruments as the Exchange Agent, the Company or Peridot (or Amalco, as the case may be) may reasonably require, the holder of such surrendered certificate, or the deliverer of such Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal Letter, as applicable, will be entitled to receive, and the Exchange Agent will, as promptly as practicable after the Arrangement Effective Time, deliver to such holder, the certificate(s) representing or other evidence of, Amalco Shares or Amalco Warrants that such Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants is entitled to receive under the Arrangement, and any certificate so surrendered will forthwith be cancelled. |
4.7 | As soon as practicable following the Arrangement Effective Time, Amalco will deliver to each former Company RSU Holder that received Company Common Shares pursuant to Section 3.1(f) the certificate(s) representing or evidence in book-entry form of, the Amalco Shares to which they are entitled under the Arrangement. Neither a certificate nor a letter of transmittal need be surrendered by a former Company RSU Holder that is entitled to Company Common Shares pursuant to Section 3.1(f) in order for such former holder to receive such payment. |
4.8 | If any former Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants fails to deliver to the Exchange Agent the certificates, documents or instruments required to be delivered to the Exchange Agent under this Article 4 in order for such former Company Shareholder or holder of Peridot Shares or holder of Peridot Warrants to receive the consideration which such former holder is entitled to receive pursuant to Section 3.1 on or before the day immediately prior to the sixth anniversary of the Arrangement Effective Time, and any right or claim to payment hereunder that remains outstanding, on the day before the sixth anniversary of the Arrangement Effective Time, (i) will cease to represent a right or claim of any kind or nature and the right of the holder to receive the applicable consideration pursuant to this Plan of |
- 12 -
Arrangement will terminate and any applicable consideration held by the Exchange Agent in trust for such former holder will be deemed to be surrendered and forfeited to Amalco or its successors for no consideration, and (ii) any certificate representing Company Shares or Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants formerly held by such former holder will cease to represent a claim of any nature whatsoever and will be deemed to have been surrendered to Amalco and will be cancelled. None of the Company or Amalco, or any of their respective successors, will be liable to any Person in respect of any consideration (including any consideration previously held by the Exchange Agent in trust for any such former holder) which is forfeited to the Company or Amalco or delivered to any public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law. |
4.9 | After the Arrangement Effective Time and until surrendered as contemplated by this Article 4, each certificate that immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time represented one or more Company Shares, Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants will be deemed at all times to represent only the right to receive certificate(s) representing or other evidence of, the Amalco Shares or Amalco Warrants that such Company Shareholder, holder of Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants is entitled to receive in accordance with this Article 4, less any amounts withheld pursuant to Section 5.2. |
4.10 | If any certificate that immediately prior to the Arrangement Effective Time represented one or more outstanding Company Shares, Peridot Shares or Peridot Warrants that were exchanged pursuant to Article 3 has been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, the Amalco Shares or Amalco Warrants that such Person is entitled to receive pursuant to Article 3, deliverable in accordance with such holder’s Company Transmittal Letter or Peridot Transmittal Letter, as applicable. |
4.11 | When authorizing the delivery of such consideration in exchange for any lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, the Person to whom the consideration is being delivered must, as a condition precedent to the delivery of such consideration, give a bond satisfactory to the Company or Amalco and the Exchange Agent in such sum as the Company, Amalco and the Exchange Agent may direct or otherwise indemnify the Company, Amalco and the Exchange Agent in a manner satisfactory to the Company, Amalco and the Exchange Agent against any claim that may be made against the Company, Amalco or the Exchange Agent with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed. |
4.12 | In no event will any Person be entitled to a fractional Amalco Share. Where the aggregate number of Amalco Shares to be issued to a Person pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement would result in a fraction of an Amalco Share being issuable, the number of Amalco Shares to be received by such Person will be rounded down to the nearest whole Amalco Share. |
ARTICLE 5
EFFECT OF THE ARRANGEMENT; WITHHOLDINGS
5.1 | From and after the Arrangement Effective Time: (a) this Plan of Arrangement will take precedence and priority over any and all Affected Securities issued prior to the Arrangement Effective Time, (b) the rights and obligations of the Affected Securityholders, the Company, Peridot, Newco, Amalco, the Exchange Agent and any transfer agent or other exchange agent therefor in relation thereto, will be solely as provided for in this Plan of Arrangement, and (c) all actions, causes of |
- 13 -
action, claims or proceedings (actual or contingent and whether or not previously asserted) based on or in any way relating to any Affected Securities will be deemed to have been settled, compromised, released and determined without liability except as set forth in this Plan of Arrangement. |
5.2 | The Company, Amalco and the Exchange Agent will be entitled to take such actions as are reasonably necessary to deduct and withhold (or cause to be deducted and withheld) from any amounts or consideration payable or otherwise deliverable to any Person pursuant to the Arrangement such Taxes, source deductions and other amounts as are required to be deducted and withheld under applicable Tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so deducted and withheld and timely remitted to the applicable Governmental Entity, such amounts will be treated for all purposes of the Arrangement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made. Each of the Company, Amalco, and the Exchange Agent, as applicable, is hereby authorized to sell or otherwise dispose of, on behalf of such Person, such portion of any share or other security deliverable to such Person as is necessary to provide sufficient funds to the Company, Amalco, and the Exchange Agent, as the case may be, to enable it to comply with such deduction and withholding requirement and the Company, Amalco or the Exchange Agent will use commercially reasonable efforts to notify such Person thereof and remit the applicable portion of the net proceeds of such sale to the appropriate Governmental Entity and, if applicable, any portion of such net proceeds that is not required to be so remitted will be paid to such Person. |
ARTICLE 6
AMENDMENTS
6.1 | The Company and Peridot may amend, modify and/or supplement this Plan of Arrangement at any time and from time to time prior to the Arrangement Effective Time, provided that each such amendment, modification and/or supplement must (i) be set out in writing, (ii) be approved by the Company and Peridot, each acting reasonably, (iii) be filed with the Court and, if made following the Company Meeting, approved by the Court, and (iv) be communicated to the Affected Securityholders if and as required by the Court. |
6.2 | Any amendment, modification or supplement to this Plan of Arrangement may be proposed by the Company or Peridot at any time prior to the Company Meeting or the Peridot Shareholders Meeting (provided that the Company or Peridot will have consented thereto) with or without any other prior notice or communication, and if so proposed and accepted by the Persons voting at the Company Meeting or the Peridot Shareholders Meeting, as applicable (other than as may be required under the Interim Order), will become part of this Plan of Arrangement for all purposes. |
6.3 | Any amendment, modification or supplement to this Plan of Arrangement that is approved or directed by the Court following the Company Meeting will be effective only if (i) it is consented to in writing by each of the Company and Peridot (in each case, acting reasonably) and (ii) if required by the Court, it is consented to by some or all of the Company Shareholders or holders of Peridot Shares voting in the manner directed by the Court. |
6.4 | Any amendment, modification or supplement to this Plan of Arrangement may be made following the Effective Date by Amalco, provided that it concerns a matter which, in the reasonable opinion of Amalco, is of an administrative nature required to better give effect to the implementation of this Plan of Arrangement. |
- 14 -
ARTICLE 7
FURTHER ASSURANCES
7.1 | Notwithstanding that the transactions and events set out herein will occur and be deemed to occur in the order set out in this Plan of Arrangement without any further act or formality, each of the parties to the Business Combination Agreement will make, do and execute, or cause to be made, done and executed, all such further acts, deeds, agreements, transfers, assurances, instruments or documents as may reasonably be required by any of them in order further to document or evidence any of the transactions or events set out therein. |
- 15 -
EXHIBIT C
Institutional Investor Form
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “Subscription Agreement”) is entered into this __________ day of February, 2021, by and among Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., a company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada and a wholly owned subsidiary of Li-Cycle (as defined below) (the “Issuer”), Peridot Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Peridot”), and ____________________________________________ (“Subscriber”).
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Subscription Agreement, the Issuer entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among Peridot, Li-Cycle Corp., an Ontario corporation (“Li-Cycle”), and the Issuer, pursuant to which, among other things, (i) holders of Peridot’s issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Shares”), will receive the Issuer’s common shares (the “Common Shares”), (ii) holders of the issued and outstanding warrants to purchase Class A Shares of Peridot will receive warrants of the Issuer to purchase Common Shares at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, and (iii) the Issuer will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of Li-Cycle from Li-Cycle shareholders in exchange for Common Shares (such transaction and the other transactions consummated pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the “Transaction”);
WHEREAS, in connection with the Transaction, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Subscription Agreement, Subscriber desires to subscribe for and purchase from the Issuer, prior to or simultaneous with the closing of the Transaction, the number of Issuer’s Common Shares set forth on the signature page hereto (such Common Shares, the “Acquired Shares”) for a purchase price of $10.00 per share (the “Share Purchase Price”), or the aggregate purchase price set forth on the signature page hereto (the “Purchase Price”), and the Issuer desires to issue and sell the Acquired Shares to Subscriber in a private placement in consideration of the payment of the Purchase Price by or on behalf of Subscriber to the Issuer at or prior to the Closing Date; and
WHEREAS, in connection with the Transaction, certain other institutional “accredited investors” (as such term is defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”, and each such institutional “accredited investor”, an “Other Subscriber”)), have entered into subscription agreements with the Issuer substantially similar to this Subscription Agreement, pursuant to which such Other Subscribers have agreed to subscribe for and purchase, and the Issuer has agreed to issue and sell to such Other Subscribers, on the Closing Date, a total of at least ________________ Common Shares at the Share Purchase Price (the “Other Subscription Agreements”).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual representations, warranties and covenants, and subject to the conditions, herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1. | Subscription. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Subscriber hereby agrees to subscribe for and purchase, and the Issuer hereby agrees to issue and sell to Subscriber, upon the payment of the Purchase Price, the Acquired Shares (such subscription and issuance, the “Subscription”). The undersigned understands and agrees that the undersigned’s subscription for the Acquired Shares shall be deemed to be accepted by the Issuer only when this Subscription Agreement is signed by a duly authorized person by or on behalf of the Issuer. The Issuer may sign this Subscription Agreement in counterpart form. In the event of the termination of this subscription in accordance with the terms hereof, this Subscription Agreement shall be null and void and have no force or effect. |
2. | Closing. |
(a) | Subject to the satisfaction or waiver (in writing) of the conditions set forth in Section 2(d), (e) and (f), the closing of the Subscription contemplated hereby (the “Closing”) is contingent upon the substantially concurrent consummation of the Transaction and shall occur on the date of, and at a time immediately prior to, the closing of the Transaction (such date, the “Closing Date”). Not less than five (5) business days prior to the date on which the Issuer reasonably expects the Closing to occur (the “Scheduled Closing Date”), the Issuer shall provide written notice (which may be via email) to Subscriber (the “Closing Notice”) of the Scheduled Closing Date, which Closing Notice shall contain the Issuer’s wire instructions for an escrow account established by the Issuer to the purpose of collecting funds in advance of the Closing. |
(b) | At least three (3) business days prior to the Scheduled Closing Date, Subscriber shall deliver to the escrow account referenced above the aggregate Purchase Price for the Acquired Shares subscribed by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds. Upon the Closing, the Issuer shall provide instructions to the escrow agent for the escrow account to release the funds in the escrow account to the Issuer against delivery to Subscriber of the Acquired Shares, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions whatsoever (other than those arising under state or federal securities laws), in book-entry form. If this Subscription Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing or the Closing does not occur on the Scheduled Closing Date and any funds have already been sent by Subscriber to the escrow account, then promptly (but in no event longer than 2 business days thereafter) after such termination or failure of closing, the Issuer will instruct the escrow agent to promptly (but in no event longer than 2 business days thereafter) return such funds to Subscriber. |
(c) | On the Closing Date, subject to the satisfaction or waiver (in writing) of the conditions set forth in Section 2(d), (e) and (f) (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at Closing, but without affecting the requirement that such conditions be satisfied or waived at Closing), assuming that Subscriber shall have delivered to the Issuer on the Closing Date the Purchase Price for the Acquired Shares by wire transfer of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds to the escrow account specified by the Issuer in the Closing Notice, the Issuer shall deliver to Subscriber the Acquired Shares in book-entry form, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions whatsoever (other than those arising under state or federal securities laws), in the name of Subscriber (or its nominee in accordance with its delivery instructions) or to a custodian designated by Subscriber, as applicable. Each book entry for the Acquired Shares shall contain a notation, and each certificate (if any) evidencing the Acquired Shares shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend, in substantially the following form: |
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION, AND MAY NOT BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM.
2
(d) | The Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on the Closing Date, or the waiver (in writing) by each of the parties hereto, of each of the following conditions: |
(i) | no suspension of the qualification of the Acquired Shares for offering or sale or trading in any jurisdiction, or initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, shall have occurred; |
(ii) | no governmental authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any judgment, order, law, rule or regulation (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) which is then in effect and has the effect of making consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby illegal or otherwise preventing or prohibiting consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and no governmental authority shall have instituted or threatened in writing a proceeding seeking to impose any such prevention or prohibition; and |
(iii) | (a) all conditions precedent to the closing of the Transaction contained in the Business Combination Agreement shall have been satisfied (as determined by the parties to the Business Combination Agreement and other than those conditions that may only be satisfied at the closing of the Transaction, but subject to satisfaction of such conditions as of the closing of the Transaction ) or waived and (b) the closing of the Transaction shall be scheduled to occur concurrently with or on the same date as the Closing. |
(e) | The obligations of Subscriber at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on the Closing Date, or the waiver by Subscriber, of each of the following conditions: |
(i) | all representations and warranties of each of the Issuer and Peridot contained in Section 3 and Section 4, respectively, shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality, Issuer Material Adverse Effect or Peridot Material Adverse Effect, which representations and warranties shall be true in all respects) at and as of the Closing Date (unless they specifically speak as of an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality, Issuer Material Adverse Effect or Peridot Material Adverse Effect, which representations and warranties shall be true in all respects) as of such date), and consummation of the Closing shall constitute a reaffirmation by the Issuer and Peridot of each of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Issuer and Peridot contained in this Subscription Agreement as of the Closing Date (other than those representations and warranties expressly made as of an earlier date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date); and |
(ii) | the Issuer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing, except where the failure of such performance or compliance would not or would not reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay, or materially impair the ability of the Issuer to consummate the Closing; and |
(iii) | no amendment, modification or waiver of the Business Combination Agreement shall have occurred that materially and adversely affects the economic benefits that Subscriber would receive under this Subscription Agreement without having received Subscriber’s prior written consent (which consent is not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). |
3
(f) | The obligations of the Issuer at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on the Closing Date, or the waiver by the Issuer, of each of the following conditions: |
(i) | all representations and warranties of Subscriber contained in Section 5 shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the Closing Date, and consummation of the Closing shall constitute a reaffirmation by Subscriber of each of the representations, warranties and agreements of Subscriber contained in this Subscription Agreement as of the Closing Date (other than those representations and warranties expressly made as of an earlier date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date); and |
(ii) | Subscriber shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing, except where the failure of such performance or compliance would not or would not reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay, or materially impair the ability of Subscriber to consummate the Closing. |
(g) | At the Closing, the parties hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take such additional actions as the parties reasonably may deem to be practical and necessary in order to consummate the Subscription as contemplated by this Subscription Agreement. |
(h) | In the event that the Transaction is structured where a new entity will become the successor public company to the Issuer in the Transaction or will become a parent company of the Issuer whose securities are issued in consideration of or in exchange for the Issuer’s securities (the “Successor”), then as a condition to consummating the Transaction, the Successor will agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Subscription Agreement that apply to the Issuer after the Closing, and any references in this Subscription Agreement to the Acquired Shares will include any equity securities of the Successor that are issued in consideration of or exchange for the Acquired Shares. |
3. | Issuer Representations and Warranties. The Issuer represents and warrants to the Subscriber that: |
(a) | The Issuer has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of Ontario, in good standing under the laws of Ontario (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as presently conducted and to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement. |
(b) | As of the Closing Date, the Acquired Shares will be duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to Subscriber against full payment for the Acquired Shares in accordance with the terms of this Subscription Agreement, the Acquired Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any statutory or contractual preemptive or similar rights. |
4
(c) | This Subscription Agreement, the Other Subscription Agreements and the Business Combination Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer and are enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity. |
(d) | Since the date of its formation, the Issuer has not owned any assets, carried on any business, conducted any operations or incurred any liabilities or obligations or has not hired any employee or independent contractor, other than the execution of this Agreement, the Business Combination Agreement and any documents contemplated thereby, the performance of its obligations hereunder and matters ancillary thereto. |
(e) | As of the date hereof, the authorized share capital of the Issuer consists of an unlimited number of Common Shares, of which one is issued and outstanding. Immediately following the Closing Date, all of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (i) will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) will have been issued in compliance in all material respects with applicable law and (iii) will not have been issued in breach or violation of any preemptive rights or contract to which the Issuer is a party or bound. As of the date hereof and as of the Closing, the Issuer had and will have no outstanding long-term indebtedness (other than deferred underwriting fees and expenses deferred from Peridot’s initial public offering). |
(f) | The execution and delivery by the Issuer of the Transaction Documents, and the performance by the Issuer of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including the issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Issuer pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Issuer is a party or by which the Issuer is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Issuer is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Issuer (an “Issuer Material Adverse Effect”) or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of the Issuer to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of the Issuer; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its properties that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an Issuer Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of the Issuer to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement. |
(g) | There are no securities or instruments issued by or to which the Issuer is a party containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of (i) the Acquired Shares, (ii) the Common Shares to be issued pursuant to any Other Subscription Agreement or (iii) any securities to be issued pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, in each case, that have not been or will not be validly waived on or prior to the Closing Date. |
5
(h) | The Issuer is not in default or violation (and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or violation) of any term, condition or provision of (i) the organizational documents of the Issuer, (ii) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, permit, franchise or license to which the Issuer is now a party or by which the Issuer’s properties or assets are bound or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for defaults or violations that have not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an Issuer Material Adverse Effect. |
(i) | The Issuer is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority, self-regulatory organization or other person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Issuer of this Subscription Agreement (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Acquired Shares), other than (i) filings required by applicable state or federal securities laws, (ii) the filings required in accordance with Section 12(o), (iii) those required by the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), including with respect to obtaining shareholder approval, and (iv) the failure of which to obtain would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an Issuer Material Adverse Effect. |
(j) | As of the Closing Date, the issued and outstanding Common Shares will be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and will be listed for trading on the NYSE. There is no suit, action, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, threatened against the Issuer by the NYSE or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the Common Shares, or prohibit or terminate the listing of the Common Shares, on the NYSE. The Issuer has taken no action that is designed to terminate the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act. |
(k) | Assuming the accuracy of Subscriber’s representations and warranties set forth in Section 5, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares by the Issuer to Subscriber in the manner contemplated by this Subscription Agreement. |
(l) | Neither the Issuer nor any person acting on its behalf has engaged or will engage in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D of the Securities Act) in connection with any offer or sale of the Acquired Shares. |
4. | Peridot Representations and Warranties. Peridot represents and warrants to the Subscriber that: |
(a) | Peridot has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as an exempted company under the laws of the Cayman Islands, in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as presently conducted and to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement. |
(b) | This Subscription Agreement, the Other Subscription Agreements and the Business Combination Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Peridot and are enforceable against Peridot in |
6
accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity. |
(c) | The execution and delivery by Peridot of the Transaction Documents, and the performance by Peridot of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Peridot pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Peridot is a party or by which Peridot is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Peridot is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of Peridot (a “Peridot Material Adverse Effect”) or materially affect the legal authority of Peridot to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of Peridot; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Peridot or any of its properties that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of Peridot to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement. |
(d) | Peridot is not in default or violation (and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or violation) of any term, condition or provision of (i) the organizational documents of Peridot, (ii) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, permit, franchise or license to which Peridot is now a party or by which Peridot’s properties or assets are bound or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Peridot or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for defaults or violations that have not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect. |
(e) | Peridot is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority, self-regulatory organization or other person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by Peridot of this Subscription Agreement, other than (i) filings required by applicable state or federal securities laws, (ii) the filings required in accordance with Section 12(o), (iii) those required by the NYSE, including with respect to obtaining shareholder approval, and (v) the failure of which to obtain would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect. |
(f) | As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Peridot consists of (i) 300,000,000 Class A Shares, par value $0.0001 per share, (ii) 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B Shares”), and (iii) 1,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preference Shares”). As of the date hereof: (i) 30,000,000 Class A Shares are issued and outstanding, (ii) 7,500,000 Class B Shares are issued and |
7
outstanding, (iii) no Preference Shares are issued and outstanding, and (iv) 23,000,000 warrants, each entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, are issued and outstanding. As of the date hereof and as of the Closing, Peridot had and will have no outstanding long-term indebtedness (other than deferred underwriting fees and expenses deferred from its initial public offering). |
(g) | Peridot has not received any written communication from a governmental entity that alleges that Peridot is not in compliance with or is in default or violation of any applicable law, except where such non-compliance, default or violation would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Peridot Material Adverse Effect. |
(h) | Peridot has not entered into any side letter or similar agreement with any Other Subscriber in connection with such Other Subscriber’s direct or indirect investment in the Issuer and no Other Subscription Agreement includes terms and conditions that are materially more advantageous to any such Other Subscriber than Subscriber hereunder. The Other Subscription Agreements have not been amended in any material respect following the date of this Subscription Agreement and reflect the same Share Purchase Price and terms that are no more favorable to any such Other Subscriber thereunder than the terms of this Subscription Agreement. |
(i) | Peridot has made available to Subscriber (including via the SEC’s XXXXX system) a copy of each form, report, statement, schedule, prospectus, proxy, registration statement and other document, if any, filed by Peridot with the SEC since its initial registration of the Class A Shares (the “SEC Documents”), which SEC Documents, as of their respective filing dates, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the SEC Documents and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents. None of the SEC Documents filed under the Exchange Act (except to the extent that information contained in any SEC Document has been superseded by a later timely filed SEC Document) contained, when filed any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that, with respect to information about Li-Cycle or any of its affiliates included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus to be filed by the Issuer with respect to the Transaction, the representation and warranty in this sentence is made to Peridot’s knowledge. The financial statements of Peridot included in the SEC Documents comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of Peridot as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, year-end audit adjustments.. Peridot has timely filed each report, statement, schedule, prospectus, and registration statement that Peridot was required to file with the SEC since its inception. There are no material outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters from the Staff of the SEC with respect to any of the SEC Documents. |
(j) | Except for such matters as have not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect, there is no (i) proceeding pending, or, to the knowledge of Peridot, threatened against Peridot or (ii) judgment, decree, injunction, ruling or order of any governmental entity or arbitrator outstanding against Peridot. |
8
(k) | Except for transaction fees payable to UBS Securities, LLC (“UBS”) and Barclays Capital, Inc. (“Barclays”) in connection with the Transaction and placement fees payable to UBS, Barclays and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., in their capacity as placement agents for the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares (in such capacity, the “Placement Agents”), Peridot has not paid, and is not obligated to pay, any brokerage, finder’s or other commission or similar fee in connection with its issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any fee or commission payable to any shareholder or affiliate of Peridot. |
5. | Subscriber Representations and Warranties. Subscriber represents and warrants to the Issuer and Peridot that: |
(a) | Subscriber has been duly formed or incorporated and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, with the requisite entity power and authority to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement. |
(b) | This Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Subscriber. This Subscription Agreement is enforceable against Subscriber in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity. |
(c) | The execution and delivery by Subscriber of this Subscription Agreement, and the performance by Subscriber of its obligations under this Subscription Agreement, including the purchase of the Acquired Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Subscriber pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Subscriber is a party or by which Subscriber is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Subscriber is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of Subscriber, taken as a whole (a “Subscriber Material Adverse Effect”), or materially affect the legal authority of Subscriber to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of Subscriber; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Subscriber or any of Subscriber’s properties that would reasonably be expected to have a Subscriber Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the legal authority of Subscriber to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement. |
(d) | Subscriber (i) is a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) or an institutional “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act), in each case, satisfying the applicable requirements set forth on Schedule A, (ii) is acquiring the Acquired Shares only for its own account and not for the account of others, or if Subscriber is subscribing for the Acquired Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, each owner of such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” or “accredited investor” (each as defined above) and Subscriber has |
9
full investment discretion with respect to each such account, and the full power and authority to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each owner of each such account and (iii) is not acquiring the Acquired Shares with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution thereof in violation of the Securities Act. Subscriber has completed Schedule A following the signature page hereto and the information contained therein is accurate and complete. Subscriber is not an entity formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Acquired Shares. |
(e) | Subscriber understands that the Acquired Shares are being offered in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act and that the Acquired Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act. Subscriber understands that the Acquired Shares may not be resold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of by Subscriber absent an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, except (i) to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof, (ii) to non-U.S. persons pursuant to offers and sales that occur outside the United States within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that all of the applicable conditions thereof have been met or (iv) pursuant to another applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and that any certificates or book-entry records representing the Acquired Shares shall contain a legend to such effect. Subscriber acknowledges that the Acquired Shares will not be eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act. Subscriber understands and agrees that the Acquired Shares will be subject to transfer restrictions and, as a result of these transfer restrictions, Subscriber may not be able to readily resell the Acquired Shares and may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the Acquired Shares for an indefinite period of time. Subscriber understands that it has been advised to consult legal counsel prior to making any offer, resale, pledge or transfer of any of the Acquired Shares. |
(f) | Subscriber understands and agrees that Subscriber is purchasing the Acquired Shares directly from the Issuer. Subscriber further acknowledges that there have been no representations, warranties, covenants and agreements made to Subscriber by the Issuer or any of its officers or directors, expressly or by implication, other than those representations, warranties, covenants and agreements included in this Subscription Agreement. |
(g) | Subscriber’s acquisition and holding of the Acquired Shares will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any applicable similar law. |
(h) | In making its decision to subscribe for and purchase the Acquired Shares, Subscriber represents that it has relied solely upon its own independent investigation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Subscriber has not relied on any statements or other information provided by the Placement Agents concerning the Issuer or the Acquired Shares or the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that Subscriber has received such information as Subscriber deems necessary in order to make an investment decision with respect to the Acquired Shares, including with respect to the Issuer and the Transaction. Subscriber represents and agrees that Subscriber and Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have had the full opportunity to ask such questions, receive such answers and obtain such information as Subscriber and such Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have deemed necessary to make an investment decision with respect to the Acquired Shares. Subscriber acknowledges that certain information provided by the Issuer was based on projections, and such projections were |
10
prepared based on assumptions and estimates that are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the projections. |
(i) | Subscriber became aware of this offering of the Acquired Shares solely by means of direct contact between Subscriber and the Issuer or the Placement Agents, and the Acquired Shares were offered to Subscriber solely by direct contact between Subscriber and the Issuer or the Placement Agents. Subscriber did not become aware of this offering of the Acquired Shares, nor were the Acquired Shares offered to Subscriber, by any other means. Subscriber acknowledges that the Issuer represents and warrants that the Acquired Shares (i) were not offered by any form of general solicitation or general advertising and (ii) are not being offered in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act, or any state securities laws. |
(j) | Subscriber acknowledges that it is aware that there are substantial risks incident to the purchase and ownership of the Acquired Shares. Subscriber has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Acquired Shares, and Subscriber has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as Subscriber has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision. |
(k) | Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that neither the Placement Agents nor any affiliate of the Placement Agents has provided Subscriber with any information or advice with respect to the Acquired Shares nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Subscriber acknowledges that the Placement Agents and their representatives (i) have not made any representation as to the Issuer or the quality of the Acquired Shares, (ii) may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Issuer which Subscriber agrees need not be provided to it, (iii) have made no independent investigation with respect to the Issuer or the Acquired Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any information supplied to Subscriber by the Issuer, (iv) have not acted as Subscriber’s financial advisor or fiduciary in connection with the issue and purchase of the Acquired Shares and (v) have not prepared a disclosure or offering document in connection with the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares. |
(l) | Alone, or together with any professional advisor(s), Subscriber represents and acknowledges that Subscriber has adequately analyzed and fully considered the risks of an investment in the Acquired Shares and determined that the Acquired Shares are a suitable investment for Subscriber and that Subscriber is able at this time and in the foreseeable future to bear the economic risk of a total loss of Subscriber’s investment in the Issuer. Subscriber acknowledges specifically that a possibility of total loss exists. |
(m) | Subscriber understands and agrees that no federal or state agency has passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Acquired Shares or made any findings or determination as to the fairness of an investment in the Acquired Shares. |
(n) | Subscriber is not (i) a person or entity named on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, the Executive Order 13599 List, the Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, or the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List, each of which is administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) (collectively “OFAC Lists”), (ii) owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, a person, that is named on an OFAC List, (iii) organized, incorporated, established, located, resident or born in, or a |
11
citizen, national, or the government, including any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, of, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Crimea region of Ukraine, or any other country or territory embargoed or subject to substantial trade restrictions by the United States, (iv) a Designated National as defined in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515 or (v) a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services indirectly to a non-U.S. shell bank. Subscriber represents that if it is a financial institution subject to the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. section 5311 et seq.) (the “BSA”), as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (the “PATRIOT Act”), and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “BSA/PATRIOT Act”), that Subscriber maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to comply with applicable obligations under the BSA/PATRIOT Act. Subscriber also represents that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with OFAC-administered sanctions programs, including for the screening of its investors against the OFAC Lists. Subscriber further represents and warrants that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the funds held by Subscriber and used to purchase the Acquired Shares were legally derived. |
(o) | If Subscriber is an employee benefit plan that is subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), a plan, an individual retirement account or other arrangement that is subject to section 4975 of the Code or an employee benefit plan that is a governmental plan (as defined in section 3(32) of ERISA), a church plan (as defined in section 3(33) of ERISA), a non-U.S. plan (as described in section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plan that is not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), or an entity whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a “Plan”) subject to the fiduciary or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or section 4975 of the Code, then Subscriber represents and warrants that (i) neither the Issuer, nor any of its respective affiliates (the “Transaction Parties”) has acted as the Plan’s fiduciary, or has been relied on for advice, with respect to its decision to acquire and hold the Acquired Shares, and none of the Transaction Parties shall at any time be relied upon as the Plan’s fiduciary with respect to any decision to acquire, continue to hold or transfer the Acquired Shares; (ii) the decision to invest in the Acquired Shares has been made at the recommendation or direction of an “independent fiduciary” (“Independent Fiduciary”) within the meaning of US Code of Federal Regulations 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3 21(c), as amended from time to time (the “Fiduciary Rule”) who is (A) independent of the Transaction Parties; (B) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with respect to particular transactions and investment strategies (within the meaning of the Fiduciary Rule); (C) is a fiduciary (under ERISA and/or section 4975 of the Code) with respect to Subscriber’s investment in the Acquired Shares and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the investment in the Acquired Shares; and (D) is aware of and acknowledges that (I) none of the Transaction Parties is undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the purchaser’s or transferee’s investment in the Acquired Shares, and (II) the Transaction Parties have a financial interest in the purchaser’s investment in the Acquired Shares on account of the fees and other remuneration they expect to receive in connection with transactions contemplated hereunder. |
12
(p) | As of the date of this Subscription Agreement Subscriber does not have, and during the thirty (30) day period immediately prior to the date of this Subscription Agreement Subscriber has not entered into, any “put equivalent position” as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act or Short Sale positions with respect to the securities of the Issuer. For purposes of this Subscription Agreement, “Short Sales” shall mean all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act, and all types of direct and indirect stock pledges (other than pledges in the ordinary course of business as part of prime brokerage arrangements), forward sale contracts, options, puts, calls, swaps and similar arrangements (including on a total return basis), and sales and other transactions through non-U.S. broker dealers or foreign regulated brokers. |
(q) | Subscriber has (or has commitments to have), and at the Closing will have, sufficient funds to pay the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2(b)(i). |
6. | Additional Subscriber Agreement. Subscriber hereby agrees that, from the date of this Agreement, none of Subscriber or any person or entity acting on behalf of Subscriber or pursuant to any understanding with Subscriber will engage in any Short Sales with respect to securities of Peridot prior to the Closing; provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 6 only, the definition of “Short Sales” shall not include options, puts and calls (which shall expressly be permitted). Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prohibit other entities under common management with Subscriber that have no knowledge of this Subscription Agreement or of Subscriber’s participation in the Transaction (including Subscriber’s controlled affiliates and/or affiliates) from entering into any Short Sales. |
7. | Registration Rights |
(a) | In the event that the Acquired Shares are not registered in connection with the consummation of the Transaction, the Issuer agrees that, as soon as practicable (but in any case no later than thirty (30) calendar days after the consummation of the Transaction) (the “Filing Deadline”), it will file with the SEC (at its sole cost and expense) a registration statement registering the resale of the Acquired Shares (the “Registration Statement”), and it shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but no later than the earlier of (i) sixty (60) calendar days after the Closing (or ninety (90) calendar days after the Closing if the SEC notifies the Issuer that it will “review” the Registration Statement) and (ii) ten (10) business days after the Issuer is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that the Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review (the “Effectiveness Deadline”). The Issuer agrees to cause such Registration Statement, or another shelf registration statement that includes the Acquired Shares to be sold pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, to remain effective until the earliest of (i) the third anniversary of the Closing, (ii) the date on which Subscriber ceases to hold any Acquired Shares issued pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, or (iii) on the first date on which Subscriber is able to sell all of its Acquired Shares issued pursuant to this Subscription Agreement (or shares received in exchange therefor) under Rule 144 within 90 days without limitation as to the amount of such securities that may be sold and without the requirement for the Issuer to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. Subscriber agrees to disclose its ownership to the Issuer upon request to assist it in making the determination described above. The Issuer may amend the Registration Statement so as to convert the Registration Statement to a Registration Statement on Form F-3 at such time after the Issuer becomes eligible to use such Form F-3. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the Issuer may suspend the use of any such Registration Statement if it determines (a) that the use of such Registration Statement would require the inclusion of financial statements that are unavailable for issue for reasons |
13
beyond the Issuer’s control, or (b) that in order for such Registration Statement not to contain a material misstatement or omission, an amendment thereto would be needed to include information that would at that time not otherwise be required in a current, quarterly, or annual report under the Exchange Act; provided, that (I) the Issuer shall not so delay filing or so suspend the use of the Registration Statement on more than two (2) occasions or for a period of more than sixty (60) consecutive days or more than a total of one hundred-twenty (120) calendar days, in each case in any three hundred sixty (360)-day period, (II) the Issuer shall have a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public and (III) the Issuer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make such Registration Statement available for the sale by Subscriber of such securities as soon as practicable thereafter. The Issuer’s obligations to include the Acquired Shares issued pursuant to this Subscription Agreement (or shares issued in exchange therefor) for resale in the Registration Statement are contingent upon Subscriber furnishing in writing to the Issuer such information regarding Subscriber, the securities of the Issuer held by Subscriber and the intended method of disposition of such Acquired Shares, which shall be limited to non-underwritten public offerings, as shall be reasonably requested by the Issuer to effect the registration of such Acquired Shares, and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Issuer may reasonably request that are customary of a selling shareholder in similar situations; provided, however, that Subscriber shall not in connection with the foregoing be required to execute any lock-up or similar agreement or otherwise be subject to any contractual restriction on the ability to transfer the Acquired Shares. The Issuer will provide a draft of the Registration Statement to Subscriber for review at least two (2) business days in advance of filing the Registration Statement. So long as Subscriber delivers to the Issuer a completed questionnaire (which shall include representations and warranties as to relevant matters), Subscriber shall not be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement unless in response to a comment or request from the staff of the SEC or another regulatory agency; provided, however, that if the SEC requests that Subscriber be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement, Subscriber will have an opportunity to withdraw from the Registration Statement. For purposes of clarification, any failure by the Issuer to file the Registration Statement by the Filing Deadline or to effect such Registration Statement by the Effectiveness Deadline shall not otherwise relieve the Issuer of its obligations to file or effect the Registration Statement set forth in this Section 7. For purposes of this Section 7, “Acquired Shares” includes any other equity security of the Issuer issued or issuable with respect to the Acquired Shares by way of share split, dividend, distribution, recapitalization, merger, exchange, replacement or similar event or otherwise. |
(b) | The Issuer shall advise Subscriber within three (3) business days (email being sufficient) (at the Issuer’s expense): (i) when a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective; (ii) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for such purpose; (iii) of the receipt by the Issuer of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Acquired Shares included therein for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and (iv) subject to the provisions in this Subscription Agreement, of a suspension pursuant to Section 7(a) or the occurrence of any event that requires the making of any changes in any Registration Statement or prospectus so that, as of such date, the statements therein are not misleading and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading (provided that any such notice pursuant to this Section 7(b) shall solely provide that the use of the Registration Statement |
14
or prospectus has been suspended without setting forth the reason for such suspension and shall not contain any material non-public information regarding the Issuer). The Issuer shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement as soon as reasonably practicable. Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated in clauses (i) through (iv) above, except for such times as the Issuer is permitted hereunder to suspend, and has suspended, the use of a prospectus forming part of a Registration Statement, the Issuer shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to as soon as reasonably practicable prepare a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus, or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Acquired Shares included therein, such prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Subscriber agrees that it will promptly discontinue offers and sales of the Acquired Shares using a Registration Statement until Subscriber receives copies of a supplemental or amended prospectus that corrects the misstatement(s) or omission(s) referred to above in clause (iv) and receives notice that any post-effective amendment has become effective or unless otherwise notified by the Issuer that it may resume such offers and sales (which notice shall not contain any material non-public information regarding the Issuer). If so directed by the Issuer, Subscriber will deliver to the Issuer or, in Subscriber’s sole discretion destroy, all copies of the prospectus covering the Acquired Shares in Subscriber’s possession; provided, however, that this obligation to deliver or destroy all copies of the prospectus covering the Acquired Shares shall not apply (x) to the extent Subscriber is required to retain a copy of such prospectus in order to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, self-regulatory or professional requirements or in accordance with a bona fide pre-existing document retention policy or (y) to copies stored electronically on archival servers as a result of automatic data back-up. |
(c) | For as long as Subscriber holds Acquired Shares, the Issuer will use commercially reasonable efforts to file all reports necessary to enable the undersigned to resell the Acquired Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement and, when Rule 144 of the Securities Act becomes available to Subscriber, Rule 144 of the Securities Act. In connection with any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of the Acquired Shares by Subscriber pursuant to Rule 144 or pursuant to any other exemption under the Securities Act such that the Acquired Shares held by Subscriber become freely tradable and upon compliance by Subscriber with the requirements of this Subscription Agreement, if requested by Subscriber, the Issuer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Issuer’s transfer agent to remove any restrictive legends related to the book entry account holding such Acquired Shares and make a new, unlegended entry for such book entry Acquired Shares sold or disposed of without restrictive legends within two (2) trading days of any such request therefor from Subscriber; provided, that the Issuer and the transfer agent have timely received from Subscriber customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Issuer and the transfer agent in connection therewith. Subject to receipt from Subscriber by the Issuer and the transfer agent of customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Issuer and the transfer agent in connection therewith, including, if required by the transfer agent, an opinion of the Issuer’s counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the transfer agent, to the effect that the removal of such restrictive legends in such circumstances may be effected under the Securities Act, Subscriber may request that the Issuer shall remove any legend from the book-entry position evidencing its Acquired Shares following the earliest of such time as such Acquired Shares (i) have been or are about to be sold or transferred pursuant |
15
to an effective registration statement, (ii) have been or are about to be sold pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) are eligible for resale under Rule 144(b)(1) or any successor provision without the requirement for the Issuer to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144 and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions applicable to the sale or transfer of such Acquired Shares. If restrictive legends are no longer required for such Acquired Shares pursuant to the foregoing, the Issuer shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section and within two (2) trading days of any request therefor from Subscriber accompanied by such customary and reasonably acceptable representations and other documentation referred to above establishing that restrictive legends are no longer required, deliver to the transfer agent irrevocable instructions that the transfer agent shall make a new, unlegended entry for such book entry Acquired Shares. The Issuer shall be responsible for the fees of its transfer agent and all DTC fees associated with such issuance. |
(d) | Indemnification. |
(i) | The Issuer and Peridot agree, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by law, Subscriber, its directors, and officers, employees, and agents, and each person who controls Subscriber (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and each affiliate of Subscriber (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, any reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, prospectus included in any Registration Statement or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as and to the extent, but only to the extent, the same are caused by or contained in any information regarding Subscriber furnished in writing to the Issuer by or on behalf of Subscriber expressly for use therein. |
(ii) | Subscriber agrees, severally and not jointly with any person that is a party to the Other Subscription Agreements, to indemnify and hold harmless the Issuer, its directors and officers and agents and employees and each person who controls the Issuer (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any form of prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein (in the case of any prospectus, or any form of prospectus or preliminary prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by Subscriber expressly for use therein. In no event shall the liability of Subscriber be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by Subscriber upon the sale of the Acquired Shares purchased pursuant to this Subscription Agreement giving rise to such indemnification obligation. |
16
(iii) | Any person entitled to indemnification herein shall (1) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and, (2) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties exists with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of legal counsel to any indemnified party a conflict of interest exists between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement includes a statement or admission of fault and culpability on the part of such indemnified party or which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. |
(iv) | The indemnification provided for under this Subscription Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director, employee, agent, affiliate or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of the Acquired Shares purchased pursuant to this Subscription Agreement. |
(v) | If the indemnification provided under this Section 7(d) from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other fees, charges or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the |
17
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. In no event shall the liability of Subscriber be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by Subscriber upon the sale of the Acquired Shares purchased pursuant to this Subscription Agreement giving rise to such contribution obligation. |
8. | NYSE Listing. The Issuer and Peridot shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the Acquired Shares to be approved for listing on NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance, as promptly as practicable after the date of the Business Combination Agreement, and in any event on or prior to the Closing Date. |
9. | Termination. This Subscription Agreement shall terminate and be void and of no further force and effect, and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate without any further liability on the part of any party in respect thereof, upon the earlier to occur of (a) such date and time as the Business Combination Agreement is terminated in accordance with the terms therein, (b) upon the mutual written agreement of each of the parties hereto to terminate this Subscription Agreement, (c) if any of the conditions to Closing set forth in Section 2(d), (e) or (f) are not satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date and, as a result thereof, the transactions contemplated by this Subscription Agreement are not consummated at the Closing or (d) at the election of Subscriber, on August 15, 2021, if the closing of the transactions contemplated in the Business Combination Agreement have not occurred by such date; provided, that nothing herein will relieve any party from liability for any willful breach hereof prior to the time of termination, and each party will be entitled to any remedies at law or in equity to recover out-of-pocket losses, liabilities or damages arising from such breach. The Issuer and Peridot shall promptly notify Subscriber of the termination of the Business Combination Agreement promptly after the termination of such agreement. |
10. | Trust Account Waiver. Subscriber acknowledges that Peridot is a blank check company with the powers and privileges to effect a merger, asset acquisition, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Issuer and one or more businesses or assets. Subscriber further acknowledges that, as described in Peridot’s prospectus relating to its initial public offering dated September 23, 2020 (the “Prospectus”), available at xxx.xxx.xxx, substantially all of the Issuer’s assets consist of the cash proceeds of the Issuer’s initial public offering and a private placement of its securities, and substantially all of those proceeds have been deposited in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of Peridot, its public shareholders and the underwriters of Peridot’s initial public offering. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to Peridot to pay its tax obligations, if any, the cash in the Trust Account may be disbursed only for the purposes set forth in the Prospectus. For and in consideration of Peridot entering into this Subscription Agreement, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Subscriber, on behalf of itself and its representatives, hereby irrevocable waives any and all right, title and interest, or any claim of any kind they have or may have in the future arising out of this Subscription Agreement, in or to any monies held in the Trust Account, and agrees not to seek recourse against the Trust Account as a result of, or arising out of, this Subscription Agreement; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 10 shall be deemed to limit any Subscriber’s right, title, interest or claim to the Trust Account by virtue of such Subscriber’s record or beneficial ownership of securities of Peridot acquired by any means other than pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, including but not limited to any redemption right with respect to any such securities of the Issuer. |
18
11. | Pledges. The Issuer acknowledges and agrees that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Acquired Shares may be pledged by Subscriber in connection with a bona fide margin agreement, provided such pledge shall be (i) pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act or (ii) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a registration statement that is effective under the Securities Act at the time of such pledge, and Subscriber effecting a pledge of Acquired Shares shall not be required to provide the Issuer with any notice thereof; provided, however, that neither the Issuer or their counsel shall be required to take any action (or refrain from taking any action) in connection with any such pledge, other than providing any such lender of such margin agreement with an acknowledgment that the Acquired Shares are not subject to any contractual prohibition on pledging or lock up, the form of such acknowledgment to be subject to review and comment by the Issuer in all respects. |
12. | Miscellaneous. |
(a) | Subscriber acknowledges that Peridot, the Issuer, the Placement Agents and others will rely on the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties contained in this Subscription Agreement. Prior to the Closing, Subscriber agrees to promptly notify the Issuer and Peridot if any of the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties made by Subscriber as set forth herein are no longer accurate in all material respects. Subscriber further acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agents are third-party beneficiaries of the representations and warranties of Subscriber contained in Section 5. |
(b) | Each of Peridot, the Issuer and Subscriber is entitled to rely upon this Subscription Agreement and is irrevocably authorized to produce this Subscription Agreement or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby to the extent required by law or by regulatory bodies. |
(c) | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Subscription Agreement, prior to the Closing, this Agreement shall not be assigned (whether pursuant to a merger, by operation of law or otherwise), by any party without the prior express written consent of the other parties hereto; provided, that Subscriber may assign its rights and obligations under this Subscription Agreement to one or more of its affiliates (including other investment funds or accounts managed or advised by the investment manager who acts on behalf of Subscriber or an affiliate thereof); provided, further, that (i) prior to such assignment, any such assignee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms hereof and (ii) no such assignment shall relieve Subscriber of its obligations hereunder if any such assignee fails to perform its obligations hereunder. |
(d) | All the agreements, representations and warranties made by each party hereto in this Subscription Agreement shall survive the Closing. |
(e) | Peridot and the Issuer may request from Subscriber such additional information as Peridot and the Issuer may reasonably deem necessary to evaluate the eligibility of Subscriber to acquire the Acquired Shares, and Subscriber shall provide such information as may be reasonably requested, to the extent readily available and to the extent consistent with its internal policies and procedures; provided, that Peridot and the Issuer agree to keep any such information provided by Subscriber confidential. |
(f) | This Subscription Agreement may not be modified, waived or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by the party against whom enforcement of such modification, waiver, or termination is sought. |
19
(g) | This Subscription Agreement constitutes the entire agreement, and supersedes all other prior agreements, understandings, representations and warranties, both written and oral, among the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof. |
(h) | Except as otherwise provided herein, this Subscription Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns, and the agreements, representations, warranties, covenants and acknowledgments contained herein shall be deemed to be made by, and be binding upon, such heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns. |
(i) | If any provision of this Subscription Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Subscription Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. |
(j) | This Subscription Agreement may be executed and delivered in two (2) or more counterparts (including by electronic means, such as facsimile, .pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000), all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. |
(k) | Each party shall pay all of its own expenses in connection with this Subscription Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein. |
(l) | At any time, Peridot may (a) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of Subscriber, (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of Subscriber contained herein or in any document delivered by Subscriber pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any agreement of Subscriber or any condition to its own obligations contained herein. At any time, Subscriber may (a) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of the Issuer or Peridot, (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Issuer or Peridot contained herein or in any document delivered by the Issuer or Peridot pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any agreement of the Issuer or Peridot or any condition to its own obligations contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall only be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby. |
(m) | Notices. Any notice or communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and either delivered personally, emailed or telecopied, sent by overnight mail via a reputable overnight carrier, or sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, and shall be deemed to be given and received (a) when so delivered personally, (b) upon receipt of an appropriate electronic answerback or confirmation when so delivered by telecopy (to such number specified below or another number or numbers as such person may subsequently designate by notice given hereunder), (c) when sent, with no mail undeliverable or other rejection notice, if sent by email, or (d) five (5) business days after the date of mailing to the address below or to such other address or addresses as such person may hereafter designate by notice given hereunder: |
(i) | if to Subscriber, to such address or addresses set forth on the signature page hereto; |
20
(ii) | if to Peridot, to: |
0000 Xxx Xxxxxx Xx., Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx |
Email: | xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx |
with a required copy to (which copy shall not constitute notice):
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx Xx.
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: | Xxxxxx X. Xxx, P.C. |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
Email: | xxxxxx.xxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx |
xxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx; |
(iii) | if to the Issuer, to |
Li-Cycle Holdings Corp.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xx., Xxxx 00
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX X0X 0X0
Attn: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Email: | xxxx.xxxxxxx@xx-xxxxx.xxx |
with a required copy to (which copy shall not constitute notice):
Freshfields Bruckhaus Xxxxxxxx US LLP
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: | Xxxx X. Tiger |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
Email: | xxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx |
xxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx; and |
(iv) | if to the Placement Agents, to: |
UBS Securities LLC
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Email: xxxxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxx.xxx
Barclays Capital Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Email: xxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
21
Citigroup Global Markets
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Email: xxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxx.xxx
(n) | This Subscription Agreement, and any claim or cause of action hereunder based upon, arising out of or related to this Subscription Agreement (whether based on law, in equity, in contract, in tort or any other theory) or the negotiation, execution, performance or enforcement of this Subscription Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. |
THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE FEDERAL COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA LOCATED IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK SOLELY IN RESPECT OF THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT AND THE DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT AND IN RESPECT OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY WAIVE, AND AGREE NOT TO ASSERT, AS A DEFENSE IN ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING FOR INTERPRETATION OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF OR ANY SUCH DOCUMENT THAT IS NOT SUBJECT THERETO OR THAT SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING MAY NOT BE BROUGHT OR IS NOT MAINTAINABLE IN SAID COURTS OR THAT VENUE THEREOF MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE OR THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR ANY SUCH DOCUMENT MAY NOT BE ENFORCED IN OR BY SUCH COURTS, AND THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AGREE THAT ALL CLAIMS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE HEARD AND DETERMINED BY SUCH A NEW YORK STATE OR FEDERAL COURT. THE PARTIES HEREBY CONSENT TO AND GRANT ANY SUCH COURT JURISDICTION OVER THE PERSON OF SUCH PARTIES AND OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER OF SUCH DISPUTE AND AGREE THAT MAILING OF PROCESS OR OTHER PAPERS IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN SECTION 10(m) OR IN SUCH OTHER MANNER AS MAY BE PERMITTED BY LAW SHALL BE VALID AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE THEREOF.
EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (I) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT
22
SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (II) SUCH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (III) SUCH PARTY MAKES THE FOREGOING WAIVER VOLUNTARILY AND (IV) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVER AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10(n). |
(o) | Peridot shall, by 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first (1st) business day immediately following the date of this Subscription Agreement, issue one or more press releases or file with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K (collectively, the “Disclosure Document”) disclosing all material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, the Transaction, and any other material, nonpublic information that Peridot or the Issuer has provided (or that has been provided on their behalf) to Subscriber at any time prior to the filing of the Disclosure Document. From and after the issuance of the Disclosure Document, to Peridot’s knowledge, Subscriber shall not be in possession of any material, nonpublic information received from Peridot, the Issuer or any of their officers, directors or employees, and Subscriber shall no longer be subject to any confidentiality or similar obligations under any current agreement, whether written or oral, with Peridot, the Issuer, the Placement Agents or any of their respective affiliates, relating to the transactions contemplated by this Subscription Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Subscription Agreement to the contrary, Peridot and the Issuer shall not publicly disclose the name of Subscriber or any of its affiliates, or include the name of Subscriber or any of its affiliates in any press release or in any filing with the SEC or any regulatory agency or trading market, without the prior written consent of Subscriber, except (i) as required by the federal securities law in connection with the Registration Statement, (ii) in a press release or marketing materials of Peridot in connection with the Transaction if agreeable by Subscriber and in a manner acceptable to Subscriber and (iii) to the extent such disclosure is required by applicable law, at the request of the Staff of the SEC or regulatory agency or under the regulations of the NYSE, in which case Peridot or the Issuer shall provide Subscriber with prior written notice of such disclosure permitted under this subclause (iii). |
(p) | Subscriber acknowledges that it is not relying upon, and has not relied upon, any statement, representation or warranty made by any person, firm or corporation (including, without limitation, the Placement Agents, any of their respective affiliates or any control persons, officers, directors, employees, partners, agents or representatives of any of the foregoing), other than the representations and warranties of the Issuer and Peridot expressly contained in Section 3 and Section 4, respectively, of this Subscription Agreement, in making its investment or decision to invest in the Issuer. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that none of (a) any other investor pursuant to this Subscription Agreement or any Other Subscription Agreement (including the investor’s respective affiliates or any control persons, officers, directors, employees, partners, agents or representatives of any of the foregoing) or (b) the Placement Agents, their respective affiliates or any control persons, officers, directors, employees, partners, agents or representatives of any of the foregoing, in each case, absent their own gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, shall have any liability to Subscriber, or to any other investor, pursuant to, arising out of or relating to this Subscription Agreement or any Other Subscription Agreement, the negotiation hereof or thereof or its subject matter, or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including, without limitation, with respect to any action heretofore or hereafter taken or omitted to be taken by any of them in connection with the purchase of the Acquired Shares or with |
23
respect to any claim (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) for breach of this Subscription Agreement or in respect of any written or oral representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith, as expressly provided herein, or for any actual or alleged inaccuracies, misstatements or omissions with respect to any information or materials of any kind furnished by Peridot, the Issuer, the Placement Agents or any Non-Party Affiliate concerning Peridot, the Issuer, the Placement Agents, any of their controlled affiliates, this Subscription Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. For purposes of this Subscription Agreement, “Non-Party Affiliates” means each former, current or future officer, director, employee, partner, member, manager, direct or indirect equityholder or affiliate of Peridot, the Issuer, any Placement Agent or any of Peridot’s, the Issuer’s or any Placement Agent’s controlled affiliates or any family member of the foregoing. |
[Signature pages follow.]
24
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Issuer, Peridot and Subscriber has executed or caused this Subscription Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized representative as of the date set forth below.
LI-CYCLE HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Date: _____________________, 2021
PERIDOT ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Date: _____________________, 2021
Signature Page to
Subscription Agreement
SUBSCRIBER:
Signature of Subscriber: | ||
By: |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Date: _______________________, 2021 | ||
Name of Subscriber: | ||
(Please print. Please indicate name and capacity of person signing above) | ||
Name in which securities are to be registered | ||
(if different): | ||
Email Address: | ||
Subscriber’s EIN: _______________ |
Address: | ||
Attn: _________________________________ | ||
Telephone No.: __________________________ | ||
Facsimile No.: ___________________________ | ||
Aggregate Number of Acquired Shares subscribed for: | ||
Signature Page to
Subscription Agreement
Aggregate Purchase Price: $_____________________
You must pay the Purchase Price by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Issuer in the Closing Notice.
Number of Acquired Shares subscribed for and Aggregate Purchase Price as of ___________, 2021, accepted and agreed to as of this _____ day of ____________, 2021, by:
LI-CYCLE HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
PERIDOT ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Signature of Subscriber: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Signature Page to
Subscription Agreement
SCHEDULE A
ELIGIBILITY REPRESENTATIONS OF SUBSCRIBER
This Schedule must be completed by Subscriber and forms a part of the Subscription Agreement to which it is attached. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Schedule have the meanings given to them in the Subscription Agreement. Subscriber must check the applicable box in either Part A or Part B below and the applicable box in Part C below.
A. | QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER STATUS (Please check the applicable subparagraphs): |
☐ | Subscriber is a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act (a “QIB”)). |
☐ | Subscriber is subscribing for the Acquired Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, and each owner of such accounts is a QIB. |
*** OR ***
B. | INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR STATUS |
(Please check the applicable subparagraphs):
Subscriber is an institutional “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act) and has checked below the box(es) for the applicable provision under which Subscriber qualifies as such:
☐ | Subscriber is an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, a corporation, Massachusetts or similar business trust, or partnership that was not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities of the Issuer being offered in this offering, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000. |
☐ | Subscriber is a “private business development company” as defined in Section 202(a)(22) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. |
☐ | Subscriber is a “bank” as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act. |
☐ | Subscriber is a “savings and loan association” or other institution as defined in Section 3(a)(5)(A) of the Securities Act, whether acting in its individual or fiduciary capacity. |
☐ | Subscriber is a broker or dealer registered pursuant to Section 15 of the Exchange Act. |
☐ | Subscriber is an “insurance company” as defined in Section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act. |
☐ | Subscriber is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. |
☐ | Subscriber is a “business development company” as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. |
☐ | Subscriber is a “Small Business Investment Company” licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration under either Section 301(c) or (d) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. |
☐ | Subscriber is a plan established and maintained by a state, its political subdivisions, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or its political subdivisions, for the benefit of its employees, and such plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000. |
☐ | Subscriber is an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 if the investment decision is made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in Section 3(21) of such act, which is one of the following. |
☐ | A bank; |
☐ | A savings and loan association; |
☐ | A insurance company; or |
☐ | A registered investment adviser. |
☐ | Subscriber is an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 with total assets in excess of $5,000,000. |
☐ | Subscriber is an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 that is a self-directed plan with investment decisions made solely by persons that are accredited investors. |
☐ | Subscriber is a trust with total assets in excess of $5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered by the Issuer in this offering, whose purchase is directed by a sophisticated person as described in Rule 506(b)(2)(ii) under the Securities Act. |
*** AND ***
C. | AFFILIATE STATUS |
(Please check the applicable box)
SUBSCRIBER:
☐ | is: |
☐ | is not: |
an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) of the Issuer or acting on behalf of an affiliate of the Issuer.
SCHEDULE B
SCHEDULE OF TRANSFERS
Subscriber’s Subscription was in the amount of ___________________ Acquired Shares. The following transfers of a portion of the Subscription have been made:
Date of Transfer or |
Transferee |
Number of |
Subscriber Revised | |||
Schedule B as of ______________, 20__, accepted and agreed to as of this ____ day of ____________, 20__ by:
LI-CYCLE HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
PERIDOT ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Signature of Subscriber: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Director Form
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “Subscription Agreement”) is entered into this _______ day of February, 2021, by and among Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., a company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada and a wholly owned subsidiary of Li-Cycle (as defined below) (the “Issuer”), Peridot Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Peridot”), and _____________________________ (“Subscriber”).
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Subscription Agreement, the Issuer entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among Peridot, Li-Cycle Corp., an Ontario corporation (“Li-Cycle”), and the Issuer, pursuant to which, among other things, (i) holders of Peridot’s issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Shares”), will receive the Issuer’s common shares (the “Common Shares”), (ii) holders of the issued and outstanding warrants to purchase Class A Shares of Peridot will receive warrants of the Issuer to purchase Common Shares at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, and (iii) the Issuer will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of Li-Cycle from Li-Cycle shareholders in exchange for Common Shares (such transaction and the other transactions consummated pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the “Transaction”);
WHEREAS, in connection with the Transaction, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Subscription Agreement, Subscriber desires to subscribe for and purchase from the Issuer, prior to or simultaneous with the closing of the Transaction, the number of Issuer’s Common Shares set forth on the signature page hereto (such Common Shares, the “Acquired Shares”) for a purchase price of $10.00 per share (the “Share Purchase Price”), or the aggregate purchase price set forth on the signature page hereto (the “Purchase Price”), and the Issuer desires to issue and sell the Acquired Shares to Subscriber in a private placement in consideration of the payment of the Purchase Price by or on behalf of Subscriber to the Issuer at or prior to the Closing Date; and
WHEREAS, in connection with the Transaction, certain other “accredited investors” (as such term is defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”, and each such “accredited investor”, an “Other Subscriber”)), have entered into subscription agreements with the Issuer substantially similar to this Subscription Agreement, pursuant to which such Other Subscribers have agreed to subscribe for and purchase, and the Issuer has agreed to issue and sell to such Other Subscribers, on the Closing Date, Common Shares at the Share Purchase Price (the “Other Subscription Agreements”).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual representations, warranties and covenants, and subject to the conditions, herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1. | Subscription. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Subscriber hereby agrees to subscribe for and purchase, and the Issuer hereby agrees to issue and sell to Subscriber, upon the payment of the Purchase Price, the Acquired Shares (such subscription and issuance, the “Subscription”). The undersigned understands and agrees that the undersigned’s subscription for the Acquired Shares shall be deemed to be accepted by the Issuer only when this Subscription Agreement is signed by a duly authorized person by or on behalf of the Issuer. The Issuer may sign this Subscription Agreement in counterpart form. In the event of the termination of this subscription in accordance with the terms hereof, this Subscription Agreement shall be null and void and have no force or effect. |
2. | Closing. |
(a) | Subject to the satisfaction or waiver (in writing) of the conditions set forth in Section 2(d), (e) and (f), the closing of the Subscription contemplated hereby (the “Closing”) is contingent upon the substantially concurrent consummation of the Transaction and shall occur on the date of, and at a time immediately prior to, the closing of the Transaction (such date, the “Closing Date”). Not less than five (5) business days prior to the date on which the Issuer reasonably expects the Closing to occur (the “Scheduled Closing Date”), the Issuer shall provide written notice (which may be via email) to Subscriber (the “Closing Notice”) of the Scheduled Closing Date, which Closing Notice shall contain the Issuer’s wire instructions for an escrow account established by the Issuer to the purpose of collecting funds in advance of the Closing. |
(b) | At least three (3) business days prior to the Scheduled Closing Date, Subscriber shall deliver to the escrow account referenced above the aggregate Purchase Price for the Acquired Shares subscribed by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds. Upon the Closing, the Issuer shall provide instructions to the escrow agent for the escrow account to release the funds in the escrow account to the Issuer against delivery to Subscriber of the Acquired Shares, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions whatsoever (other than those arising under state or federal securities laws), in book-entry form. If this Subscription Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing or the Closing does not occur on the Scheduled Closing Date and any funds have already been sent by Subscriber to the escrow account, then promptly (but in no event longer than 2 business days thereafter) after such termination or failure of closing, the Issuer will instruct the escrow agent to promptly (but in no event longer than 2 business days thereafter) return such funds to Subscriber. |
(c) | On the Closing Date, subject to the satisfaction or waiver (in writing) of the conditions set forth in Section 2(d), (e) and (f) (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at Closing, but without affecting the requirement that such conditions be satisfied or waived at Closing), assuming that Subscriber shall have delivered to the Issuer on the Closing Date the Purchase Price for the Acquired Shares by wire transfer of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds to the escrow account specified by the Issuer in the Closing Notice, the Issuer shall deliver to Subscriber the Acquired Shares in book-entry form, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions whatsoever (other than those arising under state or federal securities laws), in the name of Subscriber (or its nominee in accordance with its delivery instructions) or to a custodian designated by Subscriber, as applicable. Each book entry for the Acquired Shares shall contain a notation, and each certificate (if any) evidencing the Acquired Shares shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend, in substantially the following form: |
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION, AND MAY NOT BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM.
2
(d) | The Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on the Closing Date, or the waiver (in writing) by each of the parties hereto, of each of the following conditions: |
(i) | no suspension of the qualification of the Acquired Shares for offering or sale or trading in any jurisdiction, or initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, shall have occurred; |
(ii) | no governmental authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any judgment, order, law, rule or regulation (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) which is then in effect and has the effect of making consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby illegal or otherwise preventing or prohibiting consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and no governmental authority shall have instituted or threatened in writing a proceeding seeking to impose any such prevention or prohibition; and |
(iii) | (a) all conditions precedent to the closing of the Transaction contained in the Business Combination Agreement shall have been satisfied (as determined by the parties to the Business Combination Agreement and other than those conditions that may only be satisfied at the closing of the Transaction, but subject to satisfaction of such conditions as of the closing of the Transaction ) or waived and (b) the closing of the Transaction shall be scheduled to occur concurrently with or on the same date as the Closing. |
(e) | The obligations of Subscriber at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on the Closing Date, or the waiver by Subscriber, of each of the following conditions: |
(i) | all representations and warranties of each of the Issuer and Peridot contained in Section 3 and Section 4, respectively, shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality, Issuer Material Adverse Effect or Peridot Material Adverse Effect, which representations and warranties shall be true in all respects) at and as of the Closing Date (unless they specifically speak as of an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality, Issuer Material Adverse Effect or Peridot Material Adverse Effect, which representations and warranties shall be true in all respects) as of such date), and consummation of the Closing shall constitute a reaffirmation by the Issuer and Peridot of each of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Issuer and Peridot contained in this Subscription Agreement as of the Closing Date (other than those representations and warranties expressly made as of an earlier date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date); and |
(ii) | the Issuer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing, except where the failure of such performance or compliance would not or would not reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay, or materially impair the ability of the Issuer to consummate the Closing; and |
(iii) | no amendment, modification or waiver of the Business Combination Agreement shall have occurred that materially and adversely affects the economic benefits that Subscriber would receive under this Subscription Agreement without having received Subscriber’s prior written consent (which consent is not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). |
3
(f) | The obligations of the Issuer at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on the Closing Date, or the waiver by the Issuer, of each of the following conditions: |
(i) | all representations and warranties of Subscriber contained in Section 5 shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the Closing Date, and consummation of the Closing shall constitute a reaffirmation by Subscriber of each of the representations, warranties and agreements of Subscriber contained in this Subscription Agreement as of the Closing Date (other than those representations and warranties expressly made as of an earlier date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date); and |
(ii) | Subscriber shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing, except where the failure of such performance or compliance would not or would not reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay, or materially impair the ability of Subscriber to consummate the Closing. |
(g) | At the Closing, the parties hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take such additional actions as the parties reasonably may deem to be practical and necessary in order to consummate the Subscription as contemplated by this Subscription Agreement. |
(h) | In the event that the Transaction is structured where a new entity will become the successor public company to the Issuer in the Transaction or will become a parent company of the Issuer whose securities are issued in consideration of or in exchange for the Issuer’s securities (the “Successor”), then as a condition to consummating the Transaction, the Successor will agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Subscription Agreement that apply to the Issuer after the Closing, and any references in this Subscription Agreement to the Acquired Shares will include any equity securities of the Successor that are issued in consideration of or exchange for the Acquired Shares. |
3. | Issuer Representations and Warranties. The Issuer represents and warrants to the Subscriber that: |
(a) | The Issuer has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of Ontario, in good standing under the laws of Ontario (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as presently conducted and to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement. |
(b) | As of the Closing Date, the Acquired Shares will be duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to Subscriber against full payment for the Acquired Shares in accordance with the terms of this Subscription Agreement, the Acquired Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any statutory or contractual preemptive or similar rights. |
4
(c) | This Subscription Agreement, the Other Subscription Agreements and the Business Combination Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer and are enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity. |
(d) | Since the date of its formation, the Issuer has not owned any assets, carried on any business, conducted any operations or incurred any liabilities or obligations or has not hired any employee or independent contractor, other than the execution of this Agreement, the Business Combination Agreement and any documents contemplated thereby, the performance of its obligations hereunder and matters ancillary thereto. |
(e) | As of the date hereof, the authorized share capital of the Issuer consists of an unlimited number of Common Shares, of which one is issued and outstanding. Immediately following the Closing Date, all of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (i) will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) will have been issued in compliance in all material respects with applicable law and (iii) will not have been issued in breach or violation of any preemptive rights or contract to which the Issuer is a party or bound. As of the date hereof and as of the Closing, the Issuer had and will have no outstanding long-term indebtedness (other than deferred underwriting fees and expenses deferred from Peridot’s initial public offering). |
(f) | The execution and delivery by the Issuer of the Transaction Documents, and the performance by the Issuer of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including the issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Issuer pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Issuer is a party or by which the Issuer is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Issuer is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Issuer (an “Issuer Material Adverse Effect”) or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of the Issuer to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of the Issuer; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its properties that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an Issuer Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of the Issuer to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement. |
(g) | There are no securities or instruments issued by or to which the Issuer is a party containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of (i) the Acquired Shares, (ii) the Common Shares to be issued pursuant to any Other Subscription Agreement or (iii) any securities to be issued pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, in each case, that have not been or will not be validly waived on or prior to the Closing Date. |
5
(h) | The Issuer is not in default or violation (and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or violation) of any term, condition or provision of (i) the organizational documents of the Issuer, (ii) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, permit, franchise or license to which the Issuer is now a party or by which the Issuer’s properties or assets are bound or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for defaults or violations that have not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an Issuer Material Adverse Effect. |
(i) | The Issuer is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority, self-regulatory organization or other person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Issuer of this Subscription Agreement (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Acquired Shares), other than (i) filings required by applicable state or federal securities laws, (ii) the filings required in accordance with Section 12(o), (iii) those required by the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), including with respect to obtaining shareholder approval, and (iv) the failure of which to obtain would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an Issuer Material Adverse Effect. |
(j) | As of the Closing Date, the issued and outstanding Common Shares will be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and will be listed for trading on the NYSE. There is no suit, action, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, threatened against the Issuer by the NYSE or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the Common Shares, or prohibit or terminate the listing of the Common Shares, on the NYSE. The Issuer has taken no action that is designed to terminate the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act. |
(k) | Assuming the accuracy of Subscriber’s representations and warranties set forth in Section 5, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares by the Issuer to Subscriber in the manner contemplated by this Subscription Agreement. |
(l) | Neither the Issuer nor any person acting on its behalf has engaged or will engage in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D of the Securities Act) in connection with any offer or sale of the Acquired Shares. |
4. | Peridot Representations and Warranties. Peridot represents and warrants to the Subscriber that: |
(a) | Peridot has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as an exempted company under the laws of the Cayman Islands, in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as presently conducted and to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement. |
6
(b) | This Subscription Agreement, the Other Subscription Agreements and the Business Combination Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Peridot and are enforceable against Peridot in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity. |
(c) | The execution and delivery by Peridot of the Transaction Documents, and the performance by Peridot of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Peridot pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Peridot is a party or by which Peridot is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Peridot is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of Peridot (a “Peridot Material Adverse Effect”) or materially affect the legal authority of Peridot to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of Peridot; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Peridot or any of its properties that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of Peridot to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement. |
(d) | Peridot is not in default or violation (and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or violation) of any term, condition or provision of (i) the organizational documents of Peridot, (ii) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, permit, franchise or license to which Peridot is now a party or by which Peridot’s properties or assets are bound or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Peridot or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for defaults or violations that have not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect. |
(e) | Peridot is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority, self-regulatory organization or other person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by Peridot of this Subscription Agreement, other than (i) filings required by applicable state or federal securities laws, (ii) the filings required in accordance with Section 12(o), (iii) those required by the NYSE, including with respect to obtaining shareholder approval, and (v) the failure of which to obtain would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect. |
(f) | As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Peridot consists of (i) 300,000,000 Class A Shares, par value $0.0001 per share, (ii) 30,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B Shares”), and (iii) 1,000,000 preference shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preference Shares”). As of the date hereof: (i) 30,000,000 Class A Shares are issued and outstanding, (ii) 7,500,000 Class B Shares are issued and |
7
outstanding, (iii) no Preference Shares are issued and outstanding, and (iv) 23,000,000 warrants, each entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A Share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, are issued and outstanding. As of the date hereof and as of the Closing, Peridot had and will have no outstanding long-term indebtedness (other than deferred underwriting fees and expenses deferred from its initial public offering). |
(g) | Peridot has not received any written communication from a governmental entity that alleges that Peridot is not in compliance with or is in default or violation of any applicable law, except where such non-compliance, default or violation would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Peridot Material Adverse Effect. |
(h) | Peridot has not entered into any side letter or similar agreement with any Other Subscriber in connection with such Other Subscriber’s direct or indirect investment in the Issuer and no Other Subscription Agreement includes terms and conditions that are materially more advantageous to any such Other Subscriber than Subscriber hereunder. The Other Subscription Agreements have not been amended in any material respect following the date of this Subscription Agreement and reflect the same Share Purchase Price and terms that are no more favorable to any such Other Subscriber thereunder than the terms of this Subscription Agreement. |
(i) | Peridot has made available to Subscriber (including via the SEC’s XXXXX system) a copy of each form, report, statement, schedule, prospectus, proxy, registration statement and other document, if any, filed by Peridot with the SEC since its initial registration of the Class A Shares (the “SEC Documents”), which SEC Documents, as of their respective filing dates, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the SEC Documents and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents. None of the SEC Documents filed under the Exchange Act (except to the extent that information contained in any SEC Document has been superseded by a later timely filed SEC Document) contained, when filed any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that, with respect to information about Li-Cycle or any of its affiliates included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus to be filed by the Issuer with respect to the Transaction, the representation and warranty in this sentence is made to Peridot’s knowledge. The financial statements of Peridot included in the SEC Documents comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of Peridot as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, year-end audit adjustments.. Peridot has timely filed each report, statement, schedule, prospectus, and registration statement that Peridot was required to file with the SEC since its inception. There are no material outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters from the Staff of the SEC with respect to any of the SEC Documents. |
(j) | Except for such matters as have not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Peridot Material Adverse Effect, there is no (i) proceeding pending, or, to the knowledge of Peridot, threatened against Peridot or (ii) judgment, decree, injunction, ruling or order of any governmental entity or arbitrator outstanding against Peridot. |
8
(k) | Except for transaction fees payable to UBS Securities, LLC (“UBS”) and Barclays Capital, Inc. (“Barclays”) in connection with the Transaction, Peridot has not paid, and is not obligated to pay, any brokerage, finder’s or other commission or similar fee in connection with its issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any fee or commission payable to any shareholder or affiliate of Peridot. |
5. | Subscriber Representations and Warranties. Subscriber represents and warrants to the Issuer and Peridot that: |
(a) | This Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Subscriber. This Subscription Agreement is enforceable against Subscriber in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity. |
(b) | The execution and delivery by Subscriber of this Subscription Agreement, and the performance by Subscriber of its obligations under this Subscription Agreement, including the purchase of the Acquired Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Subscriber pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Subscriber is a party or by which Subscriber is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Subscriber is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of Subscriber, taken as a whole (a “Subscriber Material Adverse Effect”), or materially affect the legal authority of Subscriber to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of Subscriber; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Subscriber or any of Subscriber’s properties that would reasonably be expected to have a Subscriber Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the legal authority of Subscriber to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement. |
(c) | Subscriber (i) is an “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act), in each case, satisfying the applicable requirements set forth on Schedule A, (ii) is acquiring the Acquired Shares only for its own account and not for the account of others, or if Subscriber is subscribing for the Acquired Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, each owner of such account is an “accredited investor” (each as defined above) and Subscriber has full investment discretion with respect to each such account, and the full power and authority to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each owner of each such account and (iii) is not acquiring the Acquired Shares with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution thereof in violation of the Securities Act. Subscriber has completed Schedule A following the signature page hereto and the information contained therein is accurate and complete. Subscriber is not an entity formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Acquired Shares. |
9
(d) | Subscriber understands that the Acquired Shares are being offered in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act and that the Acquired Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act. Subscriber understands that the Acquired Shares may not be resold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of by Subscriber absent an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, except (i) to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof, (ii) to non-U.S. persons pursuant to offers and sales that occur outside the United States within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that all of the applicable conditions thereof have been met or (iv) pursuant to another applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and that any certificates or book-entry records representing the Acquired Shares shall contain a legend to such effect. Subscriber acknowledges that the Acquired Shares will not be eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act. Subscriber understands and agrees that the Acquired Shares will be subject to transfer restrictions and, as a result of these transfer restrictions, Subscriber may not be able to readily resell the Acquired Shares and may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the Acquired Shares for an indefinite period of time. Subscriber understands that it has been advised to consult legal counsel prior to making any offer, resale, pledge or transfer of any of the Acquired Shares. |
(e) | Subscriber understands and agrees that Subscriber is purchasing the Acquired Shares directly from the Issuer. Subscriber further acknowledges that there have been no representations, warranties, covenants and agreements made to Subscriber by the Issuer or any of its officers or directors, expressly or by implication, other than those representations, warranties, covenants and agreements included in this Subscription Agreement. |
(f) | Subscriber’s acquisition and holding of the Acquired Shares will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any applicable similar law. |
(g) | In making its decision to subscribe for and purchase the Acquired Shares, Subscriber represents that it has relied solely upon its own independent investigation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Subscriber has not relied on any statements or other information provided by the Issuer concerning the Issuer or the Acquired Shares or the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that Subscriber has received such information as Subscriber deems necessary in order to make an investment decision with respect to the Acquired Shares, including with respect to the Issuer and the Transaction. Subscriber represents and agrees that Subscriber and Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have had the full opportunity to ask such questions, receive such answers and obtain such information as Subscriber and such Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have deemed necessary to make an investment decision with respect to the Acquired Shares. Subscriber acknowledges that certain information provided by the Issuer was based on projections, and such projections were prepared based on assumptions and estimates that are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the projections. |
(h) | Subscriber became aware of this offering of the Acquired Shares solely by means of direct contact between Subscriber and the Issuer, and the Acquired Shares were offered to Subscriber solely by direct contact between Subscriber and the Issuer. Subscriber did not become aware of this offering of the Acquired Shares, nor were the Acquired Shares |
10
offered to Subscriber, by any other means. Subscriber acknowledges that the Issuer represents and warrants that the Acquired Shares (i) were not offered by any form of general solicitation or general advertising and (ii) are not being offered in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act, or any state securities laws. |
(i) | Subscriber acknowledges that it is aware that there are substantial risks incident to the purchase and ownership of the Acquired Shares. Subscriber has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Acquired Shares, and Subscriber has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as Subscriber has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision. |
(j) | Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that neither the Issuer nor any affiliate of the Issuer has provided Subscriber with any information or advice with respect to the Acquired Shares nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Subscriber acknowledges that the Issuer and its representatives (i) have not made any representation as to the Issuer or the quality of the Acquired Shares, (ii) may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Issuer which Subscriber agrees need not be provided to it, (iii) have made no independent investigation with respect to the Issuer or the Acquired Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any information supplied to Subscriber by the Issuer, (iv) have not acted as Subscriber’s financial advisor or fiduciary in connection with the issue and purchase of the Acquired Shares and (v) have not prepared a disclosure or offering document in connection with the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares. |
(k) | Alone, or together with any professional advisor(s), Subscriber represents and acknowledges that Subscriber has adequately analyzed and fully considered the risks of an investment in the Acquired Shares and determined that the Acquired Shares are a suitable investment for Subscriber and that Subscriber is able at this time and in the foreseeable future to bear the economic risk of a total loss of Subscriber’s investment in the Issuer. Subscriber acknowledges specifically that a possibility of total loss exists. |
(l) | Subscriber understands and agrees that no federal or state agency has passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Acquired Shares or made any findings or determination as to the fairness of an investment in the Acquired Shares. |
(m) | Subscriber is not (i) a person or entity named on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, the Executive Order 13599 List, the Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, or the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List, each of which is administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) (collectively “OFAC Lists”), (ii) owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, a person, that is named on an OFAC List, (iii) organized, incorporated, established, located, resident or born in, or a citizen, national, or the government, including any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, of, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Crimea region of Ukraine, or any other country or territory embargoed or subject to substantial trade restrictions by the United States, (iv) a Designated National as defined in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515 or (v) a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services indirectly to a non-U.S. shell bank. Subscriber represents that if it is a financial institution subject to the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. section 5311 et seq.) (the “BSA”), as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (the “PATRIOT Act”), and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “BSA/PATRIOT Act”), that Subscriber maintains policies |
11
and procedures reasonably designed to comply with applicable obligations under the BSA/PATRIOT Act. Subscriber also represents that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with OFAC-administered sanctions programs, including for the screening of its investors against the OFAC Lists. Subscriber further represents and warrants that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the funds held by Subscriber and used to purchase the Acquired Shares were legally derived. |
(n) | If Subscriber is an employee benefit plan that is subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), a plan, an individual retirement account or other arrangement that is subject to section 4975 of the Code or an employee benefit plan that is a governmental plan (as defined in section 3(32) of ERISA), a church plan (as defined in section 3(33) of ERISA), a non-U.S. plan (as described in section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plan that is not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), or an entity whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a “Plan”) subject to the fiduciary or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or section 4975 of the Code, then Subscriber represents and warrants that (i) neither the Issuer, nor any of its respective affiliates (the “Transaction Parties”) has acted as the Plan’s fiduciary, or has been relied on for advice, with respect to its decision to acquire and hold the Acquired Shares, and none of the Transaction Parties shall at any time be relied upon as the Plan’s fiduciary with respect to any decision to acquire, continue to hold or transfer the Acquired Shares; (ii) the decision to invest in the Acquired Shares has been made at the recommendation or direction of an “independent fiduciary” (“Independent Fiduciary”) within the meaning of US Code of Federal Regulations 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3 21(c), as amended from time to time (the “Fiduciary Rule”) who is (A) independent of the Transaction Parties; (B) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with respect to particular transactions and investment strategies (within the meaning of the Fiduciary Rule); (C) is a fiduciary (under ERISA and/or section 4975 of the Code) with respect to Subscriber’s investment in the Acquired Shares and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the investment in the Acquired Shares; and (D) is aware of and acknowledges that (I) none of the Transaction Parties is undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the purchaser’s or transferee’s investment in the Acquired Shares, and (II) the Transaction Parties have a financial interest in the purchaser’s investment in the Acquired Shares on account of the fees and other remuneration they expect to receive in connection with transactions contemplated hereunder. |
(o) | As of the date of this Subscription Agreement Subscriber does not have, and during the thirty (30) day period immediately prior to the date of this Subscription Agreement Subscriber has not entered into, any “put equivalent position” as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act or Short Sale positions with respect to the securities of the Issuer. For purposes of this Subscription Agreement, “Short Sales” shall mean all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act, and all types of direct and indirect stock pledges (other than pledges in the ordinary course of business as part of prime brokerage arrangements), forward sale contracts, options, puts, calls, swaps and similar arrangements (including on a total return basis), and sales and other transactions through non-U.S. broker dealers or foreign regulated brokers. |
12
(p) | Subscriber has (or has commitments to have), and at the Closing will have, sufficient funds to pay the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2(b)(i). |
6. | Additional Subscriber Agreement. Subscriber hereby agrees that, from the date of this Agreement, none of Subscriber or any person or entity acting on behalf of Subscriber or pursuant to any understanding with Subscriber will engage in any Short Sales with respect to securities of Peridot prior to the Closing; provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 6 only, the definition of “Short Sales” shall not include options, puts and calls (which shall expressly be permitted). Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prohibit other entities under common management with Subscriber that have no knowledge of this Subscription Agreement or of Subscriber’s participation in the Transaction (including Subscriber’s controlled affiliates and/or affiliates) from entering into any Short Sales. |
7. | Registration Rights |
(a) | In the event that the Acquired Shares are not registered in connection with the consummation of the Transaction, the Issuer agrees that, as soon as practicable (but in any case no later than thirty (30) calendar days after the consummation of the Transaction) (the “Filing Deadline”), it will file with the SEC (at its sole cost and expense) a registration statement registering the resale of the Acquired Shares (the “Registration Statement”), and it shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but no later than the earlier of (i) sixty (60) calendar days after the Closing (or ninety (90) calendar days after the Closing if the SEC notifies the Issuer that it will “review” the Registration Statement) and (ii) ten (10) business days after the Issuer is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that the Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review (the “Effectiveness Deadline”). The Issuer agrees to cause such Registration Statement, or another shelf registration statement that includes the Acquired Shares to be sold pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, to remain effective until the earliest of (i) the third anniversary of the Closing, (ii) the date on which Subscriber ceases to hold any Acquired Shares issued pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, or (iii) on the first date on which Subscriber is able to sell all of its Acquired Shares issued pursuant to this Subscription Agreement (or shares received in exchange therefor) under Rule 144 within 90 days without limitation as to the amount of such securities that may be sold and without the requirement for the Issuer to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. Subscriber agrees to disclose its ownership to the Issuer upon request to assist it in making the determination described above. The Issuer may amend the Registration Statement so as to convert the Registration Statement to a Registration Statement on Form F-3 at such time after the Issuer becomes eligible to use such Form F-3. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the Issuer may suspend the use of any such Registration Statement if it determines (a) that the use of such Registration Statement would require the inclusion of financial statements that are unavailable for Issue for reasons beyond the Issuer’s control, or (b) that in order for such Registration Statement not to contain a material misstatement or omission, an amendment thereto would be needed to include information that would at that time not otherwise be required in a current, quarterly, or annual report under the Exchange Act; provided, that (I) the Issuer shall not so delay filing or so suspend the use of the Registration Statement on more than two (2) occasions or for a period of more than sixty (60) consecutive days or more than a total of one hundred-twenty (120) calendar days, in each case in any three hundred sixty (360)-day period, (II) the Issuer shall have a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public and (III) the Issuer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make such Registration |
13
Statement available for the sale by Subscriber of such securities as soon as practicable thereafter. The Issuer’s obligations to include the Acquired Shares issued pursuant to this Subscription Agreement (or shares issued in exchange therefor) for resale in the Registration Statement are contingent upon Subscriber furnishing in writing to the Issuer such information regarding Subscriber, the securities of the Issuer held by Subscriber and the intended method of disposition of such Acquired Shares, which shall be limited to non-underwritten public offerings, as shall be reasonably requested by the Issuer to effect the registration of such Acquired Shares, and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Issuer may reasonably request that are customary of a selling shareholder in similar situations; provided, however, that Subscriber shall not in connection with the foregoing be required to execute any lock-up or similar agreement or otherwise be subject to any contractual restriction on the ability to transfer the Acquired Shares. The Issuer will provide a draft of the Registration Statement to Subscriber for review at least two (2) business days in advance of filing the Registration Statement. So long as Subscriber delivers to the Issuer a completed questionnaire (which shall include representations and warranties as to relevant matters), Subscriber shall not be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement unless in response to a comment or request from the staff of the SEC or another regulatory agency; provided, however, that if the SEC requests that Subscriber be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement, Subscriber will have an opportunity to withdraw from the Registration Statement. For purposes of clarification, any failure by the Issuer to file the Registration Statement by the Filing Deadline or to effect such Registration Statement by the Effectiveness Deadline shall not otherwise relieve the Issuer of its obligations to file or effect the Registration Statement set forth in this Section 7. For purposes of this Section 7, “Acquired Shares” includes any other equity security of the Issuer issued or issuable with respect to the Acquired Shares by way of share split, dividend, distribution, recapitalization, merger, exchange, replacement or similar event or otherwise. |
(b) | The Issuer shall advise Subscriber within three (3) business days (email being sufficient) (at the Issuer’s expense): (i) when a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective; (ii) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for such purpose; (iii) of the receipt by the Issuer of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Acquired Shares included therein for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and (iv) subject to the provisions in this Subscription Agreement, of a suspension pursuant to Section 7(a) or the occurrence of any event that requires the making of any changes in any Registration Statement or prospectus so that, as of such date, the statements therein are not misleading and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading (provided that any such notice pursuant to this Section 7(b) shall solely provide that the use of the Registration Statement or prospectus has been suspended without setting forth the reason for such suspension and shall not contain any material non-public information regarding the Issuer). The Issuer shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement as soon as reasonably practicable. Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated in clauses (i) through (iv) above, except for such times as the Issuer is permitted hereunder to suspend, and has suspended, the use of a prospectus forming part of a Registration Statement, the Issuer shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to as soon as reasonably practicable prepare a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus, or file any other |
14
required document so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Acquired Shares included therein, such prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any mate |