UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Month of October 2023
Commission File Number: 001-39328
Genetron Holdings Limited
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
1-2/F, Building 11, Zone 1
No.8 Life Science Parkway
Changping District, Beijing, 102206
People’s Republic of China
+86 10 5090-7500
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F x Form 40-F ¨
EXHIBIT INDEX
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Genetron Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Wing Kee Lau | |
| Name: | Wing Kee Lau | |
| Title: | Director | |
Date: October 11, 2023
Exhibit 99.1
Genetron Health Enters into Definitive Merger Agreement for Going Private Transaction
BEIJING, China, October 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Genetron Holdings Limited (“Genetron Health” or the “Company”, NASDAQ: GTH), a leading precision oncology platform company in China that specializes in offering molecular profiling tests, early cancer screening products and companion diagnostics development, announced today that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with New Genetron Holding Limited (“Parent”) and Genetron New Co Limited (“Merger Sub”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Merger”), in a transaction implying an equity value of the Company of approximately US$126.0 million.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), each ordinary share, par value US$0.00002 per share, of the Company (each, a “Share”) issued, outstanding and not represented by American depositary share of the Company (each, an “ADS,” representing five1 Shares) immediately prior to the Effective Time, other than the Excluded Shares and the Dissenting Shares (each as defined in the Merger Agreement), will be cancelled and cease to exist, in exchange for the right to receive US$0.272 in cash per Share without interest (the “Per Share Merger Consideration”), and each ADS, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, other than ADSs representing the Excluded Shares, together with each Share represented by such ADS, will be cancelled and cease to exist, in exchange for the right to receive US$1.36 in cash per ADS (or US$4.08 in cash per ADS after the ADS Ratio Change) without interest (less applicable fees, charges and expenses payable by ADS holders, and such consideration, together with the Per Share Merger Consideration, the “Merger Consideration”).
The Merger Consideration represents a premium of approximately 15% to the closing price of the Company’s ADSs on August 19, 2022, the last trading day prior to the Company’s announcement of its receipt of the “going-private” proposal, and a premium of approximately 21% to the average closing price of the Company’s ADSs during the last 30 trading days prior to its receipt of the “going-private” proposal. The Merger Consideration represents a premium of approximately 42% to the closing price of the Company’s ADSs on October 10, 2023, the last trading day prior to this press release.
Immediately following the consummation of the Merger, Parent will be beneficially owned by (i) Mr. Sizhen Wang, co-founder, chairman of the board of directors (the “Board”) and chief executive officer of the Company (“Mr. Wang”), (ii) CICC Healthcare Investment Fund, L.P. (“CICC Healthcare”), (iii) Tianjin Kangyue Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) (together with CICC Healthcare, “CICC”), (iv) Surrich International Company Limited, an investment entity wholly-owned by Wuxi Guolian Development (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Wuxi Guolian”), (v) Wealth Strategy Holding Limited, (vi) CCB (Beijing) Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd., and (vii) Wuxi Huihongyingkang Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership) (the foregoing (i) through (vii), collectively, the “Consortium”), and/or (viii) certain affiliates of the members of the Consortium, and (ix) other Rollover Shareholders (as defined below).
Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, Mr. Wang, CICC, and certain other shareholders of the Company (all the foregoing persons, collectively, the “Rollover Shareholders”) entered into a rollover and support agreement with Parent, pursuant to which the Rollover Shareholders have agreed to vote all the Shares beneficially owned by them in favor of the authorization and approval of the Merger Agreement and to have certain Shares of the Rollover Shareholders cancelled at the Effective Time for no cash consideration from Company in exchange for certain equity interests of Parent.
The Consortium intends to fund the Merger through a combination of cash contributions from certain members of the Consortium pursuant to their respective equity commitment letters and rollover equity contributions from the Rollover Shareholders.
1 The Company announced today that it plans to implement a change of the ratio of its ADSs to Shares from one (1) ADS representing five (5) Shares to one (1) ADS representing fifteen (15) Shares on or about October 26, 2023 (such change, the “ADS Ratio Change”).
The Board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a committee of independent and disinterested directors established by the Board (the “Special Committee”), approved the Merger Agreement and the Merger and resolved to recommend the Company’s shareholders vote to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement and the Merger. The Special Committee negotiated the terms of the Merger Agreement with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors.
The Merger, which is currently expected to close during the first quarter of 2024, is subject to customary closing conditions, including, among others, (i) that the Merger Agreement shall be authorized and approved by an affirmative vote of shareholders representing at least two-thirds of the Shares present and voting in person or by proxy at an extraordinary general meeting of the Company’s shareholders, (ii) that the aggregate amount of Dissenting Shares shall be less than 15% of the total outstanding Shares immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (iii) certain regulatory approvals, including the ODI Approval (as defined in the Merger Agreement) for certain Consortium members in China. As of the date of this press release, members of the Consortium and the other Rollover Shareholders beneficially own Shares representing approximately 59.7% of the total Shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2023. If completed, the Merger will result in the Company becoming a privately-held company and its ADSs will no longer be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market.
Kroll, LLC (operating through its Duff & Phelps Opinions Practice) is serving as the financial advisor to the Special Committee, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to the Special Committee and the Company.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to the Consortium, and King & Wood Mallesons is serving as PRC legal counsel to the Consortium. Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to CICC. Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to Wuxi Guolian, and Jincheng Tongda & Neal is serving as PRC legal counsel to Wuxi Guolian. Llinks Law Offices is serving as PRC legal counsel to Wuxi Huihongyingkang Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership).
Certain legal matters with respect to the Cayman Islands law are advised by Walkers (Hong Kong).
Additional Information About the Merger
The Company will furnish to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a current report on Form 6-K regarding the Merger, which will include as an exhibit thereto the Merger Agreement. All parties desiring details regarding the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are urged to review these documents, which will be available at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).
In connection with the Merger, the Company will prepare and mail to its shareholders a proxy statement that will include a copy of the Merger Agreement. In addition, in connection with the Merger, the Company and certain participants in the Merger will prepare and mail to the Company’s shareholders a Schedule 13E-3 Transaction Statement that will include the Company’s proxy statement (the “Schedule 13E-3”). These documents will be filed with or furnished to the SEC. SHAREHOLDERS AND OTHER INVESTORS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE MERGER, AND RELATED MATTERS. In addition to receiving the proxy statement and the Schedule 13E-3 by mail, shareholders also will be able to obtain these documents, as well as other filings containing information about the Company, the Merger, and related matters, without charge from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).
The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be “participants” in the solicitation of proxies from its shareholders with respect to the Merger and related matters. Information regarding the persons or entities who may be considered “participants” in the solicitation of proxies will be set forth in the proxy statement and the Schedule 13E-3 relating to the Merger and related matters, when it is filed with or furnished to the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants will be included in the proxy statement and the Schedule 13E-3 and the other relevant documents filed with or furnished to the SEC when they become available.
This announcement is neither a solicitation of proxy, an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities, and it is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other materials that may be filed with or furnished to the SEC should the proposed merger proceed.
About Genetron Holdings Limited
Genetron Holdings Limited (“Genetron Health” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: GTH) is a leading precision oncology platform company in China that specializes in cancer molecular profiling and harnesses advanced technologies in molecular biology and data science to transform cancer treatment. The Company has developed a comprehensive oncology portfolio that covers the entire spectrum of cancer management, addressing needs and challenges from early screening, diagnosis and treatment recommendations, as well as continuous disease monitoring and care. Genetron Health also partners with global biopharmaceutical companies and offers customized services and products. For more information, please visit ir.genetronhealth.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the “safe harbor” provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Genetron Health may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Genetron Health’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: uncertainties as to how the Company’s shareholders will vote at the meeting of shareholders; the possibility that competing offers will be made; the possibility that financing may not be available; the possibility that various closing conditions for the transaction may not be satisfied or waived; the laws and regulations relating to Genetron Health’s industry; the general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Genetron Health’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this announcement and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Genetron Health does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Investor
Relations Contact
Email: ir@genetronhealth.com
Exhibit 99.2
Execution Version
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
among
New Genetron Holding Limited,
GENETRON NEW CO LIMITED
and
GENETRON HOLDINGS LIMITED 泛生子基因(控股)有限公司
Dated as of October 11, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | |
| Article I THE MERGER | 2 |
| Section 1.01 The Merger | 2 |
| Section 1.02 Closing; Closing Date | 2 |
| Section 1.03 Effective Time | 3 |
| Section 1.04 Effects of the Merger | 3 |
| Section 1.05 Governing Documents | 3 |
| Section 1.06 Directors and Officers | 3 |
| Article II TREATMENT OF SECURITIES; MERGER CONSIDERATION | 4 |
| Section 2.01 Cancellation and Conversion of Securities | 4 |
| Section 2.02 Company Share Plans | 4 |
| Section 2.03 Dissenting Shares | 5 |
| Section 2.04 Exchange of Share Certificates, etc. | 6 |
| Section 2.05 No Transfers | 10 |
| Section 2.06 Termination of Deposit Agreement. | 10 |
| Article III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY | 10 |
| Section 3.01 Organization and Qualification | 10 |
| Section 3.02 Constitutional Documents | 11 |
| Section 3.03 Capitalization | 11 |
| Section 3.04 Authorization | 12 |
| Section 3.05 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents | 13 |
| Section 3.06 Permits; Compliance with Laws | 14 |
| Section 3.07 SEC Filings; Financial Statements | 16 |
| Section 3.08 Proxy Statement | 17 |
| Section 3.09 Absence of Certain Changes | 17 |
| Section 3.10 Absence of Litigation | 17 |
| Section 3.11 Employee Benefit Plans | 18 |
| Section 3.12 Labor and Employment Matters | 18 |
| Section 3.13 Real Property; Title to Assets | 19 |
| Section 3.14 Intellectual Property | 19 |
| Section 3.15 Privacy and Data Security | 21 |
| Section 3.16 Taxes | 21 |
| Section 3.17 Material Contracts | 22 |
| Section 3.18 Anti-Takeover Provisions | 24 |
| Section 3.19 Interested Party Transactions | 24 |
| Section 3.20 Brokers | 25 |
| Section 3.21 Control Documents | 25 |
| Section 3.22 Environmental Matters | 26 |
| Section 3.23 Insurance | 26 |
| Section 3.24 No Other Representations or Warranties | 27 |
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| Article IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB | 27 |
| Section 4.01 Corporate Organization | 27 |
| Section 4.02 Authorization | 27 |
| Section 4.03 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents | 28 |
| Section 4.04 Capitalization | 28 |
| Section 4.05 Available Funds and Financing. | 29 |
| Section 4.06 Proxy Statement | 29 |
| Section 4.07 Brokers | 30 |
| Section 4.08 Limited Guarantee | 30 |
| Section 4.09 Absence of Litigation | 30 |
| Section 4.10 Ownership of Shares | 30 |
| Section 4.11 Solvency | 31 |
| Section 4.12 Buyer Group Contracts | 31 |
| Section 4.13 Independent Investigation | 31 |
| Section 4.14 Non-Reliance on Company Estimates | 32 |
| Section 4.15 No Additional Representations | 32 |
| Article V CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER | 32 |
| Section 5.01 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger | 32 |
| Section 5.02 Compliance | 35 |
| Section 5.03 Conduct of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger | 36 |
| Section 5.04 No Control of Other Party’s Business | 36 |
| Article VI ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS | 36 |
| Section 6.01 Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3 | 36 |
| Section 6.02 Company Shareholders Meeting | 38 |
| Section 6.03 Access to Information | 39 |
| Section 6.04 No Solicitation of Transactions | 40 |
| Section 6.05 Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification and Insurance | 44 |
| Section 6.06 Notification of Certain Matters | 47 |
| Section 6.07 Financing | 47 |
| Section 6.08 Further Action; Reasonable Best Efforts | 48 |
| Section 6.09 Obligations of Merger Sub | 49 |
| Section 6.10 Participation in Litigation | 49 |
| Section 6.11 Resignations | 49 |
| Section 6.12 Public Announcements | 49 |
| Section 6.13 Stock Exchange Delisting | 50 |
| Section 6.14 Takeover Statutes | 50 |
| Section 6.15 No Amendment to Buyer Group Contracts. | 50 |
| Section 6.16 Actions Taken at Direction of Buyer Group Parties. | 50 |
| Article VII CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER | 51 |
| Section 7.01 Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party | 51 |
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| Section 7.02 Additional Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub | 51 |
| Section 7.03 Additional Conditions to the Obligations of the Company | 52 |
| Section 7.04 Frustration of Closing Conditions | 53 |
| Article VIII TERMINATION | 53 |
| Section 8.01 Termination by Mutual Consent | 53 |
| Section 8.02 Termination by Either the Company or Parent | 53 |
| Section 8.03 Termination by the Company | 54 |
| Section 8.04 Termination by Parent | 54 |
| Section 8.05 Effect of Termination | 55 |
| Section 8.06 Termination Fee | 55 |
| Article IX GENERAL PROVISIONS | 58 |
| Section 9.01 Survival | 58 |
| Section 9.02 Notices | 58 |
| Section 9.03 Certain Definitions | 59 |
| Section 9.04 Severability | 71 |
| Section 9.05 Interpretation | 71 |
| Section 9.06 Entire Agreement; Assignment | 72 |
| Section 9.07 Parties in Interest | 72 |
| Section 9.08 Specific Performance | 72 |
| Section 9.09 Governing Law; Dispute Resolution | 73 |
| Section 9.10 Amendment | 74 |
| Section 9.11 Waiver | 74 |
| Section 9.12 Counterparts | 75 |
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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 11, 2023, is entered into by and between New Genetron Holding Limited, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (“Parent”), Genetron New Co Limited, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), and Genetron Holdings Limited 泛生子基因(控股)有限公司, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”). Unless otherwise indicated or elsewhere defined herein, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Section 9.03 hereof.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with Part XVI of the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the “CICA”), Parent and the Company intend to enter into a transaction pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving the Merger as the surviving company (as defined in the CICA) (the “Surviving Company”) and becoming a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent as a result of the Merger;
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company (the “Company Board”), acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a special committee established by the Company Board (the “Special Committee”), has (i) determined that it is fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its shareholders (other than the holders of Excluded Shares), and declared it advisable, for the Company to enter into this Agreement and the Plan of Merger and consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Plan of Merger, including the Merger (collectively, the “Transactions”), (ii) authorized and approved the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions, and (iii) resolved to recommend the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions by the holders of Shares at the Shareholders Meeting and direct that this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions be submitted to a vote of the holders of Shares for authorization and approval;
WHEREAS, (i) the respective director of each of Parent and Merger Sub has each (A) approved the execution, delivery and performance by Parent and Merger Sub, respectively, of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions, and (B) declared it advisable for Parent and Merger Sub, respectively, to enter into this Agreement and the Plan of Merger and consummate the Transactions, and (ii) Parent, as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub, has approved the execution, delivery and performance by Merger Sub of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions;
WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to the Company’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, each of the certain guarantors (the “Guarantors”) has executed and delivered a limited guarantee in favor of the Company or a designated wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company with respect to certain obligations of Parent under this Agreement (as may be amended from time to time in accordance with this Agreement, the “Limited Guarantee”, and collectively, “Limited Guarantees”);
1
WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to Parent’s and Merger Sub’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Rollover Shareholders have executed and delivered to Parent the rollover and support agreement (the “Support Agreement”), providing that, amongst other things and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, the Rollover Shareholders will (A) vote all Rollover Shares (together with any other Shares or Equity Securities of the Company acquired, whether beneficially or of record, by such Rollover Shareholder after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time, including any Shares acquired by means of purchase, dividend or distribution, or issued upon the exercise or vesting of any award under any Company Share Plan, or any other options or warrants, or the conversion of any convertible securities or otherwise) held directly or indirectly by them in favor of the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions, and (B) agree, upon the terms and subject to the conditions in the Support Agreement, to receive no cash consideration for cancellation of the Rollover Shares in accordance with this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, each of the Sponsor has, or has caused an entity controlled by each of them, as applicable, to have, executed and delivered an equity commitment letter (each an “Equity Commitment Letter”, and collectively, the “Equity Commitment Letters”) to Parent;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company hereby agree as follows:
Article I
THE MERGER
Section 1.01 The Merger.
On the terms and subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible) of the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the CICA, at the Effective Time (as defined below), Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company. As a result of the Merger, Merger Sub shall cease to exist and will be struck off the Register of Companies in the Cayman Islands and the Company shall continue as the Surviving Company and become a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent.
Section 1.02 Closing; Closing Date.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing between the Company and Parent, the closing for the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place at 10:00 a.m. (Hong Kong time) electronically as soon as practicable, but in any event no later than the tenth (10th) Business Day following the day on which the last of the conditions set forth in Article VII (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or, if permissible, waiver of those conditions) is satisfied or, if permissible in accordance with this Agreement, waived. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to as the “Closing Date.”
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Section 1.03 Effective Time.
On the Closing Date, the Company and Merger Sub shall (a) cause the plan of merger with respect to the Merger substantially in the form set out in Annex A attached hereto (the “Plan of Merger”) and any other documents required under the CICA, to be duly executed and filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands (the “Registrar of Companies”) as provided by Section 233 of the CICA, and (b) execute any other documents and make any other filings, recordings or publications required to be made by the Company or Merger Sub under the CICA in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become effective at the time of registration of the Plan of Merger by the Registrar of Companies or such later time as may be specified in the Plan of Merger in accordance with the CICA (such date and time, the “Effective Time”).
Section 1.04 Effects of the Merger.
At the Effective Time, the Merger shall have the effects specified in this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the relevant provisions of the CICA. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the rights, property of every description, including choses in action, and the business, undertaking, goodwill, benefits, immunities and privileges of each of the Company and Merger Sub shall immediately vest in the Surviving Company, and, subject to any specific arrangements entered into by the relevant parties, the Surviving Company shall be liable for and subject in the same manner as the Company and the Merger Sub (being the constituent companies) to all mortgages, charges or security interests and all Contracts, obligations, claims, debts and liabilities of each of the Company and Merger Sub in accordance with the CICA. Upon the Merger becoming effective at the Effective Time, the Registrar of Companies shall strike off the Merger Sub from the register of companies in the Cayman Islands.
Section 1.05 Governing Documents.
At the Effective Time, in accordance with the Plan of Merger, the Surviving Company shall adopt the memorandum and articles of association in the form attached as Appendix II to the Plan of Merger, which shall include such indemnification provisions as required by Section 6.05(a).
Section 1.06 Directors and Officers.
The parties hereto shall take all actions necessary so that (a) the directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time or such other persons designated by Parent shall be the initial directors of the Surviving Company, and (b) the officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Company, in each case, unless otherwise determined by Parent prior to the Effective Time, and shall hold office until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified or until the earlier of their death, resignation or removal in accordance with the memorandum and articles of association of the Surviving Company to be adopted at the Effective Time.
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Article II
TREATMENT OF SECURITIES; MERGER CONSIDERATION
Section 2.01 Cancellation and Conversion of Securities.
At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any securities of the Company:
(a) each and every Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than the Excluded Shares, the Dissenting Shares and Shares represented by ADSs) shall be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive US$0.272 in cash per Share without interest (the “Per Share Merger Consideration”) payable in the manner provided in Section 2.04;
(b) each and every American Depositary Share (an “ADS” or collectively, the “ADSs”), each representing five (5) Shares, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than ADSs representing the Excluded Shares), together with the Shares represented by such ADSs, shall be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive US$1.36 in cash per ADS without interest (the “Per ADS Merger Consideration”), pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement, and in the event of any conflict between this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement, this Agreement shall prevail;
(c) each and every Excluded Share and ADS representing the Excluded Shares, in each case issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled and cease to exist without payment of any consideration or distribution therefor;
(d) each of the Dissenting Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled and cease to exist in accordance with Section 2.03 and thereafter represent only the right to receive the applicable payments set forth in Section 2.03; and
(e) each share of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one (1) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable ordinary share of the Surviving Company. Such conversion shall be effected by means of the cancellation of such shares of Merger Sub, in exchange for the right to receive one (1) ordinary share of the Surviving Company. Such ordinary shares of the Surviving Company shall constitute the only issued and outstanding share capital of the Surviving Company upon the Effective Time.
Section 2.02 Company Share Plans.
(a) At the Effective Time, the Company shall (i) terminate the Company Share Plans and any relevant award agreements entered into under the Company Share Plans, (ii) cancel each Company Option that is then outstanding and unexercised, whether or not vested or exercisable, (iii) cancel each Company RSU that is then outstanding, whether or not vested, and (iv) cancel each Company Restricted Share that is then outstanding, whether or not vested.
(b) Except as contemplated in Section 2.02(e), each former holder (or his or her designee) of a Company Option that is cancelled at the Effective Time shall, in exchange therefor, be issued with an employee incentive award, to replace such Company Option, on terms and conditions reasonably determined by Parent that comply with the Company Share Plans and the award agreement(s) with respect to such Company Option.
(c) Each former holder (or his or her designee) of a Company RSU that is cancelled at the Effective Time shall, in exchange therefor, be issued with an employee incentive award, to replace such Company RSU, on terms and conditions reasonably determined by Parent that comply with the Company Share Plans and the award agreement(s) with respect to such Company RSU.
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(d) Except as contemplated in Section 2.02(f), each former holder (or his or her designee) of a Company Restricted Share that is cancelled at the Effective Time shall, in exchange therefor, be issued with an employee incentive award, to replace such Company Restricted Share, on terms and conditions reasonably determined by Parent that comply with the Company Share Plans and the award agreement(s) with respect to such Company Restricted Share.
(e) Each person set forth in Schedule B (or his designee) who is a holder of a Company Option that is cancelled at the Effective Time shall, in exchange therefor, receive an amount of cash equal to (i) the excess, if any, of (A) the Per Share Merger Consideration over (B) the Exercise Price, multiplied by (ii) the number of Shares underlying such Company Option.
(f) Each person set forth in Schedule B (or his designee) who is a holder of a Company Restricted Share that is cancelled at the Effective Time shall, in exchange therefor, receive an amount of cash equal to (i) the excess, if any, of (A) the Per Share Merger Consideration over (B) the applicable exercise price, multiplied by (ii) the number of Shares underlying such Company Restricted Share.
(g) As promptly as practicable following the date hereof and in any event prior to the Effective Time, the Company, the Company Board or the compensation committee of the Company Board, as applicable, shall pass any resolutions and take any actions reasonably necessary to effect the provisions of this Section 2.02. Promptly following the date hereof but in any event prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall deliver a written notice to each holder of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares informing such holder of the treatment of such Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares contemplated by this Section 2.02. The Company shall take all reasonable actions necessary to ensure that, neither Parent nor the Surviving Company will be required to issue Shares or other share capital of the Company or the Surviving Company to any person pursuant to the Company Share Plans or in settlement of any Company Option, Company RSU or Company Restricted Share (as applicable) other than contemplated by this Section 2.02.
(h) Any payment under this Section 2.02 shall be made pursuant to the Company’s ordinary payroll practices at or as soon as practicable (and in any event no more than 30 days) after the Effective Time and subject to all applicable Taxes and Tax withholding requirements, each applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to withhold Taxes under applicable Tax Law in respect thereof, and each former holder of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares shall be personally responsible for the proper reporting and payment of all Taxes related to any distribution contemplated by this Section 2.02.
Section 2.03 Dissenting Shares.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary and to the extent available under the CICA, Shares that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and are held by shareholders of the Company who shall have validly exercised and not effectively withdrawn or lost their rights to dissent from the Merger, or dissenter rights, in accordance with Section 238 of the CICA (collectively, the “Dissenting Shares,” and holders of the Dissenting Shares collectively, the “Dissenting Shareholders”) shall be cancelled and cease to exist at the Effective Time and the Dissenting Shareholders shall not be entitled to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration and shall instead be entitled to receive only the payment of the fair value of such Dissenting Shares held by them determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 238 of the CICA.
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(b) For the avoidance of doubt, all Shares held by Dissenting Shareholders who shall have not exercised or who shall have effectively withdrawn or lost their dissenter rights under Section 238 of the CICA shall thereupon (i) not be deemed to be Dissenting Shares, and (ii) be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for, at the Effective Time, the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration, without any interest thereon, in the manner provided in Section 2.04. Parent shall promptly deposit or cause to be deposited with the Paying Agent any additional funds necessary to pay in full the aggregate Per Share Merger Consideration so due and payable to such shareholders of the Company who have not exercised or perfected or who shall have effectively withdrawn or lost such dissenter rights under Section 238 of the CICA.
(c) The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any notices of objection, notices of approvals, notice of dissent or demands for appraisal or written offers, under Section 238 of the CICA received by the Company, attempted withdrawals of such notices, demands or offers, and any other instruments served pursuant to applicable Law of the Cayman Islands and received by the Company relating to its shareholders’ rights to dissent from the Merger or appraisal rights, and (ii) the opportunity to direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to any such notice or demand for appraisal under the CICA. The Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, make any offers or payment with respect to any exercise by a shareholder of its rights to dissent from the Merger or any demands for appraisal or offer to settle or settle any such demands or approve any withdrawal of any such demands.
(d) In the event that any written notices of objection are served by any shareholders of the Company before the vote on the Merger at the Shareholders Meeting pursuant to Section 238(2) of the CICA, the Company shall serve written notice of the authorization and approval of the Merger on such shareholders pursuant to Section 238(4) of the CICA within twenty (20) days immediately following the date of obtaining the Requisite Company Vote at the Shareholders Meeting.
Section 2.04 Exchange of Share Certificates, etc.
(a) Paying Agent. Prior to the Closing, Parent shall appoint a bank or trust company selected by Parent with the Company’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) to act as paying agent (the “Paying Agent”) for all payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.01(a), Section 2.01(b) and Section 2.03(b) (in the case of Section 2.03(b), when ascertained) (collectively, the “Merger Consideration”), and Parent shall enter into a paying agent agreement with the Paying Agent in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company. At or prior to the Effective Time, or in the case of payments pursuant to Section 2.03(b), when ascertained, Parent shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, with the Paying Agent, for the benefit of the holders of Shares (other than Excluded Shares) and ADSs (other than ADSs representing the Excluded Shares), cash in an amount that is sufficient to pay the Merger Consideration in full (such cash, the “Exchange Fund”).
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(b) Exchange Procedures. Promptly after the Effective Time (and in any event within five (5) Business Days thereafter), the Surviving Company shall cause the Paying Agent to mail to each person who was, at the Effective Time, a registered holder of Shares entitled to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.01(a): (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall be in customary form for a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands reasonably acceptable to the Company, and shall specify the manner in which the Per Share Merger Consideration shall be paid out of the Exchange Fund to registered holders of such Shares); and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of any issued share certificates representing such Shares (the “Share Certificates”) (or affidavits and indemnities of loss in lieu of the Share Certificates as provided in Section 2.04(c)) or any steps to be taken in respect of non-certificated Shares represented by book entry (“Uncertificated Shares”) and/or such other documents as may be required in exchange for the Per Share Merger Consideration. Upon surrender of, if applicable, a Share Certificate (or affidavit and indemnity of loss in lieu of the Share Certificate as provided in Section 2.04(c)) or any documents required in respect of Uncertificated Shares and/or such other documents as may be required pursuant to such instructions to the Paying Agent in accordance with the terms of such letter of transmittal, duly executed in accordance with the instructions thereto, each registered holder of Shares represented by such Share Certificate (or affidavits and indemnities of loss in lieu of the Share Certificates as provided in Section 2.04(c)) and each registered holder of Uncertificated Shares shall be entitled to receive, in exchange for the cancellation of such Shares as contemplated by Section 2.01(a), a check, in the amount equal to (x) the number of Shares so cancelled (whether certificated Shares represented by a Share Certificate (or in respect of which an affidavit and indemnity of loss in lieu of the Share Certificate has been given as provided in Section 2.04(c)) or Uncertificated Shares) multiplied by (y) the Per Share Merger Consideration, subject to applicable withholding in accordance with Section 2.04(i). All such cancelled Shares shall be recorded as cancelled in the register of members of the Company at the Effective Time as contemplated by Section 2.01(a), and any Share Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be marked as cancelled. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent and the Company shall establish procedures with the Paying Agent and the Depositary to ensure that (A) the Paying Agent will transmit to the Depositary as promptly as reasonably practicable following the Effective Time an amount in cash in immediately available funds equal to the product of (x) the number of ADSs issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than ADSs representing Excluded Shares) and (y) the Per ADS Merger Consideration, and (B) the Depositary will distribute the Per ADS Merger Consideration to holders of ADSs pro rata to their holdings of ADSs (other than ADSs representing Excluded Shares) upon surrender by them of the ADSs. To the extent required by the terms of the Deposit Agreement, the ADS holders will pay any applicable fees, charges and expenses of the Depositary, stock transfer or other Taxes and other government charges due to or incurred by the Depositary in connection with the cancellation of their ADSs. The Surviving Company will pay any applicable fees, charges and expenses of the Depositary and government charges (other than withholding Taxes, if any, which shall be withheld by the Depositary in accordance with Section 2.04(i)) due to or incurred by the Depositary in connection with distribution of the Per ADS Merger Consideration to holders of ADSs and the cancellation of ADSs (excluding any fees, including ADS cancellation or termination fees, payable by holders of ADSs in accordance with the Deposit Agreement). No interest shall be paid or will accrue on any amount payable in respect of the Shares or ADSs pursuant to the provisions of this Article II.
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(c) Lost Certificates. If any Share Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming such Share Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if reasonably required by the Surviving Company or the Paying Agent, the posting by such person of a bond, in such reasonable and customary amount as the Surviving Company or the Paying Agent may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Share Certificate, the Paying Agent will pay in respect of the Shares represented by such lost, stolen or destroyed Share Certificate an amount equal to the Per Share Merger Consideration multiplied by the number of Shares (other than Excluded Shares or Dissenting Shares) represented by such Share Certificate to which the holder thereof is entitled pursuant to Section 2.01(a).
(d) Untraceable Shareholders. Remittances for the Per Share Merger Consideration or the Per ADS Merger Consideration, as the case may be, shall not be sent to holders of Shares or ADSs who are untraceable unless and until, except as provided below, they notify the Paying Agent, the Depositary or the Surviving Company, as applicable, of their current contact details. A holder of Shares or ADSs will be deemed to be untraceable if (i) such person has no registered address in the register of members maintained by the Company or the Depositary, as applicable, or (ii) on the last two consecutive occasions on which a dividend has been paid by the Company a check payable to such person either (x) has been sent to such person and has been returned undelivered or has not been cashed, or (y) has not been sent to such person because on an earlier occasion a check for a dividend so payable has been returned undelivered, and in any such case no valid claim in respect thereof has been communicated in writing to the Company or the Depositary, as applicable, or (iii) notice of the Shareholders Meeting convened to vote on the Merger has been sent to such person and has been returned undelivered. Monies due to shareholders of the Company (including holders of ADSs) who are untraceable shall be returned to the Surviving Company on demand and held in a non-interest bearing bank account for the benefit of shareholders of the Company (including holders of ADSs) who are untraceable. After the Effective Time, untraceable shareholders of the Company (including holders of ADSs) who wish to receive any monies otherwise payable in respect of the Merger within applicable time limits will be advised to contact the Surviving Company. Monies unclaimed after a period of six (6) months from the Closing Date shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Surviving Company.
(e) Adjustments to Merger Consideration. The Per Share Merger Consideration and the Per ADS Merger Consideration shall be equitably adjusted to reflect appropriately the effect of any share split, reverse share split, share dividend (including any dividend or distribution of securities convertible into Shares), extraordinary cash dividends, reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, combination, exchange of shares, change in the number of Shares represented by each ADS or other like change with respect to Shares or ADSs occurring on or after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time (but excluding any change that results from any exercise of Company Options or the vesting of any Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares) and to provide to the holders of Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs), Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares the same economic effect as contemplated by this Agreement prior to such action.
(f) Investment of Exchange Fund. The Exchange Fund, pending its disbursement to the holders of Shares and ADSs, shall be invested by the Paying Agent as reasonably directed by Parent or, after the Effective Time, the Surviving Company; provided that such investments shall be in obligations of or guaranteed by the United States of America, in commercial paper obligations rated the highest quality by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Corporation, respectively, in certificates of deposit, bank deposit accounts, bank repurchase agreements or banker’s acceptances of commercial banks with capital exceeding $1 billion, or a combination of the foregoing and, in any such case, no such instrument shall have a maturity exceeding three months; provided further that no such investment or losses shall affect the amounts payable to the holders of Shares and ADSs and Parent or the Surviving Company, as applicable, shall promptly replace or restore, or cause to be replaced or restored any funds deposited with the Paying Agent that are lost through any investment or diminished for other reasons to the extent necessary to ensure that the Exchange Fund is at all times maintained at a level sufficient for the Paying Agent to pay the Merger Consideration. Earnings from investments shall become a part of the Exchange Fund, and any amounts in excess of the Merger Consideration shall be the sole and exclusive property of Parent and the Surviving Company. Except as contemplated by Section 2.04(b), Section 2.04(d), this Section 2.04(f) and Section 2.04(g), the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose.
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(g) Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the holders of Shares or ADSs for six (6) months after the Effective Time shall be delivered to the Surviving Company upon demand, and any holders of Shares (other than Excluded Shares) and ADSs (other than ADSs representing the Excluded Shares) who have not theretofore complied with this Article II shall thereafter look only to the Surviving Company for the cash to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 2.01(a) and Section 2.01(b).
(h) No Liability. None of the Paying Agent, the Rollover Shareholders, the Sponsors, the Chairman, the Guarantors, Parent, the Surviving Company or the Depositary shall be liable to any former holder of Shares for any such Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) (or dividends or distributions with respect thereto), or cash properly delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, bona vacantia, escheat or similar Law. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by such former holders at such time at which such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any Governmental Authority shall become, to the extent permitted by applicable Laws, the property of the Surviving Company or its designee, free and clear of all claims or interest of any person previously entitled thereto.
(i) Withholding Rights. Each of Parent, the Surviving Company, the Paying Agent, Merger Sub and the Depositary shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Shares, ADSs, Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under any provision of applicable Tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by Parent, the Surviving Company, the Paying Agent, Merger Sub or the Depositary, as the case may be, such withheld amounts shall be (i) remitted by Parent, the Surviving Company, the Paying Agent, Merger Sub or the Depositary, as applicable, to the applicable Governmental Authority and (ii) to the extent so remitted, treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Shares, ADSs, Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by Parent, the Surviving Company, the Paying Agent, Merger Sub or the Depositary, as the case may be.
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Section 2.05 No Transfers.
From and after the Effective Time, (a) the register of members of the Company shall be closed, and there shall be no registrations of transfers in the register of members of the Surviving Company of the Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (b) the holders of Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Shares, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or by Law. On or after the Effective Time, any Share Certificates or Uncertificated Shares presented to the Paying Agent, Parent or Surviving Company for transfer or any other reason shall be cancelled, in exchange for the right to receive the cash consideration to which the holders thereof are entitled under this Article II in the case of Shares other than the Excluded Shares and the Dissenting Shares, and for no consideration in the case of Excluded Shares and only in accordance with Section 2.03 in the case of the Dissenting Shares.
Section 2.06 Termination of Deposit Agreement.
As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall provide notice to the Bank of New York Mellon (the “Depositary”) to terminate the deposit agreement dated June 18, 2020 entered into by and among the Company, the Depositary and all owners and holders from time to time of ADSs issued thereunder (the “Deposit Agreement”) in accordance with its terms.
Article III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The following representations and warranties by the Company are qualified in their entirety by reference to the disclosures (a) in the Company SEC Reports filed with or furnished to the SEC and publicly available prior to the date hereof but excluding statements in any “Risk Factors” and “Forward Looking Statements” sections and any other sections to the extent they are cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature and (b) set forth or referenced in the Company Disclosure Schedule (it being understood that any information set forth in one section or subsection of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to qualify the section or subsection of this Agreement to which it corresponds in number along with each other section or subsection of this Agreement to which the relevance of such information is readily apparent). Subject to the foregoing, the Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub that:
Section 3.01 Organization and Qualification. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or organized, as applicable, validly existing and in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions which recognize such concept) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has the requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as now being conducted, except where the failure to have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions which recognize such concept) in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except where the failure to have such qualification or license would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is in compliance with the terms of its organizational and governing documents. The corporate structure of the Group Companies and the ownership among the Group Companies and the establishment thereof are in compliance with all applicable Laws, except to the extent the failure to be so is not material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each of the Company’s Subsidiaries is in compliance with the terms of its organizational and governing documents.
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Section 3.02 Constitutional Documents.
The Company has heretofore furnished to Parent a true and complete copy of the memorandum and articles of association or equivalent organizational documents, each as amended to date, of each Group Company. All such memorandum and articles of association or equivalent organizational documents of the Group Companies are in full force and effect as of the date hereof. No Group Company is in violation of any of the provisions of its memorandum and articles of association or equivalent organizational documents.
Section 3.03 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 2,500,000,000 ordinary shares, with a par value of US$0.00002 per share. As of August 19, 2023, (i) 474,365,720 Shares are issued and outstanding, all of which have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, except as disclosed in Section 3.03(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule (inclusive of 9,912,500 Shares recorded under the name of the Depositary as member in the register of members of the Company), and (ii) 22,235,980 Shares are reserved for future issuance pursuant to the outstanding Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares, which are not reflected in the register of members of the Company.
(b) Except as disclosed in Section 3.03(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and except for the Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares referred to in Section 3.03(a) and rights under the Control Documents, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, conversion rights, redemption rights, share appreciation rights, repurchase rights, convertible debt, other convertible instruments or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character issued by any Group Company relating to the issued or unissued share capital of any Group Company or obligating any Group Company to issue, transfer or sell or cause to be issued, transferred or sold any Equity Securities of any Group Company or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, or giving any person a right to subscribe for or acquire, any securities of any Group Company and no securities or obligations evidencing such rights are authorized, issued or outstanding. There are no outstanding contractual obligations of any Group Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Equity Securities of any Group Company. The Company does not have any secured creditors holding a fixed or floating security interest.
(c) The grant of each outstanding Company Option was validly made and properly approved by the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee or subcommittee thereof) in compliance with the terms of the relevant Company Share Plans, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the rules and regulations of The NASDAQ Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) and all other applicable Laws in all material respects. The grant of each such Company RSU was validly made and properly approved by the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee or subcommittee thereof) in compliance with the terms of the relevant Company Share Plans, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of Nasdaq and all other applicable Laws. The grant of each such Company Restricted Share was validly made and properly approved by the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee or subcommittee thereof) in compliance with the terms of the relevant Company Share Plans, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of Nasdaq and all other applicable Laws. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, there are no commitments or agreements of any character to which any Group Company is bound obligating such Group Company to accelerate or otherwise alter the vesting of any Company Option, any Company RSU or any Company Restricted Share as a result of the Transactions.
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(d) All Shares subject to issuance upon due exercise of a Company Option or settlement of a Company RSU or a Company Restricted Share, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Company has made available to Parent accurate and complete copies of (i) the Company Share Plans pursuant to which the Company has granted the Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares that are currently outstanding, (ii) the form of award agreement evidencing such Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares, and (iii) award agreements evidencing such Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares with terms that are materially different from those set forth in the form of award agreement.
(e) Except as set forth in Section 3.03(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the outstanding share capital or registered capital, as the case may be, of each of the Company’s material Subsidiaries is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the portion of the outstanding share capital or registered capital, as the case may be, of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries is owned by such Group Company free and clear of all Liens, other than the Controlled Entities to the extent they are subject to their respective Control Documents. Other than as set forth in the Control Documents or as disclosed in Section 3.03(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of any Group Company to provide funds to, or make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in, any of the Company’s Subsidiaries. The outstanding share capital or registered capital, as the case may be, of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries is not subject to any outstanding obligations of any Group Company requiring the registration under any securities Law for sale of such share capital or registered capital, as the case may be.
Section 3.04 Authorization.
(a) The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and, subject to receipt of the Requisite Company Vote, to execute and deliver the Plan of Merger and to consummate the Merger and the other Transactions. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Plan of Merger, and the consummation of the Merger and the other Transactions, have been duly and validly authorized by the Company Board and no other corporate action on the part of the Company is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the Plan of Merger, and the consummation by it of the Transactions, in each case, subject only to the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions by the affirmative vote of the holders of Shares representing at least two-thirds of the voting power of the Shares present and voting in person or by proxy as a single class at the Shareholders Meeting (the “Requisite Company Vote”) in accordance with Section 233(6) of the CICA and the memorandum and articles of association of the Company.
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(b) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due and valid authorization, execution and delivery hereof by Parent and Merger Sub, is a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except that the enforcement hereof may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws, now or hereafter in effect, relating to creditors’ rights generally, and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at Law) ((a) and (b) collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).
(c) The Company Board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee, by resolutions duly adopted by vote of those directors voting at a meeting duly called and held, has as of the date of this Agreement (i) determined that it is fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its shareholders (other than the holders of Excluded Shares), and declared it advisable, for the Company to enter into this Agreement, and the Plan of Merger and consummate the Transactions; (ii) authorized and approved the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions; and (iii) resolved to recommend the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions to the holders of Shares (the “Company Recommendation”) and direct that this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the consummation of the Transactions be submitted for approval by the shareholders of the Company at the Shareholders Meeting.
(d) The Special Committee has received from Kroll, LLC (the “Financial Advisor”) its written opinion, dated the date of this Agreement, based on and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and other matters set forth therein, to the effect that, the Per Share Merger Consideration to be received by the holders of Shares (other than Excluded Shares, Dissenting Shares and Shares represented by ADSs) and the Per ADS Merger Consideration to be received by the holders of ADSs (other than ADSs representing the Excluded Shares) are fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. The Financial Advisor has consented to the inclusion of a copy of such opinion in the Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3. It is agreed and understood that such option may not be relied on by Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates.
Section 3.05 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
None of the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company, or the consummation by the Company of the Merger or any other Transaction will (i) assuming the Requisite Company Vote is obtained, conflict with or result in any breach of any provision of the organizational or governing documents of any Group Company, (ii) require any filing by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with, or the obtaining of any permit, authorization, consent or approval of, any court, arbitral tribunal, administrative agency or commission or other governmental or other regulatory authority or agency, whether foreign, federal, state, local or supranational, or any self-regulatory or quasi-governmental authority (each, a “Governmental Authority”), except for (A) compliance with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (B) the filing of the Plan of Merger and related documentation with the Registrar of Companies and the publication of notification of the Merger in the Cayman Islands Government Gazette pursuant to the CICA, (C) such filings with the SEC as may be required to be made by the Company in connection with this Agreement and the Merger, including the joining of the Company in the filing of the Schedule 13E-3, which shall incorporate by reference the Proxy Statement, and the filing or furnishing of one or more amendments to the Schedule 13E-3 to respond to comments of the SEC, if any, on the Schedule 13E-3, (D) such filings as may be required under the Nasdaq rules and regulations in connection with this Agreement or the Merger, and (E) ODI Approval (collectively, the “Requisite Regulatory Approvals”), (iii) require any consent or waiver by any Person under, result in a modification, violation or breach of, or constitute (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any right, including any right of termination, amendment, cancellation or acceleration) under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any Contract, (iv) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (except for Permitted Encumbrances) on any material asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (v) violate any Order or Law applicable to the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or any of their respective material properties, assets or operations; except, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), for any such occurrence that individually or in the aggregate has not had and would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 3.06 Permits; Compliance with Laws.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries are in possession of all authorizations, licenses, permits, certificates, approvals and clearances of any Governmental Authority necessary for the Company and its Subsidiaries to own, lease and operate their properties or to carry on their business substantially in the manner described in the Company SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof and substantially as is being conducted as of the date of this Agreement, except for any such authorizations, licenses, permits, certificates, approvals and clearances the absence of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Material Company Permits”). All of the Material Company Permits are valid, in full force and effect, and are not subject to any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened legal proceeding by any Governmental Authority to suspend, cancel, modify, terminate or revoke any such Material Company Permit, except for any suspension, cancellation, modification, termination or revocation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in material compliance with the terms and requirements of such Material Company Permits. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are not in default under, and to the Company’s knowledge, no condition exists that with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a default under or would reasonably be expected to result in any suspension, cancellation, modification, termination or revocation of, any such Material Company Permit, except for any such suspension, cancellation, modification, termination or revocation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) For any business carried out by any Group Company in the PRC, such Group Company has not violated any PRC Law that imposes any prohibition or restriction on foreign investment. Each Group Company that is established in the PRC has been conducting its business activities within the permitted scope of business, and has been operating its business in full compliance with all relevant legal requirements and with all requisite permits, licenses and approvals granted by, and filings and registrations made with the competent Governmental Authorities of the PRC, except for any failure or violation that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
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(c) Other than those disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, the Group Companies are and have been in compliance with all applicable Laws and the applicable listing, corporate governance and other rules and regulations of Nasdaq in all material respects. No event has occurred and no circumstance exists that, with or without notice or lapse of time, (i) may constitute or result in a material violation by any Group Company of, or a failure on the part of such entity to comply with in any material respect, any applicable Laws, or (ii) may give rise to any material obligation on the part of any Group Company to undertake, or to bear all or any portion of the cost of, any remedial action of any nature. No Group Company is in material default, breach or violation of any Law applicable to it or by which any of its share, security, equity interest, property or asset is bound or affected. No Group Company has received any written notice or communication of any material non-compliance with any applicable Law that has not been cured.
(d) No Group Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or other persons acting on behalf of any Group Company (collectively, the “Company Representatives”) is a Prohibited Person. No Group Company has (i) conducted or agreed to conduct any business, or entered into or agreed to enter into any transaction with a Prohibited Person or (ii) violated, or operated not in compliance with, any applicable export restrictions, anti-boycott regulations, or embargo regulations. No Group Company or, to the best knowledge of the Company, any Company Representatives has violated any Anticorruption Law, nor has any Group Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any Company Representative (x) made or given any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or any other type of payment, that would violate any applicable Anticorruption Laws, or (y) offered, paid, promised to pay, or authorized the payment of any money or anything of value, to any Government Official or to any person under circumstances where a Group Company or any Company Representative knew that all or a portion of such money or thing of value would be offered, given, or promised, directly or indirectly, to a Government Official:
(i) for the purpose of: (A) influencing any act or decision of a Government Official in his or her official capacity; (B) inducing a Government Official to do or omit to do any act in violation of his or her lawful duties; (C) securing any improper advantage; or (D) inducing a Government Official to influence or affect any act or decision of any Governmental Authority; or
(ii) in a manner which would constitute or have the purpose or effect of public or commercial bribery, acceptance of, or acquiescence in extortion, kickbacks, other unlawful or improper means of obtaining business or advantage or would otherwise violate any Anticorruption Law.
(e) The Group Companies are in material compliance with all of the SAFE Rules and Regulations and duly and lawfully obtained all material requisite permits, licenses, approvals, filings and registrations and other requisite formalities with the SAFE as required under the SAFE Rules and Regulations which are in full force and effect, and there exist no grounds on which any such material permits, licenses, approvals, filings or registrations may be cancelled or revoked or any Group Company or its legal representative may be subject to material liability or penalties for misrepresentations or failures to disclose information to SAFE or its local counterparts. To the knowledge of the Company, each holder or beneficial owner of Shares who is a PRC resident (as defined in the SAFE Circular 37) and subject to any of the registration or reporting requirements under any SAFE Rules and Regulations has complied, in all material respects, with such reporting and/or registration requirements under the SAFE Rules and Regulations with respect to its investment in the Company. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, such holder or beneficial owner has received any written inquiries, notifications, orders or any other forms of official correspondence from SAFE or any of its local counterparts with respect to any actual or alleged non-compliance with the SAFE Rules and Regulations, except for such non-compliance that would not be material to the Group Companies, taken as a whole.
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Section 3.07 SEC Filings; Financial Statements.
(a) The Company has filed or otherwise furnished (as applicable), all material forms, reports, statements, schedules and other documents required to be filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company since September 1, 2019 (together with any amendments thereto, the “Company SEC Reports”). As of the date of filing, in the case of Company SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Exchange Act (and to the extent such Company SEC Reports were amended, as of the date of filing of such amendment), and as of the date of effectiveness in the case of Company SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (and to the extent such Company SEC Reports were amended, as of the date of effectiveness of such amendment), the Company SEC Reports (i) complied in all material respects with either the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, each as in effect on the date so filed or effective, and (ii) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading as of its filing date or effective date (as applicable).
(b) Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any notes thereto) contained in or incorporated by reference into the Company SEC Reports (including the related notes and schedules thereto) (i) was prepared in conformity with the International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), and (ii) fairly presented, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position, results of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein (taking into account the notes thereto, and subject, in the case of unaudited interim statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and the exclusion of certain notes in accordance with the rules of the SEC relating to unaudited financial statements), in each case in accordance with IFRS, except as may be noted therein.
(c) Except as disclosed in Section 3.07(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and except to the extent set forth in the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including the notes thereto) included in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on May 12, 2023 or otherwise disclosed by the Company in current reports on Form 6-K, no Group Company has outstanding (i) any material Indebtedness or any commitments therefor, or (ii) any other liability or obligation of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise), except for liabilities or obligations (A) incurred in the ordinary course of business, or (B) incurred pursuant to this Agreement or in connection with the Transaction.
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(d) Other than those disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, (i) the Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (as amended and including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) which are applicable to it, (ii) the Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act that are designed to ensure that all material information concerning the Company and its Subsidiaries required to be included in reports filed under the Exchange Act is made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s SEC filings and other public disclosure documents, and to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with IFRS. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of end of the period covered by the Company’s most recently filed annual report under the Exchange Act, and since such date there have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Section 3.08 Proxy Statement.
The information supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Proxy Statement (including any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein) and the Schedule 13E-3 (including any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein including the notice of the Shareholders Meeting and the form of proxy) will not (i) on the date the Proxy Statement (including any amendment or supplement thereto) is first mailed to shareholders of the Company or at the time of the Shareholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement of any material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or (ii) on the date the Schedule 13E-3 and any amendment or supplement thereto is filed with the SEC, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representation with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3.
Section 3.09 Absence of Certain Changes.
Since December 31, 2022, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, each Group Company has conducted business in all material respects in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been any Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.10 Absence of Litigation.
As of the date of this Agreement, there is no litigation, hearing, suit, claim, action, proceeding or investigation (an “Action”) pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing against any Group Company, or any share, security, equity interest, property or asset of any Group Company, before any Governmental Authority which (a) would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, or (b) prevents, materially delays or materially impedes or, if decided adversely against the Company, would reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impede the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect or the consummation of the Transactions.
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Section 3.11 Employee Benefit Plans.
(a) With respect to each Company Employee Plan, the Company has made available to Parent copies of each such Company Employee Plan document, including all amendments thereto. Each Company Employee Plan has been established, operated and maintained in compliance with its terms and with applicable Law in all material respects. All contributions or other amounts payable by a Group Company with respect to each Company Employee Plan in respect of current or prior plan years have been paid or accrued in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) Except as expressly provided under this Agreement, neither the execution of this Agreement, shareholder approval of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the Transactions alone (whether alone or in connection with any additional or subsequent events such as a termination of employment), will (i) entitle any current or former director, employee or consultant of any Group Company to material compensation in the form of a severance payment or similar payment, (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding of compensation or benefits under, increase the amount payable or result in any other obligation pursuant to, any of the Company Employee Plans, or (iii) limit or restrict the right to merge, materially amend, terminate or transfer the assets of any Company Employee Plan on or following the Effective Time.
Section 3.12 Labor and Employment Matters.
(a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or bound by, or currently negotiating in connection with entering into, any collective bargaining agreements or labor contracts or understandings with any labor unions, works councils, or labor organizations. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there is no (i) unfair labor practice, labor dispute (other than routine individual grievances) or labor arbitration proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to their businesses, or (ii) lockout, strike, slowdown, work stoppage or threat thereof by or with respect to any current or former employee, officer, director, consultant or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, an “Employee”), and during the last three (3) years there has not been any such action.
(b) There are no complaints, charges or claims against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing to be brought by or filed with any Governmental Authority or otherwise based on, arising out of, in connection with, or otherwise relating to the employment or termination of employment of any individual by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, if individually or collectively resolved against the Company or its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 3.13 Real Property; Title to Assets.
(a) The Group Companies have entered into written lease contracts for all material Leased Real Property in the PRC. Except as would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect, with respect to each of the Leases: (i) such Lease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect, subject to the Enforceability Exception, (ii) the Group Companies’ possession of the Leased Real Property under such Lease has not been disturbed and, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no disputes with respect to such Lease, (iii) neither any Group Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party to the Lease is in breach or default under such Lease, and (iv) the Group Companies have a valid and subsisting leasehold interest in all property under the Leases, in each case free and clear of all Liens, other than the Permitted Encumbrances.
(b) The Leased Real Property set forth in Section 3.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule comprises all material real property used or intended to be used in the business of the Group Companies. The use, occupation, operation, leasing, management of the Leased Real Property by any Group Company is not in contravention of any applicable Laws, except for any non-compliance that would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.14 Intellectual Property.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate licenses or other valid and enforceable rights to use (in each case, free and clear of any Liens, except for Permitted Encumbrances), all Intellectual Property used in, or necessary to conduct, the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries as currently conducted and as currently proposed to be conducted, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the use of any Intellectual Property in connection with the operation of their respective businesses or otherwise by the Company or its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon, misappropriate, or otherwise violate and has not in the past three (3) years infringed upon, misappropriated or otherwise violated the Intellectual Property rights of any person and is in accordance with any applicable license pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acquired the right to use such Intellectual Property; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice of, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is no threatened, assertion or claim that it, or the business or activities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including the commercialization and exploitation of their products and services), is infringing upon, diluting, misappropriating, or otherwise violating or has infringed upon, diluted, misappropriated, or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property right of any person, including any demands or unsolicited offers to license any Intellectual Property nor are there any facts or circumstances that would form the basis for any claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of infringement, unauthorized use, or violation of any Intellectual Property right of any person, or challenging the ownership, use, validity or enforceability of any Intellectual Property owned by any Group Company; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor the business or activities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including the commercialization and exploitation of their products and services) infringes, dilutes or misappropriates or has infringed, diluted or misappropriated any Intellectual Property rights of any person; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, no person (including current and former officers, employees, consultants and contractors of any Group Company) is currently infringing, diluting or misappropriating Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(c) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, with respect to each Intellectual Property solely owned by any Group Company, (i) such Group Company is the owner of the entire right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property, and is entitled to use, transfer and license such Intellectual Property in the continued operation of its respective business without payment to any Third Party (other than to one or more Governmental Authorities or other similar parties for the purposes of registering and maintaining such rights), (ii) no Group Company is obligated to assign ownership of any such Intellectual Property to any Third Party and (iii) no Group Company is bound by or subject to any non-compete or other restrictions on the operation and scope of its respective business. To the knowledge of the Company, none of the material Intellectual Property owned by any Group Company has been revoked, invalidated or otherwise challenged in whole or in part.
(d) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, with respect to each item of Intellectual Property licensed to any Group Company, (i) such Group Company has the right to use such Intellectual Property in the continued operation of its respective business in accordance with the terms of the license agreement governing such Intellectual Property, and (ii) no party to any license of such Intellectual Property is in breach thereof or default thereunder.
(e) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, no person is challenging in writing the validity, enforceable, use or ownership of or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening to challenge, or infringing upon, misappropriating, or otherwise violating any right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any material Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(f) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns all right, title and interest in and to all material Intellectual Property created or developed by, for or under the direction or supervision of the Company or such Subsidiary. Each key employee of the Company who has participated in the creation or development of any such Intellectual Property and have executed and delivered to the Company or such Subsidiary a valid and enforceable agreement (i) providing for the non-disclosure by such person of confidential information and (ii) providing for the present assignment by such person to the Company or such Subsidiary of any Intellectual Property developed or arising out of such person’s employment by, engagement by or contract with the Company or such Subsidiary of the Company. To the knowledge of the Company, no such employee is in material violation of any term of any such agreement.
(g) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Group Company owns or has a valid right or license to use or otherwise exploit all Software used in connection with the businesses of the Group Companies as currently conducted; and (ii) each Group Company possesses the source code, object code and documentation for all such Software that is proprietary to and owned by any Group Company (the “Company Owned Software”). To the knowledge of the Company, no Third Party has any ownership right or interest in any Company Owned Software.
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(h) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken all actions reasonably necessary to (i) maintain and protect each material item of Intellectual Property that they own or are licensed or otherwise authorized to use, and (ii) protect the confidentiality and value of trade secrets and other know-how or confidential or proprietary information (together, the “Trade Secrets”) that are owned by any Group Company or provided to any Group Company by any Third Party under conditions of confidentiality, including having and effectively implementing in the business operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries Intellectual Property, information security and privacy measures comparable with those implemented by similarly situated companies in the U.S. and the PRC operating in the industry of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(i) The Company IT Assets are (A) reasonably adequate and sufficient for, and operate and perform in accordance with their documentation and functional specifications and otherwise as required in connection with, the operation of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ businesses and the protection of Trade Secrets by the Group Companies, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect, and (B) to the knowledge of the Company, are free from any material defects, viruses, worms and other malware. The Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented reasonable backup, security and disaster recovery measures and technology consistent with industry practices and the Company IT Assets have not failed in any material respect.
Section 3.15 Privacy and Data Security. Each Group Company complies, and at all times have complied, except as has not been and would not reasonably be expected to be material to the Company or its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, with all applicable Privacy Laws and Privacy Policies, and with applicable contractual obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries governing privacy, data protection, and data security with respect to the Processing of Personal Data by the Company and its Subsidiaries. Except as would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there is no, and has not been any, (i) Action of any nature pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to privacy, data protection, or data security with respect to the Processing of Personal Data by the Company and its Subsidiaries; or (ii) written notice of any actual or asserted noncompliance with any Law to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are subject relating to privacy, data protection, or data security with respect to the Processing of Personal Data by the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries have at all times implemented and maintained commercially reasonable measures in compliance with applicable Privacy Laws, designed to preserve and protect the confidentiality, availability, security, and integrity of all Systems and Personal Data within the possession or control of the Company and its Subsidiaries, except for any non-compliance that would not be reasonably expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.16 Taxes.
(a) Each Group Company has duly and timely filed all material Tax Returns and reports required to be filed by it and has paid and discharged all material Taxes required to be paid or discharged (whether or not reflected on a Tax Return), other than such payments as are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established on the Company’s financial statements in accordance with IFRS. All such Tax Returns are true, accurate and complete in all material respects. No Tax authority or agency or other Governmental Authority is asserting in writing or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening to assert against any Group Company any material deficiency or claim for any material Taxes or interest thereon or penalties in connection therewith. There are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened Actions for the assessment or collection of any material Taxes against any Group Company. No Group Company has granted any waiver of any statute of limitations with respect to, or any extension of a period for the assessment of, any Tax.
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(b) As of the date hereof, to the knowledge of the Company, no audit or other examination or administrative, judicial or other proceeding of, or with respect to, any material Tax Return or Taxes of any Group Company is currently in progress, and no Group Company has received a written notice from a Tax authority of an upcoming audit, examination or other proceeding with respect to material Taxes. As of the date hereof, to the knowledge of the Company, no written claim has been made by any Governmental 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 such jurisdiction.
(c) No Group Company incorporated outside the PRC takes the position for tax purposes that it is a “resident enterprise” of the PRC.
(d) Each Group Company has, in accordance with applicable Law, duly registered with the relevant Governmental Authority, obtained and maintained the validity of all national and local tax registration certificates and complied in all material respects with all requirements imposed by such Governmental Authorities. Each submission made by or on behalf of any Group Company to any Governmental Authority in connection with obtaining Tax exemptions, Tax holidays, Tax deferrals, Tax incentives or other preferential Tax treatments or Tax rebates was accurate and complete in all material respects at the time of its submission and none of such Tax exemptions, holidays, deferrals, incentives, or other preferential treatments or rebates contained any material misstatement or material omission that would have affected the granting of such Tax exemptions, holidays, deferrals, incentives or other preferential treatments or rebates. The Transactions will not have any material adverse effect on the continued validity and effectiveness of any such Tax exemptions, holidays, deferrals, incentives, or other preferential treatments or rebates and will not result in the claw-back or recapture of any such Tax exemptions, preferential treatments or rebates.
Section 3.17 Material Contracts.
(a) For purposes of this Agreement, “Material Contracts” means the Contracts referred to in clauses (i) through (xiii) in this Section 3.17 to which any Group Company is a party:
(i) any Contract that would be required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Item 4 of the Instructions to Exhibits of Form 20-F under the Exchange Act;
(ii) any Contract relating to (A) the formation, creation, operation, management or control of a partnership entity, joint venture entity, limited liability company or similar arrangement, except for any such entity that is no longer actively conducting business, (B) strategic cooperation or partnership arrangements, or (C) other similar agreements outside the ordinary course of business involving a sharing of profits, losses, costs or liabilities by any Group Company with an amount in excess of RMB10,000,000;
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(iii) any Contract involving a loan (other than accounts receivable from trade debtors in the ordinary course of business) or advance to (other than travel and entertainment allowances to the employees of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries extended in the ordinary course of business), or investment in, any person other than a Group Company or any Contract relating to the making of any such loan, advance or investment, in each case with an amount in excess of RMB10,000,000 is outstanding or invested;
(iv) any Contract involving Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of RMB10,000,000;
(v) any Contract (including so called take-or-pay or keep-well agreements) under which any person (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) has directly or indirectly guaranteed Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(vi) any Contract granting or evidencing a Lien on any properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than a Permitted Encumbrances, with an amount in excess of RMB10,000,000;
(vii) any Contract for the acquisition, disposition, sale, transfer or lease (including leases in connection with financing transactions) of properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that have a fair market value or purchase price of more than RMB10,000,000 (by merger, purchase or sale of assets or stock or otherwise) or pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have continuing, indemnification, guarantee, “earn-out” or other contingent payment obligations;
(viii) any non-competition Contract or other Contract that purports to limit, curtail or restrict in any material respect the ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to compete in any geographic area, industry or line of business;
(ix) any Contract (other than Contracts granting Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares) giving the other party the right to terminate such Contract as a result of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions, where (A) such Contract requires any payment in excess of RMB10,000,000 to be made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) the value of the outstanding receivables due to the Company and its Subsidiaries under such Contract is in excess of RMB10,000,000;
(x) any Contract that contains restrictions with respect to (A) payment of dividends or any distribution with respect to equity interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) pledging of share capital of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (C) issuance of guarantee by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(xi) any Contract providing for (A) a license, covenant not to sue or other right granted by any Third Party under any Intellectual Property to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) a license, covenant not to sue or other right granted by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any Third Party under any Intellectual Property, other than agreements for off-the-shelf Software, (C) an indemnity of any person by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries against any charge of infringement, misappropriation, unauthorized use or violation of any Intellectual Property right, or (D) any royalty, fee or other amount payable by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any person by reason of the ownership, use, sale or disposition of Intellectual Property; in each case only if material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
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(xii) any Contract outside the ordinary course of business of the Company or not on arm’s length terms between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on one hand, and any Affiliate or other entity in which any Group Company has a direct or indirect equity interest, or director, or executive officer, or any person beneficially owning five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Equity Securities of any Group Company or any of their respective Affiliates (other than the Group Companies), or immediate family members or any of the respective Affiliates of such family members, on the other hand; or
(xiii) any Contract which have not been covered by subsections (i) through (xiii) and involves consideration of more than RMB10,000,000, in the aggregate, over the remaining term of such Contract.
(b) (i) Each Material Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of a Group Company, as applicable, in full force and effect and enforceable against the such Group Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exception; (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, each Material Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the counterparty thereto, in full force and effect and enforceable against such counterparty in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exception, (iii) no Group Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, no counterparty, is or is alleged to be in breach or violation of, or default under, any Material Contract; (iv) no Group Company has received any written claim of default under any such Material Contract and, to the Company’s knowledge, no fact or event exists that would give rise to any claim of default under any Material Contract; and (v) neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of any Transaction will constitute a material default under, give rise to cancellation rights under, or otherwise adversely affect any of the material rights of any Group Company under any Material Contract; except, in each case of clauses 3.17(b)(i) through (b)(v), for such breaches, defaults, failures to be in full force and effect, or failure to be valid and binding obligations of any party or parties thereto that would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect; except, further, in case of clauses 3.17(a)(iv) and (a)(vi), as disclosed in Section 3.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
Section 3.18 Anti-Takeover Provisions.
The Company is not party to a shareholder rights agreement, “poison pill” or similar anti-takeover agreement or plan. The Company Board has taken all necessary action so that any takeover, anti-takeover, moratorium, “business combination,” “fair price,” “control share” or other similar Laws enacted under any Laws applicable to the Company other than the CICA (each, a “Takeover Statute”) does not, and will not, apply to this Agreement or the Transactions.
Section 3.19 Interested Party Transactions.
The Company has disclosed in the Company SEC Reports each material Contract between a Group Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any related party of the Company, one the other hand, entered into during fiscal years covered by such Company SEC Reports that are required to be disclosed by the Company in accordance with Item 7.B. of Form 20-F under the Exchange Act.
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Section 3.20 Brokers.
Except for the Financial Advisor, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company.
Section 3.21 Control Documents.
(a) To the best knowledge of the Company, (i) each party to any of the Control Documents has full power and authority to enter into, execute and deliver such Control Document to which it is a party and each other agreement, certificate, document and instrument to be executed and delivered by it pursuant to the Control Documents and to perform the obligations of such party thereunder; and (ii) the execution and delivery by such party of each Control Document to which it is a party and the performance by such party of its obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all requisite actions on the part of such party.
(b) The execution and delivery by each Group Company named in each Control Document, and the performance by such Group Company of its obligations thereunder and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated therein will not (i) result in any violation of, be in conflict with, or constitute a default under, with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, any provision of its corporate documents as in effect, any applicable Law, or any contract to which any Group Company is a party or by which any Group Company is bound, in any material respect, (ii) accelerate, or constitute an event entitling any person to accelerate, the maturity of any material Indebtedness or other material liability of any Group Company or to increase the rate of interest presently in effect with respect to any material Indebtedness of any Group Company, or (iii) result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of any Group Company (other than the Liens created by virtue of the execution and delivery of the Control Document) in any material respect.
(c) Except as would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect, all consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to any Governmental Authority required under any applicable Laws in connection with the Control Documents have been made or unconditionally obtained in writing, and no such consent, approval, authorization, permit, filings or notifications has been withdrawn or is subject to any condition precedent, which has not been fulfilled or performed.
(d) (i) Each Control Document is duly executed and effective, in proper legal form under applicable PRC Law and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the parties named therein enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exception, and all of such Control Documents taken as a whole are, legal, valid, enforceable and admissible as evidence under PRC Laws in all material respects, (ii) each Control Document is in full force and effect and no party to any Control Document is in breach or default in the performance or observance of any of the terms or provisions of such Control Document in any material respect, and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, none of the parties to any Control Document has sent or received any communication regarding termination of or intention not to renew any Control Document, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by any of the parties thereto.
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(e) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, there have been no disputes, disagreements, claims or any legal proceedings of any nature, raised by any Governmental Authority or any other person, pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting any of the Controlled Entities and other Group Companies that (i) challenge the validity or enforceability of any part or all of the Control Documents, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) challenge the “variable interest entity” structure or the ownership structure as set forth in the Control Documents, (iii) claim any ownership, share, equity or interest in the Controlled Entities or other Group Companies, or claim any compensation for not being granted any ownership, share, equity or interest in the Controlled Entities or other Group Companies or (iv) claim any of the Control Documents or the ownership structure thereof or any arrangement or performance of or in accordance with the Control Documents was, is or will violate any PRC Laws.
Section 3.22 Environmental Matters.
Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, (a) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in all respects in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws; (b) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have obtained and possess all permits, licenses and other authorizations currently required for their establishment and their operation under any Environmental Law (“Environmental Permits”), and all such Environmental Permits are in full force and effect; (c) to the knowledge of the Company, no property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been contaminated with or is releasing any Hazardous Substance in a manner that could reasonably be expected to require remediation or other action pursuant to any Environmental Law; (d) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, demand, letter, claim or request for information alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of or liable under any Environmental Law; and (e) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any order, decree or injunction with any Governmental Authority or agreement with any third party concerning liability under any Environmental Law or relating to Hazardous Substances.
Section 3.23 Insurance.
Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, (a) all insurance policies and self-insurance programs and arrangements relating to the business, assets, liabilities and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are in full force and effect and are of the type and in amounts customarily carried by Persons conducting business similar to the Company; (b) the Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted at a reasonable cost; (c) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any threatened termination of, material premium increase with respect to, or material alteration of coverage under any of its respective insurance policies; and (d) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
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Section 3.24 No Other Representations or Warranties.
Except for the representations and warranties contained in this Article III, each of Parent and Merger Sub acknowledges that neither the Company nor any other person on behalf of the Company makes any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to any Group Company or with respect to any other information provided to Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the Transactions.
Article IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Parent and Merger Sub hereby, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the Company that:
Section 4.01 Corporate Organization.
Each of Parent and Merger Sub is an exempted company duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands and has the requisite corporate power and authority and all necessary governmental approvals to own, lease and operate its properties and assets, to the extent applicable, and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, except where the failure to be so organized, existing or in good standing or to have such power, authority and governmental approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay consummation of any of the Transactions by Parent or Merger Sub or otherwise be materially adverse to the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to perform their obligations under this Agreement. Each of Parent and Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the Transactions and, prior to the Effective Time, will engage in no other business activities other than those in connection with, or for the purpose to consummate, the Transactions, and will have no, assets, liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those incidental to its formation and capitalization and pursuant to this Agreement, the Buyer Group Contracts and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
Section 4.02 Authorization.
Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Transactions have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent or Merger Sub are necessary to authorize this Agreement and the Plan of Merger or to consummate the Transactions (other than the filings, notifications and other obligations and actions described in Section 4.03(b)). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of Parent and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exception.
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Section 4.03 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Plan of Merger by Parent and Merger Sub do not, and the performance of this Agreement and the Plan of Merger by Parent and Merger Sub will not, (i) conflict with or violate the memorandum and articles of association of either Parent or Merger Sub, (ii) assuming that all consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions described in Section 4.03(b) have been obtained and all filings and obligations described in Section 4.03(b) have been made, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to Parent or Merger Sub or by which any property or asset of either of them is bound or affected, or (iii) result in any breach of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien or other encumbrance on any property or asset of Parent or Merger Sub pursuant to, any Contract or obligation to which Parent or Merger Sub is a party or by which Parent or Merger Sub or any property or asset of either of them is bound or affected, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults or other occurrences which would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay the consummation of any of the Transactions by Parent or Merger Sub or otherwise be materially adverse to the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to perform their obligations under this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub do not, and the performance of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Transactions will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority, except for (i) the filings and/or notices pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) compliance with the rules and regulations of Nasdaq, (iii) the filing of the Plan of Merger and related documentation with the Registrar of Companies pursuant to the CICA and the publication of notification of the Merger in the Cayman Islands Government Gazette pursuant to the CICA, (iv) other Requisite Regulatory Approvals and (v) any such consent, approval, authorization, permit, action, filing or notification the failure to make or obtain which would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Transactions by Parent or Merger Sub.
Section 4.04 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized share capital of Parent is US$50,000 consisting of 500,000,000 ordinary shares, par value of US$0.0001 per share. As of the date of this Agreement, one ordinary share of Parent is issued and outstanding, which has been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(b) The authorized share capital of Merger Sub is US$50,000 consisting of 500,000,000 ordinary shares, par value of US$0.0001 per share. As of the date of this Agreement, one ordinary share of Merger Sub is issued and outstanding, which has been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. All of the issued and outstanding share capital of Merger Sub is, and immediately prior to the Effective Time will be, directly owned by Parent, free and clear of any Lien other than any restrictions imposed by applicable Laws.
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(c) Except for obligations or liabilities incurred in connection with its formation or relating to the Transactions (including pursuant to the Buyer Group Contracts), neither Parent nor Merger Sub has incurred or will, prior to the Effective Time, incur, directly or indirectly, any obligations or liabilities.
Section 4.05 Available Funds and Financing.
(a) Parent has delivered to the Company true and complete copies of executed equity commitment letters from the Sponsors or their respective Affiliates (the “Equity Commitment Letters”), pursuant to which each of such Sponsors or its Affiliates named therein has committed to purchase, or cause the purchase of, for cash, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, Equity Securities of Parent, up to the aggregate amount set forth therein (the “Financing”). Except as expressly set forth in the Equity Commitment Letters or other Buyer Group Contracts, there are no side letters or Contracts to which Parent or Merger Sub is a party that affects the availability of or modifies, amends or expands the conditions to, or otherwise relates to the funding of the Financing or the transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) As of the date hereof, (i) each of the Equity Commitment Letters is in full force and effect and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of Parent (as applicable and subject to the Enforceability Exception) and, to the knowledge of Parent, the other parties thereto (subject to the Enforceability Exception), and (ii) none of the Equity Commitment Letters has been amended or modified and no such amendment or modification is contemplated (other than as permitted by Section 6.07 or this Section 4.05), and the respective commitments contained in the Equity Commitment Letters have not been withdrawn or rescinded in any material respect (other than as permitted by Section 6.07 or this Section 4.05). Assuming (A) the Financing is funded in accordance with the Equity Commitment Letters, and (B) the satisfaction of the conditions to the obligation of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger as set forth in Section 7.01 and Section 7.02 or the waiver of such conditions, and after taking into account cash and other sources of immediately available funds available to Parent and Merger Sub, Parent and Merger Sub will have available to them, as of the Effective Time, all funds necessary for Parent, Merger Sub and the Surviving Company to pay (1) the Merger Consideration, and (2) any other amounts required to be paid in connection with the consummation of the Transactions upon the terms and conditions contemplated hereby and all related fees and expenses associated therewith. The Equity Commitment Letters contain all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of the parties thereunder to make the Financing available to Parent or Merger Sub on the terms and conditions contained therein. As of the date hereof, Parent and Merger Sub have no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the Financing contemplated by the Equity Commitment Letters will not be satisfied or the Financing will not be available to Parent and Merger Sub on the Closing Date. As of the date hereof, no event has occurred, which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute or reasonably be expected to result in a default or breach under the Equity Commitment Letters on the part of Parent or, to the knowledge of Parent and Merger Sub, any other parties thereto.
Section 4.06 Proxy Statement.
None of the information supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (a) the Schedule 13E-3 will, at the time such document is filed with the SEC and at any time such document is amended or supplemented, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, and (b) the Proxy Statement will, at the date of first mailing the Proxy Statement to the shareholders of the Company or any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time of the Shareholders Meeting, and at the time the Schedule 13E-3 is filed with the SEC, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
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Section 4.07 Brokers.
No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub.
Section 4.08 Limited Guarantee.
Each of the Limited Guarantees has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Guarantor executing such Limited Guarantee and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company or its designated wholly owned Subsidiary, as appropriate, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor that executed it, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with the terms thereof subject to the Enforceability Exception, and no event has occurred, which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute or reasonably be expected to result in a breach or default on the part of the Guarantor under such Limited Guarantee.
Section 4.09 Absence of Litigation.
As of the date hereof, (i) there is no material Action pending or, to the knowledge of Parent and Merger Sub, threatened against Parent or Merger Sub before any Governmental Authority; and (ii) each of Parent and Merger Sub is not subject to any continuing order of, consent decree, settlement agreement or other similar written agreement with, or, to the knowledge of Parent and Merger Sub, continuing investigation by, any Governmental Authority, or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Authority, in each case which seeks to, or would reasonably be expected to, prevent or materially impair or delay the consummation of the Merger or other Transactions.
Section 4.10 Ownership of Shares.
As of the date hereof, other than the Shares disclosed in the Support Agreement, none of Parent, Merger Sub and Buyer Group Parties nor any of their respective Affiliates beneficially own (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) any Shares or other securities of, or any other economic interest (through derivative securities or otherwise) in the Company, or any options, warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or other securities of, or any other economic interest (through derivative securities or otherwise) in, the Company.
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Section 4.11 Solvency.
Neither Parent nor Merger Sub is entering into the Transactions contemplated hereby with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud either present or future creditors. Immediately after giving effect to all of the Transactions contemplated hereby, including the Financing and the payment of the Merger Consideration and all other amounts required to be paid in connection with the consummation of the Transactions, assuming (i) satisfaction of the conditions to the obligation of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger as set forth herein, or the waiver of such conditions, and (ii) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Article III (for such purposes, the representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or “Company Material Adverse Effect” or other words of similar import shall be true and correct in all respects and those not qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects), the Surviving Company and each of its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, will be solvent (as such term is used under the Laws of the Cayman Islands) at and immediately after the Effective Time.
Section 4.12 Buyer Group Contracts.
Parent has delivered to the Company and the Special Committee a true and complete copy of each of the Buyer Group Contracts, including all amendments thereto or modifications thereof. Other than the Buyer Group Contracts, there is no Contract, whether written or oral, (i) relating to the Transactions between or among two or more of Buyer Group Parties (or through any of their respective Affiliates), (ii) relating to the Transactions between or among any Buyer Group Party (or through any of its Affiliates), on the one hand, and any Rollover Shareholder, on the other hand, (iii) relating to the Transactions between or among Parent, Merger Sub, any Rollover Shareholder, or the Guarantors or any of their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and any member of the Company’s management, any member of the Company Board or any of the Company’s shareholders in their capacities as such, on the other hand, or (iv) pursuant to which any shareholder of the Company would be entitled to receive consideration of a different amount or nature than the Per Share Merger Consideration or the Per ADS Merger Consideration or pursuant to which any shareholder of the Company has agreed to vote to approve this Agreement or the Merger or has agreed to vote against any Competing Transaction or Superior Proposal.
Section 4.13 Independent Investigation.
Each of Parent and Merger Sub has conducted its own independent due diligence investigation, review and analysis of the business, operations, assets, liabilities, results of operations, financial condition and prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which due diligence investigation, review and analysis were performed by Parent, Merger Sub, their respective Affiliates and their respective Representatives. Each of Parent and Merger Sub acknowledges that as of the date hereof, it, its Affiliates and their respective Representatives have been provided adequate access to the personnel, properties, facilities and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such purpose. In entering into this Agreement, each of Parent and Merger Sub acknowledges that it has relied solely upon the aforementioned due diligence investigation, review and analysis and not on any statements, representations or opinions of any of the Company, its Affiliates or their respective Representatives (except the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company expressly set forth in this Agreement and in any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement).
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Section 4.14 Non-Reliance on Company Estimates.
The Company has made available to Parent, Merger Sub or their respective Affiliates and Representatives, and may continue to make available, certain estimates, projections and other forecasts for the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries and certain plan and budget information. Each of Parent and Merger Sub hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) these estimates, projections, forecasts, plans and budgets and the assumptions on which they are based were prepared for specific purposes and may vary significantly from each other, (b) there are uncertainties inherent in attempting to make such estimates, projections, forecasts, plans and budgets, (c) Parent and Merger Sub are taking full responsibility for making its own evaluation of the adequacy and accuracy of all estimates, projections, forecasts, plans and budgets so furnished to it (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying such estimates, projections, forecasts, plans and budgets), and (d) Parent and Merger Sub are not relying on any estimates, projections, forecasts, plans or budgets (or the accuracy or completeness thereof) furnished by the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective Affiliates and Representatives, and Parent and Merger Sub shall not, and shall cause their respective Affiliates and Representatives not to, hold any such person liable with respect thereto.
Section 4.15 No Additional Representations.
Except for the representations and warranties made by Parent and Merger Sub in this Article IV or in any certificate delivered by Parent or Merger Sub in connection with this Agreement, neither Parent nor Merger Sub nor any other person on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub makes any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to Parent or Merger Sub or their respective business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects or any information provided to the Company or any of its Affiliates or Representatives, notwithstanding the delivery or disclosure to the Company or any of its Affiliates or Representatives of any documentation, forecasts or other information with respect to any one or more of the foregoing, and the Company acknowledges the foregoing.
Article V
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
Section 5.01 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger.
The Company agrees that, from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, except as (x) required by applicable Law, or (y) contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, unless Parent may otherwise consent in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), (i) the businesses of the Group Companies shall be conducted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in all material respects; and (ii) the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to preserve substantially intact the assets and the business organization of the Group Companies, to keep available the services of the current officers and key employees of the Group Companies and to maintain in all material respects the current relationships of the Group Companies with existing customers, suppliers and other persons with which any Group Companies has material business relations as of the date hereof.
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Without limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, except as (x) required by applicable Law, or (y) contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, the Company shall not, and shall procure that no Group Company will do or propose to do any of the following without the prior written consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned):
(a) amend or otherwise change its memorandum and articles of association or equivalent organizational documents, other than immaterial amendments in the ordinary course of business, including without limitation, change of entity name or registered address;
(b) issue, sell, transfer, lease, sublease, license, pledge, dispose of, grant or encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, transfer, lease, sublease, license, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of, (i) any Equity Securities of any class of any Group Company (other than in connection with (A) the exercise of any Company Options or the settlement of any Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares outstanding as of the date of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of the Company Share Plans and the award agreements applicable thereto as at the date of this Agreement, (B) the withholding of Company securities to satisfy tax obligations with respect to Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares, (C) the acquisition by the Company of its securities in connection with the forfeiture of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares, or (D) the acquisition by the Company of its securities in connection with the net exercise of Company Options in accordance with the terms thereof, (ii) any property or assets (whether real, personal or mixed, and including leasehold interests and intangible property) of any Group Company with a value or purchase price (including the value of assumed liabilities) in excess of RMB10,000,000, except in the ordinary course of business, or (iii) any material Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to any Group Company, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(c) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, shares, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its shares (other than dividends or other distributions from any Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or any of its other Subsidiaries consistent with past practice);
(d) reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, or purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its share capital or securities or other rights exchangeable into or convertible or exercisable for any of its share capital (other than the purchase of Shares to satisfy obligations under the Company Share Plans, including the withholding of Shares in connection with the exercise of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of such Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares (as applicable)), except as required by applicable Law;
(e) effect or commence any liquidation, dissolution, scheme of arrangement, merger, consolidation, amalgamation, restructuring, reorganization, public offering or similar transaction involving any Group Company, or create any new Subsidiary, other than the Transactions;
(f) acquire, whether by purchase, merger, spin off, consolidation, scheme of arrangement, amalgamation or acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise, any assets, securities or properties, in aggregate, with a value or purchase price (including the value of assumed liabilities) in excess of RMB10,000,000 in any transaction or related series of transactions;
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(g) make any capital contribution or investment in any corporation, partnership, other business organization or any division thereof in excess of RMB10,000,000 in aggregate, except for any capital contribution or investment in any Group Company;
(h) incur, assume, alter, amend or modify any Indebtedness, or guarantee any Indebtedness, or issue any debt securities, except for (i) the incurrence or guarantee of Indebtedness under any Group Company’s existing credit facilities as in effect on the date hereof in an aggregate amount not to exceed the maximum amount authorized under the Contracts evidencing such Indebtedness or (ii) not in an aggregate amount in excess of RMB100,000,000;
(i) other than expenditures necessary to maintain assets in good repair consistent with the past practice, authorize, or make any commitment with respect to, any single capital expenditure which is in excess of RMB10,000,000 or capital expenditures which are, in the aggregate, in excess of RMB20,000,000 for the Group Companies taken as a whole;
(j) except as required pursuant to any Company Employee Plan or this Agreement, (i) enter into any new employment or compensatory agreements (including the renewal of any such agreements), or terminate any such agreements, with any Employee of any Group Company other than the hiring or termination of employees with an individual annual compensation of less than RMB2,000,000, (ii) grant or provide any severance or termination payments or benefits to any Employee of any Group Company in an aggregate amount in excess of RMB500,000, (iii) increase the compensation, bonus or pension, welfare, severance or other benefits of, pay any bonus to any Employee of any Group Company except such increases or payments, in the aggregate, do not cause an increase in the labor costs of the Group Companies, taken as a whole, by more than five percent (5%), (iv) establish, adopt, amend or terminate any Company Employee Plan or materially amend the terms of any outstanding Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares, (v) take any action to accelerate the vesting or payment of compensation or benefits under the Company Employee Plan, or (vi) forgive any loans to any Employee of any Group Company;
(k) make any changes with respect to financial accounting policies or procedures, including changes affecting the reported consolidated assets, liabilities or results of operations of the Group Companies, except as required by changes in statutory or regulatory accounting rules or IFRS or regulatory requirements with respect thereto;
(l) enter into, amend, modify, consent to the termination of, or waive any material rights under, any Material Contract (or any Contract that would be a Material Contract if such Contract had been entered into prior to the date hereof) which calls for annual aggregate payments of RMB5,000,000 or more with a term longer than one (1) year and which cannot be terminated without material surviving obligations or material penalty upon notice of ninety (90) days or less, other than (A) any termination or renewal in accordance with the terms of any existing Material Contract that occur automatically without any action by any Group Company, (B) as may be reasonably necessary to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or (C) actions permitted under Section 5.01(h);
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(m) terminate or cancel, let lapse, or amend or modify in any material respect, other than renewals in the ordinary course of business, any material insurance policies maintained by it which are not promptly replaced by a comparable amount of insurance coverage;
(n) without prejudice to clause (r) below, settle, release, waive or compromise any pending or threatened Action against any Group Company (A) for an amount required to be paid by any Group Company in excess of US$1,500,000, (B) that would impose any material restrictions on the business or operations of any Group Company;
(o) permit any material Intellectual Property owned by any Group Company to lapse or to be abandoned, dedicated, or disclaimed, fail to perform or make any applicable filings, recordings or other similar actions or filings, fail to pay all required fees and Taxes required or advisable to maintain and protect its interest in each and every item of material Intellectual Property owned by any Group Company, or grant or license or transfer to any Third Party any material Intellectual Property owned by any Group Company;
(p) fail to make in a timely manner any filings or registrations with the SEC required under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;
(q) engage in the conduct of any new line of business material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(r) make or change any material Tax election, amend any Tax Return, enter into any material closing agreement or seek any ruling from any Governmental Authority with respect to material Taxes, surrender any right to claim a material refund of Taxes, settle or finally resolve any material controversy with respect to Taxes, agree to an extension or waiver of the statute of limitations with respect to the assessment or determination of material Taxes, change any method of Tax accounting or Tax accounting period or initiate any voluntary Tax disclosure to any Governmental Authority;
(s) grant any fixed or floating security interests of the Company, except in the ordinary course of business; or
(t) announce an intention, enter into any agreement or otherwise make a legally binding commitment, to do any of the foregoing.
Section 5.02 Compliance.
During the period from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, the Company shall use best efforts to ensure that each Group Company will conduct its business in compliance with all applicable Laws in all material respects, and use reasonable best efforts to obtain, make and maintain in effect, all material consents, approvals, authorizations or permits of, or filings with or notifications to, the relevant Governmental Authority or other person required in respect of the due and proper establishment and operations of such Group Company in accordance with applicable Laws.
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Section 5.03 Conduct of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger
Each of Parent and Merger Sub agrees that, from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, it shall not (a) take any action, or fail to take any action (including any action with respect to a Third Party), that would, or would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in any of the conditions to effecting the Transactions becoming incapable of being satisfied, or (b) take any action, or fail to take any action, that would, or would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, prevent, materially delay or materially impede the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to consummate the Merger or any other Transactions.
Section 5.04 No Control of Other Party’s Business.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to give Parent or Merger Sub, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the Company’s or the Company’s Subsidiaries’ operations prior to the Effective Time. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision over its and its Subsidiaries’ respective operations.
Article VI
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
Section 6.01 Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3.
(a) As soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, the Company, with the cooperation and assistance of Parent and Merger Sub, shall prepare a proxy statement relating to the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions by the shareholders of the Company by the Requisite Company Vote including a notice convening the Shareholders Meeting in accordance with the Company’s articles of association (such proxy statement and notice, as amended or supplemented, being referred to herein as the “Proxy Statement”). Concurrently with the preparation of the Proxy Statement, the Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall (and Parent shall procure each other Buyer Group Party to) jointly prepare and use their reasonable best efforts to cause to be filed with the SEC a Rule 13e-3 transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 relating to the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions by the shareholders of the Company (such Schedule 13E-3, as amended or supplemented, being referred to herein as the “Schedule 13E-3”). Each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall (and Parent shall procure each other Buyer Group Party to) use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that the Proxy Statement and the Schedule 13E-3 will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall (and Parent shall procure each other Buyer Group Party to) use its reasonable best efforts to respond promptly to any comments of the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement and the Schedule 13E-3. Each of Parent and Merger Sub shall (and Parent shall procure each other Buyer Group Party to) provide reasonable assistance and cooperation to the Company in the preparation, filing and distribution of the Proxy Statement, the Schedule 13E-3 and the resolution of comments from the SEC. Upon its receipt of any written comments from the SEC or its staff or any request from the SEC or its staff for amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement and the Schedule 13E-3, the Company shall promptly notify Parent and Merger Sub and shall provide Parent with copies of all correspondence between the Company and its representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC and its staff, on the other hand. Prior to filing the Schedule 13E-3 or mailing the Proxy Statement (or in each case, any amendment or supplement thereto) or responding to any comments of the SEC with respect thereto, the Company (i) shall provide Parent and Merger Sub with a reasonable period of time to review and comment on such document or response and (ii) shall consider in good faith all additions, deletions or changes reasonably proposed by Parent in good faith. If at any time prior to the Shareholders Meeting, any information relating to the Company, Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates, officers or directors, is discovered by the Company, Parent or Merger Sub that should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3 so that the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3 will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, the party that discovers such information shall promptly notify the other parties hereto and the Company shall file an appropriate amendment or supplement describing such information with the SEC and, to the extent required by applicable Law, disseminate to the shareholders of the Company.
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(b) Each of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company agrees, as to itself and its respective Affiliates or Representatives, that none of the information supplied or to be supplied by Parent, Merger Sub or the Company, as applicable, expressly for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement, the Schedule 13E-3 or any other documents filed or to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Transactions, will, as of the time such documents (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) are mailed to the holders of Shares and at the time of the Shareholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company further agrees that all documents that such party is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with the Merger will comply as to form and substance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any other applicable Laws and that all information supplied by such party for inclusion or incorporation by reference in such document will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event or circumstance relating to Parent, Merger Sub or the Company, or their respective officers or directors, should be discovered which should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3 so that such document would not include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, the party discovering such event or circumstance shall promptly inform the other parties and an appropriate amendment or supplement describing such event or circumstance shall be promptly filed with the SEC and disseminated to the shareholders of the Company to the extent required by Law; provided, that prior to such filing, to the extent permitted by Law, the Company and Parent, as the case may be, shall consult with each other with respect to such amendment or supplement and shall afford the other party and their Representatives a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon.
(c) For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in connection with any disclosure regarding a Change in the Company Recommendation made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to provide Parent or Merger Sub the opportunity to review or comment on the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any comments thereon or any other filing by the Company with the SEC, with respect to such disclosure.
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Section 6.02 Company Shareholders Meeting.
(a) The Company shall establish a record date for determining shareholders of the Company entitled to vote at the Shareholders Meeting (the “Record Date”) in consultation with Parent and shall not change such Record Date or establish a different record date for the Shareholders Meeting without consulting with Parent, unless required to do so by applicable Law; and in the event that the date of the Shareholders Meeting as originally called is for any reason adjourned or postponed or otherwise delayed, the Company agrees that unless Parent shall have otherwise approved in writing (such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned and/or delayed), the Company shall implement such adjournment or postponement or other delay in such a way that the Company does not establish a new Record Date for the Shareholders Meeting, as so adjourned, postponed or delayed, except as required by applicable Laws or the memorandum and articles of association of the Company. As soon as practicable after the SEC confirms that it has no further comments on the Schedule 13E-3 or that it is not reviewing the Schedule 13E-3, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed the Proxy Statement to the holders of Shares (and concurrently furnish the Proxy Statement under Form 6-K) as of the Record Date, for the purpose of voting upon the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions. Subject to Section 6.02(b), without the consent of Parent, the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions are the only matters (other than procedural matters) that shall be proposed to be voted upon by the shareholders of the Company at the Shareholders Meeting.
(b) As soon as practicable but in any event no later than thirty (30) days after the date of mailing the Proxy Statement, the Company shall hold the Shareholders Meeting. Subject to this Section 6.02 and Section 6.04, (i) the Company Board shall recommend to holders of the Shares that they authorize and approve this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions, and shall include such recommendation in the Proxy Statement, and (ii) the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit from its shareholders proxies in favor of the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions, and shall take all other action necessary or advisable to secure the Requisite Company Vote. In the event that subsequent to the date hereof, the Company Board makes a Change in the Company Recommendation or authorizes the Company to terminate this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to convene the Shareholders Meeting or submit this Agreement, the Plan of Merger or the Transactions, to the holders of Shares for authorization and approval at the Shareholders Meeting.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 6.02(b), the Company may, after consultation in good faith with Parent, adjourn or recommend the adjournment of the Shareholders Meeting to its shareholders (i) to the extent necessary to ensure that any required supplement or amendment to the Proxy Statement is provided to the holders of Shares within a reasonable amount of time in advance of the Shareholders Meeting, (ii) as otherwise required by applicable Law or the memorandum and articles of association of the Company, or (iii) if as of the time for which the Shareholders Meeting is scheduled as set forth in the Proxy Statement, there are insufficient Shares represented (in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Shareholders Meeting. If the Shareholders Meeting is adjourned, the Company shall convene and hold the Shareholders Meeting as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, subject to the immediately preceding sentence, provided, that the Company shall not recommend to its shareholders the adjournment of the Shareholders Meeting to a date that is less than five (5) Business Days prior to the Long Stop Date.
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(d) Notwithstanding Section 6.02(b), Parent may request that the Company adjourn or postpone the Shareholders Meeting for up to thirty (30) days with respect to any single adjournment, and ninety (90) days in the aggregate (but in any event no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Long Stop Date), (i) if as of the time for which the Shareholders Meeting is originally scheduled (as set forth in the Proxy Statement) there are insufficient Shares represented (either in person or by proxy) (A) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Shareholders Meeting or (B) voting in favor of the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger, and the Transactions to obtain the Requisite Company Vote or (ii) in order to allow reasonable additional time for (A) the filing and mailing of, at the reasonable request of Parent, any supplemental or amended disclosure that is required by applicable Law and (B) such supplemental or amended disclosure to be disseminated and reviewed by the Company’s shareholders prior to the Shareholders Meeting, in which event the Company shall, in each case, cause the Shareholders Meeting to be postponed or adjourned in accordance with Parent’s request, the memorandum and articles of association of the Company and this Section 6.02(d).
(e) At the Shareholders’ Meeting, and any other meeting of the shareholders of the Company called to seek the Shareholder Approval or in any other circumstances upon which a vote, consent or other approval (including by written consent) with respect to this Agreement, the Plan of Merger or the Transactions is sought, Parent shall (i) vote, or cause to be voted, all Shares held directly or indirectly by Parent or Merger Sub or with respect to which Parent or Merger Sub otherwise has, directly or indirectly, voting power at such Shareholders Meeting in favor of the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions and (ii) if necessary to ensure that the Requisite Company Vote will be obtained, use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Rollover Shareholders to vote in favor of the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions pursuant to the terms of the Support Agreement.
Section 6.03 Access to Information.
(a) From the date hereof until the earlier of the Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII and subject to applicable Law and the Confidentiality Agreement, upon reasonable advance notice from Parent, the Company shall (i) provide to Parent (and Parent’s officers, directors, employees, accountants, consultants, financial and legal advisors, agents, financing sources (including potential sources) and other authorized representatives of Parent and such other parties, collectively, “Representatives”) reasonable access during normal business hours to the offices, properties, books and records of any Group Company, (ii) furnish to Parent and its Representatives such existing financial and operating data and other existing information concerning the Group Companies as such persons may reasonably request in writing, and (iii) instruct its employees, legal counsel, financial advisors, auditors and other Representatives to reasonably cooperate with Parent and its Representatives in their due diligence investigation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such due diligence investigation shall be conducted in such a manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the business or operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries or otherwise result in any significant interference with the timely discharge by the employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries of their duties. All requests for information made pursuant to this Section 6.03(a) shall be directed to the executive officers or other person designated by the Company.
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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 6.03(a), nothing in this Agreement shall require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to provide Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Representatives with access to any books, records, documents or other information to the extent that (i) such books, records, documents or other information is subject to any confidentiality agreement with a Third Party, (ii) the disclosure of such books, records, documents or other information would result in the loss of attorney-client or other legal privilege, or (iii) the disclosure of such books, records, documents or other information is prohibited by applicable Law.
(c) All information provided or made available pursuant to this Section 6.03 to Parent or its Representatives shall be subject to the Confidentiality Agreement. Parent shall be responsible for any unauthorized disclosure of any such information provided or made available pursuant to this Section 6.03 by its Representatives.
Section 6.04 No Solicitation of Transactions.
(a) Until the earlier of the Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, except pursuant to Section 6.04(b), the Company agrees that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries will, and that it will cause its and its Subsidiaries’ Representatives (including any investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by any Group Company) not to, in each case, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing nonpublic information concerning any Group Company), or take any other action to knowingly facilitate, any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer (including any proposal or offer to its shareholders) that constitutes any Competing Transaction, (ii) enter into, maintain or continue discussions or negotiations with, or provide any nonpublic information concerning any Group Company to, any Third Party in furtherance of such inquiries or to obtain a proposal or offer for a Competing Transaction, (iii) agree to, approve, endorse, recommend or consummate any Competing Transaction or enter into any letter of intent or Contract (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement) or commitment contemplating or otherwise relating to any Competing Transaction in each case, other than as permitted pursuant to Section 6.04(c), or (iv) grant any waiver, amendment or release under any standstill, confidentiality or similar agreement or Takeover Statutes, and the Company shall promptly take all action necessary to terminate or cause to be terminated any such waiver previously granted with respect to any provision of any such confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement or Takeover Statute and to enforce each such confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement the Company has entered into in connection with any other transactions in their nature similar to the Transaction (provided, that (x) if the Company Board determines in its good faith judgment upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel) that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, the Company may waive any such provision to the extent necessary to permit the person bound by such provision to propose a Competing Transaction to the Company Board, in which case the corresponding provision in the Confidentiality Agreement shall be waived at the same time automatically, and (y) such restriction shall not apply if the Company releases or waives the corresponding provision in the Confidentiality Agreement). The Company shall notify Parent as promptly as practicable (and in any event within forty-eight (48) hours), orally and in writing, of any proposal or offer, or any inquiry or contact between the Company or its Representatives and any Third Party, regarding a Competing Transaction, specifying (x) the material terms and conditions thereof (including material amendments or proposed material amendments) and providing, if applicable, copies of any written requests, proposals or offers, including proposed agreements, (y) the identity of the party making such proposal or offer or inquiry or contact, and (z) whether the Company has any intention to provide confidential information to such person. The Company shall keep Parent informed, on a reasonably current basis (and in any event within two (2) Business Days of the occurrence of any material changes) of the status and terms of any such proposal, offer, inquiry, contact or request and of any material changes in the status and terms of any such proposal, offer, inquiry, contact or request (including the material terms and conditions thereof). Without limiting the foregoing, the Company shall provide Parent with forty-eight (48) hours prior notice (or such lesser prior notice as is provided to the members of the Company Board or members of the Special Committee) of any meeting of the Company Board or Special Committee at which the Company Board or Special Committee, as applicable, is reasonably expected to consider any Competing Transaction. The Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and the Representatives of the Company and its Subsidiaries to, immediately cease and terminate all existing discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect to a Competing Transaction and immediately revoke or withdraw access of any Third Party to any data room containing any nonpublic information concerning any Group Company and request, and use its reasonable efforts to cause, all such Third Parties to promptly return or destroy all such nonpublic information. The Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, enter into any confidentiality agreement with any Third Party subsequent to the date of this Agreement that would prohibit or restrict the Company from providing such information to Parent.
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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 6.04(a), at any time prior to the receipt of the Requisite Company Vote, following the receipt of an unsolicited, written, bona fide proposal or offer regarding a Competing Transaction that was not obtained in violation of this Section 6.04, the Company and its Representatives may, with respect to such proposal or offer and acting only under the direction of the Special Committee:
(i) contact the person who has made such proposal or offer solely to notify such person the restrictions set forth in the applicable provisions of this Agreement and to clarify and understand the terms and conditions thereof to the extent the Special Committee shall have determined in good faith that such contact is necessary to determine whether such proposal or offer constitutes a Superior Proposal or would reasonably be expected to result in a Superior Proposal;
(ii) provide information in response to the request of the person who has made such proposal or offer, if and only if, prior to providing such information, the Company has received from the person so requesting such information an executed Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement, provided, that the Company shall promptly make available to Parent any information concerning the Company and the Subsidiaries that is provided to any such person and that was not previously made available to Parent or its Representatives; and
(iii) engage or participate in any discussions or negotiations with the person who has made such proposal or offer;
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provided, that prior to taking any actions described in clause (ii) or (iii) above, the Special Committee has (A) determined, in its good faith judgment, after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel, that such proposal or offer constitutes or would reasonably be expected to result in a Superior Proposal, (B) determined, in its good faith judgment, after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel, that, in light of such Superior Proposal, failure to take such action would be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Company Board under applicable Law, and (C) provided written notice to Parent at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to taking any such action.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 6.04(d) and Section 6.04(e), neither the Company Board nor any committee thereof shall (i) (A) change, withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify (or publicly propose to change, withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify), in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, the Company Recommendation, (B) fail to make the Company Recommendation or fail to include the Company Recommendation in the Proxy Statement, (C) adopt, approve or recommend, or publicly propose to adopt, approve or recommend to the shareholders of the Company, a Competing Transaction, (D) if a tender offer or exchange offer that constitutes a Competing Transaction is commenced, (x) fail to publicly recommend against acceptance of such tender offer or exchange offer by the Company shareholders (including, for these purposes, by disclosing that it is taking no position with respect to the acceptance of such tender offer or exchange offer by its shareholders, which shall constitute a failure to recommend against acceptance of such tender offer or exchange offer), provided, that a customary “stop, look and listen” communication by the Company Board pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) of the Exchange Act or a statement that the Company Board has received and is currently evaluating such Competing Transaction shall not be prohibited, or (y) fail to publicly reaffirm the Company Recommendation, in each case of (x) and (y) within ten (10) Business Days after Parent so requests in writing, (E) fail to recommend against any Competing Transaction subject to Regulation 14D under the Exchange Act in a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 within ten (10) Business Days after the commencement of such Competing Transaction, or (F) take any action or make any statement inconsistent with the Company Recommendation (any of the foregoing, a “Change in the Company Recommendation”), or (ii) cause or permit the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to enter into any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, merger agreement, acquisition agreement or other or similar document or Contract with respect to any Competing Transaction other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement entered into in compliance with Section 6.04(b) (an “Alternative Acquisition Agreement”).
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, from the date of this Agreement and at any time prior to the receipt of the Requisite Company Vote, if the Company has received a bona fide written proposal or offer with respect to a Competing Transaction which was not withdrawn and which was not obtained in violation of Section 6.04 (other than any immaterial non-compliance that does not adversely affect Parent and Merger Sub) and the Company Board determines, in its good faith judgment upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel), that such proposal or offer constitutes a Superior Proposal and failure to make a Change in the Company Recommendation with respect to such Superior Proposal would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, the Company Board may, upon the recommendation of the Special Committee, (A) effect a Change in the Company Recommendation or (B) with respect to such Superior Proposal, authorize the Company to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.03(c) and enter into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement, but only (i) if the Company shall have complied with the requirements of Section 6.04(a) and Section 6.04(b) with respect to such proposal or offer; (ii) after (A) providing at least five (5) Business Days’ (the “Superior Proposal Notice Period”) written notice to Parent (a “Notice of Superior Proposal”) advising Parent that the Company Board has received a Superior Proposal, specifying the material terms and conditions of such Superior Proposal (and providing any proposed agreements related thereto), identifying the person making such Superior Proposal and indicating that the Company Board intends to effect a Change in the Company Recommendation or authorize the Company to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.03(c), it being understood that the Notice of Superior Proposal or any amendment or update thereto or the determination to so deliver such notice shall not constitute a Change in the Company Recommendation, (B) negotiating with and causing its financial and legal advisors to negotiate, in each case in good faith, with Parent, Merger Sub and their respective Representatives in good faith (to the extent Parent desires to negotiate) to make such adjustments in the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Financing, for the purpose of making such Third Party proposal or offer cease to constitute a Superior Proposal, and (C) permitting Parent and its Representatives to make a presentation to the Company Board and the Special Committee regarding this Agreement, the Financing and any adjustments with respect thereto (to the extent Parent desires to make such presentation), which presentation shall not cause any delay to any scheduled meeting of the Company’s shareholders, the Company Board or the Special Committee; provided that any material modifications to such Third Party proposal or offer that the Company Board or the Special Committee has determined to be a Superior Proposal shall be deemed a new Superior Proposal and the Company shall be required to again comply with the requirements of this Section 6.04, provided, further, that with respect to such new Superior Proposal, the Superior Proposal Notice Period shall be deemed to be a three (3) Business Day period rather than the five (5) Business Day period first described above; and (D) following the end of such five (5) Business Day period or three (3) Business Day period (as applicable), the Company Board shall have determined, in its good faith judgment upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel), that after taking into account any changes to this Agreement and the Financing proposed by Parent and Merger Sub in response to the Notice of Superior Proposal or otherwise, the proposal or offer with respect to the Competing Transaction giving rise to the Notice of Superior Proposal continues to constitute a Superior Proposal. None of the Company, the Company Board or any committee of the Company Board shall enter into any Contract with any Third Party to materially limit or not to give prior notice to Parent of its intention to effect a Change in the Company Recommendation.
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(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, at any time prior to obtaining the Requisite Company Vote, upon occurrence of an Intervening Event, the Company Board (acting at the recommendation of the Special Committee), or the Special Committee, may make a Change in the Company Recommendation and/or terminate this Agreement if (i) the Company Board (acting at the recommendation of the Special Committee) or the Special Committee determines, in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel) that, in light of an Intervening Event, failure to make a Change in the Company Recommendation and/or terminate this Agreement would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law; (ii) the Company notifies the Parent in writing, at least five (5) Business Days in advance, that it intends to effect a Change in the Company Recommendation and/or termination of this Agreement in connection with such Intervening Event, which notice shall specify the nature of the Intervening Event in reasonable detail; (iii) after providing such notice and prior to making such Change in the Company Recommendation in connection with such Intervening Event, the Company shall negotiate in good faith with Parent during such five (5) Business Day period (to the extent that Parent desires to negotiate) to make such revisions to the terms of this Agreement in a manner that obviates the need for such Change in the Company Recommendation or so that the failure to effect a Change in the Company Recommendation would no longer be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law; and (iv) the Company Board shall have considered in good faith any changes to this Agreement and shall have again determined, acting at the direction of the Special Committee, in good faith, taking into account any changes to this Agreement proposed in writing by the Buyer Group in response to the aforementioned notice, that it would continue to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law not to effect the Change in the Company Recommendation or termination of this Agreement in light of the Intervening Event.
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(f) Nothing contained in this Section 6.04 shall be deemed to prohibit the Company, the Company Board or the Special Committee from (i) complying with its disclosure obligations under U.S. federal or state or non-U.S. Law with regard to a Competing Transaction, including taking and disclosing to its shareholders a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a), Rule 14d-9 or Item 1012(a) of Regulation M-A promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any similar communication to shareholders in connection with the making or amendment of a tender offer or exchange offer); (ii) making any “stop-look-and-listen” communication to the shareholders of the Company pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act (or any similar communications to the shareholders of the Company); or (iii) making any other legally required disclosure.
(g) Prior to the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, the Company shall not submit to the vote of its shareholders any Competing Transaction or enter into any Alternative Acquisition Agreement.
(h) The Company shall promptly inform the Company Representatives of the obligations applicable to such Company Representatives in this Section 6.04.
Section 6.05 Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification and Insurance.
(a) The indemnification, advancement and exculpation provisions of the indemnification agreements by and between the Company and its directors and certain executive officers as in effect at the Effective Time shall survive the Merger and shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time in any manner that would adversely affect the rights thereunder of the current or former directors or officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The memorandum and articles of association of the Surviving Company shall contain provisions no less favorable to the intended beneficiaries with respect to exculpation and indemnification of liability and advancement of expenses than are set forth in the memorandum and articles of association of the Company as in effect on the date hereof, and Parent shall cause such provisions not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time in any manner that would affect adversely the rights thereunder of individuals who, at or prior to the Effective Time, were directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries or agents of the Company, unless such modification shall be required by Law. From and after the Effective Time, any agreement of any Indemnified Party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding exculpation or indemnification of liability or advancement of expenses shall be assumed by the Surviving Company, shall survive the Merger and shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.
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(b) The Surviving Company shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Company to, maintain in effect for six (6) years from the Effective Time the current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company with respect to matters occurring prior to the Effective Time, including acts or omissions occurring in connection with this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions (the parties covered thereby, the “Indemnified Parties”) on terms with respect to coverage and amount no less favorable to the Indemnified Parties than those in effect as of the Effective Time; provided, however, that the Surviving Company may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage containing terms, conditions, retentions and limits of liability that are no less favorable than those provided under the Company’s current policies; provided, further, that in no event shall the Surviving Company be required to expend pursuant to this Section 6.05(b) more than an amount per year equal to 300% of current annual premiums paid by the Company for such insurance (the “Maximum Annual Premium”), and if the cost of such insurance policy exceeds such amount, then the Surviving Company shall obtain a policy with the greatest coverage for a cost not exceeding such amount. In lieu of maintaining the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies contemplated by this Section 6.05(b), the Company may and, at Parent’s request, the Company shall, purchase a six (6)-year “tail” prepaid policy prior to the Effective Time on terms, conditions, retentions and limits of liability no less advantageous to the Indemnified Parties than the existing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance maintained by the Company so long as the annual cost of such policy does not exceed the Maximum Annual Premium. If such “tail” prepaid policies have been obtained by the Company prior to the Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Company to, maintain such policies in full force and effect, and continue to honor the respective obligations thereunder, and all other obligations of Parent or Surviving Company under this Section 6.05(b) shall terminate.
(c) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 6.05, from and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall comply, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Company to comply, with all of the Company’s obligations, and each of the Surviving Company and Parent shall cause the Surviving Company’s Subsidiaries to comply with their respective obligations to indemnify and hold harmless (including any obligations to advance funds for expenses) (i) the Indemnified Parties against any and all costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages, liabilities and amounts paid in settlement in connection with any actual or threatened claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (“Damages”), arising out of, relating to or in connection with (x) the fact that an Indemnified Party is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (y) any acts or omissions occurring or alleged to have occurred (including acts or omissions with respect to the approval of this Agreement or the Transactions or arising out of or pertaining to the Transactions and actions to enforce this provision or any other indemnification or advancement right of any Indemnified Party) prior to or at the Effective Time, to the extent provided under the Company’s or such Subsidiaries’ respective organizational and governing documents or agreements in effect on the date hereof (true and complete copies of which shall have been delivered to Parent prior to the date hereof) and to the fullest extent permitted by the CICA or any other applicable Law, provided, that such indemnification shall be subject to any limitation imposed from time to time under applicable Law; and (ii) such persons against any and all Damages arising out of acts or omissions in such persons’ official capacity as an officer, director or other fiduciary in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries if such service was at the request or for the benefit of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(d) Upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information, or other document relating to any Action which may result in the payment or advancement of any amounts by the Surviving Company under Section 6.05(c), any Group Company’s organizational and governing documents, or any existing indemnification agreements, the person seeking indemnification shall use commercially reasonable efforts to notify the Surviving Company promptly to prevent the Surviving Company or any of its Subsidiaries from being materially and adversely prejudiced by late notice. Unless (x) otherwise provided in any applicable agreement or document providing for indemnification to the contrary, or (y) joint representation is inappropriate due to a conflict of interest between the person seeking indemnification and the Surviving Company (or its applicable Subsidiary) or any other person represented by the counsel that is proposed by the Surviving Company or such Subsidiary to conduct the defense of the person seeking indemnification, (i) the Surviving Company (or a Subsidiary nominated by it) shall have the right to participate in any such Action and, at its option, assume the defense of such Action; (ii) the person seeking indemnification shall have the right to effectively participate in the defense or settlement of such Action, including receiving copies of all correspondence and participating in all meetings and teleconferences concerning the Action; and (iii) in the event the Surviving Company (or a Subsidiary nominated by it) assumes the defense of any Action pursuant to this Section 6.05(d), neither the Surviving Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be liable to the person seeking indemnification for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by such person with respect to the same Action.
(e) In the event the Company or the Surviving Company or any of their respective successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person and shall not be the continuing or surviving company or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the Company or the Surviving Company, as the case may be, or at Parent’s option, Parent, shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 6.05.
(f) The agreements and covenants contained in this Section 6.05 shall be in addition to any other rights an Indemnified Party may have under the memorandum and articles of association of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or equivalent constitutional documents), or any agreement between an Indemnified Party and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, under the CICA or other applicable Law, or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 6.05 shall survive the consummation of the Merger and are intended to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each of the Indemnified Parties and their heirs and legal representatives, each of which shall be a Third Party beneficiary of the provisions of this Section 6.05. The obligations of Parent and the Surviving Company under this Section 6.05 shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect the rights of any Indemnified Party without the consent of such Indemnified Party.
(g) Nothing in this Agreement is intended to, shall be construed to or shall release, waive or impair any rights to directors’ and officers’ insurance claims under any policy or other agreement that is or has been in existence with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective officers, directors and employees, it being understood and agreed that the indemnification provided for in this Section 6.05 is not prior to or in substitution for any such claims under any such policies.
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Section 6.06 Notification of Certain Matters.
Each of the Company and Parent shall promptly notify the other in writing of:
(a) any notice or other communication from any person alleging that the consent of such person is or may be required in connection with the Transactions;
(b) any notice or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions;
(c) any Actions commenced or, to the knowledge of the Company or the knowledge of Parent, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Parent and any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, that, if pending on the date of this Agreement, would have been required to have been disclosed by such party pursuant to any of such party’s representations and warranties contained herein, or that relate to such party’s ability to consummate the Transactions; and
(d) a breach of any representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement on the part of such party having occurred that would cause the conditions set forth in Section 7.01, Section 7.02 or Section 7.03 not to be satisfied;
together, in each case, with a copy of any such notice, communication or Action; provided, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 6.06 shall not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such notice; provided further, that failure to give prompt notice pursuant to Section 6.06(d) shall not constitute a failure of a condition to the Merger set forth in Article VII except to the extent that the underlying breach of a representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement not so notified would, standing alone, constitute such a failure.
Section 6.07 Financing.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of Parent and Merger Sub shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) maintain in effect the Equity Commitment Letters until the Equity Financing is funded, (ii) satisfy, or cause to be satisfied, on a timely basis all conditions to the closing of and funding under the Equity Commitment Letters applicable to Parent that are within its control, and (iii) consummate the Equity Financing at or prior to the Effective Time in accordance with the terms of the Equity Commitment Letters.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of Parent and Merger Sub agrees not to amend, modify or waive any provision of the Equity Commitment Letters, if such amendment, modification or waiver reduces (or would reduce) the aggregate amount of the Financing or imposes new or additional conditions or otherwise expands, amends or modifies the conditions to the Financing in a manner that would be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of the Company, Parent or Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions or otherwise adversely impact the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to enforce their respective rights against the other parties to the Equity Commitment Letters. Parent and Merger Sub shall give the Company prompt notice (i) upon becoming aware of any breach of any provision of, or termination by any party to, the Equity Commitment Letters or (ii) upon the receipt of any written notice from any person with respect to any threatened breach or threatened termination of the Equity Commitment Letters.
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Section 6.08 Further Action; Reasonable Best Efforts.
(a) On the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto and their respective Representatives shall and Parent shall procure each of the ODI Sponsors to cooperate with the other parties hereto and, subject to Section 6.08(b) and Section 6.08(c) use its reasonable best efforts, and cause its Subsidiaries to use their respective reasonable best efforts, to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws or otherwise to consummate and make effective the Transactions, including employing such resources as are necessary to obtain the Requisite Regulatory Approvals.
(b) In furtherance and not in limitation of the covenants of the parties contained herein and subject to Section 6.08(c), if any objections are asserted with respect to the Transactions under any Law or if any suit is instituted (or threatened to be instituted) by any applicable Governmental Authority or any private party challenging any of the Transactions as violating any Law or which would otherwise prevent, materially impede or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, each of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to resolve any such objections or suits so as to permit consummation of the Transactions; provided, however, that the Company may expressly condition any action upon the consummation of the Merger and other Transactions or the occurrence of the Effective Time.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, none of Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives shall be required to take or refrain from taking, or to agree to it or its Affiliates taking or refraining from taking, any action, or to permitting or suffering to exist any restriction, condition, limitation or requirement which, individually or together with all other such actions, restrictions, conditions, limitations or requirements would require any of Parent’s or Merger Sub’s respective Affiliates (other than Parent and Merger Sub, and after the Closing, the Group Companies) to commit to or effect, by consent decree, hold separate orders, or otherwise, the restructuring, reorganization, sale, divesture or disposition of such of its or any of its Affiliates’ or portfolio companies’ (in each ease, other than Parent and Merger Sub, and after the Closing, the Group Companies) assets, properties or businesses, or accept any prohibition or limitation on the ownership or operation of, or any arrangement that would apply to, any of its or any of its Affiliates’ or portfolio companies’ (in each ease, other than Parent and Merger Sub, and after the Closing, the Group Companies) assets, properties or businesses.
(d) Each party hereto shall, upon request by any other party, furnish such other party with all information concerning itself, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers and shareholders and such other matters as may be reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the Proxy Statement, the Schedule 13E-3, or any other statement, filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries to any Third Party or any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions.
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(e) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, at or prior to the Closing all things within its control which are reasonably necessary, proper or advisable and which are reasonably requested by Parent to facilitate the continuing operations of business of the Group Companies from and after the Closing, including using its commercially reasonable best efforts to procure the satisfaction of the closing conditions set forth in Section 7.02; provided, that any information provided pursuant to this Section 6.08(e) shall be subject to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreements; provided further, that any agreement, payment or obligation of, or to be made by, the Company or any other Group Companies as requested by Parent pursuant to this Section 6.08(e) (other than those in their nature to be carried out, incurred or otherwise completed prior to the Closing) shall be contingent upon the occurrence of the Effective Time.
Section 6.09 Obligations of Merger Sub.
Parent shall cause Merger Sub to perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Transactions on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Section 6.10 Participation in Litigation.
Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall give prompt notice to the Company, and the Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, of any Actions commenced or, to the knowledge of the Company on the one hand and the knowledge of Parent on the other hand, threatened against such party or its directors which relate to this Agreement and the Transactions. The Company shall give Parent reasonable opportunity to participate in the defense or settlement of any shareholder Action against the Company or its directors relating to this Agreement or the Transactions, and no such Action shall be settled without Parent’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
Section 6.11 Resignations.
Upon the written request of Parent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to cause to be delivered to Parent on the Closing Date duly signed resignations in a customary form, effective as of the Effective Time, of all independent directors of the Company.
Section 6.12 Public Announcements.
Except as required by applicable Law, the press release announcing the execution of this Agreement shall be issued only in such form as shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and Parent. So long as this Agreement is in effect and except as may be required by applicable Law, Parent and the Company shall consult with each other before issuing any press release, having any communication with the press (whether or not for attribution), making any other public statement or scheduling any press conference or conference call with investors or analysts with respect to this Agreement or the Transactions and, except in respect of any such press release, communication, other public statement, press conference or conference call as may be required by applicable Law or rules and policies of Nasdaq, shall not issue any such press release, have any such communication, make any such other public statement or schedule any such press conference or conference call prior to obtaining the consent (not to be unreasonably withheld) of such other party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictions set forth in this Section 6.12 shall not apply to any press release or announcement made or proposed to be made by the Company in connection with a Change in the Company Recommendation made in compliance with this Agreement.
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Section 6.13 Stock Exchange Delisting.
The Company shall cooperate with Parent and use reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws and rules and policies of Nasdaq to enable the delisting of the Shares and ADSs from Nasdaq and the deregistration of the Shares and ADSs under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time.
Section 6.14 Takeover Statutes.
If any Takeover Statute is or may become applicable to any of the Transactions, the parties hereto shall use their respective reasonable best efforts (a) to take all action necessary so that no Takeover Statute is or becomes applicable to any of the Transactions and (b) if any such Takeover Statute is or becomes applicable to any of the foregoing, to take all action necessary (including, in the case of the Company and the Company Board, grant all necessary approvals) so that the Transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated by this Agreement, including all actions to eliminate or lawfully minimize the effects of such Takeover Statute on the Transactions.
Section 6.15 No Amendment to Buyer Group Contracts.
Parent and Merger Sub shall not, and each shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the other Buyer Group Parties and Rollover Shareholders not to, enter into any Contract or amend, modify, withdraw or terminate any Buyer Group Contract or waive any rights thereunder, in each case, in a manner that would (i) result in a decrease in the number of the Rollover Shares of the Rollover Shareholders, other than as provided in the Support Agreement, (ii) individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to consummate the Merger and the other Transactions, (iii) be adverse to the rights of the Company to enforce certain terms thereof as a third party beneficiary, or (iv) prohibit or restrict any director, management member or employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries to take any actions described in Section 6.04 in connection with a Competing Transaction to the extent such actions are permitted to be taken by the Company thereunder. Parent and Merger Sub shall not, and shall use reasonable best efforts to procure that the other Buyer Group Parties and Rollover Shareholders shall not, enter into or modify any Contract pursuant to which any management members, directors or shareholders of the Company, or any of their respective Affiliates, receives any consideration or other economic value from any Person in connection with the Transactions that is not provided or expressly contemplated in the Buyer Group Contracts as of the date hereof, including any carried interest, share option, share appreciation right or other forms of equity or quasi-equity right.
Section 6.16 Actions Taken at Direction of Buyer Group Parties.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be deemed to be in breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement hereunder, if such breach or alleged breach is the proximate result of action or inaction taken by the Company at the direction of Parent, Merger Sub or the Chairman, regardless of whether there is any approval or direction of the Company Board or the Special Committee.
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Article VII
CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER
Section 7.01 Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party.
The obligations of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible under applicable Law) of the following conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Shareholder Approval. This Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions shall have been authorized and approved by holders of Shares constituting the Requisite Company Vote at the Shareholders Meeting in accordance with the CICA and the Company’s memorandum and articles of association.
(b) No Injunction. No Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or award, writ, injunction, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree or executive order (an “Order”), whether temporary, preliminary or permanent, which is then in effect or is pending or threatened, that has or would have the effect of enjoining, restraining, prohibiting or otherwise making illegal the consummation of the Transactions.
(c) Regulatory Approvals. All Requisite Regulatory Approvals shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect.
Section 7.02 Additional Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
The obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible under applicable Law) of the following additional conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Representations and Warranties. (i) Other than the representations and warranties of the Company contained in the first sentence of Section 3.01, Section 3.03(a), the first sentence of Section 3.03(b), Section 3.04(a), Section 3.04(b), and Section 3.04(c), the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (without giving effect to any qualification as to “materiality,” “Company Material Adverse Effect” or any similar standard or qualification set forth therein) shall be true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date and time (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of a specified time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time), except where the failure of such representations and warranties of the Company to be so true and correct do not constitute a Company Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties set forth in the first sentence of Section 3.03(b), Section 3.04(a), Section 3.04(b) and Section 3.04(c) shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date and time (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of a specified time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time), and (iii) the representations and warranties set forth in the first sentence of Section 3.01 and Section 3.03(a) shall be true and correct in all respects (except for de minimis inaccuracies) as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date and time (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of a specified time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time).
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(b) Agreements and Covenants. The Company shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Dissenting Shareholders. The holders of 15% or less of the Shares shall have validly served an initial written objection to the Merger under Section 238(2) of the CICA; provided, that, in the event that the holders of more than 15% of the Shares have validly served an initial written objection under Section 238(2) of the CICA, this Section 7.02(c) shall nevertheless be deemed satisfied if the holders of 15% or less of the Shares shall have then validly served a further written notice of dissent as required by Section 238(5) of the CICA.
(d) Officer Certificate. The Company shall have delivered to Parent a certificate, dated the Closing Date, signed by a senior executive officer of the Company, certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 7.02(a), Section 7.02(b), Section 7.02(c) and Section 7.02(e).
(e) No Material Adverse Effect. No Company Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred since the date of this Agreement and be continuing.
Section 7.03 Additional Conditions to the Obligations of the Company.
The obligations of the Company to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible under applicable Law) of the following additional conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any qualification as to “materiality” or similar standard or qualification set forth therein) as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date and time (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of a specified time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time), except where the failure of such representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub to be so true and correct, individually or in the aggregate, have not, and would not reasonably be expected to, prevent, materially delay or materially impede or impair the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions.
(b) Agreements and Covenants. Each of Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Officer Certificate. Parent shall have delivered to the Company a certificate, dated the date of the Closing, signed by an executive officer of Parent, certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 7.03(a) and Section 7.03(b).
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Section 7.04 Frustration of Closing Conditions.
Prior to the Long Stop Date, none of the Company, Parent or Merger Sub may rely on the failure of any condition set forth in Article VII to be satisfied if such failure was caused by such party’s failure to act in good faith to comply with this Agreement and consummate the Transactions.
Article VIII
TERMINATION
Section 8.01 Termination by Mutual Consent.
This Agreement may be terminated and the Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time by mutual written consent of Parent and the Company with the approval of their respective director(s) (or in the case of the Company, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee).
Section 8.02 Termination by Either the Company or Parent.
This Agreement may be terminated by either the Company (acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee) or Parent at any time prior to the Effective Time, if:
(a) the Effective Time shall not have occurred on or before October 11, 2024 (the “Long Stop Date”); provided, that if the condition set forth in Section 7.01(c) shall not have been satisfied or waived by the Long Stop Date, but all other conditions set forth in Article VII (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing) have been satisfied, the Company or Parent may extend the Long Stop Date to (x) April 11, 2025 by giving written notice of such extension to the other parties hereto for the purpose of satisfying any such condition, or (y) such other date mutually agreed by the Company and Parent if further extension beyond April 11, 2025 is required, and following such extension, the term “Long Stop Date” shall mean the later date to which the prior Long Stop Date has been extended; provided further that the party electing to extend the Long Stop Date has not materially breached this Agreement and caused the failure to satisfy the condition set forth in Section 7.01(c); or
(b) any Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any final and non-appealable Order, or taken any other final and non-appealable action, which has the effect of making consummation of the Transactions illegal or otherwise preventing or prohibiting consummation of the Transactions; or
(c) the Requisite Company Vote shall not have been obtained at the Shareholders Meeting duly convened therefor and concluded or at any adjournment thereof;
provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8.02 shall not be available to any party whose failure (in the case of Parent, including failure of Parent or Merger Sub) to fulfill any of its obligations under this Agreement has been a primary cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the applicable condition(s) being satisfied.
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Section 8.03 Termination by the Company.
This Agreement may be terminated by the Company (acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee) at any time prior to the Effective Time, if:
(a) a breach of any representation, warranty, agreement or covenant of Parent or Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred, which breach (i) would give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.03 and as a result of such breach, such condition would not be capable of being satisfied prior to the Long Stop Date, and (ii) is incapable of being cured or, if capable of being cured, is not cured by Parent or Merger Sub, as applicable, within thirty (30) days following receipt of written notice of such breach from the Company (or, if the Long Stop Date is less than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of receipt of such notice, by the Long Stop Date); provided, that the Company shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8.03(a) if the Company is then in breach of any representations, warranties, agreements or covenants of the Company hereunder that would give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.02;
(b) (i) all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.01 and Section 7.02 (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but each of which was at the time of termination capable of being satisfied as if such time were the Closing) have been satisfied, (ii) the Company has delivered to Parent an irrevocable written notice confirming that all of the conditions set forth Section 7.03 have been satisfied (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied by actions taken at the Closing), or that the Company is waiving any unsatisfied conditions in Section 7.03) and that it is ready, willing and able to consummate the Closing and (iii) either Parent or Merger Sub fails to complete the Closing within ten (10) Business Days following the later of (x) the date on which the Closing should have occurred pursuant to Section 1.02 and (y) the date on which the foregoing notice is delivered to Parent; or
(c) prior to the receipt of the Requisite Company Vote, (i) the Company Board (acting upon unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee) or the Special Committee (acting upon unanimous vote and to the extent it is within the authority of the Special Committee) shall have authorized the Company to terminate this Agreement and enter into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal pursuant to Section 6.04(d) and (ii) the Company concurrently with, or immediately after, the termination of this Agreement enters into the Alternative Acquisition Agreement with respect to the Superior Proposal referred to in the foregoing clause (i); provided, that the Company shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8.03(c) unless the Company has (A) complied with the requirements of Section 6.04 with respect to such Change in the Company Recommendation in all material respects and (B) complied with Section 8.06 and pays in full the Company Termination Fee no later than taking any action pursuant to this Section 8.03(c); or
(d) prior to the receipt of the Requisite Company Vote, the Company Board (acting upon unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee) or the Special Committee (acting upon unanimous vote and to the extent it is within the authority of the Special Committee) shall have effected a Change in the Company Recommendation or authorized the Company to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.04(e).
Section 8.04 Termination by Parent.
This Agreement may be terminated by Parent at any time prior to the Effective Time, if:
(a) a breach of any representation, warranty, agreement or covenant of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred, which breach (i) would give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.02 and as a result of such breach, such condition would not be capable of being satisfied prior to the Long Stop Date and (ii) is incapable of being cured or, if capable of being cured, is not cured by the Company within thirty (30) days following receipt of written notice of such breach from Parent or Merger Sub, as applicable (or, if the Long Stop Date is less than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of receipt of such notice, by the Long Stop Date); provided, that Parent shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8.04(a) if either Parent or Merger Sub is then in breach of any representations, warranties or covenants of Parent or Merger Sub hereunder that would give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.03; or
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(b) the Company Board or any committee thereof shall have effected a Change in the Company Recommendation.
Section 8.05 Effect of Termination.
In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, this Agreement shall forthwith become void, and there shall be no liability under this Agreement on the part of any party hereto (or any Representative of such party); provided, that the terms of Section 6.03(b), Section 6.12, Articles VIII and IX shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
Section 8.06 Termination Fee.
(a) In the event that:
(i) (A) a bona fide proposal or offer with respect to a Competing Transaction shall have been made, proposed or communicated (and not withdrawn), after the date hereof and prior to the Shareholders Meeting (or prior to the termination of this Agreement if there has been no Shareholders Meeting), (B) following the occurrence of an event described in the preceding clause (A), this Agreement is terminated by the Company or Parent pursuant to Section 8.02(a) or Section 8.02(c), and (C) within twelve (12) months after the termination of this Agreement, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries consummates any Competing Transaction with a Third Party, provided, that this subsection (C) shall nonetheless apply if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries enters into a definitive agreement in connection with any Competing Transaction with a Third Party within twelve (12) months after the termination of this Agreement, and the transaction contemplated under such definitive agreement is later consummated within the eighteen (18) months anniversary of the termination of this Agreement, (in each case whether or not the Competing Transaction was the same Competing Transaction referred to in clause (A)) (provided, that for purposes of this Section 8.06(a), all references to “15%” in the definition of “Competing Transaction” shall be deemed to be references to “50%”);
(ii) this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 8.04; or
(iii) this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Sections 8.03(c) or 8.03(d),
then the Company shall pay, or cause to be paid, to Parent or its designees an amount in cash equal to US$1,250,000 (the “Company Termination Fee”) by wire transfer of same day funds as promptly as possible (but in any event (x) concurrently with the consummation by the Company of a Competing Transaction in the case of a termination referred to in clause (i) above, (y) within five (5) Business Days after such termination in the case of a termination referred to in clause (ii) above, or (z) prior to or concurrently with the termination of this Agreement in case of a termination pursuant to clause (iii) above); it being agreed that in no event shall the Company be required to pay the Company Termination Fee more than once.
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(b) Parent shall pay, or cause to be paid, to the Company and/or Genetron Health (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (北京泛生子基因科技有限公司), a PRC Subsidiary of the Company an amount in cash equal to US$2,500,000 (and for the purpose of this Agreement, if any portion of such amount shall be paid to such PRC Subsidiary, the Renminbi equivalent of such portion at the U.S. dollars to Renminbi exchange rate published by The People’s Bank of China on 中国人民银行-货币政策司-人民币汇率-人民币汇率中间价公告(pbc.gov.cn) as of the date on which this Agreement is terminated, and if such termination date is a non-Business Day in PRC, as of the next succeeding Business Day in PRC) (the “Parent Termination Fee”) if this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 8.03(a) or Section 8.03(b), such payment to be made as promptly as possible (but in any event within five (5) Business Days after such termination by wire transfer of same day funds); it being agreed that in no event shall Parent be required to pay the Parent Termination Fee more than once.
(c) Except as otherwise specified in Section 8.06(d), all expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses, whether or not the Merger or any other Transaction is consummated.
(d) In the event that the Company fails to pay the Company Termination Fee, or Parent fails to pay the Parent Termination Fee, when due and in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement, the Company or Parent, as the case may be, shall reimburse the other party for reasonable costs and expenses actually incurred or accrued by the other party (including fees and expenses of counsel) in connection with the collection under and enforcement of this Section 8.06, together with interest on such unpaid Company Termination Fee or Parent Termination Fee, as the case may be, commencing on the date that the Company Termination Fee or Parent Termination Fee, as the case may be, became due, at the prime rate as published in The Wall Street Journal Table of Money Rates on such date plus 2.00% or a lesser rate that is the maximum permitted by applicable Law. Such collection expenses shall not otherwise diminish in any way the payment obligations hereunder.
(e) Each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub acknowledges that (i) the agreements contained in this Section 8.06 are an integral part of the Transactions, (ii) the damages resulting from termination of this Agreement under circumstances where a Company Termination Fee or Parent Termination Fee is payable are uncertain and incapable of accurate calculation and therefore, the amounts payable pursuant to Section 8.06(a) or Section 8.06(b) are not a penalty but rather constitute amounts akin to liquidated damages in a reasonable amount that will compensate Parent or the Company, as the case may be, for the efforts and resources expended and opportunities foregone while negotiating this Agreement and in reliance on this Agreement and on the expectation of the consummation of the Transactions, and (iii) without the agreements contained in this Section 8.06, the parties hereto would not have entered into this Agreement.
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(f) (i) Subject to Section 9.08, the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement and receive the Parent Termination Fee pursuant to Section 8.06(b), costs and expenses pursuant to Section 8.06(d) and the guarantee of such obligations pursuant to the Limited Guarantees (subject to its terms, conditions and limitations) shall be the sole and exclusive remedy (whether at law, in equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise) of any Group Company and all members of the Company Group against (A) Parent, Merger Sub, the Guarantors, the Chairman, Sponsors and the Rollover Shareholders, (B) the former, current and future direct or indirect holders of any equity, general or limited partnership or liability company interest, controlling persons, management companies, portfolio companies, incorporators, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys, representatives, Affiliates, members, managers, general or limited partners, stockholders, successors or assignees of Parent, Merger Sub, the Chairman, Sponsors, any Guarantor or Rollover Shareholder, (C) any lender or prospective lender, lead arranger, arranger, agent or representative of or to Parent, Merger Sub or any Guarantor or Rollover Shareholder, or (D) any former, current or future direct or indirect holders of any equity, general or limited partnership or limited liability company interest, controlling persons, management companies, portfolio companies, incorporators, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys, representatives, Affiliates, members, managers, general or limited partners, stockholders, successors or assignees of any of the foregoing (clauses (A) through (D) of this Section 8.06(f), collectively, the “Parent Group”), for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement (whether willfully, intentionally, unintentionally or otherwise) or failure to perform hereunder (whether willfully, intentionally, unintentionally or otherwise) or other failure of the Merger or the other Transactions to be consummated (whether willfully, intentionally, unintentionally or otherwise). For the avoidance of doubt, neither Parent nor any other member of the Parent Group shall have any liability of any kind or nature or arising in any circumstance in connection with this Agreement or any of the Transactions (including the Equity Commitment Letters, the Support Agreement and the Limited Guarantees) other than the payment of the Parent Termination Fee pursuant to Section 8.06(b), the costs and expenses pursuant to Section 8.06(d), and in no event shall any Group Company, or any of their respective Affiliates, members, managers, partners, representatives of the foregoing (collectively, the “Company Group”), seek, or permit to be sought, on behalf of any member of the Company Group, any monetary damages from any member of the Parent Group in connection with this Agreement or any of the Transactions (including the Equity Commitment Letters, the Support Agreement and the Limited Guarantees), other than (without duplication) from Parent or Merger Sub to the extent provided in Section 8.06(b) and Section 8.06(d), or the Guarantors to the extent provided in the Limited Guarantees.
(ii) Subject to Section 9.08, Parent’s right to terminate this Agreement and receive payment from the Company of the Company Termination Fee pursuant to Sections 8.06(a) and expenses under Section 8.06(d) shall be the sole and exclusive remedy (whether at Law, in equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise) of any member of the Parent Group against any member of the Company Group for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement or failure to perform hereunder or other failure of the Merger to be consummated. Neither the Company nor any other member of the Company Group shall have any liability of any kind or nature or arising in any circumstance in connection with this Agreement or any of the Transactions other than the payment by the Company of the Company Termination Fee pursuant to Sections 8.06(a) and the costs and expenses under Section 8.06(d), and in no event shall any of Parent, Merger Sub or any other member of the Parent Group seek, or permit to be sought, on behalf of any member of the Parent Group, any monetary damages from any member of the Company Group in connection with this Agreement or any of the Transactions, other than (without duplication) from the Company to the extent provided in Section 8.06(a) and Section 8.06(d).
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(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Equity Commitment Letters, the Support Agreement and the Limited Guarantees or any other document contemplated thereby or any document or instrument delivered in connection hereunder or thereunder (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), but subject to Section 9.08, the maximum aggregate liability, whether in equity or at Law, in contract, in tort or otherwise, of the Parent Group collectively (A) under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or (B) in connection with the failure of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereunder or under the Transaction Documents (including the Financing) to be consummated or (C) in respect of any representation or warranty made in connection with this Agreement, shall not exceed under any circumstances an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Parent Termination Fee, if any, due and owing to the Company pursuant to Section 8.06(b), and (ii) the amounts, if any, due and owing under Section 8.06(d). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein and for the avoidance of doubt, none of the foregoing in this Section 8.06 shall in any way restrict the Company’s right to equitable relief pursuant to Section 9.08.
Article IX
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 9.01 Survival.
The representations, warranties and agreements in this Agreement and in any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall terminate at the earlier of the Effective Time and termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, except that this Section 9.01 shall not limit any covenant or agreement of the parties hereto which by its terms contemplates performance after the Effective Time or termination of this Agreement, including the agreements set forth in Article I and Article II, Section 6.05, Article VIII and this Article IX.
Section 9.02 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 upon receipt) by delivery in person, by facsimile or email, or by international overnight courier to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 9.02):
(a) if to Parent or Merger Sub:
Mr. Sizhen
Wang
1-2/F, Building 11, Zone 1
No.8 Life Science Parkway
Changping District
Beijing, 102206
People’s Republic of China
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with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
30th Floor, China World Office 2
1 Jianguomenwai Avenue
Beijing 100004, People’s Republic of China
Attention: Peter X. Huang, Esq.
Email: Peter.Huang@skadden.com
(b) if to the Company:
1-2/F, Building 11, Zone 1
No.8 Life Science Parkway
Changping District
Beijing, 102206
People’s Republic of China
and
Walkers Corporate Limited
190 Elgin Avenue
George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-9008
Cayman Islands
(c) if to the Special Committee, addressed to the care of the Company, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
2201 China World Office 2
1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue
Chaoyang District
Beijing 100004
People’s Republic of China
Attention: Li He
Email: li.he@davispolk.com
Section 9.03 Certain Definitions.
(a) For purposes of this Agreement:
“Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement” means a confidentiality agreement that contains provisions that are no less favorable in the aggregate to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement; provided, that such agreement and any related agreements shall not include any provision calling for any exclusive right to negotiate with such party or having the effect of prohibiting the Company from satisfying its obligations under this Agreement.
“Affiliate” of a specified person means a person who, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified person; provided, that prior to the Closing, Parent, Merger Sub, the Rollover Shareholders, the Guarantors and their respective Affiliates (excluding the Group Companies) shall not be deemed to be Affiliates of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, and vice versa.
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“Anticorruption Law” means Laws relating to anti-bribery or anticorruption (governmental or commercial), which apply to the business and dealings of any Group Company, including Laws that prohibit the corrupt payment, offer, promise or authorization of the payment or transfer of anything of value (including gifts or entertainment), directly or indirectly, to any Government Official, government employee or commercial entity to obtain or retain business or a business advantage such as, without limitation, the PRC Criminal Law, the PRC Law on Anti-Unfair Competition adopted on September 2, 1993, the Interim Rules on Prevention of Commercial Bribery issued by the PRC State Administration of Industry and Commerce on November 15, 1996, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the United Kingdom Bribery Act 2010, each as amended from time to time, and all applicable Laws enacted to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials in International Business Transactions.
“beneficial owner” or “beneficially own” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which the banks in New York City, the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong or the People’s Republic of China are authorized by Law to be closed.
“Buyer Group Contracts” means, collectively, the Equity Commitment Letters, the Limited Guarantees, the Support Agreement, and the Interim Investor Agreement.
“Buyer Group Parties” means Parent, Merger Sub, each of the Guarantors or such other entities that are parties to the Interim Investor Agreement, and a “Buyer Group Party” means any of them.
“Chairman” means Mr. Sizhen Wang, Chairman of the Company Board.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company Disclosure Schedule” means the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to and accepted by Parent and Merger Sub on the date hereof.
“Company Employee Plan” means any plan, program, policy, practice, Contract or other arrangement providing for compensation, severance, termination pay, deferred compensation, performance awards, share or share-related awards, fringe benefits or other employee benefits or remuneration of any kind, whether written, unwritten or otherwise, that is or has been maintained, contributed to or required to be contributed to by any Group Company for the benefit of any current or former employee, director or officer of such Group Company, other than any employment Contract or compensatory agreement with a current or former employee, director or officer which is not maintained for the benefit of any group or class of employees.
“Company IT Assets” means all Software, systems, servers, computers, hardware, firmware, middleware, networks, data, data communications lines, routers, hubs, switches and all other information technology equipment, and all associated documentation owned by or licensed, pursuant to valid and enforceable license agreements, to the Company and its Subsidiaries.
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“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any fact, event, circumstance, change, condition, occurrence or effect that, individually or in the aggregate with all other facts, events, circumstances, changes, conditions, occurrences and effects, is or would reasonably be expected to (a) have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, assets or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) prevent or materially delay the consummation by the Company of the Transactions; provided, however, that the determination of whether a Company Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur under clause (a) above shall not take into account any fact, event, circumstance, change, condition, occurrence or effect following or resulting from (i) geopolitical conditions, any outbreak or escalation of war or major hostilities or any act of sabotage or terrorism or natural or man-made disasters or epidemic-induced public health crises or other force majeure events, (ii) changes in Laws, IFRS or enforcement or interpretation thereof, in each case proposed, adopted or enacted after the date of this Agreement, (iii) changes or conditions that generally affect the industry and market in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, including changes in interest rates or foreign exchange rates, (iv) changes in the financial, credit or other securities or capital markets, or in general economic, business, regulatory, legislative or political conditions, (v) the announcement, pendency or consummation of the Transactions, or identity of any member of the Parent Group, (vi) any action taken (or omitted to be taken) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries at the written request, or with the written consent, of Parent or Merger Sub or expressly required by this Agreement, (vii) any suit, claim, request for indemnification or proceeding brought by any current or former shareholder of the Company (on their own behalf or on behalf of the Company) for breach of the fiduciary duties, violation of securities Laws or otherwise in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions, (viii) any failure, in and of itself, of the Company and its Subsidiaries to meet any internal or published projections, estimates, budgets, plans or forecasts of revenues, earnings or other financial performance measures or operating statistics or predictions or changes in the market price or trading volume of the securities of such person or the credit rating of such person (it being understood that the underlying facts giving rise or contributing to such failure or change may be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse Effect if such facts are not otherwise excluded under this definition), or (ix) any matters set forth in the Company SEC Reports filed prior to the date of this Agreement; except, in the case of clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), to the extent having a materially disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other participants in the industry and geographic markets in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operates (in which case the incremental materially disproportionate impact or impacts may be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse Effect).
“Company Option” means each option to purchase Shares granted under the Company Share Plans at or prior to the Closing Date whether or not such option has become vested at or prior to the Closing Date in accordance with the terms thereof.
“Company Restricted Share” means each restricted share granted under the Company Share Plans at or prior to the Closing Date whether or not such restricted share has become vested at or prior to the Closing Date in accordance with the terms thereof.
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“Company RSU” means each restricted share unit granted under the Company Share Plans at or prior to the Closing Date whether or not such restricted share unit has become vested at or prior to the Closing Date in accordance with the terms thereof.
“Company Share Plans” means, collectively, 2019 Genetron Health Share Incentive Plan and 2019 Genetron Health Share Incentive Scheme of the Company.
“Competing Transaction” means any of the following (other than the Transactions): (i) any merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination, scheme of arrangement, amalgamation, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 15% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company or to which 15% or more of the total revenue or net income of the Company are attributable; (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of assets or businesses that constitute or represent 15% or more of the total revenue, net income or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iii) any sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of 15% or more of any class of Equity Securities of the Company, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for 15% or more of any class of Equity Securities of the Company; (iv) any tender offer or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in any person beneficially owning 15% or more of any class of Equity Securities of the Company; or (v) any combination of the foregoing.
“Confidentiality Agreement” means the confidentiality agreement, dated as of September 6, 2022, between the Company and the Chairman, as may be amended, revised, updated and restated from time to time.
“Contract” means any legally binding contract, agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument.
“control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) 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 or the possession of voting power, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise.
“Control Documents” means (i) the Shareholder Voting Rights Entrustment Agreement dated July 30, 2019 among Genetron Tianjin, Genetron Health and its shareholders, (ii) the Shareholder Voting Rights Entrustment Agreement dated December 7, 2020 among Genetron Wuxi Business Management, Genetron Wuxi Biotech and its shareholders, (iii) spousal consent letters signed by the spouse of each of Mr. Sizhen Wang, Mrs. Xiaoge Wang, Mrs. Shuyan Wei and Mr. Yuchen Jiao, (iv) the Equity Interest Pledge Agreement dated July 30, 2019 among Genetron Tianjin and its shareholders, (v) the Equity Interest Pledge Agreement dated August 10, 2023 among Genetron Wuxi Business Management, Genetron Wuxi Biotech and its shareholders, (vi) the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement dated July 2, 2019 between Genetron Tianjin and Genetron Health, (vii) the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement dated December 7, 2020 between Genetron Wuxi Business Management and Genetron Wuxi Biotech, (viii) the Exclusive Option Agreement dated July 30, 2019 among Genetron Tianjin, Genetron Health and its shareholders, and (ix) the Exclusive Option Agreement dated December 7, 2020 among Genetron Wuxi Business Management, Genetron Wuxi Biotech and its shareholders.
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“Controlled Entities” means the VIE Entities and their respective Subsidiaries.
“Environmental Laws” means any applicable PRC national, provincial or local Law, U.S. federal, state or local Law or applicable Laws of any other jurisdiction, relating to (a) pollution, (b) the protection of human health and safety (including workplace health and safety) or the environment, including the storage, use, transport or disposal of solid and hazardous waste, discharges of substances to surface water or groundwater, air emissions, recordkeeping, notification, disclosure and reporting requirements respecting Hazardous Substances, and all Laws relating to endangered or threatened species of fish, wildlife and plants and the management or use of natural resources, and (c) the handling, use, transportation, disposal, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Substance.
“Equity Securities” means any share, capital stock, registered capital, partnership, member or similar interest in any entity and any option, warrant, right or security convertible, exchangeable or exercisable therefor or any other instrument or right the value of which is based on any of the foregoing.
“Excluded Shares” means, collectively, (i) the Rollover Shares, (ii) Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) held by Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Subsidiaries, (iii) Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) held by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or held in the Company’s treasury, and (iv) 9,912,500 Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) recorded under the name of the Depositary as member in the register of members of the Company and reserved for issuance and allocation pursuant to the Company Share Plans.
“Exercise Price” means, with respect to any Company Option, the applicable exercise price per Share underlying such Company Option in accordance its terms and conditions thereof.
“Genetron Health” means Genetron Health (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
“Genetron Tianjin” means Genetron (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
“Genetron Wuxi Biotech” means Genetron (Wuxi) Biotech Co., Ltd.
“Genetron Wuxi Business Management” means Genetron (Wuxi) Business Management Co., Ltd.
“Government Official” means (a) any official, officer, employee or representative of, or other individual acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of, any Governmental Authority or agency or instrumentality thereof (including any state-owned or controlled enterprise), (b) any political party or party official or candidate for political office or (c) any company, business, enterprise or other entity owned, in whole or in part, or controlled by any person described in the foregoing clause (a) or (b) of this definition.
“Group Company” means any of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Hazardous Substance” means any materials, chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic or hazardous substances, including (a) those listed, classified or regulated under any Environmental Law as hazardous substance, toxic substance, pollutant, contaminant or oil, (b) those that can cause harm to living organisms, human welfare, or the environment, (c) those whose presence, handling, or management requires registration, authorization, investigation or remediation under Environmental Laws and (d) any petroleum product or by product, asbestos containing material, polychlorinated biphenyl, radioactive material, lead, pesticides, natural gas and nuclear fuel.
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“Hong Kong” means the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any person, (a) all indebtedness of such person, whether or not contingent, for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such person for the deferred purchase price of property or services, (c) all obligations of such person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (d) all obligations of such person under currency, interest rate or other swaps, and all hedging and other obligations of such person under other derivative instruments, (e) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (f) all obligations of such person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with IFRS, recorded as capital leases, (g) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such person under acceptance, letter of credit or similar facilities, (h) all obligations of such person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire for value any share capital of such person or any warrants, rights or options to acquire such share capital, valued, in the case of redeemable preferred shares, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends, (i) all Indebtedness of others referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such person, and (j) all Indebtedness referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Liens on property (including accounts and contract rights) owned by such person, even though such person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Indebtedness.
“Insolvent” means, with respect to any person (a) the present fair saleable value of such person’s assets is less than the amount required to pay such person’s total Indebtedness, (b) such person is unable to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such person intends to incur or believes that it will incur debts that would be beyond its ability to pay as such debts mature, or (d) such person has unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted.
“Intellectual Property” means all rights, anywhere in the world, in or to: (a) patents, patent applications (and any patents that issue from those patent application), certificates of invention, substitutions relating to any of the patents and patent applications, utility models, inventions and discoveries, statutory invention registrations, mask works, invention disclosures, industrial designs, community designs and other designs, and any other governmental grant for the protection of inventions or designs; (b) Trademarks; (c) works of authorship (including Software) and copyrights, and moral rights, design rights and database rights therein and thereto, whether or not registered; (d) confidential and proprietary information, including trade secrets, know-how and invention rights; (e) rights of privacy and publicity; (f) registrations, applications, renewals, reissues, reexaminations, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisions, extensions, and foreign counterparts for any of the foregoing in clauses (a) through (e); and (g) any and all other intellectual property or proprietary rights.
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“Interim Investor Agreement” means the Interim Investor Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Sponsors, the Chairman, Parent and Merger Sub.
“Intervening Event” means any material event, development or change that occurs or arises after the date hereof affecting or with respect to the Group Companies or their business, assets or operations that was unknown and not reasonably foreseeable to the Company as of the date hereof; provided, that in no event shall the receipt, existence of or terms of an Competing Transaction or Superior Proposal or any inquiry relating thereto or the consequences thereof constitute an Intervening Event.
“IT Assets” means any and all computers, Software, hardware, systems, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications lines and other information technology equipment, and all associated documentation.
“knowledge” means, (i) with respect to the Company, the actual knowledge of the individuals listed in Section 9.03(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and (ii) with respect to any other party hereto, the actual knowledge of any director or executive officer of such party; in each case, after due inquiry.
“Law” means any federal, state, local, national, supranational, foreign or administrative law (including common law), statute, code, rule, regulation, rules of the relevant stock exchange on which the relevant parties’ securities are listed, Order or ordinance of any Governmental Authority.
“Leased Real Property” means all material leasehold or subleasehold estates and other material rights to use or occupy any land, buildings, structures, improvements, fixtures or other interest in real property held by any Group Company.
“Leases” means all leases, subleases, licenses, concessions and other agreements (written or oral), including all amendments, extensions, renewals, guarantees and other agreements with respect thereto, pursuant to which any Group Company holds any Leased Real Property, including the right to all security deposits and other amounts and instruments deposited by or on behalf of any Group Company, that are material to the business of the Group Companies, taken as a whole.
“Liens” means any security interest, pledge, hypothecation, mortgage, lien (including environmental and Tax liens), violation, charge, lease, license, encumbrance, servient easement, adverse claim, reversion, reverter, preferential arrangement, restrictive covenant, condition or restriction of any kind, including any right of first refusal, right of first offer, call option, and any other restriction on the use, voting, transfer, receipt of income or other exercise of any attributes of ownership.
“ODI Approval” means outbound direct investment and foreign exchange approvals from the applicable PRC governmental authorities (i.e., (i) the National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC or its competent local counterparts, (ii) the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC or its competent local counterparts, and (iii) SAFE or its competent local counterparts, including the banks designated thereof) in connection with investments by (a) Tianjin Kangyue Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) 天津康悦企业管理合伙企业（有限合伙）, (b) CCB (Beijing) Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd. 建信（北京）投资基金管理有限责任公司 and (c) Wuxi Huihongyingkang Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership) 无锡惠宏赢康投资合伙企业（有限合伙） (such entities in the foregoing clauses (a) through (c), the “ODI Sponsors”) in Parent and participation of the Transaction, to the extent necessary and applicable.
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“Permitted Encumbrances” means (a) real estate Taxes, assessments and other governmental levies, fees or charges imposed with respect to such real property which are not due and payable as of the Closing Date, or which are being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with IFRS, (b) mechanics liens and similar liens for labor, materials or supplies provided with respect to such real property incurred in the ordinary course of business for amounts which are not due and payable and which shall be paid in full and released at Closing, (c) zoning, building codes and other land use Laws regulating the use or occupancy of such real property or the activities conducted thereon which are imposed by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over such real property which are not violated by the current use or occupancy of such real property or the operation of the business thereon, (d) easements, covenants, conditions, restrictions and other similar matters of record affecting title to such real property which do not or would not materially impair the use or occupancy of such real property in the operation of the business conducted thereon, (e) non-exclusive licenses of Intellectual Property granted by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, (f) Liens imposed by applicable Law, and (g) any other Liens that have been incurred or suffered in the ordinary course of business and that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
“person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, syndicate, person (including a “person” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), trust, association or entity or government, political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of a government.
“Personal Data” means: (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, email address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, credit card number, biometric identifier, or any other data that alone or in combination with other data held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries allows identification of a natural person, and (ii) any other data defined as “personal data,” “personally identifiable information,” “nonpublic personal information,” “customer proprietary network information,” “individually identifiable health information,” “protected health information,” or “personal information” under any Law.
“PRC” means the People’s Republic of China excluding, for the purposes of this Agreement, Hong Kong, the Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.
“Privacy Law” means any Law applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries governing privacy, data protection, or data security with respect to the Processing of Personal Data by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Privacy Policy” means each published privacy policy, privacy notice, or privacy statement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ Processing of Personal Data.
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“Processing” or “Processed” means, with respect to any Personal Data, any operation or set of operations performed thereon, whether or not by automated means, including adaptation, alignment, alteration, collection, combination, compilation, consultation, creation, destruction, disclosure, disposal, dissemination, erasure, interception, maintenance, making available, organization, recording, restriction, retention, and retrieval, storage, structuring, transmission, and use.
“Prohibited Person” means any person that is (a) a national or resident of any U.S. embargoed or restricted country; (b) included on, or affiliated with any person on, the United States Commerce Department’s Denied Parties List, Entities and Unverified Lists, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals, Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers or Specially Designated Terrorists, or the Annex to Executive Order No. 13224, the Department of State’s Debarred List, UN Sanctions; or (c) a person with whom business transactions, including exports and re-exports, are restricted by a U.S. Governmental Authority, including, in each clause above, any updates or revisions to the foregoing and any newly published rules.
“RMB” means Renminbi (Chinese yuan), the lawful currency of the PRC.
“Rollover Shareholders” means the holders of Rollover Shares set forth on Schedule A attached hereto.
“Rollover Shares” means Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) held by the Rollover Shareholders as of the date hereof as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto.
“SAFE” means the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC.
“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SAFE Rules and Regulations” means the SAFE Circular 37, SAFE Circular 7, SAFE Circular 75, SAFE Circular 78 and any other applicable rules, regulations, guidelines and reporting and registration requirements issued by SAFE. For the purpose of this definition, (i) “SAFE Circular 37” means the Notice on Issues Relating to the Administration of Foreign Exchange in Overseas Investment and Financing and Reverse Investment Activities of Domestic Residents Conducted via Special Purpose Vehicles issued by SAFE on July 14, 2014, which became effective as of July 14, 2014, or any successor rule or regulation under PRC Law; (ii) “SAFE Circular 7” means the Notice on Issues Relating to the Administration of Foreign Exchange for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Listed Company issued by SAFE on February 15, 2012, which became effective as of February 15, 2012, or any successor rule or regulation under PRC Law; (iii) “SAFE Circular 75” means the Notice Regarding Certain Administrative Measures on Financing and Inbound Investments by PRC Residents Through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles issued by SAFE on October 21, 2005, which became effective as of November 1, 2005 and replaced by SAFE Circular 37 on July 14, 2014; and (iv) “SAFE Circular 78” means the Operation Rules on the Foreign Exchange Administration on the Participation by Domestic Individuals in the Employee Stock Ownership Plans, Stock Option Plans of Offshore Listed Companies issued by SAFE on March 28, 2007, which became effective as of March 28, 2007 and replaced by SAFE Circular 7 on February 15, 2012.
“Shares” means the ordinary shares, par value US$0.00002 per share, issued by the Company, including such shares represented by the ADSs.
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“Shareholders Meeting” means a general meeting of the Company’s shareholders (including any adjournments or postponements thereof) to be held to consider the authorization and approval of this Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the Transactions.
“Software” means all (a) computer programs, applications, systems and code, including software implementations of algorithms, models and methodologies, program interfaces, and source code and object code, and firmware, operating systems and specifications, (b) Internet and intranet websites, databases and compilations, including data and collections of data, whether machine-readable or otherwise, (c) development and design tools, library functions and compilers, (d) technology supporting websites, and the contents and audiovisual displays of websites, and (e) media, documentation and other works of authorship, including user manuals, training materials, descriptions, flow charts and other work products relating to or embodying any of the foregoing or on which any of the foregoing is recorded.
“Sponsor” means, collectively, (a) Tianjin Kangyue Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) 天津康悦企业管理合伙企业（有限合伙）, (b) CCB (Beijing) Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd. 建信（北京）投资基金管理有限责任公司, (c) Wuxi Huihongyingkang Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership) 无锡惠宏赢康投资合伙企业（有限合伙）, (d) Wealth Strategy Holding Limited, (e) 锡洲国际有限公司Surrich International Company Limited and (f) CICC Healthcare Investment Fund, L.P.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any party, any person (a) of which such party or any other Subsidiary of such party is a general or managing partner, (b) of which at least a majority of the securities (or other interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other performing similar functions with respect to such corporation or other organization) is, directly or indirectly, owned or controlled by such party or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such party and one or more of its Subsidiaries, (c) of which at least a majority of the economic interests is, directly or indirectly, owned or controlled by such party or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such party and one or more of its Subsidiaries, including interests held through a “variable interest entity” structure or other similar arrangements, or (d) whose assets and financial results are consolidated with the net earnings of such party and are recorded on the books of such party for financial reporting purposes in accordance with IFRS.
“Superior Proposal” means a bona fide written proposal or offer with respect to a Competing Transaction, which was not obtained in violation of Section 6.04, that would result in any person (or its shareholders, members or other equity owners) becoming the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of no less than 50% of the assets (on a consolidated basis), or no less than 50% of the total voting power of the Equity Securities, of the Company that the Company Board has determined in its good faith judgment, upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel), (i) is reasonably likely to be consummated in accordance with its terms, taking into account all legal, financial and regulatory aspects of the proposal (including financing, regulatory or other consents and approvals, shareholder litigation, the identity of the person making the proposal, breakup or termination fee and expense reimbursement provisions, expected timing, risk and likelihood of consummation and other relevant events and circumstances), and (ii) would, if consummated, result in a transaction more favorable to the Company’s shareholders (other than the holders of Excluded Shares) solely from a financial point of view than the Transactions (including the effect of any termination fee or provision relating to the reimbursement of expenses), provided, that no offer or proposal shall be deemed to be a “Superior Proposal” if any financing required to consummate the transaction contemplated by such offer or proposal is not fully committed or if the receipt of any such financing is a condition to the consummation of such transaction.
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“Systems” means all information technology networks, systems, devices and other equipment owned or otherwise within the possession or control of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, statement, report estimate, form or information return relating to Taxes filed or required to be filed with a Governmental Authority, and any schedules or amendments thereof.
“Taxes” means any and all taxes, fees, levies, duties, tariffs, imposts and other charges of any kind (together with any and all interest, penalties, additions to tax and additional amounts imposed with respect thereto) imposed by any Governmental Authority or taxing authority, including taxes or other charges on or with respect to income, franchise, windfall or other profits, gross receipts, occupation, property, real estate, deed, land use, sales, use, capital stock, payroll, severance, employment (including withholding obligations imposed on employer/payer), social security, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation or net worth; taxes or other charges in the nature of excise, withholding (as payor or payee), ad valorem, stamp, transfer, value-added or gains taxes; license, registration and documentation fees; and customers’ duties, tariffs and similar charges.
“Third Party” means any person or “group” (as defined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of persons, other than Parent, Merger Sub or any of its Affiliates or Representatives.
“Trademarks” means trademarks, service marks, logos, slogans, brand names, domain names, uniform resource locators, trade dress, trade names, corporate names, geographical indications and other identifiers of source or goodwill, including the goodwill symbolized thereby or associated therewith, in any and all jurisdictions, whether or not registered.
“VIE Entities” means Genetron Health and Genetron Wuxi Biotech collectively, and “VIE Entity” means any of them.
(b) The following terms have the meaning set forth in the Sections set forth below:
| Defined Term | Location of Definition |
| Action | Section 3.10 |
| ADS | Section 2.01(b) |
| ADSs | Section 2.01(b) |
| Agreement | Preamble |
| Alternative Acquisition Agreement | Section 6.04(c) |
| Arbitrator | Section 9.09(b) |
| Change in the Company Recommendation | Section 6.04(c) |
| CICA | Recitals |
| Closing | Section 1.02 |
| Closing Date. | Section 1.02 |
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| Company | Preamble |
| Company Board | Recitals |
| Company Group | Section 8.06(f)(i) |
| Company Owned Software | Section 3.14(g) |
| Company Recommendation | Section 3.04(c) |
| Company Representatives | Section 3.06(d) |
| Company SEC Reports | Section 3.07(a) |
| Company Termination Fee | Section 8.06(a)(iii) |
| Damages | Section 6.05(c) |
| Depositary | Section 2.06 |
| Dissenting Shareholders | Section 2.03(a) |
| Dissenting Shares, | Section 2.03(a) |
| Effective Time | Section 1.03 |
| Employee | Section 3.12(a) |
| Enforceability Exceptions | Section 3.04(b) |
| Environmental Permits | Section 3.18 |
| Equity Commitment Letter | Section 3.18 |
| Equity Financing | Section 3.18 |
| Exchange Act | Section 3.03(c) |
| Exchange Fund | Section 2.04(a) |
| Financial Advisor | Section 3.04(d) |
| Financing | Section 3.18 |
| Governmental Authority | Section 3.05(a) |
| Guarantors | Recitals |
| HKIAC | Section 9.09(b) |
| IFRS | Section 3.07(b) |
| Indemnified Parties | Section 6.05(b) |
| Limited Guarantee | Recitals |
| Long Stop Date | Section 8.02(a) |
| Material Company Permits | Section 3.06(a) |
| Material Contracts | Section 3.17(a) |
| Maximum Annual Premium | Section 6.05(b) |
| Merger | Recitals |
| Merger Consideration | Section 2.04(a) |
| Merger Sub | Preamble |
| Nasdaq | Section 3.03(c) |
| Notice of Superior Proposal | Section 6.04(d) |
| Order | Section 7.01(b) |
| Parent | Preamble |
| Parent Group | Section 8.06(f)(i) |
| Parent Termination Fee | Section 8.06(b) |
| Paying Agent | Section 2.04(a) |
| Per ADS Merger Consideration | Section 2.01(b) |
| Per Share Merger Consideration | Section 2.01(a) |
| Plan of Merger | Section 1.03 |
| Proxy Statement | Section 6.01(a) |
| Record Date | Section 6.02(a) |
| Registrar of Companies | Section 1.03 |
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| Representatives | Section 6.03(a) |
| Requisite Company Vote | Section 3.04(a) |
| Requisite Regulatory Approvals | Section 3.05(a) |
| Schedule 13E-3 | Section 6.01(a) |
| Securities Act | Section 3.07(a) |
| Share Certificates | Section 2.04(b) |
| Special Committee | Recitals |
| Superior Proposal Notice Period | Section 6.04(d) |
| Support Agreement | Recitals |
| Surviving Company | Recitals |
| Takeover Statute | Section 3.18 |
| Trade Secrets | Section 3.14(h) |
| Transaction Documents | Section 8.06(f)(iii) |
| Transactions | Recitals |
| Uncertificated Shares | Section 2.04(b) |
Section 9.04 Severability.
If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the Transactions is not affected in any manner adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the Transactions be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
Section 9.05 Interpretation.
When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, Article, Annex or Schedule such reference shall be to a Section, Article, Annex or Schedule of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement or in any Annex or Schedule are for convenience of reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. All words used in this Agreement will be construed to be of such gender or number as the circumstances require. Any capitalized terms used in any Annex or Schedule but not otherwise defined therein shall have the meaning set forth in this Agreement. All Annexes or Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth herein. The word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement will mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the plural forms of such terms and to the masculine as well as to the feminine and neuter genders of such term. Any agreement, instrument or statute defined or referred to herein or in any agreement or instrument that is referred to herein means such agreement, instrument or statute as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, including (in the case of agreements or instruments) by waiver or consent and (in the case of statutes) by succession of comparable successor statutes and references to all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein. References to a person are also to its permitted successors and assigns. References to clauses without a cross-reference to a Section or subsection are references to clauses within the same Section or, if more specific, subsection. References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively. The symbol “$” or “US$” refers to United States Dollars. All “$” amounts used in Article III and Article V include the equivalent amount denominated in other currencies. 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.” References to “day” mean a calendar day unless otherwise indicated as a “Business Day.”
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Section 9.06 Entire Agreement; Assignment.
This Agreement (including the Annexes and Schedules hereto), the Company Disclosure Schedule and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, between any parties hereto, with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall not be assigned (whether pursuant to a merger, by operation of law or otherwise), except that Parent and Merger Sub may assign all or any of their rights and obligations hereunder to any Affiliate of Parent, provided, that no such assignment shall relieve the assigning party of its obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations. Any purported assignment in violation of this Section 9.06 is void.
Section 9.07 Parties in Interest.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, other than Section 6.05, Section 8.06(a) and Section 8.06(f) (which are intended to be for the benefit of the persons covered thereby and may be enforced by such persons); provided, however, that in no event shall any holders of Shares or holders of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares, in each case in their capacity as such, have any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
Section 9.08 Specific Performance.
(a) Subject to Section 9.08(b) and Section 9.08(c), the parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement is not performed in accordance with the terms hereof by the parties, and that money damages or other legal remedies may not be an adequate remedy for such damages. Accordingly, subject to Section 9.08(b) and Section 9.08(c), the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that in the event of any breach by the Company, on the one hand, or Parent or Merger Sub, on the other hand, of any of their respective covenants or obligations set forth in this Agreement, Parent or Merger Sub, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, shall, subject to Section 8.06, each be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof (including the obligation of the parties to consummate the Merger, subject in each case to the terms and conditions of this Agreement), including an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement by any party, in addition to any other remedy at law or equity.
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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions and the Company’s right to seek or obtain an injunction or injunctions, or other appropriate form of specific performance or equitable relief, in each case, with respect to causing Parent or Merger Sub to cause the Equity Financing to be funded at any time or to effect the Closing in accordance with Section 1.02, on the terms and subject to the conditions in this Agreement, shall be subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions: (i) all conditions in Section 7.01 and Section 7.02 (other than those conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing) have been satisfied or waived, (ii) Parent and Merger Sub fail to complete the Closing by the date the Closing is required to have occurred pursuant to Section 1.02, and (iii) the Company has irrevocably confirmed in writing that (A) all conditions set forth in Section 7.03 have been satisfied or that it is waiving any of the conditions to the extent not so satisfied in Section 7.03 and (B) if specific performance is granted and the Equity Financing is funded, the Closing will occur.
(c) Each party waives (i) any defenses in any action for an injunction or other appropriate form of specific performance or equitable relief, including the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate and (ii) any requirement under any Law to post a bond or other security as a prerequisite to obtaining an injunction or other appropriate form of specific performance or equitable relief. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) while the parties hereto may pursue both a grant of specific performance and the payment of the amounts set forth in Section 8.06, neither Parent and Merger Sub, on the one hand, nor the Company, on the other hand, shall be permitted or entitled to receive both a grant of specific performance that results in a Closing and payment of such amounts, and (y) upon the payment of such amounts, the remedy of specific performance shall not be available against the party making such payment and, if such party is Parent or Merger Sub, any other member of the Parent Group or, if such party is the Company, any other member of the Company Group.
(d) This Section 9.08 shall not be deemed to alter, amend, supplement or otherwise modify the terms of any Equity Commitment Letters (including the expiration or termination provisions thereof).
Section 9.09 Governing Law; Dispute Resolution.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof or of any other jurisdiction that would subject such matter to the Laws of another jurisdiction, except that the following matters arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the Cayman Islands in respect of which the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Cayman Islands: the Merger, the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of each of Merger Sub and the Company in the Surviving Company, the cancellation of the Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs), the rights provided for in Section 238 of the CICA with respect to any Dissenting Shares, the fiduciary or other duties of the Company Board and the directors of Merger Sub and the internal corporate affairs of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub.
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(b) Subject to Section 9.08, Section 9.09(a) and the last sentence of this Section 9.09(b), any disputes, actions and proceedings against any party or arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement shall be submitted to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (“HKIAC”) and resolved in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of HKIAC in force at the relevant time and as may be amended by this Section 9.09. The seat of arbitration shall be Hong Kong. The official language of the arbitration shall be English and the arbitration tribunal shall consist of three arbitrators (each, an “Arbitrator”). The claimant(s) shall nominate jointly one Arbitrator; the respondent(s) shall nominate jointly one Arbitrator; and a third Arbitrator will be nominated jointly by the first two Arbitrators and shall serve as chairman of the arbitration tribunal. In the event the claimant(s) or respondent(s) or the first two Arbitrators shall fail to nominate or agree the joint nomination of an Arbitrator or the third Arbitrator within the time limits specified by the Rules, such Arbitrator shall be appointed promptly by the HKIAC. The arbitration tribunal shall have no authority to award punitive or other punitive-type damages. The award of the arbitration tribunal shall be final and binding upon the disputing parties. Any party to an award may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for enforcement of such award and, for purposes of the enforcement of such award, the parties irrevocably and unconditionally submit to the jurisdiction of any court of competent jurisdiction and waive any defenses to such enforcement based on lack of personal jurisdiction or inconvenient forum.
(c) EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY OF THE AGREEMENTS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THE MERGER AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. 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 EITHER OF SUCH WAIVERS, (B) IT UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH WAIVERS, (C) IT MAKES SUCH WAIVERS VOLUNTARILY, AND (D) IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.09(c).
Section 9.10 Amendment.
This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto at any time prior to the Effective Time by action taken (a) with respect to Parent and Merger Sub, by or on behalf of their respective director, and (b) with respect to the Company, by the Company Board (upon recommendation of the Special Committee); provided, however, that, after the approval of this Agreement and the Transactions by the shareholders of the Company, no amendment may be made that would reduce the amount or change the type of consideration into which each Share (including Shares represented by ADSs) shall be converted upon consummation of the Merger. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the parties hereto.
Section 9.11 Waiver.
At any time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may by action taken (a) with respect to Parent and Merger Sub, by or on behalf of their respective director and (b) with respect to the Company, by action taken by or on behalf of the Company Board (upon recommendation of the Special Committee), (i) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of any other party hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of any other party contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto and (iii) waive compliance with any agreement of any other party or any condition to its own obligations contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby. No failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
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Section 9.12 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile or email transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective directors or officers thereunto duly authorized.
| New Genetron Holding Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Sizhen Wang | |
| Name: Sizhen Wang | ||
| Title: Director | ||
| GENETRON NEW CO LIMITED | ||
| By: | /s/ Sizhen Wang | |
| Name: Sizhen Wang | ||
| Title: Director | ||
| Genetron Holdings Limited | ||
| 泛生子基因(控股)有限公司 | ||
| By: | /s/ Wing Kee Lau | |
| Name: Wing Kee Lau | ||
| Title: Director | ||
[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]
ANNEX A
PLAN OF MERGER
THIS PLAN OF MERGER is made on [date].
BETWEEN
(1) Genetron New Co Limited, an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on November 23, 2022, with its registered office situated at the offices of ICS Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited, 3-212 Governors Square, 23 Lime Tree Bay Avenue, P.O. Box 30746, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman KY1-1203, Cayman Islands (“Merger Sub”); and
(2) Genetron Holdings Limited 泛生子基因(控股)有限公司, an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands on April 9, 2018, with its registered office situated at the offices of Walkers Corporate Limited, 190 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-9008, Cayman Islands (the “Company” or the “Surviving Company” and together with Merger Sub, the “Constituent Companies”).
WHEREAS
(a) Merger Sub and the Company have agreed to merge (the “Merger”) on the terms and conditions contained or referred to in an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) dated October 11, 2023 by and between New Genetron Holding Limited, Merger Sub and the Company, a copy of which is attached as Appendix I to this Plan of Merger and under the provisions of Part XVI of the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the “CICA”), pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company and cease to exist, and the Surviving Company will continue as the surviving company in the Merger.
(b) This Plan of Merger is made in accordance with section 233 of the CICA.
(c) Terms used in this Plan of Merger and not otherwise defined in this Plan of Merger shall have the meanings given to them in the Agreement.
WITNESSETH
CONSTITUENT COMPANIES
1. The constituent companies (as defined in the CICA) to the Merger are Merger Sub and the Company.
NAME OF THE SURVIVING COMPANY
2. The surviving company (as defined in the CICA) is the Surviving Company and its name shall continue to be “Genetron Holdings Limited” in English and “泛生子基因(控股)有限公司” in Chinese.
REGISTERED OFFICE
3. The Surviving Company shall have its registered office at [•].
AUTHORIZED AND ISSUED SHARE CAPITAL; SHARE RIGHTS
4. Immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined below) the authorized share capital of Merger Sub was US$50,000 divided into 500,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each, of which one (1) share has been issued.
5. Immediately prior to the Effective Time, the authorized share capital of the Company was US$50,000 divided into 2,500,000,000 Shares of a par value of US$0.00002 each, of which [●] Shares have been issued and fully paid.
6. At the Effective Time, the authorized share capital of the Surviving Company shall be US$50,000 divided into 500,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$ 0.0001 each.
7. At the Effective Time, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement:
(a) Each Share of par value US$0.00002 per share, of the Company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than the Shares represented by ADSs, Excluded Shares and the Dissenting Shares) shall be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration, being US$0.272 per Share.
(b) Each Share of par value US$0.00002 per share, of the Company issued and outstanding which is represented by an ADS (other than ADSs representing Excluded Shares) immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be cancelled in exchange for the right to receive the Per ADS Merger Consideration, being US$1.36 per ADS.
(c) Each of the Excluded Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be cancelled and cease to exist without payment of any consideration or distribution therefor other than as set forth in the Support Agreement.
(d) Each of the Dissenting Shares shall be cancelled and shall cease to exist in accordance with Section 2.03 of the Agreement and thereafter represent only the right to receive the applicable payments set forth in Section 2.03 of the Agreement.
(e) Each ordinary share, par value US$0.0001 per share, of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one (1) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable ordinary share, par value US$0.0001 per share, of the Surviving Company. Such ordinary shares shall constitute the only issued and outstanding share capital of the Surviving Company, which shall be reflected in the register of members of the Surviving Company.
8. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Merger Consideration shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement.
9. At the Effective Time, the rights and restrictions attaching to the ordinary shares of the Surviving Company are set out in the Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Surviving Company in the form attached as Appendix II to this Plan of Merger.
EFFECTIVE TIME
10. In accordance with section 233(13) of the CICA, the Merger shall be effective on the date that this Plan of Merger is registered by the Registrar of Companies and subject to the foregoing, the Merger shall take effect on [●] (the “Effective Time”).
PROPERTY
11. At the Effective Time, the rights, property of every description including choses in action, and the business, undertaking, goodwill, benefits, immunities and privileges of each of the Constituent Companies shall immediately vest in the Surviving Company, and, subject to any specific arrangements entered into by the relevant parties, the Surviving Company shall be liable for and subject, in the same manner as the Constituent Companies, to all mortgages, charges, or security interests and all contracts, obligations, claims, debts and liabilities of each of the Constituent Companies, in accordance with section 236 of the CICA.
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
12. The memorandum and articles of association of the Company shall be amended and restated by their deletion in their entirety and substitution in their place of the Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Surviving Company in the form attached as Appendix II to this Plan of Merger at the Effective Time.
DIRECTORS BENEFITS
13. There are no amounts or benefits payable to the directors of the Constituent Companies on the Merger becoming effective.
DIRECTORS OF THE SURVIVING COMPANY
14. The names and addresses of the directors of the Surviving Company are as follows:
| NAME | ADDRESS |
| [●] | [●] |
SECURED CREDITORS
15. (a) Merger Sub has no secured creditors and has not granted any other fixed or floating security interests as at the date of this Plan of Merger; and
(b) [The Company has no secured creditors and has granted no fixed or floating security interests that are outstanding as at the date of this Plan of Merger.]
RIGHT OF TERMINATION
16. This Plan of Merger may be terminated or amended pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Agreement at any time prior to the Effective Time.
AMENDMENTS
17. At any time prior to the Effective Time, this Plan of Merger may be amended by the board of directors of both the Surviving Company and Merger Sub in accordance with Section 235(1) of the CICA, including to effect any other changes to this Plan of Merger which the directors of both the Surviving Company and Merger Sub deem advisable, provided, that such changes do not materially adversely affect any rights of the shareholders of the Surviving Company or Merger Sub, as determined by the directors of both the Surviving Company and Merger Sub, respectively.
APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION
18. This Plan of Merger has been approved by the board of directors of each of Merger Sub and the Company pursuant to Section 233(3) of the CICA.
19. This Plan of Merger has been authorized by the shareholders of each of Merger Sub and the Company pursuant to Section 233(6) of the CICA.
COUNTERPARTS
20. This Plan of Merger may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile or email transmission) in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
GOVERNING LAW
21. This Plan of Merger shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands.
[Signature Page Follows]
For and on behalf of Genetron New Co Limited:
| [Name] | |
| Director |
For and on behalf of Genetron Holdings Limited 泛生子基因(控股)有限公司:
| [Name] | |
| Director |
APPENDIX I
(the Agreement)
APPENDIX II
(Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Surviving Company)
SCHEDULE A
ROLLOVER SHARES
| Name of Rollover Shareholder | Rollover Shares | Parent Shares Received for Rollover |
| FHP Holdings Limited | 10,814,480 | 10,814,480 |
| Yan Hai | 20,153,000 | 20,153,000 |
| Genetron Voyage Holdings Limited | 6,263,000 | 6,263,000 |
| Genetron United Holdings Limited | 7,687,000 | 7,687,000 |
| Eugene Health Limited | 2,359,000 | 2,359,000 |
| IN Healthcare Limited | 8,788,000 | 8,788,000 |
| EASY BENEFIT INVESTMENT LIMITED | 20,865,500 | 20,865,500 |
| Tianjin Kangyue Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) 天津康悦企业管理合伙企业（有限合伙） | 44,165,500 | 44,165,500 |
| Tianjin Yuanjufu Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership)天津源聚福企业管理合伙企业（有限合伙） | 15,035,000 | 15,035,000 |
| EASY BEST INVESTMENT LIMITED | 2,536,000 | 2,536,000 |
| Tianjin Genetron Jun’an Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) 天津今创君安企业管理合伙企业（有限合伙） | 24,718,500 | 24,718,500 |
| Tianjin Genetron Juncheng Business Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) 天津今创君成企业管理合伙企业（有限合伙） | 7,128,500 | 7,128,500 |
| Genetron Alliance Holdings Limited | 5,800,000 | 5,800,000 |
| Genetron Discovery Holdings Limited | 4,339,500 | 4,339,500 |
| VIVO CAPITAL FUND IX, LP | 28,574,300 | 28,574,300 |
| CICC Healthcare Investment Fund, L.P. | 13,659,000 | 13,659,000 |
| Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC | 6,829,500 | 6,829,500 |
| Tianjin Tianshu Xingfu Corporation Management L.P. 天津天枢幸福企业管理合伙企业(有限合伙) | 3,839,525 | 3,839,525 |
| Eminence Legend Consultancy (HK) Limited | 4,068,350 | 4,068,350 |
| Ke Li | 68,300 | 68,300 |
| Xiao Yu Lu | 676,100 | 676,100 |
| Zuo Xiang | 68,300 | 68,300 |
| Peng Pamela Yan | 102,400 | 102,400 |
| Hong Chen | 136,600 | 136,600 |
| Jiayin Zhang | 68,300 | 68,300 |
| Genetron Health (Hong Kong) Company Limited | 918,0001 | 918,000 |
| Sizhen Wang | 11,313,140 | 11,313,140 |
| SUPER SAIL LLC | 8,990,000 | 8,990,000 |
| He Weiwu | 3,431,960 | 3,431,960 |
| Huiying Memorial Foundation | 2,068,040 | 2,068,040 |
| WEALTH FAITH INVESTMENT LTD. | 1,521,000 | 1,521,000 |
| Li Qijing | 932,800 | 932,800 |
| Xiao Fan Wang | 250,700 | 250,700 |
| 1 | After deducting (i) 43,000 shares underlying the Company Restricted Shares held by Dr. Webster Cavenee, Ph.D. and paid out in cash in accordance with Section 2.02(f) of the Merger Agreement from (ii) 961,000 shares currently held by Genetron Health (Hong Kong) Company Limited. |
| Zhu Jing | 275,000 | 275,000 |
| Kensington Trust Singapore Limited ato IS&P (First Names Singapore) Retirement Fund – FN45 | 500,000 | 500,000 |
| Kevin Ying Hong | 2,507,000 | 2,507,000 |
| EVER PRECISE INVESTMENTS LIMITED | 5,698,690 | 5,698,690 |
SCHEDULE B
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
Mr. Dian Kang
Dr. Webster Cavenee, Ph.D.
Mr. Wing Kee Lau