DATE 15 May 2007 LEHIGH UK LIMITED HANSON PLC HEIDELBERGCEMENT AG SCHEME CO- OPERATION AGREEMENT Macfarlanes London EC4A 1BD
Exhibit
3
CONFORMED
COPY
DATE 15
May 2007
LEHIGH
UK LIMITED
XXXXXX
PLC
SCHEME
CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT
Macfarlanes
00
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
XX0X 0XX
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Schedule
1
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Appendix
A
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26
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SCHEME
CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT
DATE |
15
May
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2007
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PARTIES
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1
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LEHIGH
UK LTD, a company incorporated
in England and Wales (registered number 4113976), whose registered
office is at Park Square, 3160 Solihull Parkway, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxx X00 0XX
(“Bidco”);
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2
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XXXXXX
PLC, a company incorporated in England and Wales (registered
number 4626078), whose registered office is at 0 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxx
XX0X 0XX (the “Target”);
and
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3
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HEIDELBERGCEMENT
AG, a company incorporated in Germany whose registered office
is
at Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx 0, 00000 Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
(“HeidelbergCement”).
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RECITALS
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A
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Bidco
wishes to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital
of the
Target (the “Acquisition”) and accordingly the Parties
have entered into this Agreement to regulate the basis upon which
such
Acquisition is to be effected.
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B
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The
Parties have agreed that the Acquisition will be implemented by means
of a
scheme of arrangement under section 425 of the Companies Act to be
proposed by the Target to its shareholders under which all of the
Scheme
Shares will be (i) cancelled and new Target Shares issued to Bidco
in
consideration of which Bidco will pay to the Target Shareholders
a cash
payment of 1,100 xxxxx for each Scheme Share so cancelled or (ii)
in
respect of any Scheme Shares not so cancelled, transferred direct
to Bidco
in consideration of which Bidco will issue loan notes to the Target
Shareholders.
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AGREEMENT
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1.1
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In
this Agreement,
the following words and expressions shall have the following
meanings:
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ADSs:
American Depository Shares representing Target Shares;
Agreed
Form: the form agreed (or as the case may be to be agreed)
between and signed for the purpose of identification by or on behalf of the
Parties;
Alternative
Acquisition Proposal: means any proposal put forward by any third party
which is not acting in concert with Bidco for (i) a merger, acquisition or
other
business combination, scheme of arrangement, exchange offer, liquidation or
takeover offer involving the Target or all or substantially all of the business
of the Target Group, or (ii) any proposal to acquire in any manner, directly
or
indirectly, an equity interest of more than 50 per cent. or more in any voting
securities of the Target, or all or a substantial portion of the assets of
the
Target Group;
Break
Fee: means, subject to Clauses 9.3 and 9.4,
£78,700,000;
Business
Day: a day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public
holidays) on which banks are open in London and Germany for the transaction
of
normal banking business;
CDIs: CHESS
Depositary Interests representing a unit of beneficial interest in Target
Shares;
Code: the
City Code on Takeovers and Mergers;
Companies
Act: the Companies Xxx 0000, as amended;
Competing
Proposal: any proposal put forward by any third party which
is not acting in concert with Bidco, in respect of, or for: (i) a takeover
offer
(whether or not subject to pre conditions) or possible offer for, the issued
ordinary share capital of Target or the sale, or possible sale, (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) of the whole of the assets or
undertaking of the Target Group, or any part of the same which is material
in
the context of the Target Group; (ii) a merger, acquisition or other business
combination, scheme of arrangement, exchange offer, or liquidation involving
Target or all or substantially all of the business of the Target Group; (iii)
any proposal which would, if implemented result in a change of control of
Target; (iv) any other transactions having a similar effect, the consummation
of
which is reasonably likely to prevent, or impede, interfere with or delay to
any
material extent the Acquisition, in each case howsoever it is proposed that
such
offer or proposal be implemented;
Conditions: the
conditions to the Acquisition and the Scheme set out in Appendix I to the Press
Announcement and “Condition” means such one or more of them as
the context may require;
Court: the
High Court of Justice in England and Wales;
Court
Orders: the Reduction Court Order and the Scheme Court
Order;
Court
Meeting: the meeting of Target Shareholders to be convened
pursuant to an order of the Court for the purposes of considering and, if
thought fit, approving the Scheme, including any adjournment
thereof;
Effective
Date: in the case of a Scheme, the date on which the Scheme
becomes effective by registration of the Court Orders by the Registrar and
issue
by the Registrar of a certificate under section 138 of the Companies Act in
relation to the reduction of share capital associated with the Scheme, or in
the
case of an Offer, the date on which the Offer becomes or is declared wholly
unconditional;
EGM
Condition: the Condition set out in paragraph 1(B) of Appendix I to the
Press Announcement;
Exchange
Act: the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended;
Exchanges: the
New York Stock Exchange, the London Stock Exchange, ASX Limited, the Open Market
(Freiverkehr) of the stock exchanges of Berlin-Bremen, Hamburg and Hannover,
and
the Official Market (Amtlicher Markt) of the stock exchanges of Frankfurt am
Main, Munich, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf;
2
Exercise
Period: means the longest period specified in the rules of
the relevant Target Share Schemes during which participants may exercise their
options or awards in connection with the Acquisition;
Extraordinary
General Meeting: the extraordinary general meeting of the
Target to be convened for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit,
approving, inter alia, in relation to a Scheme, the reduction of share
capital provided for by the Scheme and certain amendments to the articles of
association of the Target;
Forms
of Proxy: the forms of proxy for use by Target Shareholders
at the Meetings;
Group
Company: in relation to any body corporate, any other body
corporate which is from time to time its holding company or subsidiary
undertaking or a subsidiary undertaking of its holding company, but not
including any subsidiary of Target acting in its capacity as a trustee of an
occupational pension scheme or employee benefit trust (and
Group shall be construed accordingly);
HMRC: Her
Majesty's Revenue & Customs;
London
Business Day: a day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and bank
holidays) on which banks are open in London for the transaction of normal
banking business;
London
Stock Exchange: London Stock Exchange plc;
Long-stop
Date: subject to the Code, 31 December 2007;
Meetings: the
Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting;
Negative
Conditions: means the Conditions contained in paragraphs 2
(E) to 2(J) (inclusive) of Appendix I of the Press Announcement;
Offer
Document: the document which would be despatched to the Target
Shareholders if Bidco elects to make the Offer, together with any form of
acceptance and/or other document relating to the Offer where the context so
requires;
Offeror
Group: Bidco and its Group Companies;
Panel: the
Panel on Takeovers and Mergers;
Parties: Bidco,
the Target and HeidelbergCement (each a “Party”);
Press
Announcement: the announcement of the Acquisition and the
Scheme in the Agreed Form as set out in Appendix A;
Record
Date: 5.00 p.m. on the London Business Day immediately
preceding the Effective Date (or such other time as may be the record date
specified in the Scheme);
Reduction
Court Hearing: the hearing by the Court of the petition to confirm the
reduction of share capital of the Target associated with the
Scheme;
3
Reduction
Court Order: the order of the Court confirming the reduction of share
capital provided for by the Scheme under section 137 of the Companies Act
(acknowledging that this may be the same order as the Scheme Court
Order);
Reduction
Hearing Date: the date on which the Reduction Court Order is
granted;
Registrar: the
Registrar of Companies in England and Wales;
Regulatory
Conditions: the Conditions set out in paragraphs 2 (A) to 2(D)
(inclusive) of Appendix I of the Press Announcement;
Regulatory
Information Service: an information dissemination provider approved by
the Financial Services Authority and whose name is set out in a list maintained
by the Financial Services Authority;
Remuneration
Committee: the remuneration committee of Target as
constituted at the date of this Agreement;
Scheme
or Scheme of Arrangement: the proposed
scheme of arrangement under section 425 of the Companies Act between the Target
and the holders of the Scheme Shares upon and subject to the terms and
conditions set out in the Press Announcement, and to be set out in the Scheme
Circular;
Scheme
Circular: the circular proposed to be despatched to Target
Shareholders containing the details of the Acquisition and the Scheme and
certain information about the Target, Bidco and the Offeror Group and containing
notices of the Meetings and the text of the Scheme;
Scheme
Court Hearing: the hearing by the Court of the petition to sanction the
Scheme;
Scheme
Court Order: the order of the Court sanctioning the Scheme under
section 425 of the Companies Act;
Scheme
Hearing Date: the date on which the Scheme Court Order is
granted;
Scheme
Shares: the Target Shares in issue at the Record Date and as
more particularly described in the Scheme, other than those beneficially owned
by Bidco or the Target;
SEC: the
US Securities and Exchange Commission;
subsidiary
and subsidiary undertaking: have the
respective meanings given by the Companies Act;
Takeover
Offer: the takeover offer which may be made by Bidco for the entire
issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of the Target (other than that
owned by Bidco or, if Bidco so determines, its associates at the date of the
Offer) in accordance with Clause 4.10;
Target
Board: the board of directors of the Target;
Target
Director: a director of the Target;
4
Target
Group: the Target and its Group Companies;
Target
Shareholders: holders of Target Shares;
Target
Shares: ordinary shares of 10 xxxxx each in the share
capital of the Target;
Target
Share Schemes: the Xxxxxx Sharesave Scheme, the Xxxxxx Executive Share
Option Scheme 1997, the Xxxxxx PLC Share Option Plan 2001, the Xxxxxx Executive
Share Option Plan 2003, the Xxxxxx Long Term Incentive Plan 2003 and the Xxxxxx
Long Term Incentive Plan 2006;
tax
or taxation: any tax, levy, impost, duty or other
charge or withholding of a similar nature whenever created or imposed and
whether of the United Kingdom or elsewhere (including any penalty, fine,
surcharge and interest payable in connection with any failure to pay or any
delay in paying any of the same);
Trust: the
Target Employee Share Trust;
Trustee:
the trustee of the Trust;
UKLA: the
UK Listing Authority, being the Financial Services Authority acting in its
capacity as the competent authority for the purposes of Part VI of the Financial
Services and Markets Xxx 0000 including, where the context so permits, any
committee, officer or servant to whom any function of the UK Listing Authority
may be delegated;
United
Kingdom or UK: the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland;
US
Securities Act: the United States Securities Act of 1933 as amended and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and
VAT: value
added tax as referred to in the UK Value Added Tax Xxx 0000 or, as the context
so requires, the German Value Added Tax Act (Umsatzsteuergesetz) or any tax
of a
similar nature which may be substituted for or levied in addition to either
of
them.
1.2
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In
this Agreement (unless the context requires
otherwise):
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1.2.1
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words
and expressions which are defined in the Companies Act have the same
meanings as are given to them in the Companies
Act;
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1.2.2
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any
reference to any statute or statutory provision includes a reference
to
any subordinate legislation made under that statute or statutory
provision
before the date of this Agreement, to any modification, re-enactment
or
extension of that statute or statutory provision made before that
date and
to any former statute or statutory provision which it consolidated
or
re-enacted before that date;
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1.2.3
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one
gender includes a reference to the other
gender;
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1.2.4
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the
singular includes a reference to the plural and vice
versa;
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1.2.5
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any
reference to a Recital or Clause is to a Recital or Clause (as the
case
may be) of or to this Agreement;
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5
1.2.6
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“directly
or indirectly” means (without limitation) either alone or jointly
with any other person, firm or body corporate and whether on his
own
account or in partnership with another or others or as the holder
of any
interest in or as officer, employee or agent of or consultant to
any other
person, firm or body corporate; and
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1.2.7
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any
reference to any English legal term for any action, remedy, method
of
judicial proceeding, legal document, legal status, court, official
or any
legal concept or thing shall, in respect of any jurisdiction other
than
England, be deemed to include what most nearly approximates in that
jurisdiction to the English legal
term.
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1.3
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The
headings in this Agreement do not form part of and shall not affect
the
interpretation of this Agreement or any part of
it.
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1.4
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Unless
otherwise stated, all references to time in this Agreement are to
London
time.
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The
Target and Bidco shall release or procure the release of the Press Announcement
to a Regulatory Information Service by no later than 9 a.m. on 15 May 2007
(or
such other time and date as may be agreed between the Target and Bidco) and
the
obligations of the Parties under this Agreement, other than this Clause 2,
shall
be conditional on such release.
The
terms
and conditions of the Acquisition shall be as set forth or referred to in the
Press Announcement together with such other and/or modified terms as the Target
and Bidco may agree in writing. The terms of the Acquisition at the
date of posting of the Scheme Circular as so agreed shall be set out in the
Scheme Circular. The only conditions to the Acquisition and the
Scheme shall be the Conditions.
4.1
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Subject
to the fiduciary duties of the directors of the Target and Bidco
and any
applicable laws and regulations and the terms of this Agreement,
each of
the Target and Bidco shall take all such steps and actions and shall
prepare, execute, agree, settle, publish and/or announce (and procure
to
be prepared, executed, agreed, settled, published and/or announced),
all
such documents as may be necessary or desirable in the opinion of
the
other (acting reasonably) for the implementation of the Scheme and
the
Acquisition in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement
and the requirements of the Code, the Panel, the UKLA, the Exchanges,
the
SEC and the Court.
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4.2
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Subject
to the fiduciary duties of the directors of each of the Target and
Bidco
and any applicable laws and regulations, the Target shall (and Bidco
shall
cooperate with the Target for this purpose) promptly prepare, all
documentation necessary for the implementation of the Scheme upon
the
terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, including the Scheme
Circular containing:
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6
4.2.1
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the
Scheme, complying with section 425 of the Companies Act and with
the
requirements of the Court, which shall incorporate the terms set
out in
the Press Announcement;
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4.2.2
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an
explanatory statement as required by section 426 of the Companies
Act in
relation to the Scheme;
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4.2.3
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such
other information as may be required by the Code, the Listing Rules,
the
London Stock Exchange, ASX Limited or the official listing rules
of ASX
Limited or by applicable law or
regulation;
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4.2.4
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a
notice convening the Court Meeting;
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4.2.5
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a
notice convening the Extraordinary General
Meeting;
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4.2.6
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a
statement that the Target intends to cancel the listing of its shares
on
the London Stock Exchange on the Effective Date;
and
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4.2.7
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such
other information as Bidco may reasonably
require.
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4.3
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The
Target agrees that it will use its best endeavours to send the Scheme
Circular to Target Shareholders by:
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4.3.1
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no
later than 12 June 2007; or
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4.3.2
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in
the event that, with the consent of the Panel, such date is not met,
as
soon as possible thereafter and in any event no later than 30 June
2007;
or
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4.3.3
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such
other date as may be agreed between the Target and Bidco and consented
to
by the Panel (if appropriate),
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provided
that if the Acquisition ceases to be recommended by the directors of the Target,
there shall be no obligation upon the Parties to dispatch the Scheme
Circular.
4.4
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Without
prejudice to the generality of Clause 4.2 above and subject to the
fiduciary duties of the directors of the Target and any applicable
laws
and regulations, the Target agrees with Bidco that it
will:
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4.4.1
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consult
in a timely manner with Bidco as to the form and content of all the
documentation relating to the Scheme (including the Scheme Circular)
for
which the Target is responsible;
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4.4.2
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use
its reasonable endeavours to ensure that in each case the relevant
draft(s) or redraft(s) of the documentation referred to in Clauses
4.4.1
and 4.2 shall be provided as soon as practicable and in any event
in
sufficient time to enable Bidco and its advisers to review and provide
comments on such draft(s) and redraft(s) in time for such comments
to be
included in the next subsequent
redraft;
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4.4.3
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take
account of the reasonable comments of Bidco and its advisers on the
drafts
and redrafts referred to in Clause 4.4.2;
and
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4.4.4
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not
finalise or post such documentation to the Target Shareholders unless
the
Target shall first have obtained the prior written approval of Bidco
to
the form and content of such documentation (such approval not to
be
unreasonably withheld or unreasonably
delayed).
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7
4.5
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Once
the Target has posted any documentation (including for the avoidance
of
doubt the Scheme Circular) relating to the Acquisition (the
“Documentation”) to Target Shareholders the Target will not issue further
documentation which would amend the scope and content of the
Documentation, the Scheme or the scope and content of any resolutions
necessary to implement the Scheme in any way without the prior written
consent of Bidco (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or
unreasonably delayed) provided that the Target may make any such
changes
as may be required to comply with the directions of the Court or
any legal
or regulatory requirement. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement, Bidco shall be entitled to make any number
of
unilateral increases in the price of its offer in relation to the
Acquisition and this Agreement shall continue to apply to such increased
offer(s).
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4.6
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Subject
to the fiduciary duties of the directors of each of the Target and
Bidco
and any applicable laws and regulations and unless the Target Board
resolves that the Acquisition is no longer in the interests of the
Target
Shareholders, the Target shall (and Bidco shall co-operate with the
Target
for this purpose) take or cause to be taken all such steps as are
within
its power and necessary or reasonably required by Bidco to implement
the
Scheme in accordance with section 425 of the Companies Act, including
the
following:
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4.6.1
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the
Target shall apply to the Court by way of a claim form for leave
to
convene the Court Meeting;
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4.6.2
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upon
the Court making the order upon such claim form and the Scheme Circular
and Forms of Proxy being settled (to the extent required) with the
Court
and such documents being agreed by the Target and Bidco, the Target
shall,
in accordance with such Court order, despatch by first class post
(or the
equivalent where despatch occurs outside the UK) or air mail as
appropriate the Scheme Circular and Forms of Proxy to the Target
Shareholders and thereafter publish and/or post the requisite
advertisements and such other documents and information (in each
case in
Agreed Form) as the Court may approve or direct from time to time
or as
Bidco shall reasonably request, in connection with the due implementation
of the Scheme;
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4.6.3
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hold
the Meetings and, if the necessary resolutions proposed thereat are
passed
by the requisite majorities, promptly seek the Court Orders, take
all such
steps and prepare and issue, serve and lodge all such Court documents
as
in each case may be reasonably necessary in connection therewith;
and
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4.6.4
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on
such date as may be agreed with Bidco (subject to the approval of
the
Court) but in any event within 2 Business Days following the grant
of the
Reduction Court Order, cause an office copy of the Court Order(s)
and
associated minute to be duly delivered to the Registrar, for registration
and obtain from the Registrar a certificate of registration in relation
to
the reduction of share capital involved in the
Scheme.
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4.7
|
Subject
to paragraph 1.3 of Schedule 1, the Target shall request the UKLA
and the
London Stock Exchange to cancel its listing and admission to trading
of
the Target Shares on and with effect from the Effective
Date.
|
8
4.8
|
The
Target shall request ASX Limited to end the quotation of the CDIs
and to
remove the Target from the official list of ASX at such time as the
Bidder
and Target shall reasonably agree.
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4.9
|
Either
of the Target and Bidco will (if permitted by the Panel and applicable
law) and if reasonably requested to do so by the other agree to (i)
an
extension of time, or variation or amendment to the Scheme including
any
adjournment of any Court Meeting(s) or hearing or general meeting
of the
Target, or (ii) the amendment, revision, withdrawal or non-enforcement,
in
whole or in part, of the Scheme:
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4.9.1
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in
the case of a request made to the Target, unless in the exercise
of their
fiduciary duties, the Target Directors determine that they cannot
agree to
such extension, variation, amendment, withdrawal, revision or
non-enforcement to or of the Scheme;
and
|
4.9.2
|
in
the case of a request made to Bidco, if it is in the opinion of the
directors of Bidco, consistent with the Acquisition as a whole, does
not
impose a material additional obligation on Bidco. For the avoidance
of
doubt, any request to increase the amount of consideration payable
under
the Acquisition by any amount or to alter the form of consideration
offered under the Acquisition will amount to a material additional
obligation on Bidco.
|
|
Implementation
of the acquisition of Target Shares by way of Takeover
Offer
|
4.10
|
Bidco
may elect at any time to implement the Acquisition by way of a Takeover
Offer on terms and conditions which are substantially similar to,
but no
less advantageous to Target shareholders than, those set out in the
Press
Announcement, subject to any modification or amendment thereto as
may be
required by the Panel or necessary in relation to the implementation
of
the Acquisition by Takeover Offer.
|
4.11
|
Subject
to the fiduciary duties of their directors, the Target and Bidco
undertake
to each other to provide the other with all such information about
their
respective Groups as may be required for inclusion in the Offer Document
and to provide all such other assistance as each may reasonably require
in
connection with the preparation of the Offer Document and any other
documentation required in connection with the Acquisition, including
access to, and ensuring the provision of assistance by, relevant
professional advisers, printers and registrars, in each case as soon
as
reasonably practicable. Each Party will procure that its
directors accept responsibility for such of the information in the
Offer
Document as is required by the Takeover Code for a recommended
offer.
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4.12
|
In
the event that Bidco elects to implement the Acquisition by way of
a
Takeover Offer in accordance with Clause 4.10, all references in
this
Agreement to the Scheme shall, where the context permits, be read
as
references to the Takeover Offer (or to both the Scheme and the Takeover
Offer, as appropriate). Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing,
in the event that the Acquisition is implemented by way of a Takeover
Offer, references in this
Agreement:
|
4.12.1
|
to
voting in favour of the Scheme and voting in favour of the resolutions
to
be proposed at the Court Meeting and/or EGM shall be read and construed
as
references to accepting the Offer;
|
9
4.12.2
|
to
the Scheme becoming effective shall be read as references to the
Offer
becoming unconditional in all respects and references to the Scheme
lapsing or being withdrawn shall be references to the closing or
lapsing
of the Offer; and
|
4.12.3
|
to
the Scheme Circular shall be read as references to the formal document
containing the offer (the “Offer
Document”).
|
|
Share Schemes, proposals
to option
holders and employee
arrangements
|
4.13
|
The
Target undertakes that the documentation to be circulated to the
relevant
participants of the Target Share Schemes will include an unqualified
and
unanimous recommendation of the Target Directors to accept the proposals
in the circumstances where the Scheme Circular is required to include
such
recommendation under Clause 6.
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4.14
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The
Parties agree that the terms of Schedule 1 shall apply and each undertakes
to comply with the terms thereof.
|
|
HeidelbergCement
Guarantee
|
4.15
|
HeidelbergCement
agrees to procure performance of the obligations of Bidco under this
Agreement and agrees to pay to Target any costs, expenses or damages
suffered or incurred by Target arising from or in connection with
the
non-performance by Bidco of its obligations under this
Agreement.
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Each
of the Target and Bidco shall:
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5.1
|
co-operate
and consult with each other in the preparation and publication of
the
Scheme Circular and any other document, notification or filing which
is
required to be made or which a Party reasonably considers to be necessary
or appropriate for the purposes of implementing the Acquisition and
the
Scheme (including for the avoidance of doubt all anti-trust and other
regulatory filings and all communications to participants in the
Target
Share Schemes);
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5.2
|
use
all reasonable endeavours to take all steps necessary (and shall
procure
that each of their respective Group Companies and their, and their
respective Group Companies’, directors and employees shall, and shall use
all reasonable endeavours to procure that the respective auditors
and
advisers shall use all reasonable endeavours to take all steps necessary)
to provide the information necessary or reasonably desirable for
inclusion
in the Scheme Circular and any other documentation, filings and/or
notifications referred to in Clause
5.1;
|
5.3
|
provide
the other Party (or advisers nominated by them) with draft copies
(in
English) of all notifications and communications (save that information
the disclosure of which would adversely affect the other’s legitimate
business interests (“Confidential Business Information”)
may be redacted) to relevant anti-trust and regulatory authorities
in
relation to obtaining any relevant consent, approval or action at
such
time as will allow the other a reasonable opportunity to provide
comments
on such notifications and communications before they are submitted
or sent
to such relevant anti-trust or regulatory authorities and taking
into
account any such comments as are reasonable and providing the other
Party
(or such nominated advisers) with copies of all such notifications
and
communications in the form submitted or sent (save that Confidential
Business Information may be
redacted);
|
10
5.4
|
notify
the other Party, and provide copies, in a timely fashion of any material
communications, save in respect of any Confidential Business Information,
from any anti-trust or regulatory authority in relation to obtaining
any
relevant consent, approval or action;
and
|
5.5
|
unless
otherwise requested by the relevant anti-trust or regulatory authorities
concerned, allow persons nominated by the other Party to attend all
meetings and, so far as reasonably practicable, participate in all
material discussions with relevant anti-trust and regulatory authorities
and, where appropriate, to make oral submissions at such meetings
and
during such discussions. For the avoidance of doubt material discussions
shall mean any discussions with relevant anti-trust and regulatory
authorities regarding substantive anti-trust or regulatory issues
or
matters pertaining to the timing of receipt of anti-trust or regulatory
clearance.
|
6.1
|
The
Target agrees that the Scheme Circular shall incorporate a unanimous
and
unqualified recommendation from the Target Directors to Target
Shareholders to vote in favour of the resolutions to be proposed
at the
Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting except to the
extent
that the Target Directors have determined in good faith, acting reasonably
and having taken legal and financial advice, that to give such
recommendation would not be in the best interests of Target Shareholders
or would otherwise be a breach of their fiduciary
duties.
|
6.2
|
The
Target shall cause the Target Directors not to withdraw or modify
or
propose to withdraw or modify, in a manner adverse to Bidco, their
approval of the Scheme or their recommendation to the Target Shareholders
or any of them to vote in favour of each of the resolutions to be
proposed
at the relevant Meetings, unless, having taken legal and financial
advice,
they determine in good faith that to maintain such approval or
recommendation would not be in the best interests of Target Shareholders
or would otherwise be a breach of their fiduciary
duties.
|
7.1
|
The
Parties agree that the Acquisition is conditional upon the Scheme
becoming
effective in accordance with its terms by the Long-stop
Date.
|
7.2
|
Subject
to their respective directors’ fiduciary duties and to the provisions of
Clause 8, each of the Target and Bidco shall use all reasonable endeavours
to procure the satisfaction of the Conditions as soon as reasonably
practicable and to implement the Acquisition upon the terms described
in
the Press Announcement and as otherwise provided in this
Agreement.
|
7.3
|
Each
of the Target and Bidco confirms to the others that it is not aware
of any
matter or circumstance which would, or which could reasonably be
expected
to, cause any of the Negative Conditions not to be satisfied in relation
to that Party.
|
7.4
|
If
following:
|
7.4.1
|
the
occurrence of an event (or series of events);
or
|
11
7.4.2
|
Bidco
discovering or becoming aware of any
information,
|
|
which
constitutes a breach of a Condition, or which suggests that
any of such
Conditions is or may not be satisfied in all material respects,
Bidco
shall be entitled to serve written notice on the Target specifying
such
event and the relevant Condition. Following service of such
notice, the Target shall use all reasonable endeavours to provide
such
information (including information regarding the event, series
of events
or information concerned) which Bidco reasonably requires to
determine
whether the relevant Condition is or may not be satisfied in
all material
respects to the extent possible taking into account any applicable
confidentiality obligations.
|
7.5
|
The
Target undertakes to Bidco that it will only take the necessary action
to
make the Scheme effective if each of the Conditions have been confirmed
by
Bidco to have been satisfied or, where relevant,
waived.
|
7.6
|
The
Target undertakes that it will not allot or issue any Target Shares
between 5.00 p.m. on the London Business Day before the Reduction
Court
Hearing and the time at which the Scheme and such reduction becomes
effective and a certificate has been obtained from the Registrar
of
Companies evidencing such
reduction.
|
7.7
|
Subject
to the satisfaction or effective waiver of the Negative Conditions
and
unless Bidco invokes with the consent of the Panel any one or more
of the
Conditions at or prior to the Reduction Court Hearing, Bidco undertakes
to
the Target that it will consent and/or undertake to the Court
to be bound by the Scheme.
|
8.1
|
During
the period from the date of this Agreement and continuing until the
earlier of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to its terms
or the
Effective Date, the Target undertakes to Bidco, except to the extent
that
Bidco shall otherwise consent in writing that it shall, and shall
(insofar
as it has the power to do so) procure that each of its subsidiaries
shall,
carry on its business in all material respects in the ordinary course
and
shall notify Bidco of any adverse change in the business or assets
of any
member of the Target Group which is material in the context of the
Target
Group taken as a whole. For the avoidance of doubt the
undertaking in this Clause 8.1 includes, but is not limited to, taking
any
action which would amount to an action requiring the approval of
Target
Shareholders in general meeting or the consent of the Panel under
Rule 21
of the Code or enter into or agree to enter into any transaction
that
would require the approval of Target Shareholders under the Listing
Rules
of the UKLA.
|
8.2
|
In
addition, and without prejudice to the generality of Clause 8.1 above,
without the prior written consent of Bidco (such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld or unreasonably delayed), except in connection
with
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or pursuant to commitments
existing as at the date of this Agreement and disclosed prior to
such date
by the Target (either publicly by means of any document or announcement
published or released in accordance with the Listing Rules or any
other
legal or regulatory requirement, or by written disclosure to Bidco)
the
Target shall not, and shall (insofar as it has the power to do) procure
that its subsidiaries shall not, do any of the
following:
|
12
8.2.1
|
save
as permitted in accordance with paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to this
Agreement, adopt or amend any Target Share Scheme or any other scheme
having share purchase or share option provisions or adopt or amend
in any
material respect any other employee benefit, bonus or profit sharing
scheme;
|
8.2.2
|
save
as permitted in accordance with paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to this
Agreement, amend the service agreement of, or other arrangements
with any
director or employee of the Target Group with, or who pursuant to
the
proposed amendment would have, a total annual remuneration package
(inclusive of any bonus) of £200,000 or more (or its equivalent) or
provide, or agree to provide, a gratuitous payment or benefit to
any such
director, senior employee or
employee;
|
8.2.3
|
amend
the memorandum or articles of association of Target (other than in
connection with the resolutions to be proposed at the Extraordinary
General Meeting);
|
8.2.4
|
declare,
set aside or pay any dividends on or make any other distribution
(whether
in cash, shares or other property) in respect of any share capital,
or
split, combine or reclassify any share capital or issue or authorise
the
issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in
substitution for any share capital, except for the payment of
dividends or distributions by subsidiaries of the Target to the Target
or
to the shareholders of another subsidiary or the Target and provided
that
any such dividends or distributions shall not result in the payment
to any
entities which are not subsidiaries of the Target of more than
£100,000,000 in aggregate;
|
8.2.5
|
allot,
issue, or authorise or propose the issuance of or transfer from treasury
any share capital or any securities convertible into share capital,
or
rights, warrants or options to acquire any share capital, or any
securities convertible into share capital, or enter into other agreements
or commitments of any character obligating it to issue any such shares
or
convertible securities, or permit any subsidiary to do any of the
foregoing, whether with respect to its own share capital (or securities
convertible into or rights exercisable therefor or otherwise obligating
the issuance thereof) or the share capital of the Target (or securities
convertible into the same or rights exercisable therefor or otherwise
obligating the issuance thereof) other than (i) the allotment and
issue by
members of the Target Group (other than the Target) of fully paid
shares
or interests in shares or securities to shareholders of existing
members
of the Target Group at not less than the fair market value and (ii)
the
allotment and issue of the Target Shares pursuant to the exercise
or
vesting of options or awards outstanding under the Target Share Schemes
as
of the date of this Agreement or otherwise pursuant to any existing
contractual or legal obligations and will not make any recommendations
to
the Trustee in respect of the grant of, and shall use its reasonable
efforts to procure that the Trustee does not grant, any options or
awards
in respect of any Target Shares, ADSs or CDIs (or any other assets
held in
the Trust);
|
8.2.6
|
incur
any further indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such
indebtedness or issue or sell any debt securities or warrants or
rights to
acquire debt securities of the Target Group which will result in
the
indebtedness for borrowed money of the Target Group (net of any cash
or
other liquid reserves held by it) exceeding
£2,000,000,000;
|
13
8.2.7
|
knowingly
do any act, matter or thing which would cause any of the Conditions
not to
be satisfied or which is reasonably likely to have the effect of
materially delaying satisfaction of any of the
Conditions;
|
8.2.8
|
save
as permitted by this Agreement, take any action which would reasonably
be
expected to be prejudicial to the implementation of the Scheme;
or
|
8.2.9
|
agree
in writing or otherwise to take any of the actions described
above.
|
8.3
|
The
Target undertakes that from the date of this Agreement until the
earlier
of (a) the Effective Date, and (b) the date upon which the Acquisition
is
withdrawn or lapses or is not approved at the
Meetings:
|
8.3.1
|
it
shall not (and shall procure that each member of the Target Group
and its
and their directors, officers and employees, and any other third
party
acting on its or their behalf does not) directly or indirectly solicit
or
otherwise seek to initiate any Competing Proposal provided that for
the
avoidance of doubt the Target will not be in breach of this Clause
8.3.1
by virtue of it complying with the rules of the Code (including,
but not
limited to, providing information to a third party pursuant to Rule
20.2
of the Code);
|
8.3.2
|
it
shall not (and shall procure that each member of the Target Group
and its
and their directors, officers and employees, and any other third
party
acting on its or their behalf does not) directly or
indirectly:
|
|
8.3.2.1
|
enter
into or continue any discussions, negotiations, communication or
correspondence relating to or which may be expected to lead to any
Competing Proposal (and Target confirms that it is not currently
a party
to any such discussions, negotiations, communication or correspondence);
or
|
|
8.3.2.2
|
release
any third party from any confidentiality or standstill agreement,
or amend
any such agreement, entered into in connection with an Competing
Proposal
prior to the date hereof,
|
|
provided
that Target will not be in breach of this Clause 8.3.2 by
virtue of it
complying with the rules of the Code (including, but not
limited to,
providing information to a third party pursuant to Rule 20.2
of the Code)
or to the extent that the Target Directors have determined
in good faith,
having taken legal and financial advice, that to fail to
do so would not
be in the best interests of Target shareholders or would
otherwise be in
breach of their fiduciary duties;
and
|
8.3.3
|
if
Target or any person acting on behalf of Target receives
a definitive
proposal which is funded on at least a highly confident
basis with regard
to any Alternative Acquisition Proposal, or if any such
Target Group
member receives any request for information pursuant
to Rule 20.2 of the
Code or otherwise, Target will inform Bidco as soon as
reasonably
practicable of such approach or request subject to Clause
12
below.
|
9.1
|
The
Parties agree that the Target shall pay HeidelbergCement the Break
Fee by
way of compensation in the event that the Acquisition is announced
and (a)
an Alternative Acquisition Proposal is announced (for the purposes
of Rule
2.5 of the Code or equivalent) and (b) following such announcement,
the
Scheme is not proposed, not made, lapses or is withdrawn in accordance
with its terms; and (c) such Alternative Acquisition Proposal becomes
wholly unconditional.
|
14
9.2
|
In
the event that the Break Fee becomes payable, the Target shall pay
the
relevant amount to HeidelbergCement by no later than 5 days after
the date
on which the Break Fee becomes payable. Payment shall be made
in immediately available funds (without any deduction or withholding
and
without regard to any lien, right of set-off, counterclaim or otherwise)
to such bank account as may be reasonably notified to the Target
by
HeidelbergCement for such purposes.
|
9.3
|
The
Parties anticipate that all sums payable under Clause 9.1 will fall
outside the scope of VAT. However, in the event that HMRC or
the German tax authorities determine that sums payable under Clause
9.1
constitute all or part of the consideration for a supply to the Target
for
VAT purposes, adjustments shall be made to the Break Fee in accordance
with this Clause:
|
9.3.1
|
in
a case where VAT is or becomes chargeable on that supply for which
the
Target (or the representative member of any VAT group of which the
Target
is a member) is liable to account to HMRC by way of reverse charge,
the
Break Fee shall be reduced so as to take account of any such reverse
charge VAT in respect of which the Target (or the representative
member)
is not entitled to credit or repayment from HMRC;
and
|
9.3.2
|
in
a case where VAT is or becomes chargeable on that supply for which
HeidelbergCement or Bidco (or the representative member of any VAT
group
of which the HeidelbergCement or Bidco is a member) is liable to
account
to HMRC or the German tax authorities, the Break Fee shall be increased
so
as to take account of any amount of VAT in respect of which the Target
(or
the representative member of any VAT group of which the Target is
a
member) is entitled to credit or repayment from HMRC or the German
tax
authorities (under the 8th VAT Directive or
otherwise)
|
9.3.3
|
such
that after making such adjustments the aggregate of (i) the Break
Fee
(inclusive of any amount of VAT) and (ii) any such irrecoverable
reverse
charge VAT for which the Target (taken with the representative member
of
any VAT group of which the Target is a member) is required to account
to
HMRC in accordance with Clause 9.3.1 (together with any related interest
or penalties but excluding any interest or penalties arising as a
result
of the unreasonable delay or default of the Target or relating to
any
period after HeidelbergCement or Bidco has accounted to the Target
for any
reduction in the Break Fee pursuant to this Clause) less (iii) any
amount
of VAT in respect of which the Target (or the representative member
of any
VAT group of which the Target is a member) is entitled to credit
or
repayment in accordance with Clause 9.3.2, shall be equal to
£78,700,000.
|
|
Any
payment in respect of any adjustment made pursuant to Clause
9.3.1 shall
be made on the date 5 Business Days prior to the date on
which the Target
(or the representative member of any VAT group of which the
Target is a
member) is required to account to HMRC for any such reverse
charge
VAT. Any payment in respect of any adjustment made pursuant to
Clause 9.3.2 shall be made on the date 5 Business Days after
the date on
which the Target (or the representative member of any VAT
group of which
the Target is a member) recovers any such amount of VAT from
HMRC or the
German tax authorities.
|
15
|
In
either case, the amount of any such adjustment shall initially
be
determined by the Target, acting reasonably, and further adjustments
may
be made to take account of any subsequent determination by
HMRC or the
German tax authorities (as the case may be) which differs from
that made
by the Target. HeidelbergCement, Bidco or the Target shall make
such further payments or repayments in respect of the adjustment
as may be
necessary within 5 Business Days of the relevant
determination.
|
9.4
|
It
is agreed that the Target will not be obliged to pay any amounts
pursuant
to this Clause 9 or in respect of VAT to the extent that the amount
payable is in excess of the amount the Panel determines to be permissible
under Rule 21.2 of the Code or is permitted to be paid under Rule
10.2.7
of the UKLA’s Listing Rules.
|
9.5
|
The
Parties agree that no failure or delay in exercising or non-exercise
of
any right, power or remedy provided by law or under or in connection
with
this letter shall impair, or otherwise operate as a waiver or release
of
that right, power or remedy.
|
9.6
|
Target
hereby undertakes not to agree with any other party any break fee
in
connection with an Alternative Acquisition Proposal (including any
arrangement designed to avoid the operation of this Clause 9.6) which
is
payable in circumstances that are more favourable to such other party
than
the circumstances in which the Break Fee is payable to
HeidelbergCement.
|
10
|
10.1
|
The
obligations of the Parties to implement the Scheme, or, if applicable,
Takeover Offer, and consummate the Acquisition may be terminated
by notice
delivered in accordance with Clause 15, in relation to a Scheme, at
any time prior to 11.59 p.m. on the day immediately prior to the
Reduction Hearing Date (for the avoidance of doubt, whether before
or
after the Court Meetings) or, in relation to a Takeover Offer, at
any time
prior to the time when the offer is declared unconditional in all
respects:
|
10.1.1
|
by
mutual written consent of the
Parties;
|
10.1.2
|
by
either the Target or Bidco if the resolutions proposed at any of
the
Meetings are voted upon but shall not have been duly passed thereat
(save
to the extent the relevant Condition can be and is waived by
Bidco). For the avoidance of doubt, if either of the meetings
is adjourned, the date that a particular resolution is put to shareholders
will, for all purposes, be the date of the reconvened meeting at
which the
vote on that resolution is actually held;
or
|
10.1.3
|
by
Bidco in the event of failure of any of the Conditions, and the invocation
of such Condition by Bidco is with the consent of the
Panel.
|
10.2
|
The
obligations of the Parties to implement the Scheme and consummate
the
Acquisition shall be terminated (without prejudice to their rights
in
respect of any prior breach of this Agreement) if the Effective Date
shall
not have occurred prior to the Long-stop Date (or such later date
as the
Parties shall, with the consent of the Panel, agree in
writing).
|
10.3
|
Notice
of termination under Clause 10.1 above will be effective immediately
upon actual (rather than deemed) delivery to the address specified
in
Clause 15 of written notice by the terminating Party to the other
Party, but no such notice shall have effect if delivered after 11.59
p.m.
on the day immediately prior to the date of the Reduction Court
Hearing. In the event of termination pursuant to
Clause 10.1 or 10.2, this Agreement shall be of no further force or
effect except:
|
16
10.3.1
|
this
Clause 10.3 and Clauses 9, 11-13, 14.4, 14.5, 14.8-14.13, 15, and
16, each
of which shall survive such termination;
and
|
10.3.2
|
nothing
in this Clause 10 shall relieve either Party from liability for any
prior
breach of this Agreement.
|
10.4
|
The
Target undertakes to Bidco not to proceed with the Scheme, and to
withdraw
the Scheme (or Offer) forthwith, if this Agreement is terminated
in
accordance with its terms.
|
11
|
|
In
the event that any Party (the “non-defaulting Party”) terminates this
Agreement as a result of breach of this Agreement by another Party,
the
damages recoverable for any such breach shall be limited to the costs,
liabilities, expenses and losses directly incurred or suffered by
the
non-defaulting Party not in breach (whether before or after the date
of
this Agreement) in connection with or for the purposes of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including any steps taken by the
non-defaulting Party or any of its Group Companies directly for the
purpose of facilitating the Acquisition on the terms provided by
this
Agreement, including (but not limited to) fees and disbursements
of
professional advisers, stamp duty or other taxation and lenders (and
their
advisers) fees and expenses, but for the avoidance of doubt excluding
any
losses incurred due to any change in the market value of the
Target Shares provided that if in the circumstances in which this
Agreement is terminated the Break Fee is also payable to HeidelbergCement,
the amount of any damages payable under this Clause 11 to HeidelbergCement
shall be reduced by the amount of the Break Fee (the Break Fee being
in
the nature of compensation as a pre-estimate of
loss).
|
12.1
|
Subject
to the provisions of this Clause 12, no Party shall prior to the
Effective
Date issue any press release or publish any circular or any other
public
document or make any public statement in each case relating to or
connected with or arising out of this Agreement, the Scheme, the
Acquisition or the matters contemplated hereby, without first consulting
with the other parties to this Agreement and taking into account
the
reasonable requirements of the other parties to this Agreement as
to the
content of such press release, circular, public document or public
statement (where it is reasonably practical to do so in the
circumstances).
|
12.2
|
The
provisions of Clause 12.1 do not apply to any announcement relating
to or
connected with or arising out of this Agreement, the Scheme or the
Acquisition required to be made by virtue of the regulations or
requirements of the Code, the Panel, the Disclosure Rules and Transparency
Rules of the Financial Services Authority, the Exchanges, the SEC,
the
Court or other applicable law or
regulation.
|
17
|
No
term of this Agreement shall be enforceable under the Contracts
(Rights of
Third Parties) Xxx 0000 by a third party but this does not
affect any
right or remedy of a third party which exists or is available
apart from
under that act.
|
14
|
14.1
|
The
Target shall do or procure to be done all such further acts and things
and
execute or procure the execution of all such other documents as Bidco
and
HeidelbergCement may from time to time reasonably require for the
purpose
of giving Bidco and HeidelbergCement the full benefit of the provisions
of
this Agreement enforceable by each of
them.
|
14.2
|
Bidco
and HeidelbergCement shall do or procure to be done all such further
acts
and things and execute or procure the execution of all such other
documents as the Target may from time to time reasonably require
for the
purpose of giving the Target the full benefit of the provisions of
this
Agreement enforceable by it.
|
14.3
|
Each
Party acknowledges that damages may not be an adequate remedy to
the other
Parties for breach of this Agreement and that accordingly the other
Parties not in breach shall be entitled to obtain the remedy of specific
performance and/or other injunctive relief for breach (actual, anticipated
or prospective) in addition to any other
remedy.
|
14.4
|
This
Agreement, the confidentiality undertaking between Target and
HeidelbergCement dated 12 May 2007 (except clauses 10, 11 and 12
of such
confidentiality undertaking, which Target and HeidelbergCement agree
shall
cease to apply upon the execution of this Agreement) and the documents
referred to herein constitute the entire agreement and understanding
of
the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Each of
the Parties acknowledges and agrees that in entering into this Agreement,
and the documents referred to herein, it does not rely on, and shall
have
no remedy in respect of, any statement, representation, warranty
or
understanding (whether negligently or innocently made) of any person
(whether Party to this Agreement or not) other than as expressly
set out
in this Agreement. Nothing in this sub-Clause shall, however,
operate to limit or exclude any liability for
fraud.
|
14.5
|
Save
as provided in Clause 9 and 11, each of the Parties shall pay its
own
costs and expenses of and incidental to this Agreement, the Scheme
and the
Acquisition.
|
14.6
|
This
Agreement shall, as to any of its provisions remaining to be performed
or
capable of having or taking effect following the Effective Date remain
in
full force and effect notwithstanding the Effective
Date.
|
14.7
|
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and enure for the benefit of the
successors and assigns of the
Parties.
|
14.8
|
No
Party shall be entitled to assign its respective rights or obligations
under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other
Parties.
|
14.9
|
The
failure of any Party at any time or times to require performance
of any
provision of this Agreement shall not affect its right to enforce
such
provision at a later time.
|
18
14.10
|
No
waiver by any Party of any condition or of the breach of any term,
covenant, representation, warranty or undertaking contained in this
Agreement whether by conduct or otherwise, in any one or more instances
shall be deemed to be construed as a further or continuing waiver
of any
such condition or breach or a waiver of any other condition or of
the
breach of any other term, covenant, representation, warranty or
undertaking in this Agreement.
|
14.11
|
Any
liability of any Party under this Agreement may in whole or in part
be
released, compounded or compromised and time or indulgence may be
given by
the other relevant party to this Agreement in their absolute discretion
without in any way prejudicing or affecting any of its other rights
in
relation to the same or similar
matter.
|
14.12
|
This
Agreement may be amended, modified, superseded or cancelled and any
of its
terms, covenants, representations, warranties or undertakings may
be
waived only by an instrument in writing signed by (or by some person
duly
authorised by) each of the Parties or, in the case of a waiver, by
the
Party waiving compliance.
|
14.13
|
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by the
parties on separate counterparts, but shall not be effective until
each
party has executed at least one counterpart. Each counterpart
shall constitute an original of this Agreement, but all the counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
|
14.14
|
Nothing
in this Agreement and no action taken by the Parties under this Agreement
shall constitute a partnership, association, joint venture or other
co-operative entity between any of
them.
|
15
|
15.1
|
Any
notice to be served in connection with this Agreement shall be in
writing
and shall be delivered by hand, sent by registered mail, recorded
delivery
or first-class post or transmitted by
fax:
|
15.1.1
|
in
the case of the Target to:
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx
PLC
|
|
Address:
|
0
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX
|
|
Fax:
|
x00
(0) 00 0000 0000
|
|
For
the attention of:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
15.1.2
|
in
the case of Bidco or HeidelbergCement
to:
|
|
Name:
|
|
Address:
|
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx 0, 00000 Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx
|
|
For
the attention of:
|
Xx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Chairman of the Managing
Board
|
19
15.2
|
Any
such notice shall be deemed to have been served as
follows:
|
15.2.1
|
in
the case of delivery by hand, on delivery (if delivered in Business
Hours
on a Working Day) or at 9.00 a.m. on the next Working Day (if
delivered outside Business Hours);
|
15.2.2
|
in
the case of service by post, on the third Working Day after the day
on
which it was posted;
|
15.2.3
|
in
the case of transmission by fax, at the time it is transmitted (if
transmitted in Business Hours on a Working Day) or at 9.00 a.m. on
the next Working Day (if delivered outside Business Hours);
and
|
15.2.4
|
in
the case of registered airmail, five Working Days from the date of
posting.
|
15.3
|
Subject
as provided in Clause 15.2, in proving such service it shall be sufficient
to prove that the notice was properly addressed and left at, posted
to or
transmitted by fax to that address.
|
15.4
|
For
the purpose of this Clause, “Working Day” shall mean any
day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day which is a public
holiday
in the place at or to which the notice is left or despatched and
“Business Hours” shall mean 9.00 a.m. to
5.30 p.m. (in the place at or to which the notice is left or
despatched) on a Working Day.
|
16.1
|
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws
of England.
|
16.2
|
Each
of the Parties hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of
the
English Courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out
of or
relating to this Agreement or any of the documents to be executed
pursuant
to this Agreement.
|
16.3
|
HeidelbergCement
shall at all times maintain an agent for service of process and any
other
documents in proceedings in England or any other proceedings in connection
with this letter. Such agent shall be Lehigh UK Limited, Park
Square, 3160 Solihull, Parkway, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx X00 0XX and any claim form, judgement or other notice of
legal
process shall be sufficiently served on you if delivered to such
agent at
its address for the time being. You irrevocably undertake not
to revoke the authority of the above
agent
|
20
EXECUTED
BY Target, Bidco and HeidelbergCement
|
|
SIGNED
BY
|
)
|
for
and on behalf of
|
)
|
Xx.
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
LEHIGH
UK LTD
|
)
|
SIGNED
BY
|
)
|
for
and on behalf of
|
)
|
X.X.
Xxxxxxx
|
XXXXXX
PLC
|
)
|
SIGNED
BY
|
)
|
Xx.
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
for
and on behalf of
|
)
|
)
|
Xx.
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
21
SCHEDULE 1
Target
and Bidco agree that the following arrangements will, where appropriate subject
to the Acquisition becoming effective in all respects, be implemented with
respect to the Target Share Schemes and current employment
arrangements.
1
|
EMPLOYEE
SHARE SCHEME MATTERS
|
1.1
|
Target
and Bidco agree that it is the commercial intention of the parties
that,
subject to the rules of the Target Share Schemes, options and awards
under
the Target Share Schemes become exercisable and/or vest as a consequence
of the Acquisition and so agree that if the Acquisition is effected
by way
of the Scheme and scheme counsel is of the opinion that the Scheme
is not
for the purposes of or in connection with the reconstruction of Target
or
its amalgamation with another company, they will document the Scheme
as "a
general offer by way of scheme of arrangement" if scheme counsel
opines
that this will assist in enabling options and awards held under any
of the
Target Share Schemes to be exercised pursuant to the rules of those
schemes in consequence of a general
offer.
|
1.2
|
Target
and Bidco acknowledge that options and awards under certain of the
Target
Share Schemes may, notwithstanding that the Scheme may be documented
as
mentioned in paragraph 1.1 above, be capable of vesting and/or becoming
exercisable in consequence of the Court’s sanction of the Scheme and not
in consequence of a general offer. The parties agree that if
the Acquisition is effected by way of a scheme of arrangement the
timetable for its implementation shall so far as practicable be fixed
so
as to enable such options and awards under the relevant Target Share
Schemes to be exercised in sufficient time to enable the participants
in
the relevant Target Share Schemes to participate in the Acquisition
on the
same terms as shareholders.
|
1.3
|
Bidco
agrees that:
|
|
(a)
|
if
options and awards are exercised pursuant to the rules of a Target
Share
Scheme after the Record Date in consequence of a general offer or
otherwise or are otherwise only transferred to participants on a
date
falling after the Effective Date, the Target Shares held by the Trust
and
sufficient Target Shares held in treasury shall be excluded from
the
Scheme to enable the Target Shares held in the Trust or in treasury
to be
used to satisfy the exercise of options and awards held under the
Target
Share Schemes following the Effective
Date;
|
|
(b)
|
if
necessary in order to obtain a corporation tax deduction in respect
of the
exercise and/or vesting of options and awards under the Target Share
Schemes, the parties shall seek to retain the admission to listing
on the
Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the London
Stock Exchange of the Target Shares for a period of two business
days
following the date on which Bidco obtains control of Target for the
purposes of the Target Share Schemes;
and
|
|
(c)
|
Target
may (subject in the case of the Target Sharesave Scheme to the consent
of
HMRC) amend the rules of any of the Target Sharesave Scheme, the
Target
PLC Share Option Plan 2001 and the Target Executive Share Option
Plan 2003
so as to permit options to be exercised following the Scheme Hearing
Date
but before the Effective Date if, in the opinion of the Directors
or the
Remuneration Committee (as appropriate), such amendments are necessary
or
desirable to facilitate the administration of the Target Share Schemes
or
to obtain or maintain favourable tax treatment for participants in
such
schemes or any member of the Target Group in connection with the
Acquisition provided, for the avoidance of doubt, that such amendments
will not increase the extent to which options become exercisable
as a
result of the Acquisition in accordance with the commercial intention
of
the parties recorded in paragraph 1.1 of this
Schedule.
|
22
1.4
|
If
the Acquisition is effected by way of a scheme of arrangement, Bidco
agrees that the Articles of Association of Target will be amended
so that
any Target Shares issued or transferred after the Record Date pursuant
to
the exercise or release of options or awards under the Target Share
Schemes will be acquired by Bidco on the same terms as are available
to
other holders of Target shares under the
Acquisition.
|
1.5
|
Target
and Bidco agree that optionholders exercising options in connection
with
the Acquisition (other than those exercising options under the Target
Sharesave Scheme) will not be required to finance the exercise of
such
options. Instead, arrangements will be put in place (a cashless
exercise) by which the exercise price will be deducted from the
consideration due on the acquisition of their Target Shares, and
paid to
Target in satisfaction of the exercise price. If necessary,
Target may amend the rules of any Target Share Scheme to facilitate
such
cashless exercise. The cashless exercise may also provide for
any income tax and social security contributions liability of the
optionholder that arises on the exercise of options or vesting of
awards
to be deducted from the consideration due on the acquisition of their
Target shares and paid to Target.
|
1.6
|
Target
and Bidco agree that if, after consultation with Bidco, Target reasonably
considers it appropriate for tax, securities law or administrative
reasons, Bidco will offer to holders of options and awards who are
not
resident in the United Kingdom, a cash sum equal to the latent
profit in
their option or award (being the difference between the price per
Target
Share offered by Bidco under the Acquisition and the exercise price
of
that option or award (if any)) in return for agreeing to cancel their
option or award.
|
1.7
|
Bidco
agrees to pay optionholders under the Target Sharesave Scheme who
exercise
their options under that scheme within the Exercise Period, a cash
payment
which shall, after deduction of income tax and employee national
insurance, be equal to the difference between the exercise price
per
Target Share and the price per Target Share offered by Bidco multiplied
by
the number of Target Shares an optionholder would have acquired had
he
notionally continued saving under the savings contract linked to
his
option for an additional period of 6 months from the end of the Exercise
Period or, if shorter, the period to the end of his savings
contract. Payment under this paragraph 1.7 shall be made as
soon as practicable following exercise of the relevant optionholder’s
options under the Target Sharesave
Scheme.
|
23
1.8
|
Bidco
acknowledges that the extent to which options and awards under the
Target
Share Schemes vest in connection with the Acquisition is to be determined
in accordance with the rules of the Target Share Schemes and actions
taken
and discretions exercised pursuant to those rules by the Remuneration
Committee (or other duly constituted committee of the Board as
appropriate). In particular Bidco agrees that the Remuneration
Committee:
|
|
(a)
|
will
assess performance targets applicable to any option and/or award
up to the
date of the Acquisition provided that where it is not practicable
to
assess the relevant performance target up to the date of Acquisition,
the
Remuneration Committee may, if it considers it appropriate, waive
that
performance target provided that it is permitted to do so under the
relevant Target Share Scheme rules or determine performance by reference
to the most practicable date prior to the Acquisition having regard
to the
nature of the performance target;
|
|
(b)
|
may,
if it considers it appropriate, determine that time pro-rating should
not
apply to any or all awards and/or options, subject to its ability
to do so
under the relevant Target Share Scheme rules;
and
|
|
(c)
|
shall,
in respect of any award and/or option in respect of which it has
exercised
a discretion to waive the performance conditions and/or time pro-rating,
determine that the Acquisition proceeds for the Target Shares under
that
award and/or option will only be released on a future date (or dates)
subject to the participant (i) not having given notice to resign
their
employment (other than in response to a repudiatory breach of contract
by
their employer), and (ii) not having been dismissed for a reason
or in
circumstances justifying summary termination of their employment,
in both
cases prior to such future date(s).
|
1.9
|
The
Target shall use reasonable endeavours to procure that the Trustee
uses
any Target Shares registered in its name at the Scheme Hearing Date
to
satisfy outstanding awards and options under the Target Share
Schemes.
|
2
|
EMPLOYMENT
MATTERS
|
2.1
|
Bidco
acknowledges Target Group’s obligation to comply with Target Group
employees' terms and conditions of employment in force at the date
of this
agreement and Bidco confirms that it has no current proposals to
change
the practices regarding redundancy
payments.
|
2.2
|
Bidco
shall procure that Target shall maintain the level of cover provided
by
its current directors' and officers' liability insurance for both
current
and former directors and officers of Target Group (including run
off cover
for a period of six years following a director’s or officer’s retirement)
for acts and omissions up to and including the Effective Date, to
include
directors and officers who retire or whose employment is terminated
as a
result of the Acquisition. Such insurance shall be with
reputable insurers and provide cover at least as broad in its scope
as
that provided to current directors as at the date of this
Agreement. Further, Bidco shall procure that Target complies
with its obligations to indemnify the directors of Target in accordance
with the terms of their respective service agreements, letters of
appointment or separate deeds of indemnity, as the case may
be.
|
24
3
|
RETENTION
AND OTHER COMPENSATION
MATTERS
|
3.1
|
Bidco
acknowledges that Target Group operates annual bonus arrangements
which
comprise formulae based on corporate or business performance
criteria. Bidco agrees that Target shall continue to operate
these arrangements for the financial year ending 31 December 2007
in
accordance with its normal practice. Bidco agrees that the
relevant calculations and determinations and payment of bonuses shall
be
undertaken by Target in accordance, and consistent, with its customary
practices including paying a time pro-rated bonus to employees who
cease
employment as good leavers before 31 December 2007. Further,
Bidco agrees that to the extent that any relevant financial metric
is
adversely affected by actions or steps taken after the Effective
Date and
before 31 December 2007 outside of the ordinary course of that entity’s
business as conducted prior to the Effective Date, the Remuneration
Committee will decide the appropriate criteria for determining the
payment
of bonus which the Bidder acknowledges may include determining bonus
by
reference to the performance of the relevant business in the financial
year ending 31 December 2006.
|
3.2
|
For
the purposes of protecting the business to be acquired as a consequence
of
the Acquisition, Bidco and Target agree that they will discuss in
good
faith appropriate retention arrangements to be put in place for employees
whose retention is considered critical to achieving the successful
closure
of the transaction and business continuity throughout the period
up to the
Effective Date.
|
25
Appendix
A